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Cover Story
The authors seek answers to clinical questions regarding the optimal program of eccentric exercises: Does type of tendinopathy predict success? What modifications to exercise duration and repetitions make sense? What is the likelihood of long-term pain relief afforded by such a program of exercise?
By Jonathan L. Hook, DPM, MHA, and Curt Martini, DPM
Guest Editorial
For more than 50 years the custom foot orthotic industry has pretty much stayed the same. Of course, change has occurred, such as the introduction and widespread adoption of digital casting and CAD/CAM production vs hand-poured plaster.
Feature Articles
Clinical studies have demonstrated that properly fitted footwear may alleviate knee pain resulting from osteoarthritis or other joint disease processes, while the wrong shoe can exacerbate the condition. How can practitioners help patients with knee pain make the distinction?
By Keith Loria
Unattractive therapeutic devices do not benefit patients if they won’t wear them. Leading practitioners discuss how, over the past decade, manufacturers have made significant strides in turning the solely functional into the truly fabulous.
By Jill R. Dorson
In diabetes, assessing the mechanical properties of the patient’s soft tissues and the properties of footwear and orthoses comes before drafting a management plan.
By Nachiappan Chockalingam, PhD
The author explores the sensory aspects of the foot, and footwear, on patient movement accuracy, joint stabilization, and perception of pain. An integrative approach to the dynamics of human movement is discussed.
By Emily Splichal, DPM
From the Literature
Guiding patients to make the most appropriate choice among options to correct hallux valgus has long been a challenge: Distal metatarsal osteotomy (DMO) is liked for its shorter incision, low level of invasiveness, lower complication rate, and its ability to improve pain and functionality across a wider range of deformities.
To better understand the association of non-normal foot postures with an increased risk of injury to the lower extremity, Australian researchers evaluated center of pressure (COP) in adults with pes planus, pes cavus, or normal feet.
Seeking to better understand foot mobility in adults with patellofemoral pain (PFP, or so-called runner’s knee), Australian researchers studied almost 200 adults aged 18 to 50 years. Both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing measures were used to calculate…
Foot pain and poor-fitting footwear are among the well-known risk factors for falls among the elderly. Two new studies from Spain sought to quantify the significance of these issues in the elderly by looking at lesser toe deformities (LTD) in a general population, and footwear fit among those with Alzheimer’s disease.
Because it uses 6 items to quantify and classify foot pressure, the Foot Pressure Index-6 (FPI-6) is considered a more complete measure than many others. The FPI-6 has been validated for use with adults aged 18 to 57, where it can play a role in identifying risk factors for sports and training injuries.
Noting that an up to 10-fold increased risk of injury has been demonstrated in female athletes compared with male athletes, particularly for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains, patellofemoral pain, and ankle injuries, researchers sought to evaluate the effects of…
Building on previous data that tentatively supports the possibility that power training could induce changes in neuromuscular activation during level walking in older adults, researchers tested the effects of a 10-week…
Most previous studies on running mechanics in amputees have used prostheses originally designed for walking, and those that have looked at running mechanics using prostheses designed for running have focused on sprinting.
Industry News & Updates
Featured Products
Wearers of prosthetic devices need to maintain the device, as well as the residual limb. This maintenance includes adjusting or tightening the prosthetic limb to ensure more comfort and safety, as well as caring for the skin the prosthetic goes on.
The new Desksurfer from Medical Fitness Solutions is a patent-pending balance platform providing clinicians with an adjustable stability balance training device, with 360 degrees of rotation and 20 degrees of ankle plantar and dorsiflexion that…
Advantage by Elite Orthopaedics introduces the Dorsal Hybrid Night Splint, indicated for plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. The shell design with articulating hinge allows functionality with full range adjustability.
OPTP has published a new educational resource for chronic pain patients. The Why Do I Hurt? Workbook by Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD is now available for purchase exclusively through OPTP.
Patients with diabetes know that something as simple as stubbing one’s toe or stepping on a random item can lead to a serious foot complication. Anodyne’s new slippers are designed with the diabetic end-user in mind, to protect and accommodate the feet.
Core-Spun by Therafirm Support Socks for men and women look and feel like a soft, comfortable everyday sock with the added benefit of true gradient compression, which improves blood flow. Core-Spun Socks are designed to deliver a controlled amount of pressure which…
Darco Introduces the Body Armor Pro Term for TMA, Chopart, and Lisfranc procedure healing. The Body Armor Pro Term is an interim orthosis for conservative treatment following amputations of the forefoot.
Aetna Foot Products has introduced Skived Metatarsal and Longitudinal Arch Pads, used to transfer or distribute weight from problem areas, minimizing pain and discomfort, while providing proper alignment, support, and cushioning.
The Comfort Scan Mobile app by Dr. Comfort gives the practitioner’s office the cutting-edge technology to order custom orthotics for patients in minutes. With the use of an iPad and Occipital camera, the new app captures a three-dimensional image of the patient’s foot.
Tamarack Habilitation Technologies has expanded its GlideWear foot protection sock line with the addition of the Midfoot Protection Sock. Designed to protect the plantar surface of the midfoot, which is at greater risk for ulceration in…
