Scaphoid fractures are a common injury in young, active populations. Non-displaced fractures have a high union rate if promptly treated with cast immobilization. Displaced fractures and proximal pole fractures are best treated with operative fixation. There are a variety of techniques and implants available to the surgeon. The surgical approach and fixation device should be based on fracture ch...

Background. Treatment options for lateral ankle sprains continue to evolve as advances are made in terms of techniques and materials. Objectives. This study was performed to evaluate clinical outcomes and satisfaction between two immobilization materials, semi-rigid cast, and elastic bandages. Methods. This study was a non-randomized controlled study. Fifty-four patients have undergone immobi...

The relation between muscle atrophy and bone osteoporotic changes due to immobilization are still not completely understood. This study tried to throw more light on this association and to probe the ability of amino acid Lleucine, to limit these changes in a trial to accelerate rehabilitation. Adult male Albino rats weighing 180-210 g were used and classified into three groups, I-control group,...

Eighty-two athletes with 86 clinical navicular stress fractures, all imaged with computerized tomography, were followed for an average of 33 months (range, 6 to 108) after diagnosis. Initial treatment consisted of at least 6 weeks of nonweightbearing cast immobilization for 22 fractures, at least 6 weeks of limitation of activity with continued weightbearing for 34 fractures, and a period of le...

[Purpose] Cast immobilization- and cell starvation-induced loss of muscle mass are closely associated with a dramatic reduction in the structural muscle proteins. Heat shock proteins are molecular chaperones that are constitutively expressed in several eukaryotic cells and have been shown to protect against various stressors. However, the changes in the phosphorylation of atrophy-related heat s...

An alternative device for the immobilization of the hind limb of the rat was developed to study the effects of chronic disuse on the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles, maintained for 3 weeks in the shortening and the stretching positions, respectively. The proposed device is made of steel mesh and cotton materials, and has some advantages when compared to cast or plaster cast: it is cheaper,...

BACKGROUND Up to 30% of patients suffer from long-term functional restrictions following conservative treatment of distal radius fractures. Whether duration of cast immobilisation influences functional outcome remains unclear. METHODS/DESIGN The aim of the study is to evaluate whether the duration of immobilization of non or minimally displaced distal radial fractures can be safely reduced. W...

BACKGROUND: In this research inactivity was simulated by immobilizing the forearm region in a plaster cast. Changes in skeletal muscle oxidative function were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and the preventative effect of the training protocol on deterioration of skeletal muscle and the clinical utility of NIRS were examined. METHODS: Fourteen healthy adult men underwent immob...

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common phenomenon during the prolonged muscle disuse caused by cast immobilization, extended aging states, bed rest, space flight, or other factors. However, the cellular mechanisms of the atrophic process are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the expression of muscle-specific RING finger ...

Curative breast radiotherapy typically leaves patients with varying degrees of cosmetic damage. One problem interfering with cosmetically acceptable breast radiotherapy is the external contour for large pendulous breasts which often results in high doses to skin folds. Thermoplastic casts are often employed to secure the breasts to maintain setup reproducibility and limit the presence of skin f...