Category Archives: Clinical News
February 2022
EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS MAY CAUSE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. In people with MS, the body’s immune system attacks the insulating layer that surrounds nerve cells, often killing the cells. The underlying cause of MS remains unknown. Continue reading
February 2022
IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF FOOT ORTHOSIS GEOMETRY
Foot orthoses (FOs) are used to treat clinical conditions by altering the external forces applied to the foot and thereafter the forces of muscles and tendons. However, whether specific geometric design features of FOs affect muscle activation is unknown. Continue reading
February 2022
AOPA 2022 CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
The 105th American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association National Assembly is set to take place Sept. 28 – Oct. 1, 2022, in San Antonio, TX. Virtual sessions will follow. The Call for Presentations, which are submitted to pre-identified Workgroups, is now open. Continue reading
February 2022
LER BOARD MEMBER HITS PUBLISHING MILESTONE
David G. Armstrong, DPM, MD, PhD, professor of surgery and director of the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), published his 600th peer-reviewed manuscript in January 2022, at age 52. He becomes the first podiatric surgeon in the… Continue reading
February 2022
ALTERED GAIT INITIATION FOUND IN EARLY MS
In a study of patients with early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS), French researchers found that early-stage MS strongly affects the motor modulation of stance limb kinetics during the anticipatory postural adjustment of gait initiation, without altering the… Continue reading
February 2022
USE OF VISCOSUPPLEMENTATION WITH HYALURONIC ACID IN OA
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a significant cause of disability. Considering the increasing diffusion of the viscosupplementation (VS) with hyaluronic acid (HA), the International Symposium Intra Articular Treatment (ISIAT) appointed a Technical Expert Panel… Continue reading
February 2022
OBESITY-RELATED BURDEN OF OSTEOARTHRITIS OF KNEE AND HIP
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability and a source of societal costs among older adults, especially with an increasingly obese population. Few studies have investigated the burden of knee and hip OA due to high body mass index (BMI). Continue reading
February 2022
EXERCISE BEATS ESTRADIOL AT PREVENTING TYPE 2 DIABETES IN RATS
Researchers from Augustana University in South Dakota sought to understand the molecular mechanisms by which estradiol and exercise induce beneficial effects by assessing whole body and cellular changes. They divided a group of female rats into… Continue reading
February 2022
EXERCISE BENEFICIAL FOR MOVEMENT-EVOKED PAIN
European researchers have published a systematic review and meta-analysis looking at the effects of musculoskeletal rehabilitation intervention on movement-evoked pain. They looked at 38 trials which assessed 60 different interventions. Continue reading
January 2022
NEW TOOL PROVIDES CLINICAL SUPPORT FOR EXERCISE PRESCRIPTIONS
Exercise is recognized as the most efficient, cost-effective, and accessible “polypill” to prevent and treat more than 35 chronic diseases and health conditions that include cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its major risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, and physical inactivity). Continue reading
January 2022
CLEVELAND CLINIC PRODUCING 3D-PRINTED GUIDES FOR ARTHROPLASTY
According to Alan Davis, MD, orthopedic surgeon from the Cleveland Clinic, when patients present with end-stage bone-on-bone arthritis, surgeons have 2 choices. Ankle fusion (arthrodesis) is recommended for patients who are younger or have large deformities, poor bone… Continue reading
January 2022
FOOTPRINTS ID 2ND HUMAN ANCESTOR FOUND AT LAETOLI, TANZANIA
Bipedal trackways discovered in 1978 at Laetoli site G, Tanzania and dated to 3.66 million years ago are widely accepted as the oldest unequivocal evidence of obligate bipedalism in the human lineage. Another trackway discovered two years earlier at nearby site A was… Continue reading
January 2022
EFFECTIVENESS OF VR ON ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE IN SPORT
With the increased use of technology, relaxation interventions are finding their way into technology devices like virtual reality head-mounted displays (VR HMDs). However, there is a lack of evidence on the efficacy of VR relaxation interventions to reduce anxiety in athletes and how that is portrayed in their movement patterns. Continue reading
January 2022
IMPACT OF OVERLOADED SCHOOL BACKPACKS
Carrying a backpack can increase reactive forces on the soil and plantar pressure, and this increase can be conditioned by the child’s educational level. The increase in ground reaction force (GRF) was noted while children carried a backpack weighing only 7.5%… Continue reading
January 2022
FUNCTIONAL BRACING IS SAFE, COST EFFECTIVE FOR WEBER B FRACTURE
Despite the current recommendations that stable Weber B ankle fractures can be treated with functional bracing and weightbearing as tolerated, some reluctance exists among trauma surgeons to follow these recommendations. This paper reports on our institution’s experience in managing these injuries and compare it to the national guidelines. Continue reading
April 2022
SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE, REMOTE HAMSTRING STRETCHING EFFECTS, AND MYOFASCIAL CHAINS
Classic anatomy textbooks describe the hamstring muscles from a traditional mechanistic view as being isolated from the adjacent structures. However, recent research has changed this perspective, proposing a connective tissue link between the active components of the movement system to form an extensive network of myofascial chains… Continue reading
April 2022
ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS OUTCOMES RESEARCH PROGRAM (OPORP)
The focus of this research should be on outcomes-based best practices through analysis of the merits of clinical options currently available, not on the development or improvement of new and existing technology. Applications must address at least one of the FY22 Strategic Goals. Continue reading
April 2022
FIBER NOT THE SOURCE OF BLISTERS IN WET SOCKS
Socks are of fundamental importance in reducing friction and in controlling the temperature and humidity of the foot, thus preventing the appearance of blisters. However, the influence of sock fibers (synthetic vs. natural) on blistering during long-distance hiking has received little research attention. Continue reading
April 2022
PILATES EFFECTIVE AT IMPROVING POSTURE IN YOUNG CHILDREN
In a recently released study from Turkey, the authors sought to investigate the effects of Pilates exercises on posture and physical fitness parameters. They assigned 66 school children (5-6 years) to Pilates or control groups. The Pilates intervention consisted of twice-a-week sessions for… Continue reading
April 2022
PRE-CLINICAL DRUG STUDY SHOWS PROMISE IN PARKINSONIAN DISORDER
A new study in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease describes a study evaluating the efficacy of ATH434 in genetically altered mice that develop manifestations of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). The study was led by David I. Finkelstein, PhD, Head of Parkinson’s Disease Laboratory at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and… Continue reading
April 2022
SHOCK-ABSORBING FLOORING GETS MIXED REVIEWS
Falls and fall-related injuries are a major problem for older adults in both hospitals and care homes. Shock-absorbing flooring (such as carpet, sports floors, or specially designed floors) provides a more cushioned surface and is one potential solution to help reduce the impact forces from a fall. Continue reading
April 2022
PLANTAR PRESSURES IN HIKING BOOTS
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of heel-to-toe drop (heel drop) modifications of a hiking shoe on plantar pressure distribution and perceived comfort before and after walking. Data of 3 shoe conditions with a low (11 mm), medium (16 mm), and high (21 mm) heel drop were obtained of 12 healthy male… Continue reading
April 2022
1ST COVID-19 BREATHALYZER TEST GETS FDA OK
The US Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first COVID-19 diagnostic test that detects chemical compounds in breath samples associated with a SARS-CoV-2 infection. The test can be performed in environments where the patient specimen is both collected and analyzed, such as… Continue reading
April 2022
NEW PREVENTION OF VTE CONSENSUS STATEMENT RELEASED
The first ever international consensus statement with recommendations for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after orthopedic surgeries has been published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Developed by 600 experts from… Continue reading
April 2022
MORE SLEEP = LESS CALORIC INTAKE
In a randomized clinical trial of 80 adults (51.3% male; mean age 29.8 yrs; mean BMI, 28.1) with habitual sleep less than 6.5 hours per night, those randomized to a 2-week sleep extension intervention significantly reduced their daily energy intake by approximately 270 kcal compared with the control group. Continue reading
