Category Archives: Archives

Improving gait without making kids feel ‘broken’

A normal gait is often the goal for children with neuromuscular disorders and mobility impairments, but research suggests this may come at the price of children’s positive self-identity. These issues are leading some practitioners toward more holistic, family-centered approaches to walking.

By Brigid Galloway

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Posted in Pediatric Feature, August, 2016 | Leave a comment

Patellofemoral pain in children and teens

Pediatric patellofemoral pain hasn’t historically received much research attention. Recently some experts have said it can have a long-term negative impact. New research suggests some basic solutions to the common yet often overlooked problem that can cause kids to drop out of sports.

By Lori Roniger

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Posted in 2016, Pediatric Feature, August | Leave a comment

Lower body conditioning may cut upper body injury risk in softball

Safety of underhand pitch is over-rated – Better pre- and off-season lower-body conditioning may help prevent some serious overuse injuries to the upper extremities of young female fast-pitch softball players, according to the lead author of a recent prospective study of player-reported injuries.

By Hank Black

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Posted in May, 2016, Pediatric Clinical News | Leave a comment

Excess 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 to research from Germany that may have implications for abnormal foot loading prevention in children.

By Katie Bell

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Posted in May, 2016, Pediatric Clinical News | Leave a comment

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.

By Larry Hand

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Posted in May, 2016, Pediatric Clinical News | Leave a comment

When the shoe doesn’t fit: footwear in Down syndrome

These children often have wider, more flexible, and more pronated feet than typically developing kids that don’t fit well into conven­tionally sized and shaped footwear. Ill-fitting shoes are linked to foot-specific disability and many other issues. Here, clinicians share strategies for finding the right fit.

By Lori Roniger

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Posted in Pediatric Feature, May, 2016 | Leave a comment

Look out below: injury risk on the trampoline

Trampoline use, both in backyards and in large recreational parks, is up. So are injuries incurred on the equipment, including fractures with potentially serious long-term sequelae. Some groups advise  a ban on home use, but other experts disagree, citing the equipment’s benefits for motor learning and active play.

By P.K. Daniel

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Posted in Pediatric Feature, May, 2016 | Leave a comment

Multiple jumpers increase risk for ‘trampoline ankle’

Large forces can cause severe fractures: Multiple trampoline jumpers are a primary cause of “trampoline ankle,” according to a recent Canadian study, which also noted that, when two individuals are bouncing out of sync, they generate kinetic energy forces that produce a high-impact effect that can cause serious growth-plate injuries in children.

By P.K. Daniel

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Posted in February, 2016, Pediatric Clinical News | Leave a comment

Improving foot posture, balance in CMT may aid ankle stability

Early care advised for FAI prevention: Functional ankle instability (FAI) is a common problem in children and adolescents with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), according to Australian research that advises further study of interventions that target balance and normalize foot structure to evaluate whether they can help improve ankle stability in this population.

By Katie Bell

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Posted in Pediatric Clinical News, February, 2016 | Leave a comment

Dynamic warm-up with balance, plyo work leads to safer landings

Helps protect ACL in both genders: A one-time neuromuscular training intervention designed to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is more effective than a traditional warm-up for improving landing technique in youth athletes, according to a study that could help convince coaches and athletes to embrace such training programs.

By Chris Klingenberg 

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Posted in February, 2016, Pediatric Clinical News | Leave a comment