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Experts debate relative benefits of screening feet for risk factors
istockphoto.com #4525226 Most question emphasis on flatfoot By Cary Groner The value of screening programs for pediatric foot problems—primarily flatfoot—was recently challenged in a commentary by...
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Dynamic data in obese children may suggest gait compensation
istockphoto.com #9709469 Low force values surprise researchers By Christina Hall Nettles An Austrian study exploring the role of genu valgum and flatfoot in obese and normal weight children found...
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Wearing athletic shoes affects some performance measures
istockphoto.com #12122817 Standing long jump distance improves By Cary Groner Research has recently begun to clarify footwear’s effects on gait and functional performance in children, but the broader...
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Early ACL surgery could lower risk of associated knee damage
istockphoto.com #3325267 Patterns mirror those seen in adults By Cary Groner Timing of reconstruction surgery after pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries seems to be related to the...
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Juvenile idiopathic arthritis study reveals footcare information gap
Photo by Vincent Giordano/Trinacria Photography (www.trinacriaphotography.com), courtesy of Clinical Prosthetics & Orthotics. Issues involve custom foot orthoses By Larry Hand A Scottish study...
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Biomodel could help researchers optimize clubfoot brace design
The surrogate biomodel undergoes testing in Andrew DiMeo’s lab. Photo courtesy of Andrew DiMeo, PhD. Method includes complex rotations By Emily Delzell A surrogate biomodel of a child’s lower...
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Energy efficiency with AFO use varies in cerebral palsy patients
Photo courtesy of Cascade DAFO. Longer strides lead to increased work By Samantha Rosenblum Ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) are regularly prescribed to children with walking disabilities resulting from...
View ArticleTATT in relapsed clubfeet can affect plantar flexion
By Jordana Bieze Foster Tibialis anterior tendon transfer (TATT) is known to be associated with limited ankle dorsiflexion, but practitioners should be aware that plantar flexion also can be negatively...
View ArticleBenefits of Ponseti method extend to older children
By Jordana Bieze Foster Clubfoot correction ideally should be performed during infancy, before children learn to walk, but experts agree that the Ponseti treatment method can also be effective in...
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Resource-poor areas benefit from global outreach efforts
By Emily Delzell Treatment of children with clubfoot has evolved considerably in the five years that have elapsed since the inaugural International Clubfoot Symposium, and the benefits of this...
View ArticleCONFERENCE COVERAGE: International Clubfoot Symposium
The Ponseti method of clubfoot management has achieved worldwide acceptance, but practitioners and researchers are still working to identify the best ways to optimize clinical outcomes while remaining...
View ArticleSTROKE: Eight weeks of early AFO use significantly enhances benefits of...
Functional balance test scores rise By Jordana Bieze Foster Use of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) within six weeks of stroke results in better balance outcomes and earlier independent ambulation than if...
View ArticlePEDIATRICS: In hyperpronators, functional scoliosis responds to distal...
By Jordana Bieze Foster What appears to be idiopathic scoliosis may actually be functional scoliosis that can be effectively treated with foot orthoses in children who are hyperpronators, according to...
View ArticleOFFLOADING: Walkers’ effect on proximal biomechanics varies depending on...
Tibial inclination appears significant By Jordana Bieze Foster Orthotic walkers have significant effects on proximal joint mechanics during gait, the extent of which appear to depend on individual...
View ArticleFLAT FOOT: Arch structure in children with talipes planovalgus improves with...
By Jordana Bieze Foster Orthotic management of pediatric talipes planovalgus starting at an early age is associated with significant improvement in weightbearing arch structure, according to research...
View ArticleDIABETES: More results support use of foot orthoses to significantly decrease...
Swedes also find low ulceration rate By Jordana Bieze Foster Research from Sweden and Egypt provides more evidence that foot orthoses can significantly decrease plantar pressures in patients with...
View ArticleSPORTS MEDICINE: Proximal rocker bar on shoe can relieve tension on Achilles...
By Jordana Bieze Foster A rocker bar proximally positioned on a running shoe can relieve tension on the Achilles tendon as well as reduce the force required of the calf muscles during walking and slow...
View ArticleOSTEOARTHRITIS: Knee braces and wedged insoles both alter gait in patients...
By Jordana Bieze Foster A Taiwanese study offers more evidence that offloading knee braces and wedged foot orthoses are both associated with significant biomechanical improvements in patients with knee...
View ArticleCEREBRAL PALSY: Dynamic devices facilitate compliance, outcomes in children...
Brace wear time, not torque, is key By Jordana Bieze Foster Dynamic orthoses offer an effective alternative to static devices for management of tip-toe gait and knee flexion contracture in children...
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Clinicians come to aid of marathon victims
Lower extremity practitioners were among the first responders after two explosions ravaged the Boston Marathon last month, and are continuing to help heal the hundreds of victims who lost limbs or...
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