April 2012
Cover Story
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
Editor Message
With the Supreme Court weighing the constitutionality of President Obama’s healthcare reform law as this magazine went to press and another presidential election looming this fall, the topic of government healthcare spending is sure to get a lot of airtime in the coming months. That means we can expect to get used to hearing from certain pundits about how federal spending on healthcare takes away from federal spending in other areas.
Jordana Bieze Foster, Editor
Departments
A patient presenting with both end-stage knee osteoarthritis and a painful foot-ankle deformity is not uncommon, but the medical literature offers practitioners little guidance as to which condition should be managed first or whether they should be addressed simultaneously.
by Michael S. Pinzur, MD, and William Hopkinson, MD
Advances in communications technology now make it possible for an expert in one location to assess a diabetic foot ulcer in a patient who is miles away. But telehealth efforts face a number of hurdles, the most daunting of which may be patient privacy.
By Emily Delzell
When prescribing an ankle foot orthosis or neuroprosthesis for a patient with acute drop foot following stroke, lower extremity practitioners should consider the device’s potential effects on neural plasticity and motor relearning in addition to its potential effects on gait.
By Chad Lairamore, PhD, PT, CBISt
Newly published proceedings of an interdisciplinary osteoarthritis summit hosted by the Hospital for Special Surgery explore how researchers are working to understand the complexities of the disease and break down the barriers facing the development of new interventions.
By Cary Groner
Indications for operative versus nonoperative treatment of tarsometatarsal joint injuries depend on the specific injury pattern and disruption of normal anatomy, which may be evident on physical examination or radiographs but may also present more subtly.
By Andrew Rosenbaum, MD, John DiPreta, MD, and Richard Uhl, MD
News
In the Moment: Diabetes
Essential to achieving the goal of preventing amputation in patients with diabetes is recognizing barriers that stand in the way, according to a Swedish diabetic foot expert who spoke in March at the Diabetic Foot Global Conference (DFCon) in Los Angeles.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
A national strategy of risk stratification in Scotland significantly decreased the incidence of amputation within the first years of its implementation, according to unpublished data presented in March at the Diabetic Foot Global Conference (DFCon) in Los Angeles.
Participation in a support group for diabetic amputees is associated with significant clinical and educational benefits, according to unpublished data from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center San Antonio presented in March at the Diabetic Foot Global Conference (DFCon).
In the Moment: O&P
Idiopathic toe-walking is a bilateral toe-to-toe gait diagnosed when children continue this behavior, which is considered part of the normal spectrum of toddlers’ gait development, past age 2.
By Emily Delzell
Findings presented at in March at the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists annual meeting in Atlanta suggest rigid knee orthoses (KOs) likely have no negative impact on energy efficiency or performance.
Ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) designed to correct foot drop during swing and provide toe clearance may facilitate more accurate foot placement, according to preliminary data presented in March at the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists annual meeting in Atlanta.
Market Mechanics
Concord, MA-based Vibram USA was named in late March as the defendant in a class action lawsuit filed in the US District Court in Massachusetts that alleged the company made deceptive claims about health benefits of its FiveFingers running footwear. … Continue reading
Research presented in March at the American Association of Orthotists & Prosthetists meeting in Atlanta reported that switching patients with foot drop from a molded plastic ankle foot orthosis (AFO) to energy reflecting carbon open-heel AFOs made by Rockaway, NJ-based … Continue reading
Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston will introduce a new Master of Science in Orthotics and Prosthetics degree program through its School of Allied Health Sciences. The 2.5-year program, which will consist of one year of basic science education … Continue reading
Telluride, CO-based TheraTogs announced its Certified Thera-Togs Fitter (CTF) program, a new nationwide workshop series designed to sharpen the clinical skills of physical, occupational, and speech therapists, orthotists, and physiatrists who fit and customize TheraTogs orthotic systems. CTF Level I … Continue reading
Roselle, NJ-based ComfortFit Labs will add practitioners’ custom logo to its prefabricated Comfort Dress and Comfort Active orthotics at no charge and will waive freight charges with a purchase of 100 or more inserts. The Comfort Dress is a functional … Continue reading
Noted physician, educator, and international expert on the diabetic foot and wound management Jan Apelqvist, MD, PhD, received this year’s Edward James Olmos Award for Advocacy in Amputation Prevention at the 10th Diabetic Foot Global Conference (DFCon), held in Los … Continue reading
Products
Sigvaris’ stylish Soft Opaque Hosiery Line is now available with 30-40 mm Hg compression. This new option is designed for women who need a stronger compression level following a recent vein procedure or as a treatment for chronic venous disorders. … Continue reading
Trulife introduces the Matrix Split Toe and Matrix Max Split Toe AFOs. These custom-fit, carbon composite ankle foot orthoses feature a split footplate for improved balance and stability. Both devices include a height-adjustable anterior shell, trimmable footplate, open calcaneal design, … Continue reading
The Go AFO from Hersco is a new rear-entry ankle gauntlet. The gauntlet is a traditional thermoplastic ankle foot orthosis with a thin leather lining and outer layer that secures posteriorly with either a Velcro or lace closure. The gauntlet … Continue reading
Preferred Medical Supply Company offers a new walking shoe available in women’s lace-up (DR818), men’s lace-up (DR218), women’s Velcro (DR819), and men’s Velcro (DR219) under its Dr.2 Shoes banner. An extra deep toe box accommodates custom and/or diabetic orthotic devices, … Continue reading
Vasyli Medical and Think Tank member Trevor Prior, podiatric surgeon and sports injury management specialist, announce the development of the Vasyli + Prior low profile sports orthotic. It has been specifically designed to fit into the confines of soccer or … Continue reading
Medi-Dyne Healthcare Products has introduced the new Range Roller line of multi-layer massage therapy rollers with Trigger Treads, which enable users to massage multiple layers of muscles and connective tissue to more effectively increase circulation, relieve knots, warm muscles, eliminate … Continue reading
Kevin Orthotics by Foot In Motion introduces the A-Brace 250 Overlap Free Motion. The custom molded footplate and custom-fit ankle struts are designed to provide relief from ankle instability, ankle sprains, tendinitis, tendon dysfunction, arthritis, trauma, and congenital pathologies. The … Continue reading
UCO International has introduced the EZFit Compact Firm and Compact Pro premolded foot orthotics. The new style features durable UCOkork or Pro XP II (semirigid polyethylene foam) material shaped to fit a variety of shoes. The 3/4 length foot orthotics … Continue reading
Sonostics introduces MyoWave , a function analysis device that converts muscle vibration to absolute effort to identify muscle imbalance. Comprising a laptop, small data collection pack and accelerometers, MyoWave captures information from up to six muscles simultaneously during functional movements. … Continue reading
Battle Creek Equipment Company has introduced the Ice It! ColdComfort systems. The non-toxic, reusable cold packs are filled with 99% recycled materials that freeze quickly, maintain temperature, and stay flexible when frozen. The Stay-Put cover has an insulated side away … Continue reading
Darco International unveils the new Body Armor Vario Brace, a general-use ankle brace with an added element of customization. The Body Armor Vario Brace comes with three posting discs of 2°, 4°, and 6° to correct varus/valgus alignment and three … Continue reading
Cho-Pat’s new VE Ankle Compression Sleeve combines warmth, compression, and support with a proprietary closure. The easy-to-use sleeve applies uniform dynamics to help reduce ankle pain and discomfort, promoting circulation and generating warmth to enhance healing. The sleeve’s three-dimensional knit … Continue reading
