Custom orthosis offers forefoot varus stability benefit

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October 2006 Biomechanics Magazine

http://www.biomech.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193200603

Custom orthosis offers forefoot varus stability benefit

By: R.

A custom orthosis may provide significant improvement in postural

stability for patients with at least 7 degrees of forefoot varus,

according to results from a recent study out of Texas.

Twelve of the 17 subjects in the study, by C. Cobb, PhD,

ATC, an assistant professor of rehabilitation sciences at the Texas

Tech University, and colleagues, had 7 degrees or more of forefoot

varus, while the other five had less than 7 degrees.

The researchers measured postural stability at baseline and again

after six weeks of wearing the device. In the patients with less

varus, there was no significant change.

However, the patients with more varus showed significant improvement

in both anteroposterior and mediolateral postural stability at the

end of the six weeks.

" If decreased postural stability is a risk factor for sustaining

acute injury, as has been previously reported, " Cobb's group

wrote, " the significant postural stability improvements that

occurred after the foot orthosis intervention may be clinically

relevant. "

The study was published in the July issue of the Clinical Journal of

Sport Medicine.