Extensor Mechanism Reconstruction for Chronic Patellar Fracture.

Patients with displaced patellar fractures typically present with disruption to the extensor mechanism requiring acute surgical intervention. Chronic patellar fractures with disruption of the extensor mechanism are uncommon, and few surgical options are available. The authors present a patient who sustained a fracture to the inferior pole of the patella in Africa 5 years prior that was managed conservatively with bands and a brace. He decided to pursue surgical intervention because of difficulties with leg extension, weakness, and ambulation. The patient underwent a novel reconstruction of his chronic extensor mechanism loss with a combination of inferior pole patellar fracture excision, z-plasty and lengthening of the quadriceps tendon, and Achilles tendon reconstruction of the patellar tendon with both hamstring autograft and acellular human dermal matrix allograft augmentation of the entire reconstruction construct. At the final 2-year follow-up, the patient had restored active extension with no extensor lag and had returned to his preinjury activities, including running and playing soccer. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(1):e145-e150.].

Successful Rehabilitation of a Young Adult With Total Hip Arthroplasty a Decade After a Girdlestone Procedure: A Case Presentation.

This is a case presentation of a female patient who underwent a Girdlestone arthroplasty at age 10 years and a total hip arthroplasty at age 21. Despite early postoperative rehabilitation, the patient experienced increasing pain, progressive gait deviations, and functional limitations during the year after surgery. This course of care was initiated 1 year after surgery and focused on motor retraining to address pain and gait deviations. This case demonstrates that positive outcomes can be achieved after longstanding musculoskeletal dysfunction is corrected, but that prolonged rehabilitation may be necessary to produce changes in movement patterns at both the local (joint and muscle) and central (cortical) levels. Correction of both the structural problem and the learned movement patterns is necessary for a successful outcome.

Postural correction reduces hip pain in adult with acetabular dysplasia: A case report.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip is often diagnosed in infancy, but less severe cases of acetabular dysplasia are being detected in young active adults. The purpose of this case report is to present a non-surgical intervention for a 31-year-old female with mild acetabular dysplasia and an anterior acetabular labral tear. The patient presented with right anterior hip and groin pain, and she stood with the trunk swayed posterior to the pelvis (swayback posture). The hip pain was reproduced with the anterior impingement test. During gait, the patient maintained the swayback posture and reported 6/10 hip pain. Following correction of the patient's posture, the patient's pain rating was reduced to a 2/10 while walking. The patient was instructed to maintain the improved posture. At the 1 year follow-up, she demonstrated significantly improved posture in standing and walking. She had returned to recreational running and was generally pain-free. The patient demonstrated improvement on self-reported questionnaires for pain, function, and activity. These findings suggest that alteration of posture can have an immediate and lasting effect on hip pain in persons with structural abnormality and labral pathology.

Clinical decision making for the evaluation and management of coccydynia: 2 case reports.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. BACKGROUND: Coccydynia is a painful condition of the sacrococcygeal region, with symptoms associated with sitting and rising from a seated position. There is no gold standard for diagnosis of this condition; however, coccyx mobility assessment, pain provocation testing, and imaging have been proposed as reasonable diagnostic approaches. Once correctly diagnosed, treatment options for coccydynia include conservative management and surgical excision. The purpose of this report is to describe the different but successful clinical management strategies of 2 patients with coccydynia. CASE DESCRIPTION: Two women, 26 and 31 years of age, presented to physical therapy with persistent coccygeal pain that increased with prolonged sitting and intensified when transitioning from sit to stand. One patient had a traumatic onset of symptoms, in contrast to the other patient, for whom prolonged sitting was the precipitating factor. Both individuals were considered to have hypomobility of the sacrococcygeal joint, as assessed through intrarectal mobility testing, which also reproduced their symptoms. In both patients, examination of the lumbar spine was negative for alleviation or reproduction of symptoms. The patient with a traumatic onset of symptoms was referred to physical therapy at the onset of her symptoms, whereas the patient with a nontraumatic onset of symptoms was initially treated with a cortisone injection and, when symptoms returned 1 year later, was referred to physical therapy. Both individuals underwent manual therapy to the sacrococcygeal joint over 3 treatment sessions. OUTCOMES: The patient with traumatic onset of symptoms had almost complete resolution of symptoms, whereas the patient with a nontraumatic onset only had temporary relief. This patient required further diagnostic examination and surgical excision. DISCUSSION: Although the mechanisms of injury were different, both patients presented with similar clinical symptoms, and both were considered to have coccydynia through coccyx mobility assessment and pain provocation testing. Successful clinical outcomes were achieved in both cases; however, the interventions were significantly different. Level of Evidence Therapy, level 4.

The effectiveness of therapeutic exercise for painful shoulder conditions: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is the third leading musculoskeletal complaint seen by general practitioners. Physical therapy is often the first line of intervention in this population; however, there is limited description of what constitutes effective physical therapy treatment. No study has examined the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise across all painful shoulder conditions. Our purpose was to examine the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise as an intervention across all pathoanatomic mechanisms of shoulder pain in terms of range of motion (ROM), pain, and function. METHODS: Medline via Ovid, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from 1997 through March 2011. Randomized controlled trials comparing physical therapist-prescribed exercises against any other type of intervention were included. Articles were qualitatively evaluated by use of the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale by 5 separate reviewers. Data from included studies were extracted and synthesized with respect to the primary outcomes of ROM, pain, and function. Individual effect sizes were calculated with a standard formula, and overall effect was calculated by use of random- and fixed-effects models. RESULTS: We qualitatively reviewed 19 articles; 17 achieved the criterion of 6 or better on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Significant heterogeneity in reporting among included studies limited quantitative assessment. Overall, therapeutic exercise has a positive effect on pain and function above all other interventions. The findings for ROM were inconclusive. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic exercise is an effective intervention for the treatment of painful shoulder conditions; however, subsequent research is necessary for translation into clinical practice.