Research papers

KEY POINTS  Understanding malalignment is essential for those caring for runners; approximately 80% have pelvic malalignment, which can mimic, hide, overlap with, trigger or aggravate other medical conditions.  Malalignment syndrome includes the biomechanical changes, abnormal stresses, and re- sulting signs/symptoms seen with an upslip and rotational malalignment.  A standard back examination can be misleading because it fails to assess alignment and does not look at the sites typically affected by pelvic malalignment.  Malalignment can be corrected by following a supervised course of treatment that com- bines realignment, core strengthening, reestablishing movement patterns, and the timely use of appropriate complementary techniques....

At a meeting of the Association of Industrial Medical Officers, held on Oct. 28th at the London School of Hygiene, the feet of the industrial worker were considered from various aspects-viz., Physio-logical, Functional, Clinical, Remedial, and Industrial.  Click here for full PDF

Hallux valgus (HV) is one of the most common deformities to the human foot [1]. A wider forefoot is exhibited through a lateral devia- tion (abduction) of the hallux with a corresponding medial deviation (adduction) of the first metatarsal (M1). Deformity disrupts the normal straight alignment of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint [2]. The Hallux valgus angle (HVA) is quantified by the angle between the first metatarsal and proximal phalanx [3]. The deformity is defined as mild, moderate and severe as the HVA increases from 15°–20° to 20°–40° and above 40° [4,5], with mild and moderate HV representing over 90%...

The Endurance-Running hypothesis proposes that natu- ral selection has shaped humans into endurance-running specialists. Running-related-injury rates between 20-79% suggests modern humans are prone to injury in this spe- cies-specific movement pattern. This opinion piece offers a novel perspective on high-injury prevalence in human en- durance running, focussing on evolutionary mismatch be- tween modern athletic footwear and evolved foot structure and function. We propose that non-anatomically shaped, structured, cushioned footwear can lead to maladapted foot structure and loss of biologically-normal function includ- ing stability, elasticity, sensory feedback and subsequent movement control. The structure and function of the human foot and its...