Cover Story
Researchers from the UK have identified three subgroups of individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP) that can be determined using simple evidence-based clinical tests—a key first step toward developing targeted treatment strategies as part of the ongoing effort to improve PFP outcomes.
By Jessie Janssen, PhD; James Selfe, DSc; Michael Callaghan, PhD; Chris Sutton, PhD; Paola Dey, ...
Editor Message
We hear a lot about various comorbidities associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA), and how addressing those additional conditions can help improve knee pain and function. But a growing body of research suggests one set of comorbidities that knee OA experts may be overlooking are those involving the foot and ankle.
Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
Departments
As evidence accumulates suggesting negative effects of depression, dementia, and other mental health issues on gait and foot-related outcomes in people with diabetes, researchers are looking at ways to screen for risk factors and psychosocial issues earlier in the continuum of care.
By Hank Black
Although most clinicians tend to emphasize hip abductor and external rotator muscle strengthening in injury prevention and rehabilitation, recent research suggests exercises to increase explosive hip extensor strength may be critical for controlling frontal plane motion during cutting tasks.
By Marc Norcross, PhD, ATC, and Sam Johnson, PhD, ATC
Inertial measurement units (IMUs) facilitate the creation of a gait analysis system that is portable and suited for use in the clinic. Research suggests IMUs can be used to measure clinically important gait metrics in children with cerebral palsy, which may improve patient outcomes.
By Mahmoud El-Gohary, PhD; Sean Pearson, BS; Paul Vasilyev, BS; James McNames, ...
As ciprofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones are prescribed more frequently, tendon-related adverse effects are also becoming more common. Experts often do not recommend these drugs, particularly for athletes or elderly patients, and emphasize that all patients should know the risks.
By Barbara Boughton
News
In the Moment: Sports Medicine
Collegiate soccer injuries, particularly those at the knee and in women, decreased significantly from the early 1990s to the late 2000s, according to research from George Washington University in Washington, DC. The positive trends may reflect an increase in resources being allocated toward injury prevention along with…
By Katie Bell
Foot position during landing may contribute to the risk of lateral ankle sprains as well as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, according to separate studies from Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, and Stanford University in California.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Nearly one third of female collegiate athletes have an elevated risk for the female athlete triad, and women in moderate- and high-risk categories for the triad also have an elevated risk of lower extremity bone stress injury (BSI), according to research from Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Cambridge, MA.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
In the Moment: Knee OA
Yoga may be more effective than conventional exercise for improving symptoms, anxiety, and fear of falling in older patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to recent research from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
By Stephanie Kramer
In individuals at risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA), the presence of foot and ankle symptoms is associated with increased odds of developing symptomatic and radiographic knee OA four years later, according to research from the University of Melbourne in Australia.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Knee bracing is associated with altered knee kinematics and kinetics during dynamic loading tasks in individuals with lateral knee osteoarthritis (OA) up to 20 years after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and these effects could help slow OA progression, according to research from the University of Melbourne in Parkville, Australia.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
Market Mechanics
By Emily Delzell
Products
OPTP has published a new physical therapy exercise guide for the ActivMotion Bar. The 50-page, softcover Activating Functional Mobility manual is designed to help patients develop strength, mobility, and balance. It features a full-body training program, including…
Therafirm introduces Ease Microfiber Thigh Highs and Knee Highs to round out the Ease Microfiber line. Like the previously released tights, the new stockings are made with high stretch microfiber yarns that facilitate donning and doffing.
Apex Bunion Night Splints help keep the big toe aligned and comfort the pain associated with bunions. The soft bumper pad cushions the big toe, while the adjustable hook and loop strap acts as a lever to gradually align the big toe toward its natural position.
Coral introduces Coral Cinnamon 6—a supplement designed to harness cinnamon’s ability to assist the body in regulating glucose, which can help relieve symptoms associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Vegetarian capsules of Coral Cinnamon 6 deliver calcium from…
Designed for runners, but with universal lower extremity appeal, the Moji Foot Pro is a device designed to relieve foot pain by stretching and massaging the entire plantar fascia, providing intense deep tissue kneading. The unit features six stainless steel rotating massage spheres…
Vicon’s two new cameras, Vero and Vue, join the company’s flagship camera, Vantage, to form a new product family. Vero is an affordable system suited to a wide range of applications with an optical high-resolution camera range that offers power, performance, flexibility, and…
Building on the success of the company’s Stride insoles, Tread Labs introduces the Stride Short orthotic insole—a 2/3-length product designed for lower volume shoes that may not have a removable insole. Stride Short insoles feature molded polypropylene arch…
Allied OSI Labs adds the OS1st FS6+ Compression Foot & Calf Sleeve to its growing catalog for foot and ankle practices’ dispensing programs. The FS6+ Compression Sleeve is designed to prevent and/or relieve pain associated with plantar fasciitis, shin splints, leg cramps, and…
DJO Global now offers the Exos Free Motion Ankle—a prefabricated ankle foot orthosis that can be fully customized and formed to the patient, providing functional stabilization of the ankle-foot complex and addressing bony abnormality, chronic instability, and…
The Insite Insoles team has created an after-market line of insoles that are engineered specifically for athletes and athletic footwear. Insite’s insoles can be used for preventing injuries like plantar fasciitis, tendinitis, shin splits, and other sports-related injuries caused by…