News Updates

Knee osteoarthritis patients have improved knee loads when using specialized mobility shoe
Source: Daily Rx

When patients with knee osteoarthritis are walking, their knees may jut out to the side. Shoes that imitate barefoot walking can help with that.

A recently published study found that wearing a "mobility" shoe keeps the knee joint more aligned in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Using flat, flexible footwear can significantly reduce knee loading in patients with the joint condition, according to researchers.

Which knees need the knife?
Source: Daily Rx

Jeffery Katz, MD, of Orthopedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and colleagues led the study to determine if patients with a meniscal tear and knee osteoarthritis had better outcomes with surgery plus physical therapy or just physical therapy.

Cartilage damage helps detect osteoarthritis?
Source: ivanhoe.com

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder and affects about one-third of older adults. New research suggests that cartilage damage from exercise may aid in early detection of osteoarthritis.

"We discovered that GAG-depleted tissue is most vulnerable to high rates of loading and not just the magnitude of the load. This finding suggests that people with early degradation of cartilage, even before such changes would be felt as pain, should be careful of dynamic activities such as running or jumping,” Grodzinsky was quoted as saying.

3-D system could prevent shoulder injuries in baseball pitchers
Source: Science Daily

A new 3-D motion detection system could help identify baseball pitchers who are at risk for shoulder injuries, according to a new study. The system can be used on the field, and requires only a laptop computer. Other systems that evaluate pitchers' throwing motions require cameras and other equipment and generally are confined to indoor use.

Loyola University Medical Center sports medicine surgeon Pietro Tonino, MD, is a co-author of the study, published in the journal Musculoskeletal Surgery.

Ask well: exercises for shoulder pain
Source: NY Times

You are certainly right that sore shoulders are common, especially as a person ages. About half of all middle-aged tennis players suffer from shoulder pain, according to a 2012 study in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, and youngsters aren’t immune either. The same study reported that about a quarter of competitive tennis players under 20 hurt their shoulders every year.

Many of these injuries involve the rotator cuff, the group of muscles and tendons at the back of the shoulder that stabilize the joint. Studies show that forces equivalent to at least 120 percent of a person’s body weight slam through the rotator cuff during a typical tennis serve or baseball pitch. To withstand that pounding, the rotator cuff needs to be strong.

Outcomes in tennis elbow significantly improved by PRP
Source: Medical News Today

Eighty-four percent of patients suffering from chronic tennis elbow (lateral epicondylar tendinopathy) reported significantly less pain and elbow tenderness at six months following platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment, according to results from the largest, multi-center study, to date, on PRP and tennis elbow, presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Tennis elbow is a common, painful condition affecting approximately 1 to 2 percent of the population. In this study, 230 patients suffering from chronic tennis elbow who had failed traditional therapies were treated at 12 U.S. medical centers. Patients were randomized and received either an injection of PRP made from their own concentrated blood platelets, or a placebo, administered with an analgesic at the site of pain.

Teen baseball players benefit from docking technique to repair torn elbow ligament
Source: Medical News Today

A study at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) found that a surgical procedure known as the "docking technique" to repair a torn elbow ligament in teenage athletes yielded favorable results. The outcomes were better than those in previously published reports on reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), also known as Tommy John surgery, in this age group and may be attributed to technique-specific factors, according to the study authors.

The paper, titled, "The Docking Technique for Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Insufficiency: Two-Year Follow Up in Adolescent Athletes," was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in Chicago.

Toss the vitamin D and calcium?
Source: DailyRx.com

Preventing the risk of fractures as you grow older is important. Previously, vitamin D and calcium supplements were thought to help reduce that risk – but recommendations have changed.

The Task Force actually recommends against vitamin D in daily doses of 400 IU or less and calcium in daily doses of 1000 mg or less because it can increase the risk of kidney stones. At those doses, supplements do not prevent fractures in younger men and women.

However, the Task Force continues to recommend vitamin D supplements to prevent falls in adults 65 and older who are at higher risk for falls.

Why so idle with knee OA?
Source: DailyRx.com

Being obese or overweight can make osteoarthritis worse. Staying physically active is one of the best ways to avoid putting on extra pounds. However, many osteoarthritis patients remain inactive.

These findings suggest that there may be a serious need to improve physical activity among patients with knee osteoarthritis. According to the authors, increasing physical activity among these patients will likely involve weight management, healthy diet and improving pain and disability.

Treatment with platelet-rich plasma shows potential for knee osteoarthritis
Source: Medical News Today

Several treatments for osteoarthritis exist, including exercise, weight control, bracing, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, Tylenol, cortisone shots and viscosupplementation, a procedure that involves injecting a gel-like substance into the knee to supplement the natural lubricant in the joint. A new treatment that is being studied by a small number of doctors is PRP injections. PRP, which is produced from a patient's own blood, delivers a high concentration of growth factors to arthritic cartilage that can potentially enhance healing.

Vitamin K for healthy knees
Source: DailyRx.com

Vitamin K supports bones and cartilage. So researchers wanted to know if low vitamin K was linked to joint damage and osteoarthritis.

The study found that people who had low levels of vitamin K in their blood were about 33 percent more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis.

Also, people with low vitamin K levels were about two times more likely to show signs of damaged cartilage in their knees.

The authors suggested that vitamin K may be important for keeping knees healthy.

ACL insurance insight
Source: Ivanhoe.com

ACL injuries have increased 400% in teens and adolescents in the last ten years. They’re also on the rise among baby boomers. To make sure you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket to fix the injury, doctors are using a new tool to show surgery works.

That’s where the gait-rite system comes in. This 26 foot carpet contains sensors to assess gait after injury and again after surgery to show how patients are doing.

Dr. Maloney says that, “We will have seen that their gait has been restored to what we consider normal and safe and allow them to progress.”

FDA clears Soft Tissue Regeneration’s STR GRAFT
Source: News Medical

Soft Tissue Regeneration, an early stage orthopedic device company that has developed a breakthrough tissue engineering platform used to regenerate ligaments and tendons, announced today that it has received FDA clearance to market its STR GRAFT, a biodegradable scaffold used for soft tissue augmentation and rotator cuff repair.

Developed by Cato T. Laurencin , M.D., Ph.D., an orthopedic surgeon and the company's founder, the STR GRAFT is a three-dimensional braided engineered matrix that Laurencin likens to a patch. During surgery, surgeons can drape this biodegradable patch over the tendon that sits on the shoulder bone, anchoring it with sutures to keep it in place while the tendon, bones and nearby tissues heal. Unlike currently available devices, which are made of weaker cadaver or animal tissue that can cause sutures to pull, the STR GRAFT is thinner—about 1 millimeter—and stronger, which lessens pain, speeds recovery time and drastically reduces surgical failure rates.

Heavy loads on the shoulders can cause nerve damage in the hands and fingers
Source: Medical News Today

Trudging from place to place with heavy weights on our backs is an everyday reality, from schoolchildren toting textbooks in backpacks to fire fighters and soldiers carrying occupational gear. Muscle and skeletal damage are very real concerns. Now Tel Aviv University researchers say that nerve damage, specifically to the nerves that travel through the neck and shoulders to animate our hands and fingers, is also a serious risk.

Steroid injections for tennis elbow are out
Source: HEALTH NEWS OBSERVER

Tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. In tennis elbow, the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the outer part of the elbow degenerate, become inflamed and develop tears. Tennis players often irritate this area during backhand strokes. Anyone who uses a twisting motion is at risk including painters, carpenters, plumbers, cooks, weight lifters, and butchers. It may also develop by some who are constantly using a computer keyboard and mouse.

Fractures take high toll on high school athletes
Source: MedicineNet.Com

Fractures account for about 10 percent of all injuries suffered by U.S. high school athletes, and can have a major physical, emotional and financial impact on the young competitors, according to a new study.

The findings highlight the need for fracture prevention programs in high school sports, the Ohio State University researchers said.

Researchers analyzed 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 data from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System. Fracture rates were highest in boys' sports -- including football, ice hockey and lacrosse -- and boys suffered 79 percent of all fractures reported.

Increase in dance-related injuries in children and adolescents
Source: Science Daily

Dance is a beautiful form of expression, but it could be physically taxing and strenuous on the human body, particularly for children and adolescents. A new study by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined dance-related injuries among children and adolescents 3 to 19 years of age from 1991 to 2007. During the 17-year study period, an estimated 113,000 children and adolescents were treated in U.S. emergency departments for dance-related injuries.

Osteoarthritis: new light shed on how painful joint wear and tear develops
Source: Science Daily

The cause of osteoarthritis -- other than known risk factors such as age or earlier injury -- is not yet known. The researchers at the MedUni Vienna have discovered, however, that certain proteins known as lectins, and in particular galectins, have a role to play in the painful wear and tear of the joints.

These new findings, according to the vision of the MedUni Vienna researchers, could lead to galectins in future being used both in the treatment and, as bio-markers, in the disease prediction of osteoarthritis.

17 Ways to fight osteoporosis
Source: Health.com

Most people know calcium strengthens bones. But there are more than a dozen other ways to fight osteoporosis, the silent, bone-thinning condition that can lead to fractures, back and neck pain, and a loss of up to 6 inches of height over time.

Taking preventive measures is key, as many people with osteoporosis will get bone fractures before they even know they have the disease.

Shoulder complaint linked to diabetes diagnosis
Source: News Medical

Study findings confirm suspicions that patients with diabetes have an increased risk for adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder (ACS).

Using insurance claims data for 96% of the Taiwanese population between 2000 and 2003, the researchers compared the incidence of ACS in 78,827 patients with at least ambulatory visits for diabetes and 236,481 age- and gender-matched individuals without diabetes.

After a median of 31.87 months of follow-up, 1.20% of diabetes patients and 0.95% of controls were diagnosed with ACS, at rates of 4.92 and 3.67 cases per 1000 person-years, respectively, say Shin-Liang Pan (National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei) and co-workers.

Bursitis flare ups can be painful
Source: Daily News

Today’s column will focus on bursitis. It is not the condition that someone laughingly told me that was something that occurred here every year in January when the temperatures dip below zero. Rather it is an inflammatory condition of one or more of the 150 bursae in the body.

A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts to reduce friction between the bone and a gliding tendon. This bursa helps the tendon by a joint move more efficiently by acting as a cushion. The most common bursae that are irritated and inflamed are the ones involving the elbows, the lateral aspect of the hips, and the anterior aspect of the knees. The bursal sac becomes inflamed or irritated in many different ways. It can become inflamed with diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Repetitive injuries, such as kneeling, also known as housemaid’s knee, can often cause inflammation of the bursa. Trauma can also cause the bursae to become enlarged, swollen, red, and painful. Finally, infection can also cause bursal swelling and pain as well.

Female Athletes Three Times More Likely to Suffer from Anterior Cruciate Ligament Ruptures
Source: Science Daily

Female athletes are three times more likely to suffer from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, one of the most common knee injuries, compared to male athletes. The ACL is one of the four main ligaments within the knee that connect the femur (upper leg bone) to the tibia (lower leg bone). Recent research highlights the unique anatomical differences in the female knee that may contribute to higher injury rates, and should be taken into consideration during reconstructive surgery and sports training, according to a review article in the January 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS).

Go Ahead and Jump: Learning How to Properly Jump and Land Can Help Female Athletes Avoid Serious Knee Injuries
Source: Science Daily

Female athletes tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) six to eight times more than male athletes who play the same sport. A leading sports medicine surgeon believes incorporating a jumping and landing program into a regular training regimen can help keep women on the field and out of the operating room.

McCulloch says many women land with their knees straight and their kneecaps pointing inward and this puts an incredible amount of stress on the ACL, while men tend to land with their feet further apart with more bend in the knees. He believes a jumping/landing program involving plyometric exercises can help women train their muscles to develop a "muscle memory" that will alert their hamstrings to fire off at the right time and help them land with a bend in their knees.

Stop elbow pain before it’s chronic
Source: The Province

One body part where there are a number of common issues is the elbow joint. Terms like tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow get thrown around regularly when people have pain in their elbows.

Related conditions, like carpal tunnel syndrome, also involve the elbow joint and muscles of the forearm. One of the problems with elbow injuries is that this area is constantly in use. People with elbow pain commonly list simple activities like typing, driving, writing, shaking hands or turning doorknobs as movements that aggravate their condition.

Tennis Elbow - What is Tennis Elbow?
Source: News medical

Tennis elbow is a condition where the outer part of the elbow becomes sore and tender. It is commonly associated with playing tennis and other racquet sports, though the injury can happen to almost anybody.

The condition is also known as lateral epicondylitis ("inflammation of the outside elbow bone"), a misnomer as histologic studies have shown no inflammatory process. Other descriptions for tennis elbow are lateral epicondylosis, lateral epicondylalgia, or simply lateral elbow pain.

Embracing the brace
Source: Daily Rx

Knees are only meant to bend forward and backward. If a knee pops and locks up with major pain, something serious is going on there, and it's most likely an ACL injury.

The injuries often need surgery to reconstruct the ligament, followed by therapy to help rehabilitate the knee.

It does not lower pain, protect from reinjuring the knee or improve the stability of the knee. Rather, braces add an unnecessary expense to the recovery. Vitamins and other supplements also don't help in the healing process.

Beginning physical therapy shortly after surgery, ideally within a few days after, can bring great outcomes for patients.

More magnesium, less arthritis
Source: Daily Rx

What you put in your body can affect your risk of disease, even your risk of osteoarthritis. If you're trying to prevent this "wear-and-tear" type of arthritis, you may want to eat more almonds and spinach.

Eating more magnesium - a mineral found in many green vegetables, beans and nuts - it may lower the risk of knee osteoarthritis.

Most damage, most gain in knee replacement
Source: Daily Rx

If you have knee osteoarthritis, you can take steps to prevent permanent damage. For those with the damage done, joint replacement surgery may relieve pain and boost knee function.

Osteoarthritis patients with the most joint damage before surgery may be the most likely to benefit from total knee replacement.

MRI may spot arthritis unseen by X-ray
Source: Daily Rx

Osteoarthritis happens when joints and joint tissues wear down over time. Usually, doctors use X-ray imaging to see this joint damage. But another imaging technique may give doctors a better picture.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) spotted many signs of knee osteoarthritis in patients that had no signs of knee osteoarthritis in X-ray images.

Quit the bottle to build happy bones
Source: Daily Rx

Avoiding alcohol combined with regular exercise can help men build the bones lost from alcoholism, a new study has found.

The amount of osteocalcin, which is a protein in the bones and teeth, increased over the eight-week period as men continued to avoid alcohol.

This means that there was a "higher rate of bone formation during continuous abstinence," the authors said in their study.

Global efforts necessary to prevent fragility fractures due to osteoporosis
Source: Medical News Today

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has released a new report, revealing approximately 80 percent of patients treated in clinics or hospitals following a fracture are not screened for osteoporosis or risk of future falls. Left untreated, these patients are at high risk of suffering secondary fractures and facing a future of pain, disfigurement, long-term disability and even early death.

The report 'Capture the Fracture - A global campaign to break the fragility fracture cycle' calls for concerted worldwide efforts to stop secondary fractures due to osteoporosis by implementing proven models of care.

Reverse surgical solution for a painful shoulder
Source: Science Centric

A standard shoulder replacement, a decades old treatment for severe shoulder arthritis, would likely not have worked for her due to her deficient rotator cuff. However, a recently developed - and radically different - prosthesis, called a reverse total shoulder, offered the best chance of decreasing her pain and improving shoulder function.

'A normal shoulder is a ball-and-saucer joint, with its stability and motion governed to a large extent by the surrounding rotator cuff musculature,' said Dr Omer Ilhai, an orthopedic surgeon at The Methodist Hospital in Houston. 'In arthritis, the smooth cartilage overlying and cushioning the surface of the bones is worn away, leaving rough, exposed bone surfaces to rub against each other. This bone-on-bone contact is very painful and usually associated with joint stiffness.'

Recurring Shoulder Instability Injuries Likely Among Young Athletes Playing Contact Sports
Source: Science Daily

Summer is a peak season for many sports and with that comes sport-related injuries. Among those injuries is shoulder joint dislocation. According to a literature review in the August 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, most incidents of shoulder joint instability are the result of traumatic contact injuries like force or falling on an outstretched arm; a direct blow to the shoulder area; forceful throwing, lifting or hitting; or contact with another player.

Sports medicine physician recommends two high-tech tools to enhance patient care
Source: News Medical

Research shows that the average person only retains 15 to 20 percent of what he or she is told during a medical appointment. According to Matt Roth, MD, associate medical director for ProMedica Sports Care, when patients have the opportunity to view actual images of their anatomy and diagnosis, their understanding and retention improves.

Experts offer tips to help keep fall sports injury free
Source: USnews.com

Fall sports such as soccer, football and volleyball are in high gear and players need to take steps to prevent injuries, experts say.

Arthroscopic surgery for torn shoulder muscles in elderly patients can reduce pain
Source: News Medical

Repairing torn shoulder muscles in elderly patients is often discouraged because of fears of complications. But a new study conducted at Rush University Medical Center has shown that minimally invasive, or arthroscopic, surgery can significantly improve pain and function.

The study has just been published online in Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery and will appear in the October issue.

"In people over the age of 70, pain is the main issue, and pain relief is a fairly reliable outcome after surgery," said orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nikhil Verma, who led the study. "Patients do not require that their shoulder function be fully restored. They just want the pain to be gone." Verma is assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Rush.

With that requirement, Verma said, "age is not a contraindication" for the surgery.

PCL repair surgery did not lead to growth problems in pediatric, adolescent patients
Source: Healio.com

Following failed conservative treatment, PCL repair or reconstruction is a safe and viable treatment option for pediatric and adolescent patients with multiligament or isolated PCL injuries, according to recent study results.

Young Athletes: Injuries and Prevention
Source: MedicalNewsToday

High profile events like the Olympics bring the hope that witnessing and celebrating dedicated athletes at the top of their game, will inspire young people to take up sport and physical activities that help them develop confidence, lead more satisfying lives, and not least, secure long-term health by reducing their risk for developing chronic illness like diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

But unfortunately, if they don't take appropriate measures, young athletes can instead, end up in pain, on a different path to poor health, due to avoidable sport injury.

Study suggests new screening method for sudden death in athletes
Source: Medical News Today

A new study suggests that echocardiography be included as part of screenings to help identify student athletes with heart problems that could lead to sudden death.

What you need to know about thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms
Source: carpaltunnelsymptoms

Thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms might present as a burning, tingling and numb feeling felt within the arm, hands, and fingers. In thoracic outlet syndrome (also referred to as compression syndrome), the nerves and blood vessels are compressed or squeezed as they exit the neck space and journey into the shoulder and arm. If a nerve is compressed, you will notice weakness in your grip. If a vein is compressed, your hand may well feel cold, or flip pale or bluish. This text can take a deeper check into the signs related to this ailment, causes, diagnostic tests and medical treatments.

Autograft hip reconstruction provides good outcomes for athletes
Source: Medical News Today

A common, painful hip condition in elite athletes may be able to be repaired with an improved surgical technique, according to researchers presenting their work at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.

"In our review of 21 male, elite athletes who had hip pain and instability issues (hypoplastic or labrum tear), 81 percent returned to play at a similar level as before they were hurt, after receiving an arthroscopic reconstruction technique using an ipsilateral iliotibial band autograft," said research author, Marc J. Philippon, MD, of the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado.

Cartilage damage treated safely with platelet-rich plasma therapy
Source: Medical News today

When it comes to treating cartilage tears in athletes, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is a safe and effective method of treatment, according to research presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Baltimore.

"As athletic participation has grown," Kon noted, "new problems like cartilage lesions, or tears, continue to emerge. Finding the right approach to treatment is difficult, but PRP has emerged as a viable option according to our research."

Knee ligament injuries may be more common in men: study
Source: Reuters

Men have a greater number of knee ligament injuries than women, despite research suggesting that women's knees are more prone to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and surgeries to fix them, according to a Swedish study.

The report, published in the American Journal of Sports medicine, counted the injuries across the entire Swedish population, not just among players of particular sports or in certain regions.

Muscle wasting caused by aging and heart failure can be slowed by exercise
Source: MedicalNewsToday

Exercise can counteract muscle breakdown, increase strength and reduce inflammation caused by aging and heart failure, according to new research in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal. The benefits for heart failure patients are similar to those for anyone who exercises: there's less muscle-wasting, and their bodies become conditioned to handle more exercise. Age of the patients didn't matter, either, researchers found.

It’s baseball season -- and also shoulder-injury season
Source: NYDailyNews

As the pros warm up during spring training in Florida and Arizona, it’s a good time for recreational baseball and softball players also to consider how they can avoid injury.

“Unfortunately, as they’re gearing up for the spring season, some people always lose out due to injury,” says Parsons. “Throwing injuries and overuse often lead to shoulder pain, which for weekend warriors is most often due to a strain of the rotator cuff.

Treating traumatic shoulder injuries: new standards to improve patient care
Source: Medical NewsToday

Traumatic shoulder injuries that result in a patient visit to the ER often contain a secondary injury that can cause pain and discomfort in that part of the body after the primary injury has healed. By focusing on the primary injury, radiologists sometimes miss the secondary injury, which can compromise treatment effectiveness. Trainees in the Brigham and Women's Hospital Radiology Residency Program developed new protocols aimed at drawing ER radiologists' attention to the potential presence of secondary shoulder injuries. Better identification of these injuries could lead to improved patient outcomes.

Effect of timing of surgery in partially injured ACLs
Source: Healio.com

This study demonstrates an important and clinically relevant finding, adding support to the theory that early surgical reconstruction of partially injured ACLs is beneficial for protecting the intact bundle and menisci and promotes patients resuming a normal life. The results of the current study indicate that as the time between partial injury of the ACL and surgery increases, the risk of secondary loosening of the intact bundles and associated lesions increased gradually; therefore, the ruptured band of the ACL should be reconstructed early, which may not result in arthrofibrosis.

Knee injuries in women linked to motion, nervous system differences
Source: Healio.com

The reason women are more prone to knee injuries than men may go beyond differences in muscular and skeletal structure, according to researchers from Oregon State University.

“There are some muscular and skeletal differences between men and women, but that doesn’t explain differences in injury rates as much as you might think,” study author Samuel T. Johnson stated in an Oregon State University news release. “No one has really studied the role of the nervous system the way we have in explaining these differences, specifically the way sensory information is processed and integrated with motor function in the spinal cord.”

“We’re finding differences in nervous system processing,” Johnson stated. “The causes for those differences are unclear, but it may be due to either a biological difference, such as hormones, or a cultural difference such as different exercise and training patterns.”

Indications and techniques for hip arthroscopy continue to evolve
Source: Healio.com

"Hip arthroscopy is an evolving science," Charles A. Bush-Joseph, MD, of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, told Orthopedics Today. "We are clearly better able to more accurately diagnose hip and groin conditions. Industry is catching up. There has been dramatic innovation in the equipment surgeons use to perform these types of procedures, making them more reliable and reproducible."

High impact sports reduce durability of hip implants
Source: Healio.com

French researchers have confirmed that high-impact sport, such as jogging or soccer, increases the risk of total hip arthroplasty mechanical failure, according to a study published in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.

“Since participation in sport is now a reality for a significant number of total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients, surgeons may need to adapt their choices of bearing surfaces in implants to accommodate this growing trend,” the authors wrote.

Is carpal tunnel syndrome really just a wrist problem?
Source: EzineArticles

Most conventional carpal tunnel treatments focus solely on the wrist. This approach is, of course, designed to attempt to reduce symptoms of hand pain, numbness and/or weakness. However, the true cause is rarely sought after, hence, these treatments are often times worthless and, in the case of surgery, can actually make matters worse.

There are many factors that will often contribute to median nerve inflammation, which is primarily responsible for the symptoms seen with carpal tunnel syndrome. It can actually be due to problems or dysfunctions in the structures in and around the neck, the shoulder, the elbow, the wrist and/or hand. This is yet another case of a specific painful condition actually caused by something called a kinetic chain disorder pattern. A fancy name for dysfunctional movement issues anywhere along a chain. In this case the chain being the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.

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My rehab facility is now using Laser Therapy.
Source - LiteCure

Laser Therapy is an FDA cleared modality that reduces inflammation and ultimately results in pain reduction. Laser Therapy is effective in treating acute pain, chronic conditions and post-op pain.

Laser therapy treatment is safe, painless and fast. Deep Tissue Laser Therapy treatments are administered in 5 to 10 minutes. Typically patients see results after 3 to 5 treatment sessions. Deep Tissue Laser Therapy utilizes your body's own healing powers by stimulating celluar activity. Despite fast treatment times, laser therapy treatments initiate a healing process that continues to actively reduce inflammation for up 24 hours after treatment.

LiteCure Medical is the preferred brand of professional athletic trainers and is a clinically proven modality. LiteCure Medical is the leader in scientific research and education.

Increasing exercise capacity by cooling hands
Source - MedicalNewsToday

In the study, obese women who exercised while using the AvaCore Rapid Thermal Exchange (RTX palm cooling device) improved their exercise tolerance and cardiovascular fitness.

The cooling devices cooled the palms of the hand and circulating blood, thus pulling heat off the body.

Exercise linked to change in DNA
Source - MedicalNewsToday

The researchers explain that although the genetic makeup is not altered, DNA molecules change structurally and chemically when a person exercises. An example of this is the DNA gaining more or losing parts of methyl groups that are found on sequences of DNA families.

During the study, DNA within skeletal muscle was taken from people who had just experienced a round of exercise. The DNA showed less methyl groups than it had before the person's work out. The changes were found in the areas of DNA which work as stopping places for a certain kind of enzymes, called transcription factors. These enzymes are very important in terms of muscles and exercise.

Trampoline Advice Issued By Orthopedic Surgeons
Source - MedicalNewsToday

"Although trampolines can be fun for both kids and adults, they pose a high risk for injuries, especially when two or more people jump at one time. Orthopedic surgeons recommended that trampolines not be used in home environments or in outdoor playgrounds because of the high risk of injuries from this activity."

The AAOS has created an audio public service message as well as a position statement regarding trampoline safety in order to prevent injuries sustained from trampolines, rather than treat them.

In children with ACL injuries, surgery delay can cause irreparable meniscus tears
Source - MedicalNewsToday

For children aged 14 and under, delaying reconstructive surgery for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries may raise their risk of further injury, according to a new study by pediatric orthopaedic surgeons. If surgery occurs later than 12 weeks after the injury, the injury may even be irreparable.

ACL injuries have increased among children and young adults in recent years, possibly because of increased participation in high-level sports such as football, skiing, lacrosse, hockey and soccer, all of which place a high demand on the knees, where the ACL is located.

Pediatricians sound alarm on overuse sports injuries
Source - ScienceDaily

Children are prone to sport-specific trauma to the growth plates. For example, dancers, skaters and cheerleaders are vulnerable to ankle damage, while baseball and football players tend to injure their shoulders and elbows. Runners suffer shin pain and knee problems, while gymnasts are prone to wrist damage from repetitive weight bearing.

"The combination of repetitive use and skeletal immaturity puts these youngsters at high risk for injuries, some of them long-lasting, so it is really important that young children have whole-body conditioning and engage in a variety of athletic activities rather than one sport," Valasek says.

Stand Up: Your life could depend on it
Source - MedicalNewsToday

Standing up more often may reduce your chances of dying within three years, even if you are already physically active, a study of more than 200,000 people published in Archives of Internal Medicine shows.

The study found that adults who sat 11 or more hours per day had a 40% increased risk of dying in the next three years compared with those who sat for fewer than four hours a day. This was after taking into account their physical activity, weight and health status.

Can surgery help you stay in the game?
Source - Boston.com

Demand for joint replacement surgery, once confined largely to patients well past retirement age, has been growing rapidly among a class of people doctors have dubbed the "young actives'' - those in the 45 to 64 age group who are determined to stay fit.

Still, even with the rise of obesity and longer lives, public health researchers say the rate of joint replacement failures requiring revisions is about 1 percent a year, mostly in the relatively younger patients who "outlive'' the 10-to-20-year working life spans of their replacement joints. And as technique and technology have improved, the rates of infection, dislocations, and other complications have declined.

New method will increase likelihood of success in cartilage grafting procedures
Source — Medical News Today

For years, doctors have been able to treat defects in joint cartilage by grafting cartilage donated from cadavers into patients' bad joints. Using current methods, donated cartilage can be stored for 28 days for a transplant before the tissue becomes too degraded to transplant into a patient. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri have found a way to store donated cartilage more than twice as long.

In a study due to be published in the Journal of Knee Surgery, Cook and Aaron Stoker from MU's Comparative Orthopaedic Laboratory, Clark Hung and Eric Lima from Columbia University, and James Stannard, the J. Vernon Luck Sr. Distinguished Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery in the MU School of Medicine, tested tissue using their patented system, which includes storing the tissue at room temperature in a specially designed container and storage solution. The researchers found that their system preserved transplant-quality tissue for as long as 63 days. The collaborative team of researchers also developed a way to monitor the quality of the stored tissue simply by testing a few drops of their patented storage solution.

New treatment for tennis elbow
Source: eorthopod.com

Steroid injections are no longer routinely recommended for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). Instead, physical therapists offer an alternative treatment in the form of something called iontophoresis.

In this article, the use of steroid injection is compared with iontophoresis delivered in two different ways. Iontophoresis uses a small electric current to drive steroid medication through the skin. It is a noninvasive method of reducing the pain of tennis elbow.

Prevent back, neck and shoulder pain from prolonged sitting and bad posture
Source - Natural News. com

Back, neck and shoulder pain is the natural result of prolonged sitting at work behind a computer, as is bad posture. This can cause headaches and excessive tension in neck, shoulders, arms, forearms, wrists, back, hips, thighs and legs.

Preventing back and neck pain while sitting is not an exact science as there are many differing opinions on the subject. However, there are some common denominators on which most chiropractors and other medical professionals agree

Treatment of traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation in patients older than 60 years
Source - MD Linx

The accurate diagnosis of associated injuries after traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation in patients older than 60 is critical for the recovery of shoulder function because more than half of patients had rotator cuff tears or anterior capsulolabral lesions, which may lead to recurrent shoulder dislocation.

Satisfactory clinical outcomes without recurrence were obtained after early detection of abnormalities and different treatment modalities based on associated injuries and the number of dislocations experienced.

Monitored heart bracelets may prevent sudden death in sport
Source: Science Daily

The use of heart bracelets connected via ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to a system of tracking and monitoring could prevent cases of sudden death in sports activities. It could also enable an early detection of cardiac abnormalities, the prevention of certain muscle injuries and the improvement in health care times to the athlete.

The possibility of sudden death can begin to take shape with cardiac abnormalities detectable until 60 minutes before cardiac arrest occurs. The use of these bracelets enables to control these anomalies, and other aspects such as cardiac abnormalities generated by the consumption of doping substances, thus improving the completeness and reducing the costs of today's sport controls.

PRP treatment aids healing of elbow injuries say researchers
Source: Medical Xpress

As elbow injuries continue to rise, especially in pitchers, procedures to help treat and get players back in the game quickly have been difficult to come by. However, a newer treatment called platelet rich plasma (PRP) may pose hope, according to researchers presenting their findings at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day meeting in San Francisco.

Some seniors at greater risk of falls and hip fractures due to undiagnosed neurological disorders
Source: Medical News Today

Hip fractures are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. Cervical myelopathy is a common neurological condition that can diminish balance and coordination. Undiagnosed neurological disorders may predispose patients to falls and fractures. Screening for cervical myelopathy should be standard care for all hip fracture patients, to reduce the risk for additional falls and fractures.

More new knees for baby boomers
Source — Dailyrx Relevant Health News

When traditional treatments do not work, many osteoarthritis patients turn to joint replacement surgery. Even though this surgery is common, there is little information on how many younger patients go through with it.

The rates of partial and total knee replacement surgery for those under 60 years of age have increased over the past few decades, according to a recent Finnish study. Throughout the study, women had higher rates of knee replacement than men.

According to Dr. Leskinen, "Given that younger patients may be at higher risk of artificial knee joint failure and thus in need of a second replacement surgery, long-term data are needed before widespread use of total knee arthroplasty is recommended for this patient population."

Biomet receives FDA clearance for two new products: E1® humeral bearing for the comprehensive® reverse shoulder system and the comprehensive® segmental revision system
Source — Freshnews.com

The E1® humeral bearing with exclusive Antioxidant-Infused Technology is the first Vitamin E advanced bearing option for reverse shoulder applications. Biomet first applied the clinically successful1 E1® technology to its hip and knee products. The integration of E1® technology into the Comprehensive® Reverse Shoulder portfolio will provide surgeons and patients with an advanced bearing surface with oxidative stability, high strength and low wear.

The FDA also cleared Biomet’s Comprehensive® Segmental Revision System (SRS), a humeral replacement system designed to address significant bone loss, both proximally and distally. The Comprehensive® SRS offers oncologic options, soft tissue attachments, and multiple sizing options, and is compatible with the Comprehensive® Shoulder system and the Discovery® Elbow system.

“This system is particularly helpful for surgeons specializing in revision shoulder or elbow surgery where modularity and intra-operative flexibility is critical,” said Quin Throckmorton, MD, orthopaedic surgeon, Memphis, Tennessee.

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