Abstract-The biomechanical effectiveness of a valgusinducing knee brace was investigated for 16 patients with knee osteoarthritis (mean +/-standard deviation age 56 +/-10 yr, height 172 +/-9 cm, mass 83 +/-7 kg, body mass index 27.6 +/-4.5 kg/m 2 ). At the time of investigation, all subjects had been wearing the brace for at least 4 weeks. In addition to conducting standard gait analysis, we calculated the valgus moment generated by the brace by using a novel system that measured the actual deformation of the brace during stance phase and determined the reaction force created by the brace on the leg. The mean maximum value of the orthotic valgus moment was 0.053 Nm/kg, which represents approximately 10% of the external genu varus moment without the brace. This finding may explain the pain relief reported by patients using such braces in clinical studies. Use of the tested brace also decreased the magnitude of gait asymmetry between the braced and contralateral legs during walking (horizontal ground reaction force, external knee flexion moment), presumably because the subjects' need to walk abnormally to shield the knee from pain was reduced.

Gait alterations after ACL reconstruction have been reported in the literature. The current study examined a group of 14 patients who all had an ACL reconstruction with a patellar tendon autograft. Kinetic and kinematic data were obtained from the knee during walking. The flexion-extension deficit (FED) calculated from the angular difference between maximal flexion and maximal extension during the stance phase in the ACL-reconstructed and the normal knee was measured. We investigated whether these alterations in gait are related to quadriceps strength and residual laxity of the knee. It may be that patients modify their gait patterns to protect the knee from excessive anterior translation of the tibia by reducing the amount of extension during stance. On the other hand, persistent quadriceps weakness may also cause changes in gait patterns as the quadriceps is functioning as an important dynamic stabilizer of the knee during stance. Results showed that patients had a significantly higher FED value (4.9+/-4.0) than a healthy control group in a previous study (1.3+/-0.9). This is caused mainly by an extension deficit during midstance. External extension moments of the knee (TZMAX were significantly lower in the current patients group than in a healthy control group (TZMAX -0.27+/-0.19 Nm/kg in patients vs. -0.08+/-0.06 Nm/kg in controls). There were no significant correlations between quadriceps strength and gait analysis parameters. Furthermore no correlation was found between the amount of laxity of the knee and gait. The relevance of this study lies in the fact that apparently the measured gait alterations cannot be explained solely by often used biomechanical indicators such as laxity and strength. The measured gait alterations may be a result of the surgical procedure with subsequent modified motor programming.

Purpose Elderly patients with impaired vision, cognitive decline or motor/sensory disturbances of their fingers suffering from chronic-obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) encounter difficulties in handling inhaler devices used as the cornerstones of treatment of pulmonary obstruction. Many elderly patients make severe mistakes which impede adequate drug delivery to the bronchioles. This multimodal training program was designed to reduce the number of handling mistakes of inhaler devices. Methods From October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017, a prospective intervention study was conducted in 38 in-patients > 65 years (median age 79 years) with previously diagnosed COPD. The effect of an 8-day intervention comprising daily counselling and video demonstration according to the recommendations of the German Airway League on the frequency of mistakes during handling of inhaler devices, the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), the forced vital capacity (FVC) and the perception of symptoms (COPD Assessment Test, CAT) were studied. Measurements on days 1 and 8 were compared by Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results The number of handling mistakes per patient decreased as a consequence of the intervention from 3.0 (0–7) to 0.5 (0–6) [median (minimum-maximum; p < 0.0001)]. The CAT Score decreased from 19.5 (14/24) to 14.5 (10.75/21) [median (25./75. percentile; p < 0.0001) indicating a substantial reduction of clinical symptoms. Conversely, FEV1 and FVC only slightly increased (difference statistically not significant). At study entry, the number of handling mistakes was inversely correlated with the Mini Mental Status Test (MMST) score (p = 0.01). The reduction of the number of handling mistakes during the intervention was not correlated with the MMST. Conclusion In COPD, intensive training for 8 days improved the handling of inhalers and reduced clinical symptoms in geriatric patients. Patients with cognitive abnormalities also benefitted from this intervention. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Registry DRKS00023196, date of registration September 29, 2020 (retrospectively registered).

The purpose of this paper is to present the general guidelines, including implementation of principles of motor learning in the course of the rehabilitation of the shoulder in overhead athletes. The focus is on treating the most common injury pattern of overhead athletes being rotator cuff pathology with secondary bursitis and finally microtraumatic instability. Specific criteria are discussed to determine when the athlete can return to unrestricted sport participation.

Patients' wishes should guide therapeutic considerations in the face of options and necessities, particularly when an intervention carries the risk of death. Therefore, in the medical management of the young and the old, everything should be attempted as long as the patient has a strong will to live.