ABSTRACT
Foot and ankle pathology is common in the pediatric population. Common issues may be traumatic in nature, congenital, or age dependent. This article reviews common problems and pathology found in the pediatric foot and ankle.
Subject(s)
Ankle Injuries , Ankle Joint , Foot Diseases , Foot Injuries , Joint Diseases , Ankle Injuries/diagnosis , Ankle Injuries/therapy , Child , Foot Diseases/diagnosis , Foot Diseases/therapy , Foot Injuries/diagnosis , Foot Injuries/therapy , Humans , Joint Diseases/diagnosis , Joint Diseases/therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is becoming an effective treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis. It is unknown if TAA alters the patient's ability to sense ankle joint position. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen unilateral TAA patients with a minimum of 2-years followup completed proprioceptive testing of the TAA and the contralateral side. The task was to reproduce a given ankle angle using a joystick-driven device while the lower limb was obscured from view. Nine angles were tested, including two angles in dorsiflexion, three in plantarflexion, two in inversion, and two in eversion. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to evaluate the results. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences between the TAA ankle and the contralateral side were found. CONCLUSION: TAA does not cause a change in proprioceptive abilities in arthritis patients when compared to the contralateral, unaffected side in a small sample of unilateral patients. Surgeons and rehabilitation professionals may use this information when designing rehabilitation plans following the insertion of a TAA.
