Given the accumulating evidence linking anterior cruciate ligament injury to early-onset osteoarthritis, one might reason that surgical repair of the injured joint would decrease that risk. But too often that isn’t the case. This two-part series explores the complicated ways, both negative and positive, that surgery can influence OA risk. By Cary Groner

Much of sports medicine research focuses on what’s never been done before: new techniques, new procedures, and new theories. Less sexy, but equally important, is the research that takes a fresh look at old practices, the ones that have somehow become standard simply because they’ve never been questioned. Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor

New evidence-based guidelines on the management of diabetic foot infections reflect significant advances by research­ers and clinicians, but the recent emer­gence of regulatory hurdles has slowed the development of new antibiotic drugs for treating those infections. By Emily Delzell

Different foot strike patterns are associ­ated with different means of attenuating and redistributing forces during running, which may have implications for injury risk and rehabilitation. Researchers, however, have yet to fully examine and understand those implica­tions. By Peter Larson, PhD

Too many knee braces just won’t stay put, which can affect compliance and possibly even device effectiveness. Research on the topic is scarce, but experts say the key to minimiz­ing knee brace migration is making sure the device fits the patient’s anatomy as closely as possible. By Shalmali Pal

A growing body of research suggests that footwear comfort can improve movement performance and, in particular, neuromus­cular control of balance. These findings could have significant implications for rehabilitation of older adults and patients with lower extremity disorders. By M. Owen Papuga, PhD, and Jeanmarie R. Burke, PhD

Ankle braces help prevent injury by restrict­ing motion, but those restrictions don’t necessarily result in negative effects on athletic performance. Evidence sug­gests that while agility may be affected with use of an ankle brace, vertical jump and balance skills may not. By Jatin P. Ambegaonkar, PhD, ATC, OT, CSCS; Nelson Cortes, PhD; and Shruti J. Ambegaonkar, ...

Studies assessing the relative functional benefits of limb salvage and amputation for lower extremity bone and soft tissue tumors have produced inconsistent re­sults, but the range of subjective and objective tests used in those studies may have influenced the findings. By Lucy Kupersmith, BA, and Jeremy S. Somerson, MD

The exploding popularity of so-called extreme conditioning programs is now infiltrating the armed forces, prompting military sports medicine experts to take a closer look at the potential risks and benefits of high intensity exercise.

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) is associated with deficits in hip abduction strength, a similarity to patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) that appears to support the theory that the two conditions lie on the same continuum, according to research from the University of Calgary presented in late May at the ACSM meeting.

Sagittal plane landing kinematics in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) mimic those associated with risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, sug­gest­ing that similar neuromuscular control deficits may be involved in both processes, according to research from the University of Toledo (OH) presented in late May at the ACSM meeting.

The research on toning shoes presented early this month at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in San Francisco didn’t add much support for controversial claims that the rocker-bottom footwear promotes muscle activa­tion and energy expenditure. But the presenters did point out more subtle benefits of toning shoes that manufac­turers might ...

In workers wearing occupational footwear, the mass of a boot may be less important for maintaining balance than its shaft height, according to a study presented in late May at the annual ACSM meeting.

Injured runners do not make sagittal plane kinematic adaptations to changes in midsole hardness the way that healthy runners do, according to research from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW-L) presented in late May at the ACSM meeting.

Mastercare offers the Mastercare-CN-AH6 heavy duty professional therapy table for sports teams and athletes. The table holds individuals up to 400 pounds in either prone or supine positions. It is equipped with a 3-in thick moving divided backrest with a ...

Icy Feet is an easy-to-use, no-mess way to apply cold therapy evenly to the soles of the feet. The patent-pending orthotic cold pack features an engineered insole shape with a recessed heel cup and an elevated arch to allow for ...

Delcam has launched a new version of its design software for custom orthotic insoles developed specifically for accommodative foot orthoses. The new “real-time design” version of OrthoModel will benefit practitioners treating patients with diabetes and others needing insoles made of ...

Acor Orthopaedic has added a comprehensive line of Microcel Puff SBR (soling, build ups, and repairs) to its growing family of materials. This durable blended material combines the benefits of EVA and SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) and is intended to ...

The Sigvaris Performance Sleeve is now available in two new colors: lime and orange. Part of the company’s line of sports compression products for competitive athletes, the Sigvaris Performance Sleeve provides 20 to 30 mmHg of graduated compression from ankle ...

Pro-Tec Athletics offers the Pro-Tec Gel Force Knee Support. The knee support is designed to help alleviate knee pain while providing moderate knee joint stability for multiple conditions that include patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia, and minor meniscus and ligament tears. ...

The Learning Loft, manufacturer of the Fashions For Casts collection of decorative fabric covers for concealing a fiberglass cast, announces Brace Cover Fashions. Brace Cover Fashions are trendy, fashionable fabric covers worn over orthopedic braces to make healing more stylish. ...

NeuroCom, a division of Natus Medical, offers the Smart EquiTest system. Like the original EquiTest system, the Smart EquiTest system allows for objective assessment of balance control and postural stability under dynamic test conditions, but the Smart EquiTest system also ...

Powerstep introduces PowerKids, affordable, easy-to-use prefabricated orthoses specifically designed for children. These functionally correct orthoses are designed to improve foot alignment, posture, and balance, control excess motion, and reduce muscle fatigue. Features include dual-layer construction for cushioning and shock absorption, ...

As part of its ongoing efforts to integrate and advance its Automated Orthotic Manufacturing System, Sharp Shape is beta-testing a new product called COR Manager for managing and modeling cast-correction COR files, the company’s proprietary file format for foot orthotic ...