October 2017

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Cover Story


HANDLE WITH CARE: How sports equipment affects biomechanics and injury risk
HANDLE WITH CARE: How sports equipment affects biomechanics and injury risk
Clinicians know that handling a lacrosse stick or other types of sport-specific equipment can affect an athlete’s movement patterns in potentially harmful ways. Now researchers are beginning to quantify these types of effects and explore their clinical implications. By Jill R. Dorson

Editor Message


Out on a limb: Strength of purpose
Out on a limb: Strength of purpose
Everyone has days when we just go through the motions—at our jobs, in social situations, at the gym—and tell ourselves it isn’t a big deal. But as clinicians you know that when patients just go through the motions of complying with prescribed treatments, their… By Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor

Departments


Lower extremity clinicians absorb hurricanes’ impact
Lower extremity clinicians absorb hurricanes’ impact
Clinicians in areas affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma were prepared for issues involving preexisting lower extremity concerns, but were surprised by the number of cases they saw in the storm’s aftermath involving healthy people trying to function under extraordinary conditions. By Nancy Shohet West
Implications of high ankle sprains in college athletes
Implications of high ankle sprains in college athletes
High ankle sprains in collegiate athletes differ from lateral or medial ankle sprains in multiple clinically relevant ways. These include loss of sports participation time, mechanism of injury, rates of injury during competition versus practices, and the possible long-term risk of osteoarthritis. By Timothy C. Mauntel, PhD, ATC; and Zachary Y. Kerr, PhD, MPH
Orthotic management tactics for hallux limitus
Orthotic management tactics for hallux limitus
Orthotic devices for hallux limitus are designed to limit first metatarsophalangeal joint motion while providing cushioning and plantar pressure distribution. A lack of quality research on conservative treatment of the disorder, however, forces clinicians to rely on their own experience. By Hank Black
Return-to-play concerns following Achilles tears
Return-to-play concerns following Achilles tears
Achilles tendon ruptures are severe injuries that are associated with a long recovery and significantly affect an athlete’s ability to function at a high level. In devising strategies for rehabilitation and return to play, the goal of clinicians and athletes alike is to try to minimize this impact. By J. Turner Vosseller, MD

News

In the Moment: Footcare

Equinus and RA: Limited dorsiflexion exists without pain
Equinus and RA: Limited dorsiflexion exists without pain
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have decreased ankle dorsiflexion due to gastrocnemius contracture, even in the absence of foot and ankle pain, according to research from Michigan that may have implications for early intervention to minimize pain and dysfunction in this patient population. By Katie Bell
Dialysis patients, even without diabetes, have high risk for ulceration, amputation
Patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis are at high risk for foot ulcerations and amputation, regardless of whether they also have diabetes, according to research from La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, that underscores the need for foot screening in this population. By Jordana Bieze Foster
Textured insoles enhance stride length, plantar sensation in individuals with PD
One week of textured insole wear is associated with improved plantar sensation and stride length in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), according to research from São Paulo State University in Brazil. By Jordana Bieze Foster

In the Moment: Rehabilitiation

Strength drives survival: But benefits of training appear complex
Strength drives survival: But benefits of training appear complex
Lower extremity strength appears to be a key variable in the relationship between mortality and compliance with national resistance exercise guidelines, according to research from the University of Mississippi in University, MS. By Keith Loria
Return to activity after Achilles repair parallels heel-rise performance recovery
Recovery of triceps surae muscle strength, as indicated by heel-rise test performance, is associated with the ability to return to jogging and other athletic activities after an Achilles tendon repair, according to research from Teikyo University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan. By Jordana Bieze Foster
Pathomechanics in patients with hip OA suggest need for gait retraining
Altered hip mechanics during gait in patients with hip osteo­arthritis (OA) suggest a role for rehabilitation interventions focused on more than hip abductor strengthening alone, accord­- ing to research from the University of Leuven in Belgium. By Jordana Bieze Foster

Market Mechanics

By Emily Delzell


Products


Decompression Foot Sleeve
Decompression Foot Sleeve
New from OS1st, the OS1st DS6 Decompression Foot Sleeve simulates therapeutic taping, delivering six zones of compression to improve circulation and help relieve the painful symptoms of moderate to severe plantar fasciitis, heel pain, foot swelling, and other arch and heel conditions.
Hyperion II Footwear
Hyperion II Footwear
Xelero has replaced its original best-selling pedorthic shoe, Hyperion, with the Hyperion II. This outdoor shoe, optimized for excursions in extreme conditions, is available as a women’s low top and a men’s low top and high top.
SmartCast Scanning System
SmartCast Scanning System
SmartCast is a new, all-inclusive system designed by Chris Smith, DPM and Northwest Podiatric Laboratory to simplify and improve the process of prescribing custom orthotic devices. With patients comfortably seated in an exam chair, practitioners follow a simple positioning process using…
Adjustable  Knee Brace
Adjustable Knee Brace
Elite Orthopaedics introduces the Advantage Post Operative Adjustable Knee Brace, designed to provide controlled range of motion for patients recovering from knee surgery or those who have knee injuries or instabilities.
Vertex Camera From Vicon
Vertex Camera From Vicon
Academy Award-winning Vicon has announced the availability of a new compact camera, the Vertex. The Vertex camera boasts a small and flexible design, with wide angle fields of view, allowing it to capture significant volumes in very tight spaces.
Coral Daily Vitamin D3
Coral Daily Vitamin D3
Coral now offers Coral Daily Vitamin D3, designed to help maintain strong bones and good overall health in the millions of Americans who are deficient in vitamin D, even during the summer months when sun exposure promotes natural vitamin D production.
AeroSpring Brace Systems
AeroSpring Brace Systems
Created as an alternative to heavy, difficult-to-secure walking boots, the new Richie AeroSpring Brace Systems have been designed to treat common conditions treated with walking boots. The AeroSpring “system approach” combines the therapeutic effects of a…
JAFO and Free Flow AFO
JAFO and Free Flow AFO
The new JAFO Free Flow ankle foot orthosis (AFO) sleeve uses a comfortable, 1/8″ thick CoolFlex material to secure a prefabricated AFO. The zip-up sleeve design is intended to eliminate the chafing that can be caused by AFO straps, as well as enhance blood circulation, increase…
KidSport Insoles
KidSport Insoles
KidSport Cushioning Insoles are new, affordable full-length insoles from Powerstep that are specifically designed for children. KidSport is a fully cushioned, less aggressive option for children’s footwear, which often lacks sufficient cushioning or support.
Game Changer Knee OA Brace
Game Changer Knee OA Brace
Ovation Medical has introduced the new Game Changer Premium Universal OA Knee Brace, designed to get knee osteoarthritis patients back to as much activity as possible. The brace should be worn for 30 to 60 minutes on the first day, and…