Current Issue
A recent paper recommends waiting before prescribing orthotics for children with asymptomatic flexible flatfoot. But some insist such children could have underlying structural abnormalities and should be treated. Without data, it’s hard to know who’s right.
By Cary Groner
Athletes know about the importance of keeping your head in the game. Just ask Lindsey Jacobellis. Or Chris Webber. But a growing body of research suggests that poor decision making isn’t the only way the brain can sabotage an athlete’s performance.
Jordana Bieze Foster, editor
Spotlight on skier safety – Injury ‘avalanche’ prompts concerns
When the torch is lit to kick off the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next month, the Canadian ski team will be missing no fewer than six of its best Alpine skiers, downed by five anterior cruciate ligament tears and one broken leg. All six were injured between the last week in November and the first week in January.
Plus:
• Average rehab after hip labral repair could fit in NHL offseason window
• ‘Double-push’ cross country skiing outpaces conventional techniques
Kids’ shoes come up short – Study links tight fit to hallux valgus angle
Keeping up with the ever-changing footwear needs of growing children can be a challenge for parents, but squeezing kids into too-short shoes may put them at risk for hallux valgus, according to research from the Medical University of Vienna.
Plus:
• Posted total contact insoles reduce hindfoot valgus in flexible flatfoot
• Falls prevention efforts in elderly could start with toe strengthening
Knee braces activate brain – fMRI confirms proprioceptive effects
Functional magnetic resonance imaging research from Belgium demonstrates the effect of lower extremity proprioceptive stimulation on brain activity and confirms that the effect of a knee brace or sleeve extends far beyond local joint biomechanics.
Plus:
• Ankle foot orthoses improve symmetry, gait in stroke patients with hemiplegia
• Abduction bracing in infants with DDH delays learning to walk by three weeks
Welcome to Lower Extremity Review or LER as we call it. This long awaited magazine fills the lower extremity information gap for practitioners in the fields of Podiatry, Physical Therapy, O&P Pedorthics, and Orthopedics. With over 20 years experience in multi-disciplinary editorial development and publishing, the collaboration of this incredible team has made this publication possible. We will bridge the gap between manufacturers and practitioners through an integrated initiative that includes:
Our website offers complete articles and references, additional product and educational videos, blog posts, comments, updates, tip and tricks and more.
