Lower Extremity Review
Clinicians and researchers are increasingly utilizing exercise protocols focused on improving proprioception, range of motion, and strength to influence the more active and functional deficits that have been associated with chronic ankle instability in the literature.
By Mark A. Feger, MEd, ATC, and Jay Hertel, PhD, ATC
A lack of oxygen can negatively affect wound healing in a number of ways, but surgical, pharmacological, and other technological advances are allowing clinicians to enhance oxygen delivery to damaged tissues and…
By Nanjin Park, DPM; Latricia Allen, DPM, MPH; Mary Nametka, MSN, RN, CWS, CWON, FNP-BC; Vickie R. Driver, MS, DPM, FACFAS
Research on the use of elastic therapeutic tape in patients with chronic ankle instability is limited, but recent findings do suggest that leaving the elastic tape on for several days is associated with improvements in…
By Janet Simon, MS, ATC; Emily Hall, MS, ATC; and Carrie Docherty, PhD, ATC
Updated guidelines and new appropriate use criteria for nonoperative management of knee osteoarthritis aim to focus more directly on typical knee OA patients, who often have comorbidities that can complicate care and…
By Larry Hand
Patients often look to foot and ankle practitioners for advice about footwear choices. But a recent survey of physicians found that nearly half don’t educate their patients about footwear guidelines, and that only one in…
By Daniel Farber, MD
After a year in a fracture boot with a broken foot, I thought my ordeal was over. I was wrong. The broken bone in my foot, sustained after a fall down a staircase in my home, had occurred midway down the fifth metatarsal bone below my little toe—a site that is notoriously difficult to heal, according to my podiatrist.
By Barbara Boughton
Finding the right orthotic design starts with the space limitations presented by cycling shoes, but the challenges for lower extremity practitioners don’t end there. Factors to consider when prescribing foot orthoses include biomechanics, skill level, cycling discipline, and bike technology.
By P.K. Daniel
Foam rolling is a relatively new therapeutic approach, but early research suggests that it can help improve range of motion and muscle performance and aid in recovery after exercise. Questions remain, however, about the extent to which the effects involve myofascial mechanisms.
By Duane C. Button, PhD, CSEP-CEP, and David G. Behm, PhD
As a result of limitations in the fall prevention research to date, investigators and
clinicians are often left to make their best guesses about the effect of foot and ankle interventions based on the effect such strategies have on issues related to falls, rather than on falls themselves.
By Cary Groner
Several patient populations with an increased risk of knee osteoarthritis also are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency, and research suggests vitamin D levels may be related to knee OA symptoms. The exact nature of the relationship, however, remains perplexing.
By Greg Gargiulo
To sustain is to endure. Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a considerable worldwide health concern, as it greatly impacts an individual’s quality of life, general health, and societal role participation.
By John Nyland, DPT, SCS, EdD, ATC, CSCS, FACSM, David N.M. Caborn, MD, and Roland Jakob, MD
Adding four functional tests to the preparticipation physical evaluations performed in student athletes may allow clinicians to identify individuals at risk for lower extremity musculoskeletal injury and implement preventive interventions to maximize safety in sports participation.
By Alexis Meister, BS, ATC; Dustin Grooms, MEd, ATC, CSCS; Cambrie Starkel, MS; and James Onate, PhD, ATC, FNATA
Existing data suggest bariatric surgery-induced weight loss can lead to rapid improvements in gait and physical function. The surgery may also help to address factors associated with knee osteoarthritis, which itself can affect mobility and function in obese patients.
By Andrew W. Froehle, PhD, Neal Dollin, MS, Richard T. Laughlin, MD, Donovan D. Teel II, MD, Richard J. Sherwood, PhD, and Dana L. Duren, PhD
Because power in baseball pitchers is generated from the feet through the core to the throwing arm, the study of stride length and its impact on pitching performance may help define an optimum technique that better protects pitchers from upper extremity injuries.
By Ryan L. Crotin, PhD, and Dan K. Ramsey, PhD
The body of research that has evaluated running shoe prescription and injury suggests the most important factors to consider when selecting a running shoe are that it fits the foot perfectly and that the midsole is comfortable and appropriate for the individual athlete’s running style.
By Thomas C. Michaud, DC
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