Lower Extremity Review

Microfracture surprises tarnish the experience

May 14, 2013

U.S. orthopedic surgeons perform more than 25,000 microfractures annually, making the procedure the most common marrow-­stimulating technique used for repair of the cartilage defects that often affect active individuals.1 Although microfracture is a single-stage, low-cost intervention that requires only surgical time and common surgical tools, it requires a lengthy rehabilitation and comes with other challenges, such as limited durability and less than optimal return-to-sport rates. And, for many patients, the procedure also comes as a complete surprise.

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Ready Patient One: Exer-gaming for rehabilitation

May 7, 2013

Video games and health improvements typically do not go hand in hand. Most games require just mental focus and a pair of opposable thumbs, and results are usually limited to entertainment and satisfaction

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Diabetic ankle fractures: Surgical considerations

April 30, 2013

Pittsburgh researchers found that patients with diabetes have higher complication rates than nondiabetic patients following open surgical management of ankle fractures, but also that the rate of major complications in the diabetic patients was relatively low.

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Rethinking the concept of excessive pronation

April 30, 2013

Anterior knee pain is one of the most common injuries affecting runners, accounting for 25 percent of all running injuries. The etiology of anterior knee pain is multifactorial in nature, but one of the most commonly cited biomechanical risk factors is excessive rearfoot pronation.

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Al Pike – Clinical Prosthetist

April 26, 2013

Most individuals and organizations outside the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) think artificial limbs when they hear the word prosthetics. The term VA Prosthetics is misleading to many people and organizations’ including members of Congress as VA Prosthetics (Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Services) represents mostly DME (Durable Medical Equipment) and other items dispensed out of VA medical centers.

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Bad breaks: Fifth met fractures can curtail NFL careers

April 23, 2013

Jones and proximal diaphyseal fifth meta­tarsal fractures are common among football players and may shorten their athletic careers, according to a February study that found players with fractures were significantly more likely than players without the injuries to have played in fewer than 10 National Football League (NFL) games.

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Even gradual transition to minimalist running leads to signs of stress in feet

April 23, 2013

Investigators at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, reported that runners who transitioned from traditional running shoes to zero-drop shoes meant to mimic barefoot running had evidence of bone marrow edema, a marker for stress on the foot, after gradual transition from conventional to minimalist shoes.

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DRAFO DRG Flex

April 20, 2013

For practitioners frustrated with the limitations of leather, Bracemasters offers the DRAFO DRG Flex, the latest addition to the DRAFO (dynamic response ankle foot orthosis) Gauntlet Series of hygienic, durable custom products.

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China-Gel Tube 2 Go

April 20, 2013

China-Gel introduces a new convenient 2-oz travel tube of its topical pain reliever. The Tube 2 Go features the original China-Gel formula and comes with a clip for attaching to a purse, athletic bag, or other accessory. Developed by a chiropractor, China-Gel is an herbal topical pain relieving gel that combines modern technology with ancient pain relieving concepts of Chinese medicine.

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Polypropylene in New Colors

April 20, 2013

Homopolymer polypropylene from Allied Plastic Supply is now available in flesh tone and black for creating prosthetic definitive sockets. Both colors are available in 1/2” thickness. Polypropylene combines an excellent strength to weight ratio with a high degree of stiffness and rigidity, making it suitable for torsional or directional support

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