Alignment Maintenance: A Closer Look at Controlled Ankle Motion (CAM) Boots
by Calvin J. Rushing, DPM
Early weightbearing and accelerated postoperative rehabilitation programs often rely on CAM walking boots to prevent excessive motion and early complications.
The stability afforded, however, is unclear.
Original research
In their recent study “Physiologic Motion in the Intact and Unstable Syndesmosis During Plantigrade Weightbearing in Controlled Ankle Motion Boots,” Matz et. al. finally sought to shed some light on the topic.
Their cadaveric study is limited by the lack of rotational forces applied, and deltoid ligament sectioning, which has become almost standard for invitro studies involving syndesmotic disruption.
The takeaways:
Axial loading of the specimens did not produce excessive motion – even in specimens with both syndesmotic sectioning and fibular osteotomy
Antero-posterior motion after loading was the greatest (~3mm)
Medial-lateral motion after loading was the least
Recorded motion dropped as injury states progressed
Recent Posts
See AllOssiumHealth processing bone marrow from organ donors at scale. They process and cryopreserve while ensuring the bone marrow is phenotypically and functionally equivalent to cells from living donors.
by Vince Vacketta, DPM Weight bearing CT (WBCT) has proven to be a valuable tool for foot and ankle surgeons. One study looking at the WBCT experience of an orthopedic practice found revenue neutral w
