Category Archives: Archives
July 2011
Handcrafted Leather Orthotics
ComfortFit Labs’ Classic Leather Collection’s trio of handcrafted orthotics includes the Leather Balancer, Leather Shaffer, and Leather Laminate. The Leather Balancer’s deep heel cup provides rearfoot control and minimizes mediolateral instability. The Leather Shaffer’s medial flange offers firm arch support, … Continue reading
July 2011
New papers revisit, rekindle flexible flatfoot controversy
“Other considerations” spark debate
In January 2010, when LER first covered the controversy, Australian podiatrist and researcher Angela Evans, PhD, had recently published a paper in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association suggesting that children whose feet were flatter than expected, but asymptomatic, should be monitored rather than automatically treated with orthoses.
By Cary Groner
July 2011
CP experts assess evidence for use of orthotic devices
Despite progress, research gaps remain
The January publication in NeuroRehabilitation of the recommendations from a consensus conference held in 2008 paints a less-than-perfect picture of the evidence underlying orthotic management of cerebral palsy (CP).
By Larry Hand
July 2011
ACL injury prevention training focuses on younger athletes
Age-specific protocols are key to success
Training programs aimed at preventing anterior cruciate ligament injuries have been used for many years, but injury rates remain high. Injury prevention experts suggest such programs may be more effective if implemented before children reach the ages associated with highest injury risk and if the programs utilize age-specific protocols.
By Emily Delzell
July 2011
Not all practitioners embrace soft soles for novice walkers
Barefoot-like isn’t necessarily best
Barefoot is a biomechanics buzzword these days, but not all practitioners believe soft-soled shoes are best for very young children, even if such shoes do approximate the barefoot walking experience.
By Shalmali Pal
July 2011
Charcot-Marie-Tooth patients respond to AFO management
But recognizing device limits is key
Muscle weakness and instability associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in children can be addressed with ankle foot orthoses, research suggests, but practitioners should be aware of the limitations of AFOs in this patient population as well as the ever-present challenge of compliance.
By Shalmali Pal
July 2011
French study favors Ponseti over compatriots’ technique
Casting simplifies clubfoot management
In a comparative study published in the April/May issue of the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, French researchers found that Ponseti casting compared favorably to French physiotherapy for initial treatment of idiopathic clubfoot.
By Emily Delzell
July 2011
Early research characterizes gait associated with autism
Results could have clinical implications
Little research has been published about gait patterns in children with autism, but that could be changing. One recently published study, although small, appears to lay the foundation for more focused research and could have clinical implications as well.
By Larry Hand
July 2011
EXERCISE AND NEUROPATHY: Not mutually exclusive
Exercise is a cornerstone of treatment for diabetes, but for years patients with peripheral neuropathy have been discouraged from weight-bearing exercise for fear of further increasing ulceration risks. Now new research is turning that advice on its head.
By Cary Groner
July 2011
Publisher’s memo: Our second year
Another year has virtually flown by, and I am so happy to share with you LER’s progress as an organization in the past year. Thanks in no small part to you, our readers, we have experienced a lot of exciting accomplishments and achieved some key goals that I had set when I started the magazine.
Richard Dubin, Publisher
July 2011
Out on a limb: Subtle distinctions
Those investigating alleged improprieties associated with a 2007 study on hip protectors will tell you their efforts are all about ethics. But the way I see it, the more important lesson to be learned from this situation is one of biomechanics, specifically the clinical importance of the subtleties of asymmetry.
Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
July 2011
Ankle sprain prevention revisits shoes as solution
In the ongoing battle against inversion ankle sprains in basketball and other sports, high tops are old news. But shoe designers have begun to investigate other ways that shoes might play a role in preventing sprains rather than contributing to the problem.
By Cary Groner
July 2011
Plantar fasciitis: A new take on custom orthoses
The medical literature generally supports the use of foot orthoses for management of plantar fasciitis symptoms, but evidence regarding specific orthotic designs is inconclusive. Early research suggests a temporary custom foot orthosis may be an effective treatment option.
By Caryn Doggett, DPT, Michelle Drake, DPT, and Robert Boyles, PT, DSc, OCS
July 2011
Original research: Skill level and balance in golf
Previous research has identified superior balance in professional golfers compared with controls as well as associations between balance and skill level in amateur golfers. This study compared standing balance characteristics between professional and highly skilled amateur golfers.
By Robert Donatelli, PT, PhD; Kenji Carp, PT, ATC, OCS; Guido Pagnacco, PhD; and John Adam, ATC
July 2011
Prehabilitation for TJA: More than just exercise
New England Baptist Hospital’s multidisciplinary prehabilitation program is grounded in research suggesting that outcomes after total joint replacement can be positively influenced by preoperative care that includes management of patient expectations as well as exercise.
By Claire E. Robbins, PT, DPT, MS, GCS, James V. Bono, MD, and Carl T. Talmo, MD
July 2011
Meniscal misadventures
Some surgeries may predict AC lesions
Research presented this month at the annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine spelled more bad news for advocates of meniscectomy, potentially linking the embattled procedure to the development of articular cartilage lesions that can progress to osteoarthritis.
July 2011
Soccer hamstring injury data suggest need for gender-specific intervention
Gender appears to affect patterns of hamstring injury in soccer, suggesting that different prevention strategies may be in order for male and female players, according to a study presented in June at the National Athletic Trainers Association meeting. Researchers from … Continue reading
July 2011
Low vitamin D levels plague NFL players, possibly increasing risk of muscle injury
A preseason evaluation of the New York Giants football team found that nearly all players suffered from vitamin D insufficiency, a factor that may have contributed to muscle injuries, according to a study presented this month at the AOSSM meeting. … Continue reading
July 2011
A coup for pes cavus
New approach supports orthotic care
In contrast with previous findings based on peak pressure values, an abstract presented at July’s International Society of Biomechanics (ISB) meeting in Brussels used a new method of measuring dynamic plantar pressure distribution to confirm that custom orthoses improve distribution of peak pressure during dynamic foot loading in patients with painful pes cavus.
July 2011
Anterior stiffness differentiates chronic ankle instability from ‘potential copers’
Anterior stiffness may be a key differentiator between people who develop chronic instability following an ankle sprain and those who recover fully, according to research presented in June at the annual meeting of the National Athletic Trainers Association. Investigators from … Continue reading
July 2011
Shear associated with heel height could increase shoe-related risks
Posterolateral shear stress increases with heel height and could play a key role in high-heeled shoe-related foot disorders, according to a study in the June issue of the Journal of Biomechanics. Investigators from Hong Kong Polytechnic University used in-shoe triaxial … Continue reading
July 2011
Inexpensive intervention reduces falls in older adults with severe foot pain
A multifaceted fall-prevention program introduced in a group of community dwelling older adults reduced falls by 36% compared with a control group, according to a June British Medical Journal study. Investigators at La Trobe University in Bundoora, Australia, randomized 305 … Continue reading
July 2011
Delcam opens orthotic demo center, updates design/manufacture software
Fort Myers, FL-based Delcam’s new demonstration center in Windsor, Ontario, will allow the company’s application engineers to reproduce client problems to find quick solutions, provide a venue for demonstrating applications of its digital technology, which covers a range of products … Continue reading
July 2011
JMS Plastics Supply broadens scope with Orthofeet insoles, shoes, socks
On July 1 Neptune, NJ-based JMS Plastics Supply began selling Orthofeet’s therapeutic shoes, diabetic insoles, and therapeutic socks. Orthofeet’s shoes and orthotics are approved by Medicare and meet the requirements of the Therapeutic Shoe Bill. The shoe line is appropriate … Continue reading
July 2011
Medco to carry Progressive Health Innovation’s Ankle Foot maXimizer
Progressive Health Innovations, the Port Moody, B.C.-based manufacturer of the Ankle Foot maXimizer (AFX), has reached a distribution agreement with Medco Sports Medicine, a division of Patterson Medical and the largest supplier of medical products to athletic trainers in the … Continue reading
