Category Archives: Archives
August 2016
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
August 2016
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
May 2016
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
May 2016
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
May 2016
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
May 2016
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
May 2016
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
February 2016
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
February 2016
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
February 2016
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