On diabetic foot, wound healing, amputation prevention, and the merger of consumer tech with medical devices
Two life-affirming days in Baltimore—from the Johns Hopkins Dome to a KITES keynote and an Alexandria-led ALPS session—made the meaning of teamwork, mentorship, and limb preservation vividly clear.
A day at Johns Hopkins with Alexandria and Natalie, a climb into the historic tower, and a reflection on Billings, Osler, limb preservation and the work of healing on the eve of September 11.
The PDN-Sensory randomized trial is now published in Diabetes Care. We have long used the metaphor of 10-kHz spinal cord stimulation as “noise-cancelling headphones” for painful neuropathy. The new blinded sensory and skin-biopsy data suggest the story may be more interesting: perhaps we are not only filtering the noise, but altering the underlying wiring.
A new partial calcanectomy case series revisits the central idea behind our 2010 “Hurricane” incision: incision design can be part of limb preservation.
A new Journal of Human Evolution study suggests Neanderthal heel bones were not simply more robust—they represented a different mechanical solution for loading, mobility, pronation and force transmission. What can an ancient calcaneus teach us about modern footwear, biomechanics and limb preservation?
The Economist makes a compelling case that the most useful exoskeletons may not be full-body supersuits at all. The winners are becoming smaller, lighter and more specific—an idea that connects directly to decades of work in wearable robotics, rehabilitation, limb preservation and our own “Repair, Regeneration and Replacement” framework.
An eight-person SmartBoot–CORA study links context-aware prompts to better short-term offloading responses. Paired with Lifestyle Redesign, it points toward support that fits everyday life.
Stacey Schepens Niemiec, Tze-Woei Tan, and USC colleagues adapt Lifestyle Redesign® occupational therapy to help fit diabetic foot care into everyday life. The intervention is ready for testing; clinical effectiveness remains to be established.
An amputation should trigger more than a wound-care plan. New Swedish data sharpen the case for coordinated cardiovascular care—and a longer view of recovery.
An unexpected reunion with Dr. William Tettelbach and a generous welcome from the MLK Community Healthcare team made a September 3 visit to South Los Angeles a powerful reminder of why this work matters.
