Category Archives: Issues
May 2015
Lower-body focus could help youth baseball player arms
Studies link hip, shoulder function – Kids grow up thinking that throwing a baseball hard is all about strength in the arm and shoulder, but new evidence suggests that muscle strength and range of motion in the hip affect shoulder function during throwing in youth baseball players.
By Chris Klingenberg
May 2015
Kinematics identify subgroups of kids with CP and equinovarus
Treatment planning could benefit – Chicago researchers have identified clinically relevant subgroups based on foot and ankle kinematics in children with equinovarus secondary to hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) that could help improve treatment planning and clinical outcomes.
By Barbara Boughton
May 2015
Hip disorders in children with Down syndrome
As hip arthritis becomes a growing concern in adults with Down syndrome, clinicians are also becoming more attuned to hip issues in children with DS, in hopes that early intervention in the pediatric population will help reduce the risk of disability later on.
By Shalmali Pal
May 2015
Sever disease: Intervene early to relieve symptoms
Once pain and inflammation have been addressed, clinicians can implement interventions—including orthotic devices, stretching, and strengthening—to address the biomechanical factors that are believed to contribute to heel pain and other symptoms in this population.
By Erin Boutwell
February 2015
Soft tissues may help determine response to Ponseti treatment
Children with idiopathic clubfoot who have relapses after treatment with the Ponseti method demonstrate different soft tissue abnormalities than children whose clubfoot is permanently corrected, according to research published in the August issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
By Erin Boutwell
February 2015
Study questions utility of adult balance test in concussed kids
With head trauma becoming increasingly worrisome in sports these days, a significant concern is whether the same protocols for clearing an athlete to return to sports should be used in both adults and children. Research from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center suggests that the…
By Chris Klingenberg
February 2015
Shoe flexibility influences gait characteristics in early walkers
A recent study published in the winter issue of Pediatric Physical Therapy found that children just learning to walk may have altered gait characteristics when wearing flexible shoes.
By Erin Boutwell
February 2015
Treating and preventing ankle sprains in children
High rates of chronic ankle instability in children suggest a need for better prevention and treatment of ankle sprains in young patients, but researchers are just starting to explore whether clinical approaches designed for adults will also be effective in their younger counterparts.
By P.K. Daniel
February 2015
Cerebral palsy and knee pain: management tips
Knee pain is common in children with CP, but given the many health challenges facing this patient population, knee symptoms may not be given high priority. Proper diagnosis and treatment of knee pain, however, can be key to maximizing a childʼs mobility and quality of life.
By Shalmali Pal
November 2014
Parents: How to make them your clinical allies
While the patient is always the practitionerʼs first priority, establishing a convivial relationship with a childʼs parents can mean the difference between victory and failure when it comes to diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating lower extremity problems in pediatric patients.
By Shalmali Pal
