Rehabilitation News

Temporarily using a hinged external fixator for postoperative stabilization of knee dislocations may improve ligament stability and decrease the need for revision surgery, according to researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

This patient's knee is shown in full hyperextension during a postop exam where the femur is being held down while the foot is being lifted off of the table. Hyperextension should always be compared to the uninjured knee, according to K. Donald Shelbourne.

Jacques E. Chelly, MD, PhD, MBA

NANTES, France — Two years after lumbar fusion surgery, patients who viewed and performed videotaped rehabilitation exercises and regularly met at a “back café” with other fusion patients had better outcomes than patients who underwent two other rehabilitation programs.

Recurrent instability following first-time patellar dislocation has been reported in 15% to 44% of patients, which Shital N. Parikh, MD, noted in this Patellofemoral Update. He reviewed efforts to identify risk factors to predict failure of nonoperative treatment of patellar dislocation, including a prediction model for recurrent instability.

Each year, there are an estimated 200,000 ACL injuries in the United States. Proper management of these injuries is crucial for future function. The gold standard treatment is reconstruction, especially if the patient is young and active. Often these athletes are assured they will return to their pre-injury activity levels. However, the evidence may not validate that thinking.