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Plantar fasciitis is a prevalent problem, with limited consensus among clinicians regarding the most effective treatment. The purpose of this literature review is to provide a systematic approach to the treatment of plantar fasciitis based on the windlass mechanism model. We searched MEDLINE, SPORT Discus, and CINAHL from 1966 to 2003 using the key words plantar fasciitis, windlass mechanism, pronation, heel pain, and heel spur. We offer a biomechanical application for the evaluation and treatment of plantar fasciitis based on a review of the literature for the windlass mechanism model. This model provides a means for describing plantar fasciitis conditions such that clinicians can formulate a potential causal relationship between the conditions and their treatments. Clinicians' understanding of the biomechanical causes of plantar fasciitis should guide the decision-making process concerning the evaluation and treatment of heel pain. Use of this approach may improve clinical outcomes because intervention does not merely treat physical symptoms but actively addresses the influences that resulted in the condition. Principles from this approach might also provide a basis for future research investigating the efficacy of plantar fascia treatment.

Muscle fatigue is generally categorized in 2 ways: that caused by peripheral weakness (peripheral fatigue) and that caused by a progressive failure of voluntary neural drive (central fatigue). Numerous variables have been studied in conjunction with fatigue protocols, including postural stability, maximum voluntary contraction force, and reaction time. When torque recordings fall below 50% of a maximum voluntary contraction, the muscle is described as fatigued, but whether this value is a good indicator of fatigue has not been studied. To compare the effects of 2 ankle musculature fatigue protocols (30% and 50%) on the duration of postural stability dysfunction. To assess differences between the 30% and 50% fatigue protocols, we calculated a 1 between-groups factor (subjects) and 2 within-groups factors (fatigue, test) analysis of variance. E.J. Nutter Athletic Training Facility. Twenty subjects (10 men, 10 women; age = 21.15 +/- 2.23 years; height = 172.97 +/- 9.86 cm; mass = 70.62 +/- 14.60 kg) volunteered for this study. Subjects had no history of lower extremity injury, vestibular or balance disorders, functional ankle instability, or head injury in the past 6 months. On separate days, subjects performed isokinetic fatiguing contractions of the plantar flexors and dorsiflexors in a 30% protocol (70% decrease in strength) and a 50% protocol (50% decrease in strength). Baseline and postfatigue postural stability scores were determined before and after the isokinetic fatiguing contractions. Plantar-flexion peak-torque measurements were obtained for the 2 fatiguing protocols. Three prefatigue and 12 postfatigue postural stability trials were recorded. Velocities for testing were 60 degrees /s for plantar flexion and 120 degrees /s for dorsiflexion. Sway velocity was significantly greater when the ankle was fatigued to 30% (1.56 degrees /s) than in the 50% condition (1.36 degrees /s). For the 30% protocol, sway was significantly impaired when the pretest condition (1.19 degrees /s) was compared with posttest trial 1 (2.34 degrees /s), trial 2 (2.37 degrees /s), and trial 3 (1.71 degrees /s). For the 50% protocol, sway was significantly impaired when the pretest condition (1.27 degrees /s) was compared with posttest trial 1 (2.02 degrees /s). The 30% fatigue protocol resulted in significantly longer impairment of postural stability than the 50% protocol. Because the 30% protocol resulted in a greater effect but was relatively short-lived (approximately 75 to 90 s), it is more useful for research purposes.

Muscle fatigue is generally categorized in 2 ways: that caused by peripheral weakness (peripheral fatigue) and that caused by a progressive failure of voluntary neural drive (central fatigue). Numerous variables have been studied in conjunction with fatigue protocols, including postural stability, maximum voluntary contraction force, and reaction time. When torque recordings fall below 50% of a maximum voluntary contraction, the muscle is described as fatigued, but whether this value is a good indicator of fatigue has not been studied. To compare the effects of 2 ankle musculature fatigue protocols (30% and 50%) on the duration of postural stability dysfunction. To assess differences between the 30% and 50% fatigue protocols, we calculated a 1 between-groups factor (subjects) and 2 within-groups factors (fatigue, test) analysis of variance. E.J. Nutter Athletic Training Facility. Twenty subjects (10 men, 10 women; age = 21.15 ± 2.23 years; height = 172.97 ± 9.86 cm; mass = 70.62 ± 14.60 kg) volunteered for this study. Subjects had no history of lower extremity injury, vestibular or balance disorders, functional ankle instability, or head injury in the past 6 months. On separate days, subjects performed isokinetic fatiguing contractions of the plantar flexors and dorsiflexors in a 30% protocol (70% decrease in strength) and a 50% protocol (50% decrease in strength). Baseline and postfatigue postural stability scores were determined before and after the isokinetic fatiguing contractions. Plantar-flexion peak-torque measurements were obtained for the 2 fatiguing protocols. Three prefatigue and 12 postfatigue postural stability trials were recorded. Velocities for testing were 60°/s for plantar flexion and 120°/s for dorsiflexion. Sway velocity was significantly greater when the ankle was fatigued to 30% (1.56°/s) than in the 50% condition (1.36°/s). For the 30% protocol, sway was significantly impaired when the pretest condition (1.19°/s) was compared with posttest trial 1 (2.34°/s), trial 2 (2.37°/s), and trial 3 (1.71°/s). For the 50% protocol, sway was significantly impaired when the pretest condition (1.277s) was compared with posttest trial 1 (2.02°/s). The 30% fatigue protocol resulted in significantly longer impairment of postural stability than the 50% protocol. Because the 30% protocol resulted in a greater effect but was relatively short-lived (approximately 75 to 90 s), it is more useful for research purposes.

Clear treatment guidelines for a range of shoulder disorders This book presents the latest evidence-based information on current non-operative treatment recommendations for shoulder rehabilitation. Addressing a range of shoulder disorders, including glenohumeral joint instability, glenohumeral joint impingement, and frozen shoulder, Shoulder Rehabilitation: Non-Operative Treatment provides easy-to-follow guidelines on how to develop rehabilitation plans tailored to the specific needs of the patient. It also covers special topics in shoulder rehabilitation, such as how to modify traditional exercises for shoulder rehabilitation; the use of taping and external devices in rehabilitation; and the use of interval-based sport return programs. Highlights of this text: * In-depth coverage of specific shoulder pathologies with key basic science information * Detailed descriptions of specific exercise modifications that will help return the active shoulder patient to full activity following physical therapy * Extensive use of photographs and figures that illustrate recommended exercise and mobilization techniques * An ideal clinical reference, this book will benefit specialists in orthopedics, sports medicine, and physical therapy, as well as students in graduate-level physical therapy and athletic training programs.

Theatrical dance is an art form that includes the various disciplines of classical ballet, modern dance, ethnic dance, and mixed forms such as Broadway and jazz. The accomplished theatrical dancer combines the physical attributes of the elite athlete with the grace and esthetic sense of the superior artist. The extraordinary athletic demands of this art form may make the dancer vulnerable to injury. Major sites of injury in dance are the foot and ankle. When injuries to dancers participating in The American Dance Festival were reviewed, 38% involved the foot and ankle. Of these, the most common acute injury was the lateral ankle sprain. Despite their frequency, ankle sprains unfortunately are often inadequately treated. This paper discusses the anatomy, pathomechanics, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of this very common injury in dancers.

Weeds are attractive models for basic and applied research due to their impacts on agricultural systems and capacity to swiftly adapt in response to anthropogenic selection pressures. Currently, a lack of genomic information precludes research to elucidate the genetic basis of rapid adaptation for important traits like herbicide resistance and stress tolerance and the effect of evolutionary mechanisms on wild populations. The International Weed Genomics Consortium is a collaborative group of scientists focused on developing genomic resources to impact research into sustainable, effective weed control methods and to provide insights about stress tolerance and adaptation to assist crop breeding.

Invasive fungal infections, including Pneumonia (PcP), remain frequent life-threatening conditions of patients with adaptive immune defects. While innate immunity helps control pathogen growth early during infection, it is typically not sufficient for complete protection against and other human fungal pathogens. Alveolar macrophages (AM) possess pattern recognition molecules capable of recognizing antigenic and structural determinants of . However, this pathogen effectively evades innate immunity to infect both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hosts, albeit with differing outcomes. During our studies of mouse models of PcP, the FVB/N strain was identified as unique because of its ability to mount a protective innate immune response against infection. In contrast to other immunocompetent strains, which become transiently infected prior to the onset of adaptive immunity, FVB/N mice rapidly eradicated before an adaptive immune response was triggered. Furthermore, FVB/N mice remained highly resistant to infection even in the absence of functional T cells. The effector mechanism of innate protection required the action of functional alveolar macrophages, and the adoptive transfer of resistant FVB/N AMs, but not susceptible CB.17 AMs, conferred protection to immunodeficient mice. Macrophage IFNγ receptor signaling was not required for innate resistance, and FVB/N macrophages were found to display markers of alternative activation. IFNγ reprogrammed resistant FVB/N macrophages to a permissive M1 biased phenotype through a mechanism that required direct activation of the macrophage IFNγR. These results demonstrate that appropriately programmed macrophages provide protective innate immunity against this opportunistic fungal pathogen, and suggest that modulating macrophage function may represent a feasible therapeutic strategy to enhance antifungal host defense. The identification of resistant and susceptible macrophages provides a novel platform to study not only the mechanisms of macrophage-mediated antifungal defense, but also the mechanisms by which evades innate immunity.

Compost amendment of soil provides benefits that are well documented for agricultural soils, but not for disturbed soils in urban environments. The objective of this study was to determine if yard-waste compost increased soil moisture and native plant establishment along a construction embankment (cut slope with mean of six percent) in Altoona, Iowa. Compost was surface applied or incorporated at the beginning of the study period at a rate of 143.1 Mg dry matter ha −1 (63.8 t ac −1 ) and compared to a control that received no compost. Plant community composition shifted during the three-year study period from annual grass- (primarily foxtail, Setaria sp.) and forb-dominated communities to perennial communities. After three years, species composition was similar, although species density was greater in compost treatments compared to the control at the upper slope (10.9 vs. 6.3 species m −2 ). Shoot biomass was greater in compost treatments compared to the control (395 vs. 154 g m −2 ; 0.86 vs. 0.32 lb 10.76 ft −2 ). Following significant rainfall (greater than 2 cm or 0.79 in), water storage (0 to 15 cm; 0 to 6 in depth) was greatest when compost was incorporated (5.7 cm; 2.2 in), but surface application also resulted in greater moisture (5.4 cm; 2.1 in) than the control (5.0 cm; 2 in). While treatment effects on soil moisture (p less than 0.05) occurred following rain, slope-position effects only occurred under dry conditions. Surface applying or incorporating yard-waste compost to construction embankments can increase water retention after rainfall and increase plant growth.

Differences in intensity and timing of muscle activity between the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles have been hypothesized as contributing to lateral patellar tracking and patellofemoral pain (PFP). The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there were differences in the activity of the vastus muscles that would be suggestive of patellar instability in subjects with PFP. Twenty-six subjects with PFP and 19 subjects without PFP participated in the study. Fine-wire electromyography was used to record activity of the vastus medialis oblique, vastus medialis longus, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius muscles during level walking, stair climbing, and walking on ramps. Knee motion was assessed using a six-camera motion analysis system. No differences in onset or cessation of muscle activity was found among the vastus muscles for either group, regardless of condition. Subjects with PFP demonstrated less activity of all vastus muscles for level walking and ramp walking than did subjects without PFP. These results do not support the hypothesis that timing or intensity differences between the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles are associated with PFP.