Category Archives: Clinical News
January 2018
ACL treatment in children varies widely; 90% return to sport after ACLR
Over the past 15 years, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in children and adolescents has increased. And although this population requires special considerations, in part due to their continued musculoskeletal growth, medical management of this condition varies widely.
By Nicole Wetsman Continue reading
January 2018
Most volleyball-related ankle injuries occur during blocking
New evidence suggests that most volleyball-related ankle injuries are the result of a rapid inversion during blocking—often due to landing on an opponent or a teammate while attacking—rather than the injury occurring during plantar flexion, as once thought, according to a study published in the January 2018 issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
By Nicole Wetsman Continue reading
January 2018
HIP STRENGTHENING: Optimizes PFP treatment
A study published in the January 2018 issue of the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy presents new insights and evidence-based suggestions into the addition of hip strengthening to knee strengthening for people with patellofemoral pain (PFP).
By Nicole Wetsman Continue reading
November 2017
Hot tip to predict ulcer risk: Repeat temperature test for best results
The concept of foot temperature monitoring to identify areas of increased risk of ulceration in patients with diabetes is promising, but new research from the Netherlands suggests clinical use of the technology will require more than a single temperature assessment.
By Keith Loria Continue reading
November 2017
Gait findings support focus on proximal muscle function in people with diabetes
Lower extremity muscle force during gait differs significantly among patients with diabetic neuropathy, patients with diabetes but no neuropathy, and controls, according to research from Brazil that underscores the importance of maintaining proximal muscle function in patients with diabetes.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
November 2017
Variability in glycemic control can help estimate time needed to heal foot ulcers
Glycemic variability—fluctuations in HbA1c level from one visit to another—is significantly associated with foot ulcer healing time in patients with diabetes, according to research from the UK.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
November 2017
Runners’ knees get a lift: Elevating heel cuts patellofemoral load
Wearing heel lifts in conventional running shoes can help reduce patellofemoral joint loading and may offer an alternative to gait retraining in runners with patellofemoral pain (PFP), according to research conducted at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
By Jill R. Dorson Continue reading
November 2017
Combination of four variables predicts 90% of recurrent lateral ankle sprains
A combination of four variables predicts 90% of cases of recurrent lateral ankle sprain within one year of an initial sprain, according to research from the University of Sydney in Australia.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
November 2017
Video overlay feedback helps improve biomechanics of sport-specific landing
Video feedback is associated with improved landing mechanics—suggesting a reduced risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury—during a sport-specific task, according to research from the University of Groningen Medical Center in the Netherlands.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
October 2017
Equinus and RA: Limited dorsiflexion exists without pain
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have decreased ankle dorsiflexion due to gastrocnemius contracture, even in the absence of foot and ankle pain, according to research from Michigan that may have implications for early intervention to minimize pain and dysfunction in this patient population.
By Katie Bell Continue reading
October 2017
Dialysis patients, even without diabetes, have high risk for ulceration, amputation
Patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis are at high risk for foot ulcerations and amputation, regardless of whether they also have diabetes, according to research from La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, that underscores the need for foot screening in this population.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
October 2017
Textured insoles enhance stride length, plantar sensation in individuals with PD
One week of textured insole wear is associated with improved plantar sensation and stride length in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), according to research from São Paulo State University in Brazil.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
October 2017
Strength drives survival: But benefits of training appear complex
Lower extremity strength appears to be a key variable in the relationship between mortality and compliance with national resistance exercise guidelines, according to research from the University of Mississippi in University, MS.
By Keith Loria Continue reading
October 2017
Return to activity after Achilles repair parallels heel-rise performance recovery
Recovery of triceps surae muscle strength, as indicated by heel-rise test performance, is associated with the ability to return to jogging and other athletic activities after an Achilles tendon repair, according to research from Teikyo University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
October 2017
Pathomechanics in patients with hip OA suggest need for gait retraining
Altered hip mechanics during gait in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA) suggest a role for rehabilitation interventions focused on more than hip abductor strengthening alone, accord- ing to research from the University of Leuven in Belgium.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
September 2017
Achilles prophecy: Early heel rise linked to later outcomes
Single-leg standing heel-rise test performance one year after Achilles tendon rupture is associated with the long-term recovery of ankle biomechanics, according to research from Gothenburg, Sweden. The findings may have implications for rehabilitation after Achilles injury, particularly with regard to relatively demanding activities such as jumping.
By Katie Bell Continue reading
September 2017
Online education helps reduce injuries in trail runners despite poor compliance
An online program designed to educate trail runners about injury prevention is associated with a significant decrease in running-related injury rate, even if runners don’t significantly change their preventive behaviors, according to research from the Netherlands.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
September 2017
Navicular injury in college football players slashes odds of NFL success
National Football League (NFL) prospects with a history of navicular injury are significantly less likely to be successful at the professional level than those without such an injury history, according to research that underscores the importance of restoring gait and function after a navicular stress injury in athletes.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
September 2017
OA accelerants: 4 factors help hasten disease progression
Age and body mass index (BMI)—as well as their interactions with glucose concentration and static femorotibial alignment—contribute to increased risk of accelerated knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to research from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston that could have implications for early diagnosis and intervention in this population.
By Chris Klingenberg Continue reading
September 2017
Study suggests strawberry consumption can benefit obese adults with knee OA
The old adage about an apple a day keeping the doctor away may need to be expanded to include other fruits, in light of new findings that a high level of daily strawberry consumption can relieve pain and reduce markers of disease progression in obese adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
September 2017
Intraarticular NSAIDs and opioid meds may contribute to cartilage cell death
Treating lower extremity joint pain with intraarticular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioid medications may contribute to cartilage cell death, which could accelerate the progression of osteoarthritis, according to an in vitro study from Stanford University in California.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
August 2017
Early warnings: Data support aggressive intervention
Osteoarthritis (OA) is commonly thought of as a disease that takes decades to manifest. But two new studies suggest some critical aspects of the ankle OA disease process actually develop quite quickly, emphasizing the importance of early intervention.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
August 2017
Physical examination could help predict risk of osteoarthritis after ankle sprain
Pain, swelling, and impaired motion within a year of an ankle sprain are associated with signs of early ankle osteoarthritis (OA), according to research from the Netherlands that could help clinicians identify and intervene early in at-risk patients.
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
August 2017
Associations between history of injury and ankle shape have OA implications
Variations in ankle shape—some related to race—are associated with history of ankle injury, according to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that may have implications related to risk of post-traumatic ankle osteoarthritis (OA).
By Jordana Bieze Foster Continue reading
August 2017
Cuboid height revisited: Study disputes link to Charcot ulcers
New research from the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, raises questions about the clinical utility of assessing cuboid height to determine risk of midfoot ulcer development in patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy.
By Keith Loria Continue reading
