Functional consequence of distal brachioradialis tendon release: a biomechanical study.

Purpose: Open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures often necessitates release of the brachioradialis from the radial styloid. However, this common procedure has the potential to decrease elbow flexion strength. To determine the potential morbidity associated with brachioradialis release, we measured the change in elbow torque as a function of incremental release of the brachioradialis insertion footprint.

iPad apps for orthopedic surgeons.

The development and distribution of mobile applications, or apps, designed for medical professionals and patients is quickly expanding, and within this group are apps designed specifically for orthopedic use. Currently, the most popular mobile apps are sponsored by private companies and focus on delivering device-specific information. If this trend toward the use of privately funded educational materials continues, regulations may need to be established to ensure that the information provided is accurate, honest, and supported by peer-reviewed literature.

Variation in childhood skeletal robustness is an important determinant of cortical area in young adults.

A better understanding of bone growth will benefit efforts to reduce fracture incidence, because variation in elderly bone traits is determined primarily by adulthood. The natural variation in robustness was used as a model to understand how variable growth patterns define adult bone morphology. Longitudinally acquired hand radiographs of 29 boys and 30 girls were obtained from the Bolton-Brush study for 6 time points spanning 8 to 18 years of age.

Interindividual variation in functionally adapted trait sets is established during postnatal growth and predictable based on bone robustness.

Adults acquire unique sets of morphological and tissue-quality bone traits that are predictable based on robustness and deterministic of strength and fragility. How and when individual trait sets arise during growth has not been established. Longitudinal structural changes of the metacarpal diaphysis were measured for boys and girls from 3 mo to 8 yr of age using hand radiographs obtained from the Bolton-Brush collection.