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Background: Most surgeons don't repair the pronator quadratus (PQ) muscle in palmar plate fixation of a distal radius fracture because experience has shown that PQ repair yields no functional advantage. However, repair of the PQ may offer finger flexor tendon protection., Methods: In 9 human cadavers, the PQ was detached with a strong rim of connective tissue consisting of a fibrous portion of the roof of the first extensor compartment (RFEC) and the palmar limb of the brachioradialis muscle (BR) insertion. The gross anatomy and the dimensions of the dissected tissue were measured. After fixation of a palmar plate, the PQ was repaired. Stability was tested with 100 passive maximum pronation and supination repetitions., Results: The average total width of the PQ with the strong rim of connective tissue consisting of the RFEC and the palmar limb of the BR insertion was 28 mm. Suture repair was possible in each specimen, and each palmar plate was completely covered distally., Conclusion: This dissection of the PQ with a strong rim of connective tissue consisting of the RFEC and the palmar limb of the BR insertion may offer a way to cover the distal edge of a palmar plate in open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture that affords finger flexor tendon protection., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: The foot posture index is a static measurement that splits up the foot posture into neutral, pronatus and supinatus. However, the relation between the foot posture and the plantar pressure standards is not well known. For this, the objective of this research is to check the relationship between the foot posture and plantar pressure standard. SUBJECTS AND MATERIAL: 144 participants (101 women and 43 men), mean age 25.4 ± 6.3 years, were measured for the FPI. The pedobarometric measurement was made with the plantar pressure platform, we measured total surface (cm2), mean pressure (kPa) and maximum pressure (kPa), these measurements were correlated with the FPI measurements., Results: 288 feet were analysed with regard to the correlation between point 5 of FPI (medial arch height) and the plantar surface total area (p = 0.038): lower arch height and supinated foot are related to the maximum pressure points with p = 0.029. The total contact surface can be determined with the final score of the FPI, the scores of FPI 3, 5 and 6 FPI (r2 = 0.059, p < 0.001) with a 5.9 % prediction., Conclusion: The supinatus foot is correlated statistically significantly through the maximum pressure and the plantar surface with the pronatus foot., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

A case of a mechanic and motorcyclist is reported who developed unilateral chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the flexor muscles in the forearm. After years of discomfort and medical check-ups, a subcutaneous fasciotomy of the superficial compartments of the flexor muscles in the forearm led to a complete relief of symptoms, which allowed the patient unrestricted activity.

Aim: The aim of this study is to prove the intra- and interobserver reliability of three different methods to measure the active range-of-motion in the forearm., Methods: These three different methods were tested on forty volunteers. In the first method pictures were made in full supination and pronation, measurement of the two angles was performed with a dedicated software. Active range-of-motion was defined as the magnitude of forearm rotation between maximum pronation and supination. The second method used a standard goniometer. The third method of assessment used a gravity goniometer (plurimeter). We randomised both the side of the patient to be examined and the sequence of the methods. Two examiners measured subsequently the range-of-motion twice with these three devices., Results: We found a significant intraobserver reproducibility with the gravity goniometer. There was no significance with the goniometer or pictures. The intraobserver reproducibility of the latter two methods was poor. The interobserver reproducibility of the gravity goniometer and pictures was significant, for the goniometer it was poor. Agreement between the pictures and gravity goniometer assessment of the range-of-motion was good. None of these two methods was significantly correlated with the goniometer assessment., Conclusion: For reproducibility of measurement of range-of-motion in the forearm the gravity goniometer is the best method, although the measured values were 5 % greater.

Ankle injuries are often followed by degenerative changes in the hindfoot joints. Knowledge about the pressure distribution of the intact ankle joint may help to understand the mechanisms leading to cartilage damage. Therefore, we determined the intraarticular and plantar pressure distribution of the ankle joint complex and the Chopart joints with varying foot positions. 12 human lower leg specimens were axially loaded in a foot-loading simulator with full body weight (600 N). A capacitive pressure distribution platform was used to determine plantar pressure patterns. The intraarticular loading situation was measured with Fuji Prescale film. 3 different foot positions (neutral, 10 degrees dorsiflexion, 10 degrees plantarflexion) were investigated. Dorsiflexion led to an increase of the intraarticular contact area, force and mean pressure in the hindfoot. Plantarflexion instead increased loading in the Chopart joints. In the plantar pressure distribution force and peak pressure under the hindfoot increased with dorsiflexion. With plantarflexion area, force and peak pressure under mid- and forefoot increased. With our study we could demonstrate that the loading situation of the ankle joint complex is significantly influenced by the foot position. These findings may help to understand the development and localisation of arthritic changes due to posttraumatic changes of the joint loading characteristics.

The development of a kinematic model of the pro- and supination, that can be used to predict the influence of angulations of ulna and radius on the pronation and supination is based on the precise knowledge of the pronation and supination movement. We performed two parallel studies for examining the pronation and supination motion of the human forearm. The first experiment dealt with MRI-studies on 18 probands (36 examined forearms). As a result we observed an evasive movement of the ulna during the rotation of 7, 14 degrees medial. In order to prove whether the evasive movement was caused by a rotation of the humerus or by an evasion in the articulatio humeroulnaris, we carried out a second experiment, using 30 preparations. The measurement of the pro- and supination motion with a fixed humerus was expedited using a special experimental setup which guaranteed that the ulna could move freely. In all cases we found the same magnitude of the evasive motion of the ulna. Therefore we demonstrated, that the ulna performs an evasive motion during the pro- and supination motion of the forearm that influences the kinematic behavior of the pro- and supination motion significantly.

Excessive foot eversion and abnormal tibial rotation have been associated with knee injuries. Why and whether or not overpronation in athletes leads to overuse injuries at the knee joint, however, is still not understood. It could be that this is related to the mechanical coupling at the ankle joint complex. The purpose of this study was to quantify the movement transferred from calcaneal eversion-inversion into tibial rotation, and vice-versa from tibial rotation into calcaneal eversion-inversion. Fourteen foot-leg specimens were used for investigation. A holding device with six degrees of freedom was constructed which allowed to rotate the calcaneus and to determine the resulting tibial rotation, and vice-versa. The movement transfer between calcaneus and tibia varied substantially, and it was not the same for both input modes. In the case of applied internal tibial rotation no calcaneal eversion was found. Apparently, the movement transfer depends from the individual mechanical coupling at the ankle joint complex. Excessive calcaneal eversion does only result in excessive rotational loading of the knee joint when coupled with a high movement transfer at the ankle joint complex. Finally, the results imply that, during gait, pronation results from ground reaction forces acting on the calcaneus, since internal tibial rotation is not transferred into calcaneal eversion.

Within a period of 14 years in 27 cases operative correction of a traumatic lesion of the distal radioulnar joint has been performed at the University Clinic of Giessen. The follow-up of our results is to be confined to the last ten cases; all efforts to evaluate the outcome of 17 joints having been operated on previously unfortunately have proved to be unfeasible. Different types of corrective operative procedures have been accomplished. Improvement of wrist function, particularly of pronation and supination, was obtained in almost every case.