The Role of Epigenomics in Mapping Potential Precursors for Foot and Ankle Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review.

Tendinopathy of the foot and ankle is a common clinical problem for which the exact etiology is poorly understood. The field of epigenetics has been a recent focus of this investigation. The purpose of this article was to review the genomic advances in foot and ankle tendinopathy that could potentially be used to stratify disease risk and create preventative or therapeutic agents.

Stress Injuries in the Athlete.

Stress fractures are a common injury that present in athletes because of the high intensity and repetitive nature of many sports. These injuries require a high index of suspicion in the treating clinician to allow for timely management. Though most low-risk fractures heal well with conservative management, high-risk stress fractures as well as any fracture in the elite athlete may warrant surgical intervention as well as an augmented treatment and rehabilitation regimen.

Orthobiologic Use in Sports Injuries.

Orthobiologics have gained much popularity in recent years but there has not been a large amount of clinical evidence to support their use. In the limited research that has been published, they have been shown to be effective and safe. They can assist in earlier return to activity with the avoidance of surgery.

Retrospective Analysis of the Effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy: Pretreatment and Posttreatment Correlation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Assessment.

Unlabelled: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been presented as a means of treating Achilles tendinopathy. Over the past dozen years, a plethora of medical articles have advocated this treatment, yet little evidentiary-based research exists in support of this approach. Treatment protocols with PRP have been performed in 2 ways during this time: administered adjunctively during tendon surgery and as a stand-alone injection.

Excision of extensive midfoot pigmented villonodular synovitis with microvascular anastamosis of iliac crest bone graft using external fixation: a case report.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a relatively rare lesion in the foot and ankle, most commonly involving the ankle joint and atypically, the subtalar and midtarsal joints. It is a benign proliferative disease characterized by an increase in villous or nodular synovium in joints. Resection of the tumor is often indicated in most cases because of the potentially aggressive joint destructive nature of this lesion.

A retrospective analysis of joint salvage procedures for grades III and IV hallux rigidus.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of the use of a decompression osteotomy for the treatment of end-stage hallux rigidus. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 28 feet (23 patients) with grades III and IV hallux rigidus that underwent a first metatarsal head decompression osteotomy with preservation of the articular surfaces of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. We also devised a 9-item questionnaire to explore the patients' perceptions of preoperative and postoperative pain, limitations of activity, influence on shoe wear, and the total range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint.

The flexor hallucis longus: tenographic technique and correlation of imaging findings with surgery in 39 ankles.

Purpose: To examine the use of tenography for evaluation of the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) sheath.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval was waived, patient consent was obtained, and the study was HIPAA compliant. Retrospective review of 192 FHL tenograms and associated surgical records identified 39 ankles in 37 patients (17 male, 20 female; mean age +/- standard deviation, 38 years +/- 13.

Flexor hallucis longus dysfunction: an overview.

Whereas acute and chronic injuries of the tibialis posterior, peroneal and Achilles tendon are frequently encountered, disorders of the flexor hallucis longus tendon are often overlooked, which may contribute to chronic pain and disability. Patients with stenosing tenosynovitis of the flexor hallucis longus tendon frequently present with overlapping signs and symptoms of flexor hallucis longus tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and tarsal tunnel syndrome, which the authors collectively refer to as "flexor hallucis longus dysfunction." A keen awareness of the presenting signs and symptoms and use of ancillary MR imaging and FHL tenography will assist the practitioner in recognizing this commonly misdiagnosed condition.