Lower limb

Altered composition, structure of muscles linked to stiffness, movement limits in CP children

Muscle composition and structure is altered in children with cerebral palsy — with greater amounts of collagen in the muscles’ network of proteins and sugars — making these patients more prone to stiffness and contractures that … READ MORE

Early ACL surgery is less costly, more effective than rehabilitation and delayed reconstruction

“Fix it Now” Best for ACL tears. Former Dallas Texans player Christina Gordon (wearing brace) gave up club soccer after breaking her femur and tearing the ACL in both knees over a three-year span with the Texans. Dallas … READ MORE

Young woman with cerebral palsy connects with others on a global scale

Teen blog leads to website and in-person meetings for better understanding. Katy Fetters, who has cerebral palsy, is launching a campaign through her blog and website to help others with similar challenges. She walks on the Huntington … READ MORE

Limited evidence of botox superiority in alleviating muscle tightness in children with CP

A review found limited evidence that botox outperforms other forms of treatment in improving walking, joint motion, or muscle spasticity in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The study was published in the Cochrane Database of … READ MORE

Artificial muscle power for children with cerebral palsy

Research team receives start-up funding to develop first-of-its-kind motorized medical brace. University of Delaware researchers are developing a medical device to help children with cerebral palsy. The device includes a novel … READ MORE

Early orthotic intervention in pediatric patients, Part 2: Down syndrome, other neurological conditions, and toe walking

The Case For Early Intervention. Down Syndrome is associated with a long list of compensatory gait symptoms due to hypotonia, triplanar foot and ankle misalignments, sagittal and coronal compensation at the knee, proximal weakness, … READ MORE

Early orthotic intervention in pediatric patients, Part 1: Cerebral palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) typically encounter a host of gait- and balance-related issues associated with spasticity, dyskinesia, and weakness. How severe these are depends on CP type and the individual case. As a result, … READ MORE

Engineers 3D print flexible mesh for ankle and knee braces

MIT engineers have designed pliable, 3-D-printed mesh materials whose flexibility and toughness they can tune to emulate and support softer tissues such as muscles and tendons. MIT engineers 3-D-print stretchy mesh, with customized … READ MORE

Exercising at home improves walking ability in children with CP

A structured home-based exercise program can improve walking ability in children with cerebral palsy (CP), a new study has found. Results of the research were published in Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. How can … READ MORE

I’m learning to accept the benefits of my mobility aids

I recently read an article in the Virginia Journal of Education that made me think about my feelings toward my mobility aids. The author, Kelly Hickok, is a wheelchair user, and she described how mobility aids give her a sense of … READ MORE

Meet the world’s first CrossFit trainer with cerebral palsy

How CrossFitter Steph Hammerman Became Nike’s First Adaptive Training Sponsored Athlete. Steph Hammerman was born with cerebral palsy and doctors believed she would never walk, talk, read or write. But the 29-year-old from North … READ MORE

Emergency pediatric space opens at Calgary’s South Health Campus

‘This will be a comforting space where children and parents can come for care.’ Ethan Nielson, a former patient at the Calgary’s South Health Campus, cuts the Ribbon to open a new emergency care space for children, … READ MORE

Use of ankle-foot orthotics linked to improved gait, balance in CMT patients

Use of orthoses such as braces or other special devices can help improve the gait and balance of patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, but patients don’t always follow recommendations for their use, a review study has found. … READ MORE

Suit up with a robot to walk and run more easily

A versatile, portable exosuit that assists both walking and running highlights the potential for lightweight and non-restrictive wearable robots outside the lab. Lightweight Exosuits are a new class of soft robots that combine … READ MORE

Slower walking speed may predict future mobility problems

Being able to walk outside for several blocks at a leisurely pace plays an important role in living a vibrant, healthy life. Walking short distances allows you to get the physical activity you need, live independently, go shopping, … READ MORE

Children’s toe walking not a sign of bigger problems

More than half of young children who toe walk will stop doing so on their own by about age 5. And most children who are toe walkers will not have any developmental or neuropsychiatric problems, a new study finds.[1] Idiopathic toe … READ MORE

Mini MRI pinpoints ‘magic angle’ for more accurate diagnosis of knee injury

Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a prototype mini MRI scanner that fits around a patient’s leg. Knee injuries affect millions of people – and MRI scans are crucial to diagnosing the problem, leading to quick … READ MORE

Gait and balance dysfunction in older adults: Challenges and interventions

Falls are a significant—yet preventable—health issue among older adults. Each year, 3 million older Americans over the age of 65 are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries which often result in disability, loss … READ MORE

Revolutionary orthotics help London para-throwers with Tokyo training

Two para-throwers with their eyes firmly set on representing GB at the Tokyo Paralympics next year are being helped along the way by Dorset Orthopaedic’s revolutionary silicone ankle foot orthosis, SAFO. AT Today 24 June 2019 … READ MORE

A thank you to my old AFOs

In grade school, I used to launch my ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) from my foot and into the air by twisting my toes as I kicked as high and as hard as I could. I would watch my AFOs spin in the sky before they fell to the ground. The … READ MORE

Study highlights importance of ACL reconstruction for youth at high risk of knee re-injury

Sport Medicine Centre researchers find patellar tendon reconstruction can protect active youth from early osteoarthritis. Dr. Nick Mohtadi, Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology and Director, Sports Medicine Centre, led a clinical trial … READ MORE

On bended knees: The quest for new knees is complete

Last fall I decided to face my biggest challenge and undergo bilateral knee replacement surgery. It was a fascinating journey I had actually started years earlier – but my own paralyzing fear kept me postponing surgery dates after … READ MORE

South Health Campus to open pediatric emergency care space

The South Health Campus is a big step closer to opening a pediatric emergency care space because of an anonymous donation of $3.9 million. Kids covers their hands in paint and are joined by dignitaries for the announcement of a $3.9 … READ MORE

Knee brace harvests power from walking

Bionic Power makes wearable technology for charging batteries. Today, we are focused on developing our PowerWalk® Kinetic Energy Harvester for military use and began multi-unit field trials with the US Army, US Marine Corps and … READ MORE

Rehabilitation and cerebral palsy

Frequent re-evaluation of orthotic devices is important because children quickly outgrow them and can undergo skin breakdown from improper use of this equipment. Summer camp for children with cerebral palsy. CerebralPalsy.org Author: … READ MORE

AFO Tips from Complex Child

AFOs, or Ankle Foot Orthoses, are very common types of braces worn by children with a wide variety of conditions. When used properly, AFOs can greatly enhance a child’s function, by helping her stand or walk, and may also help … READ MORE

Brace yourself: my ups and downs with AFOs

It was late May 2014, and my wife and I were on our first trip to the Cleveland Clinic. We’d been to Cleveland for a wedding a few years earlier but had been too busy to explore. We booked a room at the Tudor Arms, a cool, old … READ MORE

Can virtual reality really transform physical therapy?

Researchers have long seen the potential of virtual reality in rehabilitating patients with movement disorders. But do treatments using VR have advantages over traditional physical therapy? While traditional physical therapy can be … READ MORE

Spinal stimulation enables three people with paraplegia to walk again

Combined with other recent studies, new evidence points to electrical stimulation as a promising treatment for paralysis. David, 28, who suffered a spinal cord injury, can walk (with a walker) for more than 1 kilometer with electrical … READ MORE

Small new shoe sensor may be a driving ‘force’ to help prevent injuries, improve athletic performance

Sensor can show athletes, trainers where foot impacts are strongest to detect and correct inefficiencies in movement and reduce injuries, also can help diabetics avoid foot blisters. Elite female runners Becky Wade, left, Caroline … READ MORE

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