Treatment of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome With Radial Soundwave Therapy in Elite Athletes: Current Evidence, Report on Two Cases, and Proposed Treatment Regimen.

Two case reports of high-level athletes with medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), 1 an Olympian with an actual stress fracture, are presented. Successful treatment included radial soundwave therapy, pneumatic leg braces, relative rest using an antigravity treadmill, and temporary foot orthoses. Radial soundwave therapy has a high level of evidence for treatment of MTSS.

Electromagnetic Transduction Therapy for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Preliminary Report on a New Technology.

A parallel prospective feasibility study was performed on 53 patients with chronic mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy (age 44.7 ± 9.1 years).

Clinically relevant effectiveness of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis: a randomized, controlled multicenter study.

Background: The effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of plantar fasciitis is controversial. The objective of the present study was to test whether focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy is effective in relieving chronic heel pain diagnosed as plantar fasciitis.

Methods: Two hundred and fifty subjects were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled U.

Overuse lower extremity injuries in sports.

When athletes train harder the risk of injury increases, and there are several common overuse injuries to the lower extremity. Three of the most common lower extremity overuse injuries in sports are discussed including the diagnosis and treatments: medial tibal stress syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, and stress fractures. The charge of sports medicine professionals is to identify and treat the cause of the injuries and not just treat the symptoms.

A unique procedure for treatment of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular: three cases in athletes.

Surgery in the athlete can present unique challenges, particularly when articular damage and osteoarthritic changes are noted. To allow athletes to return to their desired activity level, an alternative to the traditional approach of fusion must be developed. We prospectively reviewed 3 cases of osteochondral lesions and degenerative changes of the tarsal navicular joint involving a unique surgical approach consisting of microfracture of the lesions with concomitant arthrodiastasis.

Cuboid-navicular tarsal coalition: report of a small case series with description of a surgical approach for resection.

Tarsal coalitions are an uncommon pathology, representing approximately a 1% occurrence in the general population, and most commonly diagnosed in the younger population. Coalitions between the cuboid and navicular are especially rare. In this case series, all patients were young (15-35 years of age), active patients with fibrous coalitions at the cuboid-navicular interface; 3 of the 4 patients related a past history of ankle sprains on the affected side.

Navicular stress fractures: a prospective study on athletes.

Background: Navicular stress fractures of the foot often are difficult to diagnose and treat.

Methods: Nineteen athletic patients seen from 1999 to 2003, were compared to a previously treated group of 22 athletes with similar injuries treated from 1994 to 1998. Based on the frontal plane CT images, a previously described classification system was used to assess the injury: type I dorsal cortical break; type II fracture extending into the navicular body; and type III fracture breaches two cortices.

Plantar fascia ruptures in athletes.

Objective: To educate sports medicine practitioners as to length of time for an athlete to return to activity after sustaining a rupture of the plantar fascia.

Methods: Athletic patients sustaining plantar fascia ruptures and subsequent treatment were reviewed. Diagnosis was based on clinical findings, although radiographic studies were done.