Clinics in podiatry最新文献

This article describes the various functional achievements attained by the normal child in his progress toward upright walking. The average ages at which such motor accomplishments occur are considered along with their normal time of appearance.

With the exception of talipes equinovarus, there has been an unfortunate tradition of treating infant foot deformities with benign neglect. Most often the physician who confidently assures the trusting parent that the problem will be outgrown is not present at a later time when symptoms develop and someone else must manage the condition. The simple fact that the same foot conditions observed in infants appear in equal or greater numbers in older age groups suggests that some children are not outgrowing this problem. The concept of preventive podiatric medicine has enjoyed greater popularity in theory than in practice. The best opportunity for a podiatrist to render preventive care is to identify deformities in the newborn and treat them early and vigorously so that the child's first steps are taken on perfectly normal feet. This article details the author's 25 years of experience in the use of a unique conservative therapy and is intended to encourage its use for every child with a foot or leg disorder.

Dance medicine is a subdivision of sports medicine that utilizes the same basic orthopedic concepts. It studies motions common to dance, which may not be common to other athletic activity, and the injuries that develop secondary to these peculiar movements. The best defense mechanism against injury and overuse syndrome development is a well-toned, strong, flexible body. Appropriate alignment and range of motion of large joints are necessities for dance activity. Biomechanical analyses are useful in treating and guiding the dancer through injuries that she may incur as well as prevention of such injuries. "Forcing the turnout" is a common problem with many dancers. This motion causes pedal pronation and a myriad of overuse syndromes that can be related to pronatory changes.

The patient who loses his or her independence in the community inevitably forfeits the will to live. One factor that repeatedly surfaces is the inability of our society to realistically deal with immobility of the elderly. Of the estimated 95 per cent of the elderly who do not live in institutional settings (nursing homes), 43 per cent require assistance in some aspect of their daily lives.

Once the diagnosis has been established and the treatment aims have been projected, the areas of treatment should be identified along with the desired results, frequency of treatment, and other instructions and precautions to be observed.

It has been estimated that 70 per cent of all athletic injuries affect the lower extremity. These injuries are more often caused by overuse than by acute trauma. The treatment for overuse injuries is rest, which relieves the symptoms, but prevention is the better answer.

Among the topics discussed in this article are kinetic procedures such as massage, manipulation, vibration, traction, and exercise; electrosurgery with high-frequency currents; and electrical stimulation.

Crutch walking is a highly developed art and a physical accomplishment comparable to the most exacting of all sports. There are many advantages to early ambulation, namely, aiding circulation, preventing calcium loss in bones, and aiding the pulmonary and renal systems. It is necessary for the patient to be evaluated carefully, especially as regards selecting the proper gait and equipment to be used--that is, crutches, cane(s), parallel bars, walker, or walkette.

It has been reported that when adequate foot care has been provided for the diabetic patient, the amputation rate could be reduced by as much as 50 to 75 per cent. Patient management and rehabilitation of the patient with diabetes mellitus must consider the individual and unusual needs of patients in more than a biologic or physiologic sense.