Lower Extremity Review
Implementation of these new, highly sophisticated devices can help prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor wound progress. As a medical director in a wound care clinic and the director of wound research for a podiatric medical school, I’ve seen a lot wound imaging in my time. Recently, I have seen some new and exciting imaging innovations enter the wound care space that…
By Windy Cole, DPM
Managing patients with hypertrophic scars can be challenging, with a variety of conservative treatment options suggested in the medical literature. This review summarizes conservative treatment options for hypertrophic scars, focusing on the mechanisms of action, risks, complications, and efficacy of various options.
By Laura-Ashley O’Connell, DPM; Adrienne Estes, DPM, MS, AACFAS, FAPWHc; and David Shofler, DPM, MSHS
More than “just a sprain,” accurately diagnosing peroneal tendonitis in a timely manner helps patients recover faster and avoid long-term sequelae from this painful condition. Peroneal tendon disorders have traditionally been considered a rare source of ankle symptoms.
By Kevin Haag, DPM, PGY-3, and Marshall Solomon, DPM
Limb loss alters pain, touch, and proprioception in countless ways that are not yet fully understood. Understanding how to more realistically evaluate the efficacy of both proactive and reactive interventions meant to address these alterations will improve outcomes and quality of life for those living with lower-extremity amputation.
By Austin Davids, MSOP, CPO, and Jeffrey Yau, PhD
These 2 complex processes are necessary components of quality training programs for athletes at all levels. This article, which covers fundamentals, is the first in a 2-part series. Taking care of the recovery and regeneration of the foot is an integral part of a well-rounded approach to high performance development.
By Antonio Robustelli, MSc CSCS
It seems like every time sports analysts talk about the most recent game—whether it’s football, basketball, baseball, college, or professional—they’re discussing another athlete’s season-ending injury. While the spectrum for the severity of injuries varies, athletes—individuals who we…
By Sami Ahmed, DPT, CES, SFMA, CMTPT
This Bike Fit specialist explains his process for fitting the cyclist, not the bike, to address the individual needs of the rider. He provided commentary to LER Editor Janice T. Radak for the photographs taken at a recent bike fitting clinic and displayed in this story. Bike Fit Unplugged is the technique I developed…
By Happy Freedman
When you think back to your early studies in General Biology you may recall memorizing the steps of the Krebs Cycle. It is through this process of aerobic respiration that most living things generate energy. In aerobic organisms, cells utilize oxygen (O2) as a final electron acceptor to synthesize high-energy…
By Windy Cole, DPM
Recent analysis of the podiatric literature concludes that custom foot orthoses aren’t superior to prefab inserts—an account one expert rejects. It’s a matter of who does the custom work, he says.
By Stanley Beekman, DPM
At the time of this writing, we as lower extremity providers are in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic. Per the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no current evidence to recommend any specific anti-COVID-19 supportive or antiviral treatment for patients with confirmed COVID-19.
By Robert G. Smith, DPM, MSc, RPh
Improving patient care includes questioning traditional treatment approaches; in this case, it’s also about developing ways to enhance and augment those techniques. The first two articles in this series looked, respectively, at early orthotic intervention in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and in those with Down syndrome and other neurological conditions.
By Cary Groner
Clinicians may find the EdUReP theoretical framework provides helpful guidance for exercise prescription and load management for patients with this potentially disabling condition. Despite the substantial gains in knowledge and understanding of lower extremity tendinopathies in recent years..
By Talysha Reeve, B.App.Sc.(Podiatry), GradCertClinRehab
Peripheral arterial disease may be a common finding among those over 50, but it remains underdiagnosed. Choosing the right diagnostic test is key. Eight million men and women in the United States have lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD).1 PAD is a common finding among patients over age 50, yet it is frequently underdiagnosed.
By Brittany Mammano, DPM, PGY-1, and Saba Sadra, DPM, MSc
Use the scale provided here to help you assess standing posture, including the nature and extent of deviation from normal, in children with a developmental disability. Proper standing alignment requires that muscles, bones, and joints are in correct relation to each other, creating elongation and symmetry while counteracting the detrimental force of gravity.
By Dalia Zwick, PT, PHD
Communication, education, and empathy—combined with a solid knowledge base of the disease—are key components of successful management of these damaging, even life-threatening, lesions. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can be concerning to patients and providers for multiple reasons. From the patient’s perspective, DFUs can be uncomfortable, even painful, and a source of embarrassment from a…
By Angela Kelley, PA-C
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