Lower Extremity Review
Runners today aren’t like the runners of the 1970s. They’re far less likely to be male, thin, or dedicated to the sport. And yet, the medical literature suggests that running injury rates are essentially unchanged.
Two hours of patient education before anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction can significantly reduce rates of reinjury in the first year after surgery, according to research from Funabashi Orthopedic Hospital in Japan.
Research is accumulating in support of eccentric strengthening exercises to prevent hamstring injury in soccer players, and possibly to screen for athletes at risk, according to several studies presented at the IOC conference in Monaco.
Using ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) to monitor tendon load in Australian Football League players has led to no games missed due to patellar tendinopathy in four years, according to Sam Rosengarten, a sports physiotherapist at Recover Sports Medicine in Melbourne who has worked most recently with the Carlton Football Club.
Poor dynamic ankle stability is predictive of injury risk in athletes, but exercises designed to improve dynamic balance may not be effective in athletes with chronic ankle instability, according to separate studies presented at the IOC conference in Monaco.
A presenter from Norway gave IOC conference attendees a sneak peek at his group’s latest findings and generated considerable discussion by suggesting that many aspects of drop-landing mechanics are not predictive of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in elite female athletes.
Austrian research suggests too-short shoes may contribute to the development of bunions in children, and genetics also appear to play a role. Most clinicians try to avoid surgery in young patients, instead turning to conservative strategies such as…
By Christina Hall Nettles
But both groups fall short of controls – Children treated for clubfoot with the Ponseti method have less pain and fewer gait impairments as adults than those treated with surgery, according to research from Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago.
By Samantha Rosenblum
Data support case-by-case approach – Gait patterns can vary significantly among young patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), and pathomechanics can vary even between limbs in one child, according to a recent study published in Gait & Posture.
By Larry Hand
Load may help engage plantar flexors – Adding an ankle load during treadmill walking significantly improves gait kinetics in children with Down syndrome (DS), possibly due to greater contributions from the ankle plantar flexors, according to a study from Georgia State University in Atlanta.
By Larry Hand
Obesity, gender affect tear complexity – Adolescents and children suffer more complex meniscus injuries that are often less repairable than previously reported, according to a study published in the December 2013 issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM).
By P.K. Daniel
Australian researchers found no correlation between body mass index and prevalence of pediatric flatfoot, but used a different methodology than previous studies that reached an opposite conclusion. The conflicting results have revitalized the ongoing debate on this topic.
By Cary Groner
Research suggests strength training can improve gait and function in children with cerebral palsy. But to be successful, experts say, the training needs to be part of a multifaceted rehabilitation program that accounts for more than the physical limitations imposed by the disease.
By Shalmali Pal
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