Cover Story
Researchers are investigating how changes during pregnancy may affect the lower extremities in the long term, as well as ways to treat and prevent these issues.
By Lori Roniger
Editor Message
One of the interesting things about LER’s multidisciplinary perspective is being able to follow a new idea as it is examined and embraced by one specialty after another, each with its own therapeutic goals and challenges.
By Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
Departments
Achilles tendinopathy is a common lower extremity injury in athletes as well as nonathletes. The Achilles tendon is often a site of injury in runners and is the second most common running-related musculoskeletal injury, after medial tibial stress syndrome, with an…
By Howard Kashefsky, DPM
Helping patients manage an orthotic device can be challenging, but doing so in the face of uneven terrain is a balancing act between stability, mobility, and strength. Device adjustments and rehabilitation protocols can help patients avoid asymmetries and reduce the risk of falling.
By Shalmali Pal
Recent research supports the idea that increased patellofemoral stress is a contributing factor in runners with patellofemoral pain, and that gait retraining to promote a…
By Jenevieve L. Roper, PhD; Deborah L. Doerfler, PT, DPT, PhD; Christine M. Mermier, PhD; and Janet S. Dufek, PhD
Rotating the foot in or out during gait is associated with significant decreases in frontal plane knee load during early or late stance, respectively, and can be effective for reducing pain and potentially slowing the progression of…
By Kevin Alan Valenzuela, ABD, CSCS; and Hunter Jared Bennett, PhD
The results of a retrospective chart review suggest that the use of plasma-mediated bipolar radiofrequency-based arthroscopic microdebridement is associated with notable decreases…
By Renato Giorgini, DPM, FACFAS; Stephanie Giles, DPM; Omer Aci, DPM; and Christopher Japour, DPM, MS
News
In the Moment: Sports Medicine
A hamstring injury intervention program is effective for reducing the rate of hamstring injuries and reinjuries in professional baseball players, according to ongoing research from the University of Delaware presented in July at the annual meeting of the…
By Katie Bell
The Achilles tendons of experienced minimalist runners differ from the tendons of those who wear traditional running shoes with regard to size, stiffness, and stress, according to research from the University of Connecticut in Storrs that…
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Athletes with low neurocognitive scores are more likely than their higher-scoring counterparts to demonstrate landing mechanics associated with anterior cruciate injury (ACL) risk, according to research from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Market Mechanics
By Emily Delzell
Products
DJO Global has launched the Clima-Flex OA Knee Brace from DonJoy. The Clima-Flex OA Knee Brace is designed to offer a new level of comfortable cooling relief through compression and offloading for patients with mild to moderate…
Ottobock has released the DVS-Dynamic Vacuum, a socket technology solution for transtibial amputees. Integrating innovative design with simplicity, the DVS system reduces the movement between the limb and socket that is associated with…
SOLO Laboratories is proud to release the iTOM-CAT, a new innovation in 3D scanning technology. Portability and ease of transport make this iPad-based scanner system a convenient option for clinicians who work out of multiple locations or…
Darco International announces another addition to its popular Peg Assist Offloading Insole line of products, the new Peg Assist Walker Insole. The easy to use, off-the-shelf product quickly turns most standard walking boots into a more…
Sports medicine and performance brand OS1st has released the AF7 Ankle Bracing Sleeve. Like all the company’s technical bracing sleeves, the slip-on AF7 Ankle Bracing Sleeve features Compression Zone Technology for graduated…
Turbomed Orthotics offers the FS3000 external foot drop brace. The FS3000 brace is a custom-built modular AFO (ankle foot orthosis) made from highly durable thermoplastic. The device attaches to the outside of a patient’s footwear and…
Curbell Plastics announces the availability of OP-Tek Flex materials—soft, flexible sheet materials designed to maximize patient comfort when used for prosthetic inner liners and orthotic inner boots. Curbell is the exclusive distributor for the…
Nolaro24 proudly introduces two new sizes of its Quadrastep System custom-to-foot-type prefabricated foot orthosis line. The product line now fits up to men’s size 14 in C Quad orthoses for neutral feet and D Quad orthoses for…
New from medi USA is Restiffic, a drug-free treatment for restless leg syndrome (RLS). Restiffic is a foot wrap that provides gentle, relaxing pressure on the abductor hallucis and flexor hallucis brevis muscles, which helps reduce uncontrollable…
New from CyberKinetics is the Comfort Air Stabilizer Gauntlet, with special breathability features to maximize patient comfort and improve compliance without sacrificing support, control, or function. The defining characteristic of the…