Category Archives: Feature Article
April 2016
Managing hallux limitus and rigidus in athletes
The terms “hallux limitus” and “hallux rigidus” refer to a degenerative process of the great toe joint that was first described by Davies-Colley1 in 1887 and termed hallux flexus. Cotterill later coined the term hallux rigidus.2 The two terms represent a progression in…
By Howard Kashefsky, DPM, FACFAS Continue reading
April 2016
Achilles experts ponder effects of heel elevation
After an Australian study raised questions about the conventional practice of elevating the heel to decrease Achilles tendon load, researchers and clinicians have been revisiting what is known about the many factors—including pain—that can affect tendon load and function.
by Cary Groner Continue reading
April 2016
Influence of estrogen on the plantar fascia
Reported effects of estrogen on knee ligaments and the Achilles tendon raise questions about how the plantar fascia might be altered during the menstrual cycle and how those changes might affect injury risk.
By Jerrold Petrofsky, PhD, JD; and Haneul Lee, PT, DSc Continue reading
April 2016
The clinical implications of accelerated knee OA
Accelerated knee osteoarthritis (OA), defined by very rapid radiographic disease progression, is also associated with earlier and more severe symptoms than traditional OA. Identification of…
By Jeffrey B. Driban, PhD, ATC, CSCS Continue reading
April 2016
Emerging treatments for diabetic neuropathy
Strict glycemic control is the most reliable treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, but expanding knowledge of central and peripheral nervous system processes may help identify therapeutic methods…
By Sarnarendra Miranpuri, DPM, MD; Kush Patel; Gurwattan Miranpuri, PhD; Abhishek Chopra; and Ravinderjit Singh Continue reading
February 2016
Plantar fasciitis: clinical concerns in cleated sports
Cleated sports are associated with a high incidence of lower extremity injuries. American football and soccer are particularly troublesome due to unique risk factors involving footwear design, loading patterns, and sport-specific biomechanics.
By Patricia Pande, MClScPT, CSCS, CPed Continue reading
February 2016
Active Stance: Patients with at-risk feet need collaborative care
In a recent editorial in The Lancet Diabetes-Endocrinology,1 Lipsky and colleagues wrote that diabetic foot disease “…is not a one doctor disease—it demands multidisciplinary care. Furthermore, as a notoriously unglamorous problem, the disease depends on…
By Terrence P. Sheehan, MD
February 2016
Biomechanists explore effect of obesity on falls
Obese patients have an increased risk for falls and fall-related injury, not just because of the loads involved, but also because of the strategies they use to recover from a trip or slip. Findings from a growing body of research will help in developing interventions to minimize that risk.
By Hank Black Continue reading
February 2016
Dynamic load analysis for injury prevention
Identifying loading patterns associated with Jones fractures and other common sports-related injuries can assist with the development of custom modifications to footwear, insoles, and training programs to help reduce injury rates and enhance athletic careers.
By Yannick Goeb, Nate Wilcox-Fogel, and Kenneth J. Hunt, MD Continue reading
January 2016
Plantar fasciitis: Clinical considerations in runners
Clinicians should advocate for the cost-effective, judicious use of foot orthoses for runners with plantar fasciitis, in accordance with the present body of knowledge.
By Patricia Pande, MClScPT, CSCS, CPed Continue reading
March 2016
Plantar fasciitis: Clinical concerns in basketball
Basketball is associated with a high number of lower extremity injuries, often related to footwear and the unique biomechanics and repetitious motion of the sport. This reflects the evolution of basketball from a refined sport to one of extreme physical contact and leverage. At elite levels of competition, the joint loading that comes with…
By Patricia Pande, MClScPT, CSCS, CPed Continue reading
March 2016
Running modifications and reducing injury risk
Evidence suggests that no one foot strike style can be expected to decrease injury risk in all runners, and that switching foot strike patterns can have unintended consequences. Using a shorter stride length, however, can be an effective alternative for some runners.
By Elizabeth Boyer, PhD, and Tim Derrick, PhD Continue reading
March 2016
Strength training: Bone health benefits for men
Men with low bone mass are much less likely than their female counterparts to receive treatment. But research suggests that resistance exercise is a safe and effective way to improve bone mineral density in men and, in turn, reduce the risk of fracture and related complications
By Pamela S. Hinton, PhD Continue reading
March 2016
Ankle instability rehab emphasizes individuality
Research presented at the most recent International Ankle Symposium indicates that rehabilitation for chronic ankle instability is evolving from a one-size-fits-all approach to an increased focus on matching specific interventions to the patients who are most likely to benefit.
By Lori Roniger Continue reading
March 2016
Flexible flat foot: Effects of orthoses during gait
In this original investigation, researchers analyzed the biomechanical effects of a foot orthosis in patients with flexible flat foot during walking and the extent to which those functional effects are consistent with proposed theories about the device’s mechanism of action.
By Bruce Elliott, PT, DPT, COMT, and Juan Garbalosa, PhD, PT Continue reading
January 2016
Conference coverage: 4th PFP research retreat
Studies presented at the Patellofemoral Pain Research Retreat in Manchester, UK, illustrate the progress researchers are making toward the ultimate goal of being able to tailor exercise protocols and other interventions to best address the needs of specific patient subgroups.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
January 2016
Footwear, traction, and the risk of athletic injury
High degrees of rotational traction associated with athletic footwear can increase the risk of noncontact lower extremity injury following an unexpected neuromuscular perturbation, possibly by increasing biomechanical joint loading at the ankle and knee.
By John W. Wannop, PhD; Ryan Madden, MSc; and Darren J. Stefanyshyn, PhD, PEng Continue reading
January 2016
Yoga for knee OA pain: a mind-body approach
Although the medical literature has not yet provided definitive evidence of effectiveness, a number of existing studies suggest that yoga interventions are associated with improved physical and mental health outcomes among adults with knee osteoarthritis.
By Monica R. Maly, PT, PhD Continue reading
January 2016
Compression and clots in athletes who travel
Hemostatic activation following a marathon is lower in athletes who run with compression socks than those who run with typical athletic socks, suggesting the garments may help reduce the risk of postexercise clot formation in athletes who travel to events.
By Amanda Zaleski, MS; and Beth Taylor, PhD Continue reading
November 2015
Shear-wave elastography could help optimize Achilles rehab
Researchers at the University of Delaware in Newark are using a new ultrasound-based technique to better understand the effects of rehabilitation on the Achilles tendon, which could help optimize rehab protocols to improve long-term function.
By Cary Groner Continue reading
November 2015
Surgeon finds himself on other end of scalpel
A meniscal injury gave one practitioner new insight into the patient experience and renewed his belief that healing isn’t just about what happens physically.
By Cary Groner Continue reading
November 2015
Equinus: Its surprising role in foot pathologies
Although milder than the spasticity-induced cases of equinus, limited ankle dorsiflexion in the non-neurological population is increasingly recognized as a source of excessive strain throughout the foot and a factor in the pathogenesis of many foot conditions.
By Nicholas V. DiMassa and Jeffrey M. Whitaker DPM, FACFAS Continue reading
November 2015
Experts revisit hyperbaric oxygen for diabetic ulcers
Recent analyses cautiously recommend the short-term adjunctive use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for diabetic foot ulcer healing under certain conditions, but in the absence of high-quality clinical trials, experts continue to debate the controversial therapy’s benefits.
By Hank Black Continue reading
November 2015
Quadriceps symmetry after ACL reconstruction
Using muscle function symmetry as an indicator of patient progress after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction can provide insight about potential targets for intervention to improve movement quality, functional performance, and patient outcomes.
By Christopher Kuenze, PhD, ATC; and Adam Kelly, MS, ATC Continue reading
November 2015
Intermittent claudication: next-generation therapy
Given that existing therapies for intermittent claudication are not appropriate for all patients, researchers are working to develop new therapies focused on improving patients’ ability to compensate for a vascular occlusion by expanding collateral artery pathways.
By Steven J. Miller, PhD; A. George Akingba, MD, PhD; and Joseph L. Unthank, PhD Continue reading
