Nitinol, Stainless Steel, and Titanium Kirschner Wire Durability.

Kirschner wires (K wires) are a common fixation device in foot and ankle surgery, particularly in lesser-toe fixation. Fatigue failure is a known complication of this fixation. The material properties of the K wire are a factor in the strength and durability of the wire.

Mallet Toes, Hammertoes, Neuromas, and Metatarsophalangeal Joint Instability: 40 Years of Development in Forefoot Surgery.

Background: Today's foot and ankle surgeon has an enhanced understanding of forefoot pathology and treatment options compared to surgeons who practiced in previous decades. This paper summarizes developments in forefoot surgery in the past 40 years, specifically in treatments for mallet toe, hammertoe, neuroma, and metatarsophalangeal joint instability.

Materials And Methods: A review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed search engine, with key terms including, "mallet toe," "hammertoe," "neuroma," "metatarsophalangeal joint instability," "plantar plate," and "forefoot surgery.

Higher Rates of Lower Extremity Injury on Synthetic Turf Compared With Natural Turf Among National Football League Athletes: Epidemiologic Confirmation of a Biomechanical Hypothesis.

Background: Biomechanical studies have shown that synthetic turf surfaces do not release cleats as readily as natural turf, and it has been hypothesized that concomitant increased loading on the foot contributes to the incidence of lower body injuries. This study evaluates this hypothesis from an epidemiologic perspective, examining whether the lower extremity injury rate in National Football League (NFL) games is greater on contemporary synthetic turfs as compared with natural surfaces.

Hypothesis: Incidence of lower body injury is higher on synthetic turf than on natural turf among elite NFL athletes playing on modern-generation surfaces.

Plantar Plate Repair for Lesser Metatarsophalangeal Joint Instability.

Background: Lesser metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint instability is a common cause of forefoot pain. Advances in operative technique and instrumentation have made it possible to anatomically treat plantar plate tears through a dorsal approach. Our goal was to evaluate the subjective, functional, and radiographic outcomes of plantar plate repair (PPR) from a dorsal approach.

Etiology and management of lesser toe metatarsophalangeal joint instability.

The terms crossover toe and lesser metatarsophalangeal joint instability both describe a deterioration of the soft tissue structures that give stability to the lesser MTP joints. Initial treatment regimens focused on indirect repair of the instability without addressing the primary pathology. A staging system of the clinical examination and a grading system of the surgical findings are now available to help surgeons classify and treat the plantar plate insufficiency.

Fibrous Tendon Hypertrophy after Gastrocnemius Recession: A Case Report.

Surgical complications after gastrocnemius recession have been rare in published studies. We report a case of symptomatic fibrous tendon hypertrophy requiring revision surgery. Additionally, we have provided a review of the published data on the complications related to this procedure.