Lower Extremity Review
Research supports the use of compression stockings for managing peripheral edema, venous insufficiency, and venous leg ulcers. But, outside the laboratory, issues related to patient compliance and achieving a proper stocking fit remain significant clinical challenges.
By Greg Gargiulo
It happened about two years ago while I was playing a friendly game of basketball with my teenage sons and friends. I was 49 years old and never felt like slowing down. Like most guys, while playing ball, we would imitate our favorite players.
By Joseph Hayward
Tuning of ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) and AFO-footwear combinations can significantly improve gait in patients with neuromuscular impairments. Even so, some pa- tients still prefer their untuned devices, which has led researchers and clinicians to reexamine their approach to intervention.
By Cary Groner
Despite excellent subjective outcomes following Achilles tendon repair, significant plantar flexion and dorsiflexion strength deficits often persist. However, modern trends in postoperative rehabilitation represent a progression toward a more functional strength recovery.
By David A. Porter, MD, PhD, Kirk Cleland, MD, and Angela M. Rund, MEd, ATC
Many studies have shown an effect of foot orthoses on biomechanical function in patients with flexible flatfoot, but few studies have focused on patient-centered outcomes. There is a need to investigate the effect of foot orthoses on pain and fatigue in these individuals over time.
By Sarah A. Curran, PhD
Research suggests that when trying on athletic shoes in a retail store, an individual’s perceptions of shoe mass primarily come from handling the shoes and less (if at all) from test-wearing them. In addition, the foot’s perception of shoe mass does not appear to improve with practice.
By Joel G. Greenya, BS, Stephen J. Slade, BS, Christopher L. Kliethermes, PhD, and David S. Senchina, PhD
US Olympic Committee researchers have found that peristaltic pulse compression of the lower extremities may provide a means of enhancing the rheological properties of the lower extremities without resorting to extreme temperatures, expensive body work, or stretching.
By William A Sands, PhD, FACSM, CSCS
Efficient, low-cost, field-ready functional movement tests may be useful in preparticipation physicals to identify and provide preventive treatment for individuals with an elevated risk of injury, as well as aiding return-to-sport…
By Kathryn Schwartzkopf-Phifer, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, and Kyle Kiesel, PT, PhD, ATC
A growing body of research suggests that statins may help improve not just cardiovascular outcomes but also those associated with lower extremity conditions such as peripheral arterial disease and knee…
By Larry Hand
Conventional wisdom says dorsal straps for ankle foot orthoses should be positioned at a certain angle to resist heel rise. Now preliminary research from Georgia Tech is calling that practice into question…
By P.K. Daniel
Research has identified ankle-brachial index, loss of sensation, and deformity as predictors of foot ulceration in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and also suggests that ulceration influences…
By Jill Firth, PhD, BSc (Hons), and Heidi J Siddle, PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons)
In 2008 I walked the 500-mile Camino de Santiago, the medieval pilgrimage route through northern Spain leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It was my first long distance walk, and because I completed it without injury, pain, or a blister, I fancied myself a walking superhero, immune to suffering or discomfort.
By Laura Potts
Baseball players at all skill levels routinely suffer from foot and ankle injuries, with position players being afflicted more often than pitchers or catchers. Making the correct initial diagnosis without delay can lead to more rapid and effective treatment, rehabilitation, and return to play.
By Gabriel V. Gambardella, DPM, Jeffrey Delott, DPM, and Zachary J. Korwek
When commercially available active video games are used in rehabilitation settings, often the level of challenge does not match the patient’s ability level. Customized interventions can address these limitations while capitalizing on the fun and motivating aspects of the technology.
By Rachel Proffitt, OTD, OTR/L
In both the short term and the long term, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction produced greater quality of life improvements at a lower cost compared with rehabilitation only, suggesting that limiting access to ACL reconstruction may be harmful to patients and costly to society.
By Richard C. Mather III, MD, and Lane Koenig, PhD
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