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Strategies for rehab after Achilles tendon surgery: At the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, rehabilitation following operative repair of Achilles ten... 
Functional hallux limitus: Diagnosis and treatment: Once identified, functional hallux limitus can be effectively managed with orthotic devices.
By Jame... 
Rehabilitation following microfracture surgery: Much of the success of microfracture surgery for articular cartilage lesions in the knee depends on... 
Rehab speeds return after ACL surgery: At this knee center, return to play is based not on the calendar but on range of motion and strength...
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Category Archives: Cover Story
April 2012
Algorithms and views: Whats, whens, and whys of plantar fasciitis care
Published guidelines for management of plantar fasciitis don’t cover every detail of which interventions to try, in what order, and for how long. As a result, every practitioner tends to interpret the gray areas just a little differently.
By Cary Groner
Posted in 2012, April, Cover Story, Home Feature
Tagged AAOS, ACFAS, Foot Orthoses, night splints, plantar fasciitis, stretching
1 Comment
March 2012
Finding a formula for the optimal AFO
Quantitative research from The Netherlands suggests that for every ankle foot orthosis, there is an optimal stiffness associated with the lowest energy cost of walking for a given set of gait-related impairments. Achieving this optimal device stiffness in practice, however, may require clinicians to rethink conventional approaches to AFO prescription.
By Daan J.J. Bregman, PhD
Posted in 2012, Cover Story, Home Feature, March
Tagged AFOs, ankle foot orthosis, BRUCE device, gait, Klap-AFO, multiple sclerosis, stroke
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February 2012
Odd couple: Linking ACL injury and patellofemoral pain
One is an acute injury, the other a chronic condition. But researchers believe it’s no coincidence that anterior cruciate ligament injury and patellofemoral pain syndrome share many of the same risk factors. The next step is to determine if a single intervention can effectively prevent both.
By Cary Groner
Posted in 2012, Cover Story, February, Home Feature
Tagged acl injury, Cary Groner, patellofemoral pain syndrome
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January 2012
Breaking pointe: Foot and ankle injuries in dance
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
November 2011
Pretty pathways to pain: Muscle activation in high-heeled shoes
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
Posted in 2011, Cover Story, Home Feature, November
Tagged foot pain, footwear, high heels, Renata Ripa, Smita Rao
1 Comment
October 2011
FUTURE SHOCK: Youth sports and osteoarthritis risk
There’s no question that exercise is good for kids. But the trauma associated with some youth sports can dramatically increase the risk that those kids will develop knee or ankle osteoarthritis by the time they reach adulthood. The key next step is to determine what can be done about it.
By Yvonne M. Golightly, PT, PhD, Stephen W. Marshall, PhD, and Dennis J. Caine, PhD
Posted in 2011, Cover Story, Home Feature, October
Tagged ACL injuries, acl reconstruction, acl tear, neuromuscular training, OA, osteoarthritis, youth sports, Yvonne M. Golightly
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September 2011
Keeping O&P compliance in check
A recent paper suggests that a checklist system can help practitioners educate caregivers about orthotic device use in children with CP, which could improve compliance. But experts differ as to whether such checklists make sense in the complex world of O&P devices.
By Larry Hand
Posted in 2011, Cover Story, Home Feature, September
Tagged AFOs, ankle foot orthoses, cerebral palsy, cp, Larry Hand, O&P devices
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August 2011
Momentous adaptations: Offloading the knee through gait modification
Changing the way people walk can significantly decrease knee external adduction moments, which in turn appears to relieve pain and possibly slow the progression of osteoarthritis. The challenge, however, is finding a gait modification that feels and appears natural to patients.
By Lydia Caldwell, BS, and Joaquin Barrios, PT, DPT, PhD
Posted in 2011, August, Cover Story
Tagged gait modification, Joaquin Barrios, KEAM, knee OA, Lydia Caldwell, OA, osteoarthritis
2 Comments
July 2011
EXERCISE AND NEUROPATHY: Not mutually exclusive
Exercise is a cornerstone of treatment for diabetes, but for years patients with peripheral neuropathy have been discouraged from weight-bearing exercise for fear of further increasing ulceration risks. Now new research is turning that advice on its head.
By Cary Groner
Posted in Cover Story, Home Feature, July 2011
Tagged Cary Groner, diabetes, neuropathy, weight-bearing exercise
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June 2011
Powering the Windmill: Lower body mechanics of softball pitching
Injuries in softball pitchers typically occur in the upper extremities, but focusing rehabilitation and prevention efforts on the upper body alone ignores the essential supporting roles played by the pelvis and lower extremities in providing a stable base for the pitching motion.
By Gretchen D. Oliver, PhD, ATC, LAT
May 2011
BATTLES OF ACHILLES: The operative vs nonoperative treatment debate
Early mobilization techniques have revolutionized both surgical and nonsurgical management of Achilles ruptures, but the resulting improved outcomes have ignited a heated discussion among practitioners as to which approach is best.
by Cary Groner
Posted in Cover Story, Home Feature, May 2011
Tagged Achilles rupture, achilles tendon, Achilles tendon surgery, Cary Groner, mobilization, walking boot
1 Comment
April 2011
Sprain in the Forecast: Epidemiology and risk factors for ankle sprain
Analysis of the epidemiology of ankle sprain has revealed modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Understanding these will allow practitioners to help athletes minimize their risk of acute injury and chronic sequelae.
By CPT Brian R. Waterman, MD; Joseph R. Langston, BS; Kenneth L. Cameron, PhD, ATC; LTC Philip J. Belmont, Jr, MD; and LTC Brett D. Owens, MD
March 2011
Upstanding interventions: Falls prevention in O&P
Devices that improve proprioception, balance, and biomechanics can help patients avoid the significant morbidity and mortality associated with falls. But in some cases, a device may actually increase risk. That’s why matching the right intervention to the right patient is essential.
By Cary Groner
Posted in Cover Story, Home Feature, March 2011
Tagged amputees, Cary Groner, falls prevention, o&p
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February 2011
Head Games: Neurocognitive contributors to noncontact injury
Because movement is controlled by the central nervous system, any type of cognitive disturbance can increase an athlete’s risk of injury. An increasing research focus on these neuropsychological variables could determine the future of rehabilitation and injury prevention.
By Charles Buz Swanik, PhD, ATC
January 2011
THINKING SMALL: Making strides in children’s footwear
It was my first trip to buy shoes for my then-toddler son. He had just started walking with the aid of helping hands, and as I stared out at a sprawling display of shoes inside a high-end children’s shoe department, I felt utterly confounded. Some of the shoes felt soft, others were hard-soled and stiff, many were akin to moccasins. I was assaulted by all manner of colors and patterns and styles, each one different from the next. Massaging my eyes, I wanted to only to leave.
By L.W. Barnes
Posted in Cover Story, Home Feature, January 2011
Tagged children's footwear, L.W. Barnes, pediatric footwear, stride-rite
1 Comment
November 2010
The truth about barefoot running: It’s complicated
One side claims running shoes cause injury; the other side counters that barefoot running comes with its own risks. There are likely elements of truth on both sides. But when it comes to giving your patients advice about barefoot running, experts have more questions than answers.
by Cary Groner
October October 2010 2010
Military Medicine: What it means for civilian practitioners
The military – a wellness utopia of active and healthy young adults who must maintain fitness and weight standards to remain in good standing. Personnel medical histories are part of vast military databases that practitioners and researchers use to chart trends and examine the evolution of treatments. Unlike with civilian medicine, patients and their outcomes can be followed through years-long stretches, offering a view that is otherwise hard to come by.
By L.W. Barnes
Posted in 2010, Cover Story, Home Feature, October, October 2010
Tagged achilles tendinitis, ACL tears, amputations, anterior cruciate ligament, diabetic neuropathy, Hansen's Disease, L.W. Barnes, military, overuse injuries, plantar fasciitis, prosthetics, reconstructive limb salvage, soldiers, stress fractures
1 Comment
September 2010
Pressure Treatment: Dynamic data guide orthotic therapy
Dynamic pressure measurement systems aren’t just for research any more. The technology optimizes outcomes by enabling practitioners to prescribe orthoses that address particular gait abnormalities and to quantify the biomechanical effects.
by Cary Groner
August 2010
Beyond Bunionectomy: The Role of Physical Therapy
More and more surgeons are embracing the idea that physical therapy after bunion surgery can improve range of motion and other functional outcomes. But some practitioners still aren’t sure it’s right for everyone.
By Linda Weber
Posted in 2010, August, Cover Story
Tagged bunion, bunionectomy, cryotherapy, hallux valgus, Linda Weber, metatarsophalangeal joint, Post Op Shoe, soft tissue contracture
2 Comments
July 2010
The Throw – From Below: Hip mechanics dictate overhead motion
It’s shoulder and elbow injuries that most often land baseball pitchers and other throwing athletes on the disabled list. But the cause of those injuries often can be traced to strength and flexibility deficits at the hip—effects that reverberate up the kinetic chain.
by Kevin Laudner, PhD, ATC, FACSM
June 2010
Heel pain revisited: New guidelines emphasize evidence
The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons’ revised guidelines for heel pain treatment reflect lower extremity healthcare’s increasing focus on evidence-based medicine, including hundreds of references as well as helpful diagrams. But clinical experience is still essential to the therapeutic process. By Cary Groner
Posted in 2010, Cover Story, June
Tagged arthritides, Baxter's nerve, bunion, calcaneus, CAM walker, Cary Groner, cast walker, corticosteroid injections, FACFAS, fasciosis, gait training, hammer toes, heel pain, heel spur syndrome, hyperesthesias, infracalcaneal fat pad, insoles, James Clough, James Thomas, Mark Corwall, Michael Gross, neurologic heel pain, night splints, orthotics, plantar fasciitis, plantar fasciotomy, radiofrequency coblation, shin splints, tensile stress, Thomas McPoil, windlass
3 Comments
May 2010
PLANTER’S PUNCH: Kicking and ACL injury risk
Most studies of kicking in soccer have focused on the kicking leg. But the biomechanics of the plant leg, which often functions at odd and unexpected angles, may have greater implications for injury.
By Sarah E. Clagg, DPT, Angela R Warnock, MPT, and James S. Thomas, PT, PhD
Posted in 2010, Cover Story, May
Tagged acl injury, Angela R Warnock, anterior cruciate ligament, ATC, DPT, female soccer athletes, James S. Thomas, kicking, kicking leg, knee injury, MPT, off-axis kicks, PhD, plant leg, PT, Sarah E. Clagg, shear forces, soccer
3 Comments
April 2010
Vancouver 2010: Behind the scenes
Qualifying for the Olympic Games or the Paralympics is about taking athletic performance to the next level. Sometimes it’s also about taking rehabilitation to the next level. That’s where lower extremity practitioners come in. By Cary Groner
Posted in 2010, April, Cover Story
Tagged ACL tears, Cary Groner, Chris Napier, compartment syndrome, Dana Rousseau, Heath Calhoun, Joshua Finley, Julia Murray, Kevin Carroll, Kristin Wingfield MD, Maggie Phillips-Scarlett, Mary Brannagan, Paralympics, Tessa Virtue, transfemoral prosthesis
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March 2010
Keeping MRSA in check: Are you doing enough?
The spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has clinicians, especially those who treat patients with diabetes, rethinking the way they practice. Experts offer tips for treatment and prevention, starting with what not to wear.
By Cary Groner
Posted in 2010, Cover Story, March
Tagged amputation, david armstrong, diabetes, diabetic foot wounds, infections, jeffrey ross, kevin grimes, maggots, michael pinzur, mrsa, sandra nelson, warren joseph, wounds
2 Comments
February 2010
Keys to compliance in O&P: Practitioners share their success stories
Perfect compliance is probably too much to hope for. But patient education, diligent follow-up, empathy and a little imagination can go a long way toward improving device wear rates and clinical outcomes.
By L.W. Barnes
Posted in 2010, Cover Story, February
Tagged AFOs, ankle contractors, cast, cerebral palsy, diabetic, neuropathy, orthotics, prosthetics
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