Knee
Additional oblique MRI improved diagnosis of ACL tears
Source: Healio
The accuracy of diagnosing an ACL tear and efficacy in detecting ACL remnant tissue was improved with the additional use of oblique MRI, according to recently published study.
Better posture can help ease shoulder pain from impingement
Source: UT Sandiego
Shoulder pain from impingement occurs frequently as the rotator cuff tendons and sometimes a bursal sac get pinched under the roof of the shoulder blade or the acromion. People with a downward slope of the acromion, or who have developed bone spurs from arthritis in the adjacent acromioclavicular (AC) joint, are more susceptible to developing such impingement.
The mechanism causing this disorder may be a gradual or sudden elevation of the ball of the shoulder joint, squishing the described soft tissues against the acromion roof. The rotator cuff muscles are responsible for keeping the ball of the shoulder joint down and away from the roof as we elevate the arm.
Relief for Rotator Cuff Tears — Research Summary
Source: Ivanhoe.com
The rotator cuff is made up of tendons and muscles in the shoulder. The tendons and muscles connect the upper arm bone with the shoulder blade and they hold the ball of the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket. The combination means greater range of motion of any joint in the body. A rotator cuff injury can include any type of irradiation or damage to the tendons and muscles. Causes of an injury can include lifting, falling, and repetitive arm activities (usually those that are done overhead like throwing a baseball). About 50 percent of rotator cuff injuries can heal with self-care or exercise therapy.
Neuraxial anesthesia improves outcomes in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement
Source: News-Medical.Net
A highly underutilized anesthesia technique called neuraxial anesthesia, also known as spinal or epidural anesthesia, improves outcomes in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement, according to a new study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery. The study, which appears in the May issue of the journal Anesthesiology, found that neuraxial anesthesia, a type of regional anesthesia, reduced morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay and costs when compared with general anesthesia.
Using neuraxial anesthesia over general anesthesia reduced the risk of pulmonary compromise by twofold in knee replacement patients and over threefold in hip replacement patients.
Embrace the Knee Brace
Source: dailyRx
It’s been established that braces for the knees can provide relief from pain and protection from injury. But until now, not much was known on whether knee braces can pinpoint pain in the kneecap.
Knee braces can ease pain from osteoarthritis specifically in the kneecap, according to a study recently presented at a conference.
The findings show that the brace is a step forward from relying on painkillers and reducing the chances of needing joint surgery, according to researchers.
Fat cells in knee secrete a protein linked to arthritis
Source: News-Medical.Net
Scientists have discovered that fat cells in the knee secrete a protein linked to arthritis, a finding that paves the way for new gene therapies that could offer relief and mobility to millions worldwide.
“We found that fat in the knee joints secretes a protein called pro-factor D which gives rise to another protein known as factor D that is linked to arthritis,” said Nirmal Banda, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “Without factor D, mice cannot get rheumatoid arthritis.”
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.