Investigator Amol Saxena, DPM

Amol Saxena, D.P.M., board certified in podiatric surgery in foot & ankle reconstructive rearfoot surgery, practices in PAMF's Palo Alto Center. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. He completed his medical degree at William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, IL in 1988. He completed his residency at Veterans Administration Medical Center in Illinois. His research publications include sports-related injuries of the foot and ankle (especially Achilles, Lisfranc's and peroneal tendon pathologies), ankle reconstruction--including transplants and osteochondral injuries, arthritis such as hallux rigidus, stress fractures such as navicular and sesamoid, revision surgery. sports medicine of the lower extremity such as shin splints.

Dr. Saxena serves on American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and the USA Track and Field sports medicine committees. He is a reviewer for several medical journals and authored dozens of articles. Dr. Saxena edited the textbook, Internal Advances in Foot and Ankle Surgery.

Dr. Saxena was motivated to become a sports medicine physician by the founders of the PAMF Sports Medicine Department. He has since built an international reputation in the treatment of sports-related foot and ankle injuries. In 2008, 27 of his patients competed in the Olympic trials, with 14 qualifying for the U.S. Olympic track and field team. He participated in the Boston Marathon and World Duathlon (Run-Bike-Run) Championships several times. He is a volunteer soccer referee and road race organizer.

Sutter Health Research Enterprise
95 El Camino Real
Clark Building
Palo Alto, CA, 94301
(650) 853-2943
research@pamfri.org

Primary Research Interests

Publications

Medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy: a comparison of screw versus locking plate fixation.

We concluded that using a locking plate or a single screw for fixation of the medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy provide acceptable pt. outcomes.

Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes: a pilot study.

Study results demonstrated that RSW can be a viable treatment of certain symptomatic sesamoid pathologies and considered a valid alternative to surgery.

Synovial chondromatosis of the ankle: report of two cases with 23 and 126 loose bodies.

Report 2 patients with 23 and 126 loose bodies of the ankle, respectively, who had successful outcomes without malignancy, after excision of lesions.

Magnetic resonance imaging and incidental findings of lateral ankle pathologic features with asymptomatic ankles.

Because data show that functional rehab is successful for 90% of symptomatic lateral ankle pts, caution is warranted if choosing surgery on MRI findings alone.

Use of an anti-gravity treadmill in the rehabilitation of the operated achilles tendon: a pilot study.

Confirmed hypothesis that being able to run at 85% of body weight after Achilles surgery was sufficient to clear patients to run outside.

Stand up and start counting.

Practitioners and patients interpret studies differently, just as practitioners and patients may not agree on what constitutes a good outcome.

Lapidus arthrodesis.

Letter to editor re: Menke CRD, McGlamry MC, Camasta CA. Lapidus arthrodesis with a single lag screw and a locking H-plate. J Foot Ankle Surg 50(4):377–382.

Cuboid-navicular tarsal coalition: report of a small case series with description of a surgical approach for resection.

Cuboid-navicular coalition treated by surgical resection with adipose graft provides excellent results.

A unique procedure for treatment of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular: three cases in athletes.

Tx of 3 cases of osteochondral lesions and degenerative changes of the tarsal navicular joint: microfracture of the lesions and arthrodiastasis.

Medial locking plate versus screw fixation for fixation of the Ludloff osteotomy.

Prospective cohort study of the Ludloff osteotomy, stabilized with either lag screws or a locking plate: no statistically significant differences found.

Comparison between extracorporeal shockwave therapy, placebo ESWT and endoscopic plantar fasciotomy for the treatment of chronic plantar heel pain in the athlete.

Endoscopic plantar fasciotomy and extracorporeal sound wave therapy are both effective treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis.

Vibration and pressure wave therapy for calf strains: a proposed treatment.

Purpose is to give a baseline knowledge of vibration therapy and propose a tx protocol for calf strains using this technology along with radial pressure waves.

DPM foot and ankle fellowships.

Roundtable discussion focuses on the current status of foot and ankle surgery fellowships in terms of surgical breadth, research, and current and future trends.

Fifth metatarsal fractures.

This roundtable discussion explores the range of treatment philosophies for fifth metatarsal fractures.

Clinically relevant effectiveness of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis: a randomized, controlled multicenter study.

Multictr study of extracorporeal shock wave therapy without local anesthesia in tx of recalcitrant plantar fasciitis with success rates 50-65%.

Current evidence of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in chronic Achilles tendinopathy.

This article analysis the evidence-based literature of ESWT in chronic Achilles tendinopathy. Recently published data have shown the efficacy of focused and radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy.

Naviculocuneiform coalition: case reports of two sibling soccer players.

Excision of a naviculocuneiform coalition with arthrodiastasis is a valid treatment in the young athletic population.

Subtalar arthroereisis implant removal in adults: a prospective study of 100 patients.

Study evaluated the rate and risk factors for removal of the implant used for STA in adults treated for AAFD/posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.

Stabilization of the fourth metatarsal-cuboid lateral Lisfranc injury: early results of an innovative technique using suture anchors.

Innovative surgical technique for the correction of cuboid-metatarsal subluxation at the level of the lateral Lisfranc joint, using sutures and anchors.

Triple Achilles tendon rupture: case report.

A case report with 1-year follow-up data of a 57-year-old male soccer referee who had sustained an acute triple Achilles tendon rupture injury during a game.

Peritenolysis and debridement for main body (mid-portion) Achilles tendinopathy in athletic patients: results of 107 procedures.

With >97% of pts able to return to their desired activities, we concluded peritenolysis & debridement are favorable surg techniques for Achilles tendinopathy.

Plate fixation with autogenous calcaneal dowel grafting proximal fourth and fifth metatarsal fractures: technique and case series.

Surgical technique involves evacuation of sclerotic bone at the fracture site, packing the fracture site with compact cancellous bone, and plate fixation.

Percutaneous plating of Weber B fibular fractures.

Results from 17 patients demonstrated that percutaneous plating is an effective surgical option for treating Weber B distal fibular fractures.

Should sports injuries and surgeries be "POLICED"?

Sports injuries and surgeries should be “POLICED”:P Protection, OL Optimal loading, I Ice, C Core strength, E Education, D Diet.

An unusual case of a fibular sesamoid phalangeal ligament tear due to chronic trauma.

Study reports a female ballet dancer with an isolated fibular sesamoid retraction injury that presented with a hx of chronic micro trauma secondary to overuse.

Modified Valenti arthroplasty in running and jumping athletes with hallux limitus/rigidus: analysis of one hundred procedures.

Modified Valenti procedure is a safe, highly effective treatment for running and jumping athletes limited by hallux limitus/rigidus.

Hallux valgus surgery in the athlete: current evidence.

Literature supports distal 1st metatarsal osteotomy (Chevron), and the Ludloff osteotomy for moderate to severe deformity.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis with radial soundwave "early" is better than after 6 months: a pilot study.

Radial shockwave tx can be implemented after initial tx options have failed. Early tx is more likely to maintain pts' activity level.

Electromagnetic transduction therapy for Achilles tendinopathy: a preliminary report on a new technology.

Electromagnetic transduction therapy could be a useful modality for the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy. It should be compared with the current standard tx.

Percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy for Achilles tendinopathy is a surgical procedure with similar complications.

Percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy is a surgical procedure with complications similar to those of other Achilles tendon surgeries.

Treatment of medial tibial stress syndrome with radial soundwave therapy in elite athletes: current evidence, report on two cases, and proposed treatment regimen.

Radial soundwave therapy has a high level of evidence for treatment of MTSS. We also present recent evidence of the value of vitamin D assessment.

Navicular stress fracture outcomes in athletes: analysis of 62 injuries.

Study evaluated factors that might be significant and affect healing navicular stress fracture outcomes, specifically focusing on the return to activity time.

Randomized placebo-controlled placebo trial to determine the placebo effect size.

True placebo effect sizes can be analyzed through a proper inverse placebo RCT design.