Biomechanics

Human movement science

Spokane mom has knee replacement at 40, joins fastest growing demographic

Carrie Day was a busy mom with a young daughter, but advanced arthritis in her knees made her feel like an old woman. Carrie Day and her daughter, Chloe, 3, stroll through the Brown Mountain Regional Stormwater Facility. Carrie, age … READ MORE

Will an orthosis help you walk better with MS?

Difficulty walking due to muscle weakness, muscle spasms, and balance issues is common among people who have multiple sclerosis (MS). You can move naturally with the WalkOn during the day. When you crouch down or walk up a set of … READ MORE

What it means when kids walk on their toes

When toddlers are learning to walk, many spend some time walking up on their tip toes, which is known as toe walking. Commonly this is to get into things they aren’t meant to, but as they perfect their walking, they walk more with … READ MORE

Patellofemoral pain symptoms improved after gait modification

Running gait modifications designed to reduce patellofemoral loading also have immediate symptomatic benefits in patients with patellofemoral pain, according to research from Laval University in Quebec City, Canada. College of Liberal … READ MORE

Young athletes with previous knee injury had higher risk of OA

Young athletes who previously sustained an intra-articular knee injury had a higher risk of structural changes associated with future osteoarthritis, according to results presented at the Osteoarthritis Research Society International … READ MORE

Exercise protocol improves physical function in patients with hip, knee OA

Implementation of an exercise protocol was linked with improved physical function in patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis, according to results presented here. GLA:D Canada. Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic, University of … READ MORE

Less pain, greater self-efficacy, and better walking capacity in women with knee OA

Women with knee osteoarthritis who experienced less pain and greater self-efficacy for functional tasks had better maximal walking capacity and stair ascent time, but not stair descent time at 2 years, according to results presented … READ MORE

Exercise linked with reduced pain in patients with knee OA

Patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent an exercise program for 12 weeks experienced a reduction in pain, as well as muscle perfusion changes, according to results presented at the Osteoarthritis Research Society International … READ MORE

Read this before you get your knee replaced

More than sixty thousand Canadians per year, and climbing, get knee replacement surgery. A U.S study published last week in the British Medical Journal finds that a good number of patients south of the border may be getting new knees … READ MORE

3D printable implants may ease damaged knees

Printable hydrogel matches the strength and elasticity of human cartilage. A cartilage-mimicking material created by researchers at Duke University may one day allow surgeons to 3D print replacement knee parts that are custom-shaped … READ MORE

Orthotic brace helps New England farmer live without pain

For roughly the last dozen years of Phil Stevens’ life, pain has been a daily companion. Stevens, a third-generation dairy farmer on a 1,000-acre spread in Barre, Massachusetts, fell off the metal roof he was building in April 2003. … READ MORE

Home neighborhood walkability motivates older people to physical activity

Walk-friendly environmental design may provide opportunities for physical activity in old age, according to a recent study conducted at the Gerontology Research Center of the University of Jyväskylä. However, it is important that … READ MORE

Knee surgery may have minimal quality of life effects in those with less severe symptoms

According to a recently published study, knee replacement surgery had a minimal effect on quality of life for patients with osteoarthritis and was not cost-effective. Forest walk. Roger Bates photo, flickr Marni Goldstein, The Mount … READ MORE

Don’t let OA scare you from staying active!

Osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative arthritis is a common condition familiar to many. In fact one out of three of us have a chance of developing OA. It is defined as the breakdown of articular cartilage which further affects the … READ MORE

A runner’s guide to the perfect shoe

In 2010, the running-shoe world was in turmoil. The rapid rise of barefoot and minimalist running had sparked a critical re-evaluation of all the fancy technology packed into the most popular shoes – rollbars, heel lifts, cushioning … READ MORE

Orthotic management techniques for children with CP

Consider range of motion and alignment when helping children with cerebral palsy push functional limits. A wise child once taught me, Never Say Never. AFOwear by Anthony Calabro, Healio O&P News July 2011 American Academy of … READ MORE

Aquatic exercise for knee OA: beyond treating pain alone

The prescription of therapeutic aquatic exercise to people with knee OA should focus on trying to improve the patient’s own individual symptoms and functional impairments which both affect patients’ quality of life, as well as … READ MORE

Positive results for pediatric patient with idiopathic toe walking

A multidisciplinary approach offered benefits for a pediatric patient who had idiopathic toe walking with severe contractures, according to Nicole M. Harris, PT, PCS, BOCO, of The Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colo. Harris … READ MORE

Carbon fiber AFO-SMO orthoses improved gait in patient with cerebral palsy

The use of a carbon fiber ankle-foot orthosis with supramalleolar orthosis inner boots improved the gait of a 13-year-old patient with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, according to data presented at the Association of Children’s … READ MORE

Treating pediatric toe walking – is it idiopathic?

Pediatric toe walking is not necessarily idiopathic and can be the result of an underlying deficit, Megan Smith, CO, director of clinical research at Surestep, said at the Association of Children’s Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics Annual … READ MORE

Walking barefoot on gravel improves gait for children with idiopathic toe walking

Walking barefoot on a gravel surface significantly improved gait in children with idiopathic toe walking, according to research presented here at the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association National Assembly. Researcher Mark … READ MORE

Hinged vs solid AFOs for cerebral palsy: No significant difference in gait

There are no significant differences in gait or gross mobility between hinged and solid ankle-foot orthoses for patients with cerebral palsy who could walk without an assistive device, according to a study presented at the Association … READ MORE

High heels: Elevating the discussion

The biomechanical implications of high-heeled shoes are well known, and now dramatic weight-bearing images and new study findings are taking practitioner and patient awareness to the next level. But many women are still sacrificing … READ MORE

Prehabilitation for TKA: Preop and postop benefits

Prehabilitation, particularly in the form of exercise, has the potential to significantly improve preoperative and postoperative outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis who are undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Both … READ MORE

Aquatic resistance training improves physcial function in women with mild knee osteoarthritis

Aquatic resistance training significantly decreases body fat mass and increases walking speed, (i.e., phsyical function) in postmenopausal women with mild knee osteoarthritis. Aquatic exercise has been shown to decrease pain and … READ MORE

Leisure-time physical activity improves cartilage health and quality of life for women with knee OA

Higher leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) level promotes cartilage health in postmenopausal women with mild knee osteoarthritis (OA). This was observed in a study carried out in the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at … READ MORE

Tuned AFO improves gait in patient with stroke

Adjusting the mechanical properties, alignment, plantar flexion and dorsiflexion resistance of a novel ankle-foot orthosis improved hemiparetic gait in a patient with stroke, according to data presented at the American Academy of … READ MORE

AFO stiffness can help optimize patient function

Decisions related to the stiffness of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO)—whether they involve device design or the materials from which it’s fabricated—can help lower extremity clinicians customize stability, biomechanics, and muscle … READ MORE

Pediatric orthotic management: Children are different

They are not just small adults; some things are very different, though some are just smaller. I often tell our physical medicine and rehabilitation residents in training that there are only two differences between adult and pediatric … READ MORE

Obesity in pregnancy tied to cerebral palsy in kids

Women who are overweight or obese during pregnancy may be increasing the chances that their baby could be born with cerebral palsy, a new study suggests. Excess pre-pregnancy weight may slightly raise baby’s cerebral palsy risk. … READ MORE

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