OBJECTIVE From early onset of the disease, patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience walking impairments. Pathologic effects of RA on foot and ankle structures have been studied clinically, but little is known as to how they relate to kinematic changes during gait. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between clinically observed pathologies of foot and ankle joints and...

The authors present an overview of currently available data relating to acquired dysfunction of the tibialis posterior tendon (TPT).This condition has only gained wide recognition over the past twenty years, although isolated cases had been reported much earlier. They describe the anatomy of the tendon and its complex distal insertions, together with particular features of the vascularisation a...

Objective. To assess inter-observer reliability in US detection of tendon inflammatory and structural changes at wrists and ankles in RA patients. Methods. Fourteen consecutive RA patients underwent bilateral US assessment of the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECUT) and tibialis posterior tendons (TPTs) by two blinded rheumatologists, with different level of experience in musculoskeletal (MS) US. Grey...

In the present study, we measured the in vivo load-elongation characteristics of the human tibialis anterior tendon and its central aponeurosis. Measurements were taken in five men using dynamometry, muscle electrical stimulation and ultrasonography. Percutaneous tetanic stimulation of the muscle at successive voltages corresponding to 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 % of maximum isometric dorsiflexion ...

BACKGROUND Studies have yet to determine the optimal height at which the posterior tibial tendon (PTT) can be re-routed and the tendon length discrepancy at different height levels in terms of PTT transfer via the circumtibial route. This cadaveric study was conducted to determine the optimal height of PTT subcutaneous transfer and to compare tendon length discrepancies at different heights. ...

Increased stability has been reported with both autografts and allografts for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. However, meta-analysis has shown significantly lower overall knee stability rates and more than double the abnormal stability rate with allografts. Some issues surrounding allograft sterilization (ie, risk of disease transmission) are unresolved, and cost is also a conc...