Non-invasive measurement of the patellofemoral movements during knee extension-flexion: a validation study.

Background: This study compared the difference between patellofemoral kinematics derived simultaneously from patellar bone pin and skin sensors during full range of tibiofemoral joint movement.

Methods: Movements at the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints during passive full extension-flexion of the knees in three un-embalmed human cadavers were studied with four electromagnetic tracking sensors at a sampling rate of 30 Hz. A total of four sensors were attached on distal femur, proximal tibia, the surface of a tailor-made patella mold and at the tip of a plastic bone pin planted in the patellar body through a window on the mold.

Effects of a therapeutic laser and passive stretching program for treating tendon overuse.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of a therapeutic laser, passive stretching, and their combined treatment on the strength of Achilles tendons with overuse pathologies.

Background Data: Tendinopathy involving overuse is usually treated with exercise and stretching, but there has been no report on the treatment effect of a therapeutic laser combined with passive stretching on managing this condition. Despite the beneficial effect of a therapeutic laser on healing tendons that have had traumatic injury, its effect on degenerative tendons is not known.