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Essential to the beauty of dance are the demanding biomechanics of the dancer, particularly at the foot and ankle. Injuries and pain are almost inevitable. But an understanding of the underlying issues—artistic as well as anatomical—can help practitioners keep dancers on their toes for as long as possible.
By Jeffrey A. Russell, PhD, ATC
Editor Memo
I grew up in Portland, OR. I live in New England. That means I root against all of the Los Angeles Lakers. But I do find Kobe Bryant’s footwear fascinating.
Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
Featured Articles
Experts continue to debate the relative merits of the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament for assessing diabetic foot ulcer risk, including how many sites on the foot should be tested, and which ones. But it’s tough to argue with the technique’s cost-effectiveness.
By Cary Groner
Researchers are investigating why some people develop chronic ankle instabilty after a sprain while others seem to heal normally. Biomechanical differences between the two cohorts may offer clues to the mechanisms underlying CAI and enhance preventive efforts.
By Adam Rosen, MS, ATC, and Cathleen N. Brown, PhD, ATC
Gait retraining can potentially alter walking biomechanics such that knee adduction moment is reduced, an inexpensive offloading option that does not require device wear. Gait modification studies to date have primarily focused on foot rotation, trunk lean, and knee medialization.
By Michael A. Hunt, PT, PhD
Adult acquired flatfoot deformity, primarily posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, in many cases can be successfully managed with conservative treatment modalities including early immobilization, long-term bracing, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications.
By Robert W. Mendicino, DPM, FACFAS, Alan R. Catanzariti, DPM, FACFAS, and Kyle S. Peterson, DPM
New research suggests that serious injuries occur as frequently in off-road motorcycle racing as they do in football, but such injuries occur less frequently in riders who wear knee braces.This may be why, although it is not well studied, knee bracing is widespread among off-road motorcycle riders.
By Wesley M.Gladin, BS, Robert A.Cates, BA, and Mark S.Sanders, MD, FACS
News
In the Moment: Gait
Some dorsiflexion gains are surprising - A recent study validates the long-held clinical belief that, in appropriately selected children with cerebral palsy (CP), ankle dorsiflexion during swing phase improves after ankle plantar flexor surgery and that postsurgical rehabilitation should include a focus on dorsiflexor function.
By Emily Delzell
Even if they have a device prescription, individuals with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease tend to put off wearing ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) until walking function is impaired, according to research conducted at St. George’s University of London and Kingston University, London. Investigators compared presentation and gait function in two groups of people with CMT; 11 wore AFOs and 21 did not. Using a … Continue reading
Improving gait and coordination among stroke survivors should involve developing rehabilitation techniques that target abnormal muscle timing characteristics, suggests recent research from the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, OH. The study, e-published in December by Rehabilitation Practice and Research, included nine healthy controls and 27 hemiparetic individuals at least one year poststroke who had persistent coordination and gait deficits. … Continue reading
In the Moment: Footcare – By Emily Delzell and Jordana Bieze Foster
Study delves beyond plantar pressure - Recent research confirms that peak shear and peak pressure points occur at different locations under the foot, shedding some light on the role of shear in diabetic foot ulceration.
By Emily Delzell
A Dutch study suggests that metatarsal pads relieve metatarsalgia pain by creating space between metatarsal heads in addition to reducing plantar pressure. Researchers from St. Maartens Clinic in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, performed motion analysis on 16 feet with primary metatarsalgia and 12 control feet as study participants walked with and without a metatarsal pad. The teardrop shaped polyurethane pad was … Continue reading
Wearing thick-soled shoes increases the magnitude of peroneus longus muscle activity required to resist an unanticipated foot inversion, elevating the risk of an ankle sprain, according to research from the University of Dundee in Scotland. Investigators used electromyography to assess peroneus longus activity in 38 healthy participants standing on a platform designed to invert from 0° to 20° without warning. … Continue reading
In the Moment: Sports medicine
High-impact history benefits runners – Preliminary findings from Stanford University add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that playing soccer or basketball at an early age helps lower the risk of stress fracture in athletes who go on to become dedicated runners.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
When an athlete jumps to catch a ball overhead, the path of the ball relative to the dominant leg affects landing mechanics in ways that could increase risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury, according to research from Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia. Investigators analyzed 25 male athletes as they landed from an overhead catch of a ball rigged to … Continue reading
A corset-style ankle foot orthosis is more effective than a controlled ankle motion walker for offloading the distal lower extremity, according to pilot data from Colorado investigators that could have implications for management of tibial stress fractures in athletes. Researchers from the University of Colorado, Denver, analyzed five individuals with healed lower extremity injuries who still had the custom corset-style … Continue reading
Additional Educational Resources
In this special section, LER updates you on the latest research and clinical news to help optimize management of your littlest lower extremity patients. Topics include pediatric flexible flatfoot, cerebral palsy, ACL injury, clubfoot, Charcot-Marie- Tooth disease, gait patterns in autism, and footwear for early walkers.
Increasing numbers of clinicians and lab owners who have made the leap to digital orthotic technology are seeing meaningful returns on those investments in terms of increased convenience, flexibility, and—importantly—profitability. At the inaugural Custom Orthotic Insoles Technology Forum, held in April at the University of Bath in the U.K., a number of satisfied digital technology converts shared their success stories and underscored the key issues that prospective adopters should consider before taking the plunge themselves.
Multinational all-star teams of sports medicine experts convened in Monaco in April for the World Conference on Prevention of Illness & Injury in Sport, now under the direction of the International Olympic Committee. LER’s exclusive coverage of this event details clinical and scientific progress toward prevention of lower extremity injuries in basketball, soccer, volleyball, running, and ice hockey.
Welcome to the first mini publication on diabetic foot care. LER has created an easy to read, practical real world approach to diabetic foot care designed to improve outcomes for your diabetic patients. Articles on diabetic footwear, diabetic socks, compression hosiery, diabetic insoles and the Therapeutic Shoe Bill offer in depth information to assist in your daily practice.
Top opinion leaders and researchers from across the globe came together in May for the International Society of Prosthetics & Orthotics (ISPO) meeting in Leipzig, Germany, and the International Federation of Podiatrists (FIP) meeting in Amsterdam. This special report covers a range of topics from both events, specifically selected for their relevance to the lower extremity practitioner. By Jordana Bieze Foster
