Lower Extremity Review
Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a common issue in the athletic population. Although there are many prophylactic taping methods used to prevent repetitive ankle sprains, the effects of these taping methods in dynamic postural control are not clearly understood.
In the poster, Altered Movement Neuromechanics during Jump Landing and Cutting in Patients with Chronic Ankle Instability,3 Hyunsoo Kim, assistant professor of the Department of Kinesiology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, and colleagues looked at altered movement pattern in patients with CAI to examine biomechanical factors for CAI.
Even though there have been numerous studies regarding prophylactic ankle taping, the way to control the increased mechanical laxity associated with their condition during dynamic activity is not clear. To investigate the effects of traditional tape (TT), fibular repositioning tape (FRT), and kinesiology tape (KT) on joint angles of the lower extremity, Songah Chae, a student in the Department of Movement Sciences at the University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, led a research team on the study, Influence of Prophylactic Ankle Tapes on Lower Extremity Kinematics during Stop-jump in Chronic Ankle Instability.4
Looking to identify specific movement strategies and describe lower extremity stiffness of the subgroups of patients with CAI compared to an uninjured control group, J. Ty Hopkins, PhD, professor of human performance research center at Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, examined 200 CAI participants (109 male) and 100 controls (54 male).
Definitions are important because words can make the difference between understanding and misunderstanding. I prefer a simple definition of footwear: that which covers the foot. This definition does not say it is a top covering of the foot—just a covering of the foot. In the definition of something as fundamental as footwear, I believe that less is more.
By Joseph M. Mozena
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By Keith Loria
Too much? Or not enough? New biofeedback tools help patients with lower-limb fracture in their struggle to understand how much weight to bear on an injured limb. Clinicians whose patients have a lower-limb fracture are faced with a paradox: whether or not to instruct them to place weight on the healing fracture.
By Jill R. Dorson
Osteoarthritis is among the leading causes of disability in the United States, costing billions of dollars each year in lost work hours, treatments, and doctor visits, and leaving people sidelined from day-to-day activities. That problem is mirrored and amplified in the military, a unique segment of the population that relies heavily on physical fitness and ability.
By Nicole Wetsman
End-stage arthritis of the ankle joint affects more than 50,000 people in the US. When conservative treatments do not provide enough relief, surgical options should be considered. Patient selection is key when choosing between ankle arthrodesis (fusion) and total ankle arthroplasty (replacement).
By Vicki Foerster, MD, MSc
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