Mr. Brian’s third day in DC began with insight into an upcoming review of toe walking. While there is no proven treatment for idiopathic toe walking, the presenters had found promising results with serial casting until appropriate ankle motion was achieved. They then used ankle foot orthotic bracing or carbon fiber plates to maintain this motion with ambulation. These casting and bracing techniques in combination with stretching, strengthening, and balance training programs have been shown to reduce or eliminate toe walking.
The next session of the day looked at the use of sensor technology to track infant and child movement when not in the clinic setting. There is a growing movement in physical therapy to reassess how we track patient progress and increase the variety of information we can get about our patients’ quality of movement. Using standardized tests is great for tracking patients’ improvements, but provides little insight into how these improvements are carried over at home, at school, and in the community after being discharged from physical therapy services.
Tomorrow will be the last day of the Combined Sections Meeting. Looking forward to seeing everyone back at the BAC!
