Level II, prognostic study.

Study Design: A 2 × 4 mixed-design ANOVA with a fixed factor of group (posterior tibialis tendon dysfunction [PTTD] and asymptomatic controls), and a repeated factor of phase of stance (loading response, midstance, terminal stance, and preswing). Objective: To compare 3-dimensional stance period kinematics (rearfoot eversion/inversion, medial longitudinal arch [MLA] angle, and forefoot abduction) of subjects with stage II PTTD to asymptomatic controls. Background: Abnormal foot postures in subjects with stage II PTTD are clinical indicators of disease progression, yet dynamic investigations of forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot kinematic deviations in this population are lacking. Methods: Fourteen subjects with stage II PTTD were compared to 10 control subjects with normal arch index values. Subjects were matched for age, gender, and body mass index. A 5-segment, kinematic model of the leg and foot was tracked using an Optotrak Motion Analysis System. The dependent kinematic variables were rearfoot inversion/eversion, forefoot abduction/adduction, and the MLA angle. An ANOVA model was used to compare kinematic variables between groups across 4 phases of stance.Results: Subjects with PTTD demonstrated significantly greater rearfoot eversion (P = .042), MLA angle (P = .008) and forefoot abduction angles (PϽ.005) during specific phases of stance. Subjects with PTTD demonstrated significantly greater rearfoot eversion (PϽ.004) and MLA angles (PϽ.009) by 6.2°and 8.0°, respectively, during loading response when compared to controls. During preswing, the subjects with PTTD demonstrated a significantly greater MLA angle (PϽ.002) and a forefoot abduction angle (PϽ.001) which exceeded that of the controls by 10.0°. Conclusions: The abnormal kinematics observed at the rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot across all phases of stance implicate a failure of compensatory muscle and secondary ligamentous support to control foot kinematics in subjects with stage II PTTD.

The Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has an ongoing effort to create evidence-based practice guidelines for orthopaedic physical therapy management of patients with musculoskeletal impairments described in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). The purpose of these revised clinical practice guidelines is to review recent peer-reviewed literature and make recommendations related to midportion Achilles tendinopathy. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(5):A1–A38. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.0302

Despite the increasing percentages of children who are overweight, few studies have investigated their gait patterns. The purpose of this study was to quantify the three-dimensional knee joint kinematics and kinetics during walking in children of varying body mass and to identify effects associated with obesity. Three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were collected from children of normal weight and overweight during normal gait using surface-mounted infrared emitting diodes and a force plate. The overweight group walked with a significantly lower peak knee flexion angle during early stance, and no significant differences in peak internal knee extension moments were found between groups. However, the overweight group showed a significantly higher peak internal knee abduction moment during early stance. These data suggest that although overweight children may develop a gait adaptation to maintain a similar knee extensor load, they may not be able to compensate for alterations in the frontal plane, which may lead to increased medial compartment joint loads. Therefore, assuming that the development of varus angular deformities of the knee joint and, in the longer term, medial compartment osteoarthritis are influenced by cumulative stress, this study supports the understanding that childhood obesity may impart a greater risk for the development of these diseases.

Hip abduction angles and foot placement, not lateral trunk flexion influence trunk orientation. Anticipation influences hip and knee neuromuscular control and therefore may guide the development of ACL prevention strategies.