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Rodeo is an extreme sport. It involves powerful forces created by large and often uncooperative or unpredictable animals, including bulls and horses. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) sanctions approximately 650 rodeos in about 38 states in the United States (US) and multiple Canadian provinces each year; other rodeos...
By Mathias B. Forrester, BS
Move over pickleball! Professional bull riding is a growing sport across the United States and the world. Viewership of the events—topping 30 million at a time—increases weekly. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR, the leading association of riders) signed a 10-year broadcast deal in 2018 with CBS and another in 2023 with Spanish-language Univision.
As we celebrate Older Americans Month, it's essential that we ask ourselves what we can do to help stem the deeply troubling and seemingly intractable issue of senior falls. As it turns out, there’s a great deal we can do.
By Jason Kraus, BS
Point of care diagnostic ultrasound can be a useful tool for the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and risk identification of patellar tendinopathy. Measurements of the patellar tendon that may be useful include tendon thickness, stiffness, and biomarkers of tendon quality which can provide clinicians with a more ...
By Sarah L. Woelfel, MA, LAT, ATC and Adam B. Rosen, PhD, ATC
The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body, connecting the muscles of the gastrosoleus complex to the calcaneus. The Achilles tendon is important to maintain the standing posture, and during walking, running, and jumping.
By Shi-Ming Feng, Nicola Maffulli, Francesco Oliva, Amol Saxena, Yue-Feng Hao, Ying-Hui Hua, Hai-Lin Xu, Xu Tao, Wei Xu, Filippo Migliorini, and Chao Ma
These authors searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane databases, and trials registries for all studies relating to offloading interventions in people with DFU to address 14 clinical question comparisons. Outcomes included ulcers healed, plantar pressure, weight-bearing activity, adherence, new lesions...
By P.A. Lazzarini, D.G. Armstrong, R.T. Crews, C. Gooday, G. Jarl, K. Kirketerp-Moller, V. Viswanathan, and S.A. Bus
Osteoarthritis occurs when tissues in joints break down over time. The disease has become more common worldwide over the past few decades. Diagnosis usually involves finding signs of joint damage on an x-ray. But the disease likely begins long before this damage can be seen.
Painful midportion Achilles tendinopathy affects athletes at all levels as well as sedentary individuals. While the majority of patients will respond to conservative management therapy, surgery may be required for a sub-group of patients. This study investigated the presence of a normal Achilles tendon, but a tendinopathic plantaris tendon, in....
Alpha-synuclein is a protein found in brain and nerve cells. Its normal functions are poorly understood. But when an abnormal form of this protein accumulates in the brain and nervous system, it can lead to serious neurodegenerative disorders. These are collectively known assynucleinopathies.
This study showed, for the first time, that the combined application of a brief muscle lengthening and wide-pulse neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) delivered over the posterior tibial nerve can entail increased torque production as compared with the sole application of NMES.
Sarcopenia denotes the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, typical in older adults. This condition is critical given its association with adverse outcomes like falls, fractures, and increased mortality. Although awareness of sarcopenia has grown, early diagnosis remains challenging due to its...
The choice of materials for covering plantar orthoses or wearable insoles is often based on their hardness, breathability, and moisture absorption capacity, although more due to professional preference than clear scientific criteria. An analysis of the thermal response to the use of these materials would provide information...
That stubborn athlete’s foot infection an estimated 70% of people get at some point in their life could become much easier to get rid of thanks to nanoscale drills activated by visible light. Proven effective against antibiotic-resistant infectious bacteria and cancer cells, the molecular machines developed by Rice University chemist James Tour, PhD, and...
Treatment for plantar fasciitis (PF) includes pain management through anti-inflammatory drugs, stretching exercises, night-splint therapy, steroidal medications, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT). While ESWT has proven to be beneficial and effective in reducing heel pain, it is expensive and has adverse effects such as increased pain sensitivity...
A long-term Parkinson’s disease (PD) patient who had severe mobility problems can now walk fluidly without falling thanks to a new experimental spinal implant that stimulates the user’s leg muscles. Marc, 63, has been living with advanced PD since 1996. Dopamine and then deep brain stimulation, which he underwent in 2004, helped treat his...
New smart pants, which feature transparent optical fibers directly integrated into the textile, could help offer a nonintrusive way to track a person’s movements and issue alerts if there are signs of distress. The technology incorporates intensity variation polymer optical fiber sensors directly into fabric that was then...
Hanger, Inc., Austin, TX, has launched Hanger Ventures, a subsidiary that will invest in entrepreneurs and small businesses, helping to bring innovative orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) healthcare solutions to the market. Hanger Ventures is designed to focus on accelerating innovation, developing technology, and improving patient outcomes worldwide.
Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMCs) are common and frustrating for athletes and the physically active. We critically appraised the EAMC literature to provide evidence-based treatment and prevention recommendations. Although the pathophysiology of EAMCs appears controversial, recent evidence suggests that...
