Extract

graphic

So the new (leap) year comes in, and Robin has a spring in his step, not least because he has read that one's propensity to fall can be reduced by noise.
Priplata and colleagues (
Lancet
2003;242:1123–4)
report a trial of vibrating insoles which dramatically reduced sway parameters. The diagram indicates that there is some progress needed for functionality, as dragging a large control box (even if on wheels) behind one might be expected to exert an uneven backward pull and elderly people might have some difficulty running the wires inside trousers to a backpack. Wireless technology, maybe. Robin will consult his son who knows a lot about such things. But shouldn't those parameters be variables? Robin can consult no-one in the family on this, for it is he that is the pedant.

Of course, the other reason he will spring is that he is still celebrating England's World Cup rugby win (watching which final he was moved to wonder why we don't see that many rugby players with funny shoulders, knees or whatever; presumably the orthopods have cleaned up the scene as Robin has only ever had one international through a clinic. If anyone wants to send Robin a gift, a DVD of the final will do nicely, thank you.). He was reminded to mention this by a patient who was taking champagne tablets to cure the nausea induced by methotrexate. Mind you, Robin thinks he and Mrs Robin get more of a kick from Dom Perignon than from domperidone. Though Prosecco will do. Certainly any form of alcohol might relieve the traffic jam in the blood vessels of another patient with RA who also had congested cardiac failure.

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