Lower Extremity Review
Early intervention can help provide a solid foundation – Many kids with Down syndrome, autism, and other neurological conditions may experience biomechanical limitations in the form of delayed development of gross motor skills. One of the drivers of that delay can be hypotonia.
By Shalmali Pal
New research underscores years of positive clinical results – When it comes to orthotic management of pediatric patients with hypotonia, the medical literature is only beginning to document the effectiveness that clinicians have been reporting anecdotally for years.
By Cary Groner
For this family, one tiny extra chromosome led to a journey of self discovery – When our son was born, we prayed for a healthy baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes. Our prayers were answered. Three years later, those same prayers were said for baby number two. And, once again, our prayers were answered.
By Suzi Klimek
Each child in this case series was assessed every other week for 16 weeks (12 weeks for one patient who moved out of state) to determine mastery of items 23, 26-28, 30-39, 41, 42, and 45 (ranging from “pull to stand” to “run”) on the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale. Test instructions were modified as needed for children to understand them …
By Megan Smith, CO
Some evidence suggests that neuromuscular training before puberty can help further reduce anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rates. But young children respond differently to instruction than their older counterparts, which means early intervention requires some creativity.
By P.K. Daniel
Clubfoot researchers have begun to report long-term data that continue to solidify the superiority of the conservative method over surgical intervention in most cases. But variations to the traditional Ponseti method are arising, particularly in developing countries, and may alter outcomes.
By Larry Hand
Practitioners and orthotic laboratory owners at the fourth annual Orthotics Technology Forum (OTF) thinking about switching from traditional design and manufacture methods to digital technology got an up-close look…
By Emily Delzell
Foot orthoses made with advanced design and manufacturing technologies aren’t just technically impressive—they’re also clinically relevant, according to the results of two studies presented in June by…
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Sometimes, even when new treatment materials are available, it may be better to rely on traditional options. Such may be the case when it comes to choosing a molding material to form casts for children with clubfoot or fractures.
By Larry Hand
Despite the slim odds of securing an athletic scholarship and the even slimmer prospect of playing professional sports, there’s an overemphasis today on success in competitive youth sports, including specialization and…
By P.K. Daniel
Preliminary evidence supports the use of a new internal technique for limb lengthening, according to data from the International Center for Limb Lengthening (ICLL) at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.
By Samantha Rosenblum
When a child is required to wear ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), his or her clothes have to be more than just cute. Trying to match the logistical requirements of AFOs with fashion concerns and psychosocial development can be a challenge for patients and parents alike.
By Shalmali Pal
All the countries in the world share the challenge of keeping athletes healthy, and in April, sports medicine experts from across the globe met in Monaco to discuss the best ways to address those challenges at the IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury & Illness in Sport. LER’s exclusive coverage of this event details clinical and scientific progress toward prevention of lower extremity injuries from ankle sprains to hamstring strains.
Even if an injury prevention program is effective under controlled study conditions, that effectiveness doesn’t always translate to the real world. That’s why some researchers are now working to identify the most effective strategies for implementing prevention programs and the most common barriers to implementation.
Sports specialization and high weekly training volumes are associated with increased risk of injury in youth athletes, according to research from Loyola University in Chicago.
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