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The utility of shock-absorbing boot and sneaker inserts for reducing the occurrence of lower limb pain among male US Army basic trainees was evaluated. Every other training unit was given inserts. The inserts were issued prior to the start of training when combat boots and sneakers were fitted. According to post-training questionnaires and the participants' medical records, the inserts did not have any preventive effect on occurrence of lower limb problems during training. Five hundred seventeen trainees were issued inserts, 397 were followed but not issued inserts, and 218 were not issued but purchased them on their own. Thirty-eight percent of those issued inserts had lower limb pain problems compared with 29% of those not issued inserts and 38% of those who bought their own. There was no statistical difference between these rates of occurrence. Prior to training, there were minor differences between the groups' scores on physical fitness test scores and run times. These differences disappeared during training so that there were no differences among the groups on either training or clinical variables during or after basic training.
The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the US has increased over the past decade. This increase has effected concern regarding the risks of HIV infection within the podiatric medical practice. Implementation of an effective infection control program for blood-borne pathogens within the podiatric medical practice can minimize such risks.
Infected neuropathic ulcerations are the leading cause of diabetes-related partial foot amputations at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center. Ten hallucal ulcerations in seven American Indian patients with hallux limitus were resolved by local wound care and partial first metatarsophalangeal joint resection. The average length of postsurgical follow-up care was 28.8 months. There have been no recurrences of the plantar hallux ulcerations in any of the patients.
