November 2011
Cover Story
Researchers from New York University have found that wearing high heels increases muscle activation, which can have painful ramifications throughout the kinetic chain. Some individuals, however, seem to adapt to high heels more effectively than others.
By Smita Rao, PT, PhD, and Renata Ripa, MA
Editor Message
A week after this magazine goes to press, I’ll be in Puerto Rico with my in-laws for a beach wedding. I’m sure the scenery will be spectacular. But I also know that once the ceremony is over, I’ll be counting the minutes until I can put my heels back on.
Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
Departments
The medical literature supports the use of orthotic devices in patients with posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, especially those in the early stages. Demonstrated benefits include improvements in foot and ankle alignment, clinical symptoms, and functional outcomes.
By Holly Olszewski, CPO
Despite the expense associated with advanced wound care technologies, evidence suggests that switching from standard care makes both clinical and economic sense if a diabetic foot ulcer has not experienced a 50 percent reduction in wound area after four weeks.
By Emily Delzell
Some studies support the effectiveness of physical therapy for reducing pain and improving function in patients with hip osteoarthritis, but evidence on the topic is limited and contradictory—suggesting that perhaps PT is most effective in a specific subgroup of patients.
By Alexis A. Wright, PT, PhD, DPT, and Garrett S. Naze, PT, DPT
This two-part series explores the role of rotational forces in athletic injuries and the extent to which bracing can help control those forces and, in turn, prevent those injuries. This second installment examines rotation as a contributor to anterior cruciate ligament injury.
By Cary Groner
Wrong-site surgery can have significant financial and professional consequences, which is why surgeons’ organizations are promoting protocols specifically designed to reduce such errors. A recent survey of foot and ankle surgeons suggests those efforts are paying off.
By Donald E. Fowler III, MD; Karl M. Schweitzer Jr, MD; Olubusola Brimmo, MD; Ryan May, BS; and Selene G. Parekh, MD, MBA
Research suggests that individuals with chronic ankle instability use different movement strategies to maintain postural control than individuals with healthy ankles. These changes may be related to alterations in movement variability associated with ankle instability.
By Lisa Chinn, MS, ATC, and C. Collin Herb, MEd, ATC