Category Archives: Feature Article
May 2015
Conference coverage: 7th ACL research retreat
Anterior cruciate ligament injury experts met in Greensboro, NC, to examine the extent to which biomechanics and other less-familiar factors—including joint laxity, fatigue, neurocognitive function, and genetics—may contribute to noncontact injury risk.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
May 2015
Dual-task gait: The potential influence of orthotic devices
Clinicians know walking while performing a secondary task can be particularly difficult for elderly patients or those with neuromuscular impairments. But new research suggests the use of orthotic devices may improve dual-task gait, which could significantly improve quality of life.
By Cary Groner Continue reading
May 2015
Exergaming: therapeutic benefits in older adults
Increasing numbers of studies are suggesting that exergaming can help improve strength, balance, and other variables in older adults, but clinicians also need to be aware that some aspects of exergaming can present challenges in this patient population.
By Ying-Yu Chao, RN, GNP-BC, PhD Continue reading
May 2015
Music therapy and gait: rehab to a different beat
Research suggests the use of rhythmic stimuli for gait rehabilitation can help improve gait and balance in patients with Parkinson disease, stroke, and other conditions, but some questions regarding its overall applicability and optimal delivery method remain.
By Greg Gargiulo Continue reading
April 2015
A new triplanar paradigm for bunion management
The most common paradigm in bunion surgery relies on one or more metatarsal osteotomies to correct the 1-2 intermetatarsal angle (IMA) and soft tissue balancing to align the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ), sesamoid apparatus, and hallux. Additionally, the most common approach…
By Paul Dayton, DPM, MS, FACFAS, and Merrell Kauwe, DPM
April 2015
Risk of overuse injury in high school athletes
Roughly 60% of overuse injuries in high school athletes occur in the lower extremities, injuries that are increasing in number as more students participate in sports. Treatment involves rest and correction of biomechanical deficiencies, and should be individualized to each athlete.
By Allison Schroeder; James Onate, PhD, AT, ATC, FNATA; and Thomas Best, MD, PhD Continue reading
April 2015
APTA’s revised heel pain guidelines spur dialogue
The American Physical Therapy Association has updated its 2008 guidelines on the nonsurgical treatment of heel pain with a bolstered evidence base, but lower extremity practitioners continue to debate the clinical merits and most effective applications of certain newer therapies.
By Hank Black Continue reading
April 2015
The psychology of returning to sports after ACL surgery
Psychological factors are responsible for delayed return to sports after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a significant number of patients despite successful physical rehabilitation, but questions remain as to the most effective ways to address these issues.
By Trevor A. Lentz, PT, SCS, CSCS Continue reading
April 2015
Early weight bearing after Achilles tendon repair
Early mobilization and weight bearing after Achilles tendon repair is associated with improved patient satisfaction and faster return to work and sports, with no significant increase in rates of tendon rerupture or postoperative wound and nerve complications.
By David P. Taormina, MD, and Nirmal C. Tejwani, MD Continue reading
March 2015
Hallux valgus and plantar pressure measurement
Researchers and clinicians have found that plantar pressure assessment can help document the dynamic effects of hallux valgus surgery, postoperative physical therapy, and footwear or orthotic interventions, particularly in cases…
By Hank Black Continue reading
March 2015
The role of hip strength in ACL rehabilitation
A protocol that includes isolated hip strengthening exercises during the early stages of postoperative rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction may provide a platform on which to build in the later stages of rehab and may predict future performance.
By J. Craig Garrison, PhD, PT, ATC, SCS Continue reading
March 2015
Elastic therapeutic tape: The search for evidence
Athletes swear by it, but quality studies on elastic therapeutic tape are hard to come by, and the literature is littered with conflicting or inconclusive findings about the technique’s efficacy…
By Cary Groner Continue reading
March 2015
Predicting recurrence after clubfoot treatment
In the search for factors that predict recurrence after use of the Ponseti method for successful treatment of idiopathic clubfoot, conclusive evidence is in short supply. However, the one factor that is…
By Rachel Y. Goldstein, MD, MPH Continue reading
March 2015
Low back pain and risk of lower extremity injury
Low back pain is associated with kinematic and kinetic alterations that can increase the risk of lower extremity injury, particularly in the presence of fatigue. New research suggests…
By Ram Haddas, PhD Continue reading
February 2015
Peripheral neuropathy in Lyme disease patients
Reported cases of Lyme disease have been rising steadily over the past 30 years, but its diagnosis can be challenging. Left untreated, patients with Lyme disease can go on to develop neurological symptoms, including those that are characteristic of peripheral neuropathy.
By Greg Gargiulo Continue reading
February 2015
An eccentric approach to hamstring injuries
The effectiveness of eccentric training for the prevention and rehabilitation of hamstring strains has been established in the medical literature. The next step is to identify an eccentric hamstring exercise that addresses the limitations of existing…
By Karl F. Orishimo, MS, CSCS, and Takumi Fukunaga, DPT, ATC, CSCS Continue reading
February 2015
Chronic ankle instability: effects on quality of life
Patient-reported outcomes can be used to monitor health-related quality of life in patients with chronic ankle instability, and lower extremity practitioners can design rehabilitation approaches to specifically target physical impairments that are known to contribute to quality of life.
By Megan N. Houston, PhD, ATC, and Matthew C. Hoch PhD, ATC Continue reading
February 2015
Knee OA brace experts revisit persistent issues
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that bracing for knee osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with significant benefits with regard to pain and function. But links to disease progression remain elusive, and the challenges of patient compliance are becoming even more complicated.
By Larry Hand Continue reading
February 2015
Achilles rehab: focusing on insertional tendinosis
Research supports eccentric strengthening for treatment of midportion Achilles tendinopathy, but a new study suggests the same approach…
By Lisa H. Jain, DPT, OCS; Kevin J. McCarthy, MD; Michael Williams, PT, OCS; Marie Barron, PT, OCS; Nick Bird, MPT; Brian Blackwell, PT, OCS; G. Andrew Murphy, MD; David R. Richards, MD; Susan Ishikawa, MD; and Margaret Kedia, PhD, DPT Continue reading
January 2015
Sensory-targeted ankle rehabilitation strategies
Current treatments for chronic ankle instability (CAI) may be ineffective in reducing its development and recurrence. To help address this issue, the authors have proposed a new treatment paradigm based on …
By Patrick O. McKeon, PhD, ATC, CSCS, and Erik A. Wikstrom, PhD, ATC, FACSM Continue reading
January 2015
Knee OA as a long-term consequence of injury
A knee injury can have painful and disabling long-term repercussions, such as the early onset of knee osteoarthritis (OA) or accelerated knee OA. Injury prevention and effective interventions may help …
By Jeffrey B. Driban, PhD, ATC, CSCS; Brian Pietrosimone, PhD, ATC; Nicole M. Cattano, PhD, ATC; Matthew S. Harkey, MS, ATC; and Brittney A. Luc, MS, ATC Continue reading
January 2015
Implications of reduced stride length in running
Decreasing stride length during running has been shown to result in biomechanical changes that are associated with reduced loading of biological tissues and, by extension, also may reduce the …
By Melissa A. Thompson, PhD, and Kristine M. Hoffman, DPM Continue reading
January 2015
Clinical utility of the FMS and its component tasks
Although some research has found that using the composite score for the seven component tasks of the Functional Movement Screen is a reliable way to predict risk of injury in athletes, other studies …
By Erin Hartigan, PT, DPT, OCS, PhD, ATC; Nicole Chimera, PhD, ATC, CSCS; and Sarah Lamberton, NSCA-CPT Continue reading
January 2015
Effects of unstable shoes: Many questions remain
Current research suggests that relatively small but statistically significant changes are associated in the short term with the use of unstable shoes. However, it is unclear if those changes are clinically meaningful, or whether long-term use would yield greater or diminished results.
By Jacob Gardner, PhD Continue reading
November 2014
Eccentric interventions for Achilles tendinopathy
Multiple descriptive studies have demonstrated the clinical benefits of eccentric exercise interventions in patients with Achilles tendinopathy, but researchers have not yet identified the cause-and-effect mechanisms leading to decreased pain or increased function.
By Matthew Crill, MS, MBA, PT Continue reading
