Notes

#1.) Racial differences in gait mechanics;

A study was conducted to investigate the racial differences in gait mechanics between African Americans (AA) and white Americans (WA) in order to address racial health disparities in musculoskeletal injuries and diseases.

The study found that African Americans had slower self-selected walking speed compared to white Americans.

Males in both racial groups had longer steps, larger peak knee flexion, and larger ankle plantarflexion angles compared to females.

The findings highlight the importance of considering racial diversity in research and individualized treatment protocols for musculoskeletal injuries and diseases.

#3.) Impact of Race, Gait Speed, and Arch Height on Plantar Loading

African Americans (AA) are twice as likely to die from diabetes and experience foot amputation due to foot ulcers caused by high plantar pressure compared to White Americans (WA).
This study aimed to determine if race, age, Arch Height Index (AHI), gait speed, sex, and BMI significantly predicted plantar loading.
The results showed that race was a significant predictor of maximum force and force-time integral in specific areas of the foot, potentially explaining why AA are more prone to developing diabetic foot ulcers.
Understanding these factors could help address disparities in diabetic foot ulcers among different racial groups.

#4.) Racial differences in tendon rupture incidence

This study aimed to determine the effect of race on major tendon injuries.

The researchers used the U.S. Defense Medical Epidemiology Database to identify cases of tendon rupture.

The results showed that black U.S. service members had a higher rate of tendon tears compared to white service members.

The study suggests that there may be a significant relative predisposition towards lower-extremity major tendon rupture in black individuals, and further investigation into the racial differences in risk factors is warranted.

#5.) Differences in Medial and Lateral Posterior Tibial Slope: An Osteological Review

This study aimed to establish normative values for the medial and lateral posterior tibial slope (TS) and determine differences between ages, sexes, and races.

The medial TS was found to be greater than the lateral TS, and there were significant sex- and race-based differences in TS.

Women had a greater mean TS compared with men, and black specimens had a greater mean TS compared with white specimens.

Axial rotation was shown to increase the perception of the medial and lateral TS.