Biomechanics

Human movement science

Does a heavy running shoe slow you down?

In a famous study three decades ago, experimental biologists strapped a pair of 1.8-kilogram weights around the waists of volunteers and found that they only had to expend about 4 per cent more energy to maintain the same running pace … READ MORE

Out on a limb: Think outside the knee

We hear a lot about various co-morbidities associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA), and how addressing those additional conditions can help improve knee pain and function. But a growing body of research suggests one set of … READ MORE

Ambulatory kids with mild cerebral palsy have adverse musculoskeletal profile

Compared with typically developing children, ambulatory children with mild spastic cerebral palsy (CP) have pronounced deficits in cortical bone architecture, lower bone strength, and elevated infiltration of fat in the bone marrow … READ MORE

Teen born with a pigeon chest now stands taller

A teenager from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire born with a rare condition known as ‘pigeon chest’ is now standing taller than his twin brother after undergoing an innovative new treatment to correct the condition. James … READ MORE

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 … READ MORE

Comparing laterally wedged insoles and unloader knee orthoses in medial compartment knee osteoarthritis

Both orthoses reduce pain and improve gait anomalies in medial compartment knee OA. Our results suggest a laterally wedged insole can be an alternative conservative approach to unloader knee orthosis for treating symptoms of medial … READ MORE

Chronic ankle instability, gait and muscle activity

Clinicians should be aware of distal and proximal neuromuscular strategies when attempting to improve gait mechanics in patients with chronic ankle instability. New research suggests lower extremity clinicians should consider … READ MORE

Even mild LLD affects gait in ways that could speed knee degeneration

In the moment: Knee OA. The effects of mild limb-length discrepancy (LLD) on gait in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) may contribute to disease progression, according to research epublished in August by Clinical Biomechanics. … READ MORE

Minimalist shoes increase leg and foot muscles

Running in minimalist shoes can increase leg and foot muscle volume, indicating its potential application in rehabilitation programme, according to a recent study conducted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the … READ MORE

Positive effects of exercise therapy on pain and function in osteoarthritis

Evoke 3D printed custom knee brace. Osskin Despite the high prevalence and burden on health care systems, currently there is no cure for osteoarthritis (OA), whilst the number of individuals affected with symptomatic OA is expected to … READ MORE

Effects on gait by varying stiffness of ankle foot orthoses for children with cerebral palsy

Gait in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) is often characterized by abnormal gait biomechanics, such as excessive knee flexion during stance. Associated with such gait deviations, an elevated walking energy cost is often observed, … READ MORE

Physiotherapists as primary care practitioners for patients with musculoskeletal disorders

Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and low back pain, represent an important burden in terms of direct and indirect health care costs in western countries. In Canada, pressure … READ MORE

Self-care and exercise effective in managing knee conditions

Self-care is a concept widely applied across healthcare and can be broadly defined as “what people do for themselves to establish and maintain physical and emotional health and prevent or deal with minor illness, injury, or chronic … READ MORE

What you need to know about prehabilitation

Most of us know the value of rehabilitation following a surgery, such as a joint replacement, and how it restores physical strength and function. What may be less familiar is the concept of rehabilitation prior to surgery, or … READ MORE

Foot pain sufferers find relief from 3D printer

An EU-funded project has developed a way to quickly make customised corrective foot and ankle supports using 3D printers – and the results are already on the market. How Kegan Schouwenburg is creating print your own shoes. Amy … READ MORE

3D printed back brace takes fencer to Rio Paralympics 2016

Polina Rožkova, representing wheelchair fencing for Latvia, competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympics this week with the aid of a back brace printed by Baltic3D, a Stratasys reseller and specialist WiDE software. Polina Rožkova fencing … READ MORE

Gait can determine source of knee OA

A small study published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research shows that patients with post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis have a decreased adduction as compared to patients with non-traumatic knee osteoarthritis. Evoke™ … READ MORE

Got knee pain? The best tool for evaluating knee pain among middle-aged patients is an x-ray

Knee pain is common among Americans age 40 and up. Nearly 1 in 17 people visit doctors’ offices each year for knee pain or injuries from osteoarthritis—a progressive “wear and tear” disease of the joints. Those odds increase … READ MORE

Preoperative progressive resistance training improved objective function for OA patients who had TKA

Results from this study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of preoperative progressive resistance training for postoperative, objective functional performance and muscle strength improvements in patients who underwent total knee … READ MORE

Is the complex primary total knee arthroplasty glass half full or half empty?

Total knee arthroplasty as we know it today, for the vast majority of patients, is really a resurfacing of the knee. Approximately a centimeter of bone is shaved off all of the surfaces of each bone and replaced with metal and/or … READ MORE

Themes patients focus on when selecting treatment for OA

Investigators of this study identified key themes, such as the characteristics of a treatment and the time and money investment required, which guide patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis when they decide on a treatment option. … READ MORE

You’ll know when you’re ready: When the time is right for joint replacement surgery

Pool Exercises for Joint Pain, Arthritis Foundation. Background. While some studies have identified patient readiness as a key component in their decision whether to have total joint replacement surgery (TJR), none have examined how … READ MORE

Biomechanical effect of unloader braces for medial osteoarthritis of the knee

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent cause of knee pain, especially in the elderly population. The prevalence of OA is expected to increase as the population ages. The initial treatment of OA is non-operative and consists of patient … READ MORE

Activity limitations and pain in patients scheduled for total knee arthroplasty

This paper reports the functional and activity limitations among persons scheduled for TKA, stratified by preoperative pain level. About one-fifth of subjects in the cohort reported Low WOMAC Pain scores (0–25) prior to surgery. … READ MORE

Knee OA brace experts revisit persistent issues

By using the brace, people can reduce their pain and increase their function. Absolutely, these should be tried before going through any kind of surgical technique. It’s a noninvasive therapy that is relatively low-cost. Eric … READ MORE

Similar risk for injury found with traditional vs minimalist running shoes

Compared with soldiers in the U.S. Army who wore stability, cushioning or motional-control shoes, soldiers who wore minimalist running shoes were younger and had higher physical performance scores. However, investigators found no … READ MORE

New approaches to orthotic management in children with cerebral palsy

Practitioners look to novel ways of using familiar lower limb orthotic alternatives to complement new technology. No single treatment is appropriate for every child, but it is generally agreed that the sooner intervention is started … READ MORE

Gait differences in patients with non-traumatic and post-traumatic knee OA

Results from this study indicated patients with non-traumatic knee osteoarthritis were different from patients with post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis in regard to knee adduction angles and kinematics during ambulation. Evoke … READ MORE

Reductions in co-contraction following neuromuscular re-education in people with knee osteoarthritis

Background. Both increased knee muscle co-contraction and alterations in central pain processing have been suggested to play a role in knee osteoarthritis pain. However, current interventions do not target either of these mechanisms. … READ MORE

Patient preference is as sensitive as conventional measures for knee OA pain

Results from this study using data from two knee osteoarthritis trials suggest patient-preference instruments may detect treatment effects missed by conventional instruments. Researchers used data on patients with knee osteoarthritis … READ MORE

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