Category Archives: Cover Story
March 2021
Guest Perspective: Why We Participate In National Biomechanics Day
National Biomechanics Day (NBD)—April 7, 2021—is a worldwide celebration of biomechanics in its many forms for high school students and teachers. Sponsored by The Biomechanics Initiative, NBD is in its 6th year of celebrating all things biomechanics. NBD’s goal is to accelerate the growth and impact of biomechanics science and application by introducing biomechanics to young people, namely high school students. Continue reading
February 2021
BEHOLD the Human Arch! Biomechanics of Longitudinal Arch Load-Sharing System of the Foot
The human foot is an engineering marvel, consisting of 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. But it is the unique and elegant load-sharing system of the longitudinal arch that makes human locomotion possible. This author explains how.
By Kevin A. Kirby, DPM Continue reading
January 2021
Skiing-Related Injuries: Who, What, How, When, And a Bit of Prevention
More popular than ever, skiing remains a complex sport with a high risk of injury. Here we detail some of the pertinent data. Skiing, a sport that has been around since Cro-Magnon man, is among the most popular winter sports in the United States. There were nearly 15 million skiers in the US in 2017 alone.
By Janice T. Radak Continue reading
November 2020
Clinical Applications of Custom 3D Printed Implants in Complex Lower Extremity Reconstruction
The authors present four cases of complex lower extremity reconstruction involving segmental bone loss and deformity – failed total ankle arthroplasty, talus avascular necrosis, ballistic trauma, and nonunion of a tibial osteotomy.
By Rishin J. Kadakia, MD, Colleen M. Wixted, Nicholas B. Allen, Andrew E. Hanselman, MD, and Samuel B. Adams, MD Continue reading
October 2020
Foot Drop: A Primer
Foot drop, a complex condition that can have a significant impact on independent ambulation, can have many causes. Treatment options vary by cause. These authors provide a review of the condition from etiology through treatment. Foot drop (also known as steppage gait) is an inability to lift the forefoot due to the weakness of dorsiflexors of the foot. This, in turn, can lead to an unsafe antalgic gait, potentially resulting in falls.
By Subhadra L. Nori, MD, and Michael F. Stretanski, DO Continue reading
October 2020
A New Ankle–Foot Orthosis Using Wire for Stroke Patients with Foot Drop
Researchers from Korea have developed a new type of AFO that uses neoprene and a novel wire configuration for use with foot drop after stroke. Foot drop can be a sequela of stroke. An ankle–foot orthosis (AFO) is the most widely used method to prevent foot drop in patients with stroke, and is used during weight-bearing training of the limb on the affected side or when there is ankle spasticity or deformity.
By Jung-Hoon Lee, Im-Rak Choi, and Hyun-Su Choi Continue reading
September 2020
Expanding Our Understanding of Chronic Ankle Instability
Research is showing that it’s not “just an ankle sprain,” but rather the first step on a perilous journey to physical instability and lower quality of life. The clinical presentation of chronic ankle instability (CAI) has been defined as the perceived or subjective instability with feelings of giving way, pain, and recurrent sprains. Continue reading
September 2020
Gait Biofeedback and Impairment-based Rehabilitation
In a study that debuted at the National Athletic Trainers Association virtual meeting and was subsequently published later, a multidisciplinary team of clinicians sought to analyze the effects of visual gait biofeedback along with impairment-based rehabilitation on gait biomechanics in a group of patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Continue reading
August 2020
An Update on Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): Part I
This 2-part series examines the current state of peripheral artery disease. This article focuses on disease burden, risk factors, and clinical presentation. Part 2, which will appear next month, will examine current recommendations for diagnosis and treatment.
By Aisha Cobbs, PhD Continue reading
August 2020
Diagnostic Accuracy of PADnet Xpress® in the Detection of Peripheral Artery Disease
With existing knowledge, much of the cardiovascular risk burden of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is preventable. PAD is a common atherosclerotic syndrome that is estimated to affect 12.5 million Americans and 237 million people worldwide.1 One in five Americans over the age of 65 has PAD.2 Based on national treatment patterns, more than half of all patients with PAD do not know they have it.
By Sue Duval, PhD Continue reading
July 2020
Functional Ankle Instability Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Male Football Players
Reported incidence rates for ankle sprains range from 15% to 45%. This study looked at self-reported ankle instability in regional European football players and found that age and injury repetition as well as exposure time and position on the field were associated with instability rates, suggesting the need for specific prevention strategies.
By A. Cruz, R. Oliveira, A.G. Silva
June 2020
Manipulation of the Myofascia: Motivations, Methods, and Mechanisms
Foam rolling and roller massage, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, and percussion massage are all the rage amongst consumers all along today’s fitness continuum. But what is the evidence base for the countless claims proponents offer? These authors provide a review of the peer-reviewed literature.
By Linden A. Lechner, BSc; Michael A. Rosenblat, PT, PhD(c), CEP; and Leanne M. Ramer, PhD Continue reading
May 2020
The Utility of External Fixation for Midfoot Charcot Neuroarthropathy
When conservative therapies fail, surgical reconstruction of the foot is often required to restore function, heal ulcerations, and decrease risk of amputation in patients with CN. External fixation remains a reliable method, with plenty of advantages.
By P. Tanner Shaffer, DPM, Jonathan Hook, DPM, FACFAS, and Ben Potter, DPM Continue reading
April 2020
Using The “Reformer,” “Wunda Chair,” and “foot Corrector”: The Pilates Method Enhances Alignment and Core Awareness
A trained Pilates professional in a fully equipped studio can help your patient make significant improvement in strength and flexibility by addressing postural habits and alignment problems. Joseph Hubertus Pilates began development of his method – a body–mind approach to exercise –in the early 1920s. As a child, Pilates suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever.
By Marianne Adams, MA, MFA Continue reading
March 2020
Injury Prevention Keeps Dancers on Their Toes
Unique partnership between University Hospitals’ Sports Medicine Team and the Cleveland Ballet focuses on performer preparation to avoid long-term problems. Efficient movement in ballet is easy to recognize, as every step the dancer takes flows seamlessly into the next, representing a perfect balance of muscular engagement and release.
By Douglas J. Guth Continue reading
February 2020
White Paper: Foot Pronation
Over the past decades, pronation has been discussed as a potential risk factor for injuries or as the mechanism behind impact damping. However, little is understood about pronation. The objectives of this paper were to (a) define and differentiate between the terms of pronation and eversion, (b & c) underline the importance and problematic aspects of pronation.
By Benno Nigg, Anja-Verena Behling, and Joseph Hamill Continue reading
January 2020
Overuse Injuries in Sports Aren’t Wholly Preventable. But They Are Reducible
Empower athletes and work in partnership with them to reduce their risk and severity of overuse injury and keep them at the level of performance they want. Getting better at any sport, at any level, takes practice, commitment—and repetition. Basketball players shoot jump shot after jump shot, soccer players drill footwork, and cross-country athletes log seemingly endless miles.
By Nicole Wetsman Continue reading
October 2019
Needed, Proposed, Designed: An Injury Assessment and Prevention Program for Collegiate Women’s Basketball
Why are female basketball players increasingly at risk of lower-extremity injury? How should an injury prevention program for them be devised and implemented? The authors undertook a team study to find the answers. Knee injuries account for 10% to 25% of sports-related injuries.
By Major Kyle East, PT, DPT, DSC; Lieutenant Commander Lauren Brown, PT, DPT, DSC; and Colonel Donald Goss, PT, PHD Continue reading
September 2019
Vaping: How Smoking E-Cigarettes Affects Physiology and Athletic Performance
Editor’s Note: As of press time, the US Centers for Disease Control has reported 1299 cases of e-cigarette- or vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI) and issued interim guidance to assist with assessment, evaluation, management, and followup. The cases have been reported in 49 states and the Distric of Columbia, with 26 deaths reported across 21 states.
By Nicole Wetsman Continue reading
August 2019
Pregnancy Changes the Body: Here’s What That Means for Gait, Balance, and Falls
About a quarter of women fall during pregnancy and 10% fall more than once. Understanding the biomechanical changes of this transitional period may help researchers find ways to prevent such falls. When Robert Catena’s wife was pregnant and working at a restaurant, she fell. It was scary, he says, but everything was ok.
By Nicole Wetsman Continue reading
July 2019
Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Legislation Introduced as Georgia Tech Deactivates MSPO Program
Will Congress act to provide for the ongoing care of America’s wounded warriors? The unfortunate truth: The need for prosthetic and orthotic (P&O) care is growing in this country, thanks, in part, to events on the other side of the globe—namely, unconventional warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan, although uncontrolled cardiovascular disease and diabetes continue to each play their devastating role.
By Keith Loria and Janice T. Radak Continue reading
May 2019
PRACTICAL MATTER FOR CLINICIANS: Women Are Biomechanically Distinct From Men When They Run
Learn how men and women are constructed differently—and therefore why they each have a distinctive running gait—to be better equipped to manage, and prevent, female-specific lower-extremity sports injury. Starting at puberty, sex hormones begin to affect changes in bone and lean body mass—changes that are different in females than in males.
By Ray M. Fredericksen M.S. C-PED Continue reading
April 2019
Is There a Sprain–Brain Connection That Leads to Chronic Injury?
Research shows that ankle health plays a role in the recruitment of the muscles around it. Millions of people sprain their ankles each year, from athletes to weekend warriors to vacationers stepping off the curb wrong. The injury is common, and for most people, treatable with ice, painkillers, and rest.
By Nicole Wetsman Continue reading
March 2019
How Mountain Biking Is Reshaping the Landscape of Cycling Injury
Differences in equipment, terrain, riding style, and other risk factors mean different types and prevalence of injuries when riding a mountain bike, compared to a road bike. Be prepared to see those differences in your practice. Over the past several decades, mountain biking has become remarkably popular as a competitive and recreational activity.
By Michael Reeder, Do, And Brent Alumbaugh, MS Continue reading
February 2019
Type 2 Diabetes in Youth: A 21st Century Disorder
As obesity and overweight affect more adolescents, this disease, once attributed to middle age and older, is striking an aggressive course that all clinicians will need to address. With the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity and with 18.5% (or 13.7 million) of youth already being obese,1 type 2 diabetes (T2D) in youth is becoming an important part of every healthcare practitioner’s daily practice.
By Neil H. White, MD Continue reading
