Development and Preliminary Testing of the Staffordshire Questionnaire for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (SQ-AIS): Content and Face Validity.

Introduction: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a structural spinal deformity with implications for health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). The Scoliosis Research Society-22 revised (SRS-22r) questionnaire is the standard for HR-QoL assessment. However, studies have identified limitations with the SRS-22r, including content and face validity issues, reliability concerns, and language appropriateness.

A flexible-spoke non-pneumatic tyre for manual wheelchairs.

This study combines laboratory testing with computer modelling to demonstrate, for the first time, the applicability of flexible-spoke non-pneumatic tyre (FS-NPT) technology in wheelchairs. Like existing solid non-pneumatic tyres, FS-NPTs are puncture-proof and will reduce the burden of tyre maintenance. Unlike existing solid tyres, FS-NPT performance is based on the properties of flexible structures (spokes), such as honeycombs, which can deform to offer superior cushioning and return to their original shape upon unloading.

Extending the Scope of Telemedicine to Podiatric Medicine.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare. This study explores the feasibility of telemedicine for foot and ankle care in primary settings, using a mixed-methods approach with online questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews. Stakeholders, including patients, podiatrists, and senior healthcare managers, agreed on the need for a telemedicine service.

Developing a Podiatric Telemedicine Framework for Service Users and Providers in a Primary-Care Setting.

Background: The use of telemedicine has garnered significant traction amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The sudden adoption of certain practices in podiatry was not always supported by empirical evidence, resulting in the development of guidelines and metrics that lacked a foundation in rigorous research.

Methods: A modified Delphi composed of three rounds was conducted with 16 stakeholders (service users, foot and ankle health-care providers, and policymakers) from a primary-care setting to develop a podiatric telemedicine framework for a primary-care setting.

Effect of volatile anaesthetic agents on intracranial pressure, cerebrovascular flow and autoregulation: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The use of volatile anaesthetic agents for the sedation of patients requiring critical care treatment offers several theoretical advantages over intravenous sedation, which may be of benefit in neurocritical care. However, there are concerns that they may increase intracranial pressure. The objective of this systematic review is to assess whether, and if so, to what extent volatile anaesthetic agents affect intracranial pressure, cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral oximetry and cerebrovascular autoregulation.

Comparing reach distance between the Y-Balance Test-Lower Quarter and Star Excursion Balance Test: Are practitioners using the correct protocol?

Objectives: To compare reach distances between the YBT-LQ and SEBT using the correct protocols as outlined by the developers. This will provide an accurate insight on the actual magnitude differences in reach distance between the movement screen tests and will safeguard practitioners on the subsequent use of these outcomes to inform clinical decision making.

Design: Observational.

The Importance of Preconditioning for the Sonographic Assessment of Plantar Fascia Thickness and Shear Wave Velocity.

Plantar fasciopathy is a very common musculoskeletal complaint that leads to reduced physical activity and undermines the quality of life of patients. It is associated with changes in plantar fascia structure and biomechanics which are most often observed between the tissue's middle portion and the calcaneal insertion. Sonographic measurements of thickness and shear wave (SW) elastography are useful tools for detecting such changes and guide clinical decision making.

Exploring the Pathways of Diabetes Foot Complications Treatment and Investigating Experiences From Frontline Health Care Professionals: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Diabetes affects more than 4.3 million individuals in the United Kingdom, with 19% to 34% developing diabetes-related foot ulceration (DFU) during their lifespan, which can lead to an amputation. In the United Kingdom, every week, approximately 169 people have an amputation due to diabetes.

What characteristics are most important in stratifying patients into groups with different risk of diabetic foot ulceration?

Aims/introduction: This study aimed to assess if patients can be divided into different strata, and to explore if these correspond to the risk of diabetic foot complications.

Materials And Methods: A set of 28 demographic, vascular, neurological and biomechanical measures from 2,284 (1,310 men, 974 women) patients were included in this study. A two-step cluster analysis technique  was utilised to divide the patients into groups, each with similar characteristics.

"We have to change our mindsets": a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators in research collaboration across integrated care system organisations.

The introduction of Integrated Care Systems (ICS) in England aimed to increase joint planning and delivery of health and social care, and other services, to better meet the needs of local communities. There is an associated duty to undertake collaborative research across ICS partners to inform this new integrated approach, which might be challenging given that organisations span health, local authority, voluntary and community sector, and research. This study aimed to explore the appetite for collaborative Research and Innovation (R&I) across ICSs, potential barriers and solutions.

Therapeutic exercises for idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents.

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a pathology that changes the three-dimensional shape of the spine and trunk. While AIS can progress during growth and cause cosmetic issues, it is usually asymptomatic. However, a final spinal curvature above the critical threshold of 30° increases the risk of health problems and curve progression in adulthood.

Diabetic Foot Screening Guidelines and the Role of Artificial Intelligence: Time to Turn the Tide!

Despite medical and technological advancements, foot amputations continue to rise. Thus, the effort of diabetic foot management should be toward prevention and early diagnosis. Healthcare professionals need to be trained, equipped, and supported with adequate resources to be able to identify and deliver appropriate foot care.

The national profile of the prosthetic and orthotic workforce in the UK: Sociodemographics and employment characteristics.

Background: Prosthetists and orthotists (POs) are essential members of the health care workforce and one of the United Kingdom's (UK's) allied health professions. There is a paucity of information on their demographics, which is essential for the development of the profession. To fill this void, this study has attempted to comprehensively explore the sociodemographics and work-related characteristics of the entire workforce.

Reliability and Validity of Shore Hardness in Plantar Soft Tissue Biomechanics.

Shore hardness (SH) is a cost-effective and easy-to-use method to assess soft tissue biomechanics. Its use for the plantar soft tissue could enhance the clinical management of conditions such as diabetic foot complications, but its validity and reliability remain unclear. Twenty healthy adults were recruited for this study.

The UK prosthetic and orthotic workforce: current status and implications for the future.

Background: Prosthetists and orthotists (POs) are the smallest of the 14 allied health profession (AHP) workforces within NHS England. Obtaining data on the workforce has always been challenging due to this information being held across different organisations. An understanding of the prosthetic and orthotic (P&O) workforce is essential to ensure that it is adequately equipped to meet the evolving needs of users of P&O services.

Improving Physical, Physiological, and Psychological Health Outcomes in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers - State of the Art.

Diabetic foot disease is a complex and challenging complication of diabetes mellitus, which imposes a significant burden of disease on patients, their carers, and the wider health systems. Recurrence rates are high, and current evidence indicates a high mortality associated with it. While management algorithms have primarily focused on the physical aspects of healing, there is increasing recognition of the critical role played by psychological and biomechanical factors in the development and resolution of diabetic foot disease.

The enhanced paper grip test can substantially improve community screening for the risk of falling.

Background: Lower-limb strength measures can enhance falls risk assessment but due to the lack of clinically applicable methods, such measures are not included in current screening. The enhanced paper grip test (EPGT) is a simple-to-use and cost-effective test that could fill this gap. However, its outcome measure (EPGT force) has not yet been directly linked to the risk of falling.

An exploration of the mechanistic link between the enhanced paper grip test and the risk of falling.

The enhanced paper grip test (EPGT) offers an easy-to-use measure of hallux plantar-flexion strength that does not need expensive specialised equipment. Literature suggests that it could be a useful screening tool to assess the risk of falling in older people. However, research on a specific mechanistic link to the risk of falling is lacking.

Non-Invasive Assessment of Back Surface Topography: Technologies, Techniques and Clinical Utility.

(1) Background: Frequent exposure to ionising radiation is often used to determine the diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a lateral curvature of the spine in those aged between 10 and 18 years, and a treatment plan according to Cobb angle. This narrative review outlines the clinical utility of surface topography (ST), a radiation-free imaging modality. (2) Methods: Publicly available databases were searched to yield literature related to ST.

Considerations for a Sustainable Podiatric Telemedicine Service.

Presently telemedicine in podiatry is in its nascent development phase. Current exploratory work indicates that a comprehensive set of guidelines regarding telemedicine in podiatry is necessary. Stakeholders have put forward multiple factors to be considered while developing guidelines to devise a sustainable service.

Effective and clinically relevant optimisation of cushioning stiffness to maximise the offloading capacity of diabetic footwear.

Introduction: Optimising the cushioning stiffness of diabetic footwear/orthoses can significantly enhance their offloading capacity. This study explores whether optimum cushioning stiffness can be predicted using simple demographic and anthropometric parameters.

Methods: Sixty-nine adults with diabetes and loss of protective sensation in their feet were recruited for this cross-sectional observational study.

Exploration of the representation of the allied health professions in senior leadership positions in the UK National Health Service.

Background: Allied health professionals (AHPs) are an important group within the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK and make up a large portion of the workforce. Investment in AHP leadership is believed to lead to improvements in patient care, resource use, collaboration and innovation. This study aims to assess the current state of AHP strategic leadership within the NHS.