Lower limb

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

All in the hips – professional golfers more likely to have different shaped hip joints

Lack of success on the fairway may not be due to your swing – it could be your hips that are to blame. New research from the University of Warwick has found that professional golfers are more likely to have different shaped … READ MORE

Robotic gait training for kids with CP: Is it really effective?

UAlberta study recruiting children to evaluate Lokomat gait training program. Researchers at Canada’s University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine are investigating the effectiveness of a gait training program on a … READ MORE

Gaming camera could aid MS treatment

Kinect 3D camera used to assess walking of MS patients. A team of researchers led by McGill University postdoctoral fellow Farnood Gholami, supervised by Jozsef Kövecses from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Centre for … READ MORE

To brace or not to brace? Bracing for neuromuscular conditions

There is no doubt about it: braces are a pain. Sometimes they are a literal pain, causing pain for your child. And sometimes they are a more figurative pain in the rear end—difficult to deal with, difficult to get on and off, … READ MORE

9 things no one ever tells you about getting a knee replacement

After 20 years of pain and icing her knee nightly, Sue Minutaglio of Westchester NY, knew she couldn’t put off a knee replacement any longer. What she didn’t know was what a long, grueling road was ahead of her. “After 2 … READ MORE

CP studies assess advantages of flexible AFOs for children

The flexibility of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) does not necessarily affect walking economy in children with cerebral palsy (CP), but more flexible AFOs may be particularly beneficial for sports activities in higher-performing … READ MORE

Walk this way: New metric could help kids with cerebral palsy

For more than 20 years, clinicians working with children with cerebral palsy have been gathering “a deluge of data” to understand and treat their patients’ walking difficulties. But they still weren’t sure which children with … READ MORE

My SCI taught me to say “Yes” to new experiences

Living with a T4 spinal cord injury allows me do things I never would have in the course of my ordinary life — it taught me to say “yes” to new experiences. Flying a glider is an activity Dalton probably would never have tried … READ MORE

Skin care issues related to orthotic device wear

Modern orthotic devices are designed to fit more intimately than in the past, a development that allows for more effective biomechanical correction. But this evolution has also led to an increase in the incidence of lower extremity … READ MORE

Here’s what might be happening to your feet when you run in shoes

Study tracking runners’ steps found sneakers make certain muscles work harder. For decades, avid runners and casual joggers have had their ups and downs with the running shoe. Some argue that the shoes’ spongy soles help us bound … READ MORE

Weight affects foot loading, peak pressure even in young kids

Weight loss may improve function. Overweight and obese children present with higher overall foot loading and a disproportional impact on the midfoot and longitudinal arch, with those as young as 1 or 2 years of age affected, according … READ MORE

Walking study in CP highlights need for tailored orthotic prescription

Effects of AFOs on distance, speed vary.. A recent study demonstrates the importance of personalizing prescriptions for ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) in children with cerebral palsy, rather than applying group data to individuals. … READ MORE

Smart insoles: Assessing their clinical potential

Athletes have been quick to embrace smart insoles and the biomechanical data generated by the devices’ embedded sensors. But experts believe smart insoles may also have potential clinical applications for patients with foot health … READ MORE

Stability for CP: AFOs benefit diplegic children

In children with diplegic cerebral palsy (CP), wearing bilateral ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) that promote heel-first ground contact helps to improve stability and may reduce the risk of falls, according to research presented in March … READ MORE

FES showed no benefits in patients with isolated foot drop

Patients with hemiplegia who used a functional electrical stimulation device for isolated foot drop showed no significant functional differences during gait, according to results presented at the Association of Children’s … READ MORE

Finding a footwear-AFO fit for kids

Finding shoes that fit over ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) is a challenge for thousands of children with neuromuscular disorders that affect walking ability. Parents have waited patiently while custom AFOs were molded and fitted, only to … READ MORE

Kids, clothes and AFOs: Finding the right fit

When a child is required to wear ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), his or her clothes have to be more than just cute. Trying to match the logistical requirements of AFOs with fashion concerns and psychosocial development can be a challenge … READ MORE

Improving surgery outcomes for children with cerebral palsy

Children with cerebral palsy frequently undergo invasive surgeries — lengthening tendons, rotating bones, transferring muscles to new locations — in hopes of improving their physical ability to walk or move. Walk-DMC is a new, … READ MORE

High-tech Zweikampf 3D printed soccer shin guards on Kickstarter

Austrian sports equipment manufacturer Zweikampf is releasing their first 3D printed product on Kickstarter this week, and it has already generated quite a bit of buzz. The Zweikampf Shin Guard is a high-tech marvel that puts the … READ MORE

Children with Charcot-Marie-Tooth respond to AFOs

Muscle weakness and instability associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in children can be addressed with ankle foot orthoses, research suggests, but practitioners should be aware of the limitations of AFOs in this patient … READ MORE

AFO users must rethink concept of ‘normal’ gait

Ankle foot orthoses can make a neuromuscular patient’s gait pattern more like that of an unaffected person, but the devices can also be associated with compensations of their own. And in some patients, a more ‘normal’ gait … READ MORE

Hemiplegic CP: Effects in the uninvolved limb

In patients with spastic hemiplegic CP, practitioners and researchers tend to focus primarily on the hemiplegic limb. But hemiplegia also leads to impairments in the uninvolved limb, which are important to consider when designing a … READ MORE

Exercise prescription for chronic conditions: A how-to guide

Exercise can be an effective component of treatment for many chronic conditions from knee osteoarthritis to type 2 diabetes, but physicians must be aware of the details of evidence-based interventions for the specific condition to … READ MORE

50 top assistive technologies based on global survey, WHO

According to the World Health Organization WHO, only 5-15% of the people – who require Prostheses & Orthoses or Assistive Health Technology (AHT) devices – actually get them. In 2050, it is anticipated that there will be 2 … READ MORE

Vibration therapy improves mobility and strength in young people with cerebral palsy

Young adults with cerebral palsy enjoy stronger bones and greater mobility after training on a specialised vibration plate. Mobility-enhancing care in CP helps strengthen bones. Kids at the Atlanta center work on improving motor … READ MORE

Is hip arthroscopic surgery a sham?

Minimal access hip arthroscopy surgery has become the treatment of choice for hip pain in young adults, especially athletes, but a team of McMaster University surgeons is looking to see if the procedure is a sham. “The evidence to … READ MORE

Digital fitness devices monitor health and activity, improve outcomes

“If we can get people more involved in their care and help them get in better shape, then everyone wins – patients, physicians, and the entire health care system.” Claudette Lajam MD. Apps allow patients to share data … READ MORE

Remote orthopaedic care successful with common conditions

In new study, nearly 80 percent of rural fracture patients avoided travel to an urban medical center, saving $3.7 million in transportation costs. “These results show that you don’t need an expensive, elaborate system to … READ MORE

Physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis

New study puts four treatment strategies to the test. We believed there was a need to improve both the magnitude and sustainability of treatment effects of exercise therapy for improving pain and function in people with knee OA. G. … READ MORE

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