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Make no bones about it: The female athlete triad can lead to problems with bone health
Source: Medical Xpress
Participation in sports by women and girls has increased from 310,000 individuals in 1971 to 3.37 million in 2010. At the same time, sports-related injuries among female athletes have skyrocketed. According to a new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), women with symptoms known as the "female athlete triad" are at greater risk of bone stress injuries and fractures.
Panel discusses epidemic of youth sports injuries, role of prevention programs
Source: Healio
At Orthopedics Today Hawaii 2015, we convened a special Banyan Tree session to talk about injuries in youth athletes. This is a real problem that all orthopedic surgeons see on a regular basis — one that, I think, is still under-recognized. In this Orthopedics Today Round Table, we highlight the discussion, particularly as it relates to overhead sports, as well as how orthopedic surgeons can play a role in stemming the tide of injuries. We also talk about innovations to help with prevention and treatment, as well as the role of the STOP Sports Injuries and Pitch Smart programs.
Osteochondral autograft transplantation may offer higher rate of return to pre-injury athletics
Source: Healio
Among patients who underwent cartilage repair of the knee, osteochondral autograft transplantation enabled a much higher rate of return to pre-injury athletics, according to results presented at the International Cartilage Repair Society Annual Meeting.
Subclinical hyperthyroidism associated with an increased risk of hip and other fractures
Source: Science Daily
In an analysis that included more than 70,000 participants from 13 studies, subclinical hyperthyroidism was associated with an increased risk for hip and other fractures including spine. Subclinical hyperthyroidism is a low serum thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration in a person without clinical symptoms and normal thyroid hormone concentrations on blood tests.
Exercise science study shows no increased risk of injury from uphill/downhill running
Source: Medical Xpress
Like many runners, former BYU track star Katy Andrews Neves has had her share of injuries. Unlike most runners, one of those injuries has been witnessed by millions of people around the world.
Common hip issue in teens misdiagnosed as pulled muscle
Source: Science Daily
An athlete felt pain in his groin after a collision at the plate with an opposing player. He thought he had pulled a muscle, but it turns out he was suffering from a common condition seen in teens and young adults known as hip impingement.
Why treating shoulder pain in baseball pitchers and other throwing athletes is so difficult
Source: Science Daily
Despite increasing medical knowledge, treating shoulder pain in baseball pitchers and other throwing athletes remains one of the most challenging tasks in sports medicine. Results of treatment as not as predictable as patients, doctors or coaches would like to think.
Osteoporosis: Steroid Danger
Source: Ivanhoe
10-million Americans have osteoporosis and 18-million more are at risk. The bone disease leads to an increase in fractures in the hip, spine and wrist accounting for one-point-five million painful fractures each year and one woman's harrowing story of recovery is inspiring.
Link possible between oral contraceptive use, ACL injury in females
Source: Healio
Researchers from Denmark have uncovered a potential link between oral contraceptive use and instances of ACL injuries that required surgical intervention in women. The researchers evaluated 4,497 women who were treated operatively for an ACL injury between July 2005 and December 2011 and 8,858 age-matched, uninjured controls.
The difficulties of treating shoulder pain in baseball pitchers
Source: Medical News Today
Results of treating shoulder pain in baseball pitchers and other throwing athletes are not as predictable as doctors, patients and coaches would like to think, according to a report in the journal Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.
Prompt, appropriate medical care for dislocated shoulder injuries
Source: Science Daily
Prompt and appropriate treatment of a dislocated shoulder -- when the head of the upper arm bone is completely knocked out of the shoulder socket -- can minimize risk for future dislocations as well as the effects of related bone, muscle and nerve injuries, according to a literature review.
In pro baseball pitchers, weak core linked to more missed days
Source: MedicalXpress
New research suggests that professional baseball pitchers with poor core stability are more likely to miss 30 or more days in a single season because of injury than are pitchers who have good control of muscles in their lower back and pelvis.
"The core could help prevent injury by spreading out the energy load, allowing pitchers to use their legs more and their throwing arm less," Chaudhari said. "A stabilized core lets energy pass through it rather than getting lost as the core moves around, leading to less torque on the shoulder and elbow and better efficiency that helps with performance."
Recovery regression seen in athletes who return from concussions too quickly
Source: Healio
High school athletes who returned to the field after being medically cleared within 60 days of a concussion experienced significant regression in their ability to walk and do simple mental tasks simultaneously, according to results from a University of Oregon study.
The study included 19 adolescents with concussion who returned to preinjury activity within 2 months following injury and 19 uninjured, matched controls. Researchers had participants complete symptom inventories, computerized cognitive testing, and single- and dual-task gait analyses at five time points: within 72 hours of injury and again at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month and 2 months.
Changes in walking speed and/or balance were seen in 12 out of 19 athletes, according to a University of Oregon press release. Ten of the 12 had returned to activity in less than a month. Seven athletes, who performed similarly to uninjured control subjects, had returned to action more than 20 days after their injuries.
“We had seen this same type of curve in an earlier study of college athletes,” study author Li-Shan Chou, PhD, said in the press release. “We didn’t have any evidence linking it to a return to activity, but we did discuss that possibility, because we knew that they usually were permitted to return to practice 2 weeks after a concussion.”
The current standard for allowing most athletes to return to activity is based mostly on self-reports of symptoms and individual assessments of cognition or motor function, according to the release.
Reference:
Howell DR. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014; doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000462
High success rates seen for combined meniscal, ACL repair
Source: Healio
Concurrent meniscal and ACL repair has shown high rates of success, according to a presenter here.
Researchers evaluated 235 patients from the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) who underwent both unilateral primary ACL reconstructions and concurrent meniscal repair between 2002 and 2004. Of the meniscal repairs, 154 were medial, 72 were lateral and nine underwent both.
Validated patient-oriented outcome data (KOOS, WOMAC) scores, Marx activity scores and IKDC scores were recorded at 2 and 6 years follow-up. Failure of meniscal repairs was determined by subsequent ipsilateral repair.
“This represents the largest cohort combining meniscus repair and ACL reconstruction follow-up for a minimum of 6 years,” Robert W. Westermann, MD, said during the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting.
Overall, 86% of meniscal repairs were successful at 6-year follow-up; of these, 86.4% were medial meniscal repair, 86.1% were lateral meniscal repairs and 77.8% were in cases where both were repaired, according to Westermann.
Of the 33 repair failures, nine (27.3%) were related to revision ACL surgery. On average, medial meniscal repairs failed sooner than lateral repairs (2.1 years vs. 3.7 years).
KOOS Symptoms, KOOS Pain, KOOS KRQOL, WOMAC Pain, and IKDC values all improved significantly when comparing baseline scores to 6-year follow-up, according to Westermann. Marx Activity levels gradually declined from time of injury to 6-year follow-up. — by Christian Ingram
Reference:Westermann RW. Paper #44.Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 10-13, 2014; Seattle.
Disclosure:Westermann has no relevant financial disclosures.
Bone-patellar tendon-bone ACL grafts show more tunnel motion than hamstring grafts
Source: Healio
Patients with bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts have more tunnel motion rather than mid-substance stretch 6 weeks after ACL reconstruction when compared to patients with hamstring grafts, according to data presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting.
James N. Irvine, MD, and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh prospectively studied 16 patients who had anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction done either with bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) grafts or hamstring grafts. Average patient age was 20 years, and both groups had identical tunnel locations, drilling and fixation. Data were available for 6 BTB patients and 6 hamstring patients.
The researchers embedded six 0.8-mm tantalum beads into the ACL grafts before implantation. Pairs of beads were placed within each bone tunnel and in the graft mid-substance. They obtained CT scans 6 weeks after surgery and used them to create 3-D femur and tibia bone models. Irvine and colleagues then fit cylindrical coordinate systems to the bone tunnels to assess tunnel motion and collected dynamic stereo X-ray images while patients walked and descended stairs. They defined graft-tunnel motion as the maximum displacement of the implanted beads along the bone tunnel axis after foot strike.
According to study results, both groups exhibited graft motion within the femoral and tibial tunnels, with more femoral tunnel graft motion seen in the BTB group during walking and stair descent. There was more BTB graft motion in the femoral tunnel than in the tibial tunnel.
For the hamstring grafts, researchers observed more graft motion in the tibial tunnel than in the femoral tunnel.
The researchers found no difference in knee kinematics between the grafts and no evidence of faster integration of BTB grafts over hamstring grafts. Furthermore, there was no detectable mid-substance strain in either group and no difference in knee kinematics, Irvine said.
“Quantitive MRI will be useful to further assess graft healing. Additional time points would be useful to better define rehabilitation protocols and return to sport,” he said.
A 1-year follow-up test is underway to see if the pattern reverses as graft-tunnel healing progresses. – by Kristine Houck, MA, ELS
Reference:Irvine JN.Paper #22.Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 10-13, 2014; Seattle.
Disclosure: Irvine has no relevant financial disclosures.
Shoulder activity not associated with severity of atraumatic rotator cuff tear
Source: Healio
Among patients with atraumatic rotator cuff tears, shoulder activity was not associated with severity of the tear, but was affected by patients’ age, sex and occupation, according to study results.
Researchers prospectively enrolled patients with an atraumatic rotator cuff tear on MRI in the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network shoulder study of nonoperative treatment. Patients were asked to complete a previously validated shoulder activity scale; 434 patients completed the scale and were included in the analysis. Mean patient age was 62.7 years.
The researchers performed a regression analysis to assess the association of shoulder activity level to rotator cuff tear characteristics, including tendon involvement and traction, as well as patient factors such as age, sex, smoking and occupation.
Shoulder activity was not associated with severity of the rotator cuff tear, according to the researchers. However, shoulder activity was negatively associated with age and female sex. According to the regression model, 69-year-old patients with rotator cuff tears were 1.5 points less active on the 20-point scale vs. identical 56-year-old patients; female patients were 1.6 points less active vs. similar male patients. Occupation was also a significant predictor of shoulder activity level, with unemployed patients predicted to be 4.8 points less active compared with employed patients.
Identifying risk factors for ACL re-injury
Source: Medical News Today
Re-tearing a repaired knee Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) happens all too frequently, however a recent study being presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting suggests that identification and patient education regarding modifiable risk factors may minimize the chance of a future ACL tear.
Positive outcomes seen at long-term follow-up after meniscal repair
Source: Healio
Arthroscopic meniscal repair was found to have a high probability of positive outcomes at long-term follow-up, according to a presenter here.
“Most patients did not have subsequent surgery until 5 years or greater following their initial repair,” Karen K. Briggs, MPH, MBA, said during her presentation at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting.
In the study, researchers analyzed 206 patients who underwent arthroscopic meniscal repair. Repair failure was defined by subsequent meniscal surgery (either re-repair or meiscectomy) or if the knee was converted to total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Demographic data, SF12 physical component score and the mental component score, Lysholm score, WOMAC score, IKDC score, Tegner activity scale and patient satisfaction (1-10 scale) were all recorded. Average follow-up was approximately 14 years.
Overall, 64 knees were classified as failures (47 meniscectomies, 14 menicsal re-repairs, three TKAs). Average SF-12 physical component score was 54, and average mental component score was 54. The average Lysholm value at final follow-up was 86, average WOMAC value was 6 and the average IKDC value was 73, according to Briggs. Median Tegner activity scale value was 6, and median patient satisfaction score was 9.
Older patients did not experience an increase in failure of repair. —by Christian Ingram
Reference:Steadman JR. Paper #45.Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 10-13, 2014; Seattle.
Disclosure: The authors received research support from Smith & Nephew, Arthrex, Ossur and Siemens.
Autografts may improve ACL reconstructions
Source: Medical News Today
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstructions occur more than 200,000 times a year, but the type of material used to create a new ligament may determine how long you stay in the game, say researchers who presented their work at the Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine (AOSSM).
Rotator Cuff Repair and Immobilization
Source: MethodistOrthopedics
Shoulder rotator cuff repair aims to suture torn rotator cuff tendons and provide them with the optimal environment to heal and minimize chance of retear. Overall retear rates have decreased over the years, but are still a major concern. Better suture techniques have been thoroughly investigated but there is less attention paid to the rehabilitation protocol. Currently the gold standard for rehabilitation after surgery is to wear an abduction brace and begin physical therapy for passive range of motion within the first few weeks. As surgical techniques have evolved from open surgery to arthroscopic surgery, there are questions as to whether this rehabilitation protocol is ideal. Animal studies have shown that longer periods of immobilization are beneficial to healing after rotator cuff repair.
Predictors of successful ACL reconstruction identified
Source: Medical News Today
Researchers have found that a patient's age and the type of tissue graft have a direct impact on ACL reconstructive surgery (ACLR) outcomes, according to an exhibit presented at the 2014 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting in New Orleans.
ACL injury risk reduced in young athletes by universal neuromuscular training
Source: Medical News Today
The ACL is a critical ligament that stabilizes the knee joint. An ACL injury, one of the most common sports injuries, often requires surgery and a lengthy period of rehabilitation before an athlete can return to sport and other activities. Recent research has found that screening tools, such as "hop" or isokinetic (computer/video) tests to identify neuromuscular deficits, as well as neuromuscular training programs, may reduce ACL injuries.
Improving healing in Achilles tendon injuries by embedding stem cells inside sutures
Source: Medical News Today
Achilles tendon injuries are common for professional, collegiate and recreational athletes. These injuries are often treated surgically to reattach or repair the tendon if it has been torn. Patients have to keep their legs immobilized for a while after surgery before beginning their rehabilitation. Athletes may return to their activities sooner, but risk re-rupturing the tendon if it has not healed completely.
82% of college football players return to field after ACL surgery, shows study
Source: News Medical
High-level college football players frequently return to the field after an ACL reconstruction, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Specialty Day. The study added to earlier research by exploring specific factors that affected return to play, including player standing on rosters and year in school.
How to Prevent Winter Sports Injuries
Source: Source:US News
Get out and enjoy winter but take steps to protect yourself from common ski- and snowboard-related injuries such as sprains, strains, dislocations and fractures, an orthopedist says
"No matter your skill level, everyone is susceptible to injury on the slopes," said Dr. Allston Stubbs, an associate professor of orthopedics at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, said in a center news release. "Most of these injuries happen at the end of the day, so you may want to think twice before going for 'one last run,' especially when you're tired."
Read moreReducing the risk of falls by motivating older people to do preventative exercise
Source: Medical News Today
Simple strength and balance training can effectively help to prevent falls, but Bournemouth University research shows only a minority of older people will carry out these exercises.
New probe could help determine severity of rotator-cuff injuries
Source:MedicalXpress
A new ultrasound probe that has been developed at Clemson University could take some of the guesswork out of determining the severity of rotator-cuff injuries, making it easier for doctors to decide whether patients need surgery.
Study Finds Shoulder Replacement Eases Pain, Improves Motion in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Source: MedicalNewsToday
Shoulder arthritis is a common problem for rheumatoid arthritis patients: pain and difficulty moving their arms can grow so severe that daily tasks and sleep become difficult. If medication and physical therapy aren't enough, shoulder replacement surgery is a common next step.
Childhood Fractures May Indicate Bone-Density Problems
Source: Science Daily
Broken bones may seem like a normal part of an active childhood. About 1 in 3 otherwise healthy children suffers a bone fracture. Breakage of the bone running from the elbow to the thumb side of the wrist (distal forearm fracture) is the most common. It occurs most often during the growth spurt that children typically undergo in early adolescence.
A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way to Prevent Disease in Children
Source: Science Daily
Studies conducted by the Appalachian State University Human Performance Laboratory at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis, N.C., show that when children increase their level of physical activity, they experience positive health benefits quickly. Benefits include less body fat, increased muscular strength and reduced risk factors for major diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic and lifestyle-related disorders.
Overuse Injuries, Burnout in Youth Sports Can Have Long-Term Effects
Source: Science Daily
As an emphasis on competitive success in youth sports has led to intense training, frequent competition and early single sport specialization, overuse injuries and burnout have become common. Given these concerns, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) has released a new clinical report that provides guidance to physicians and healthcare professionals who provide care for young athletes
Knee osteoarthritis risk unaffected by moderate exercise
Source: Medical News Today
A new study suggests that the risk of middle-aged and older adults developing knee arthritis is unaffected by doing up to 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity, the level recommended by the US government.
Knee arthritis leading cause of disability and joint pain
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage and underlying bone in a joint break down, leading to bony overgrowth, pain, swelling and stiffness.
The joints most affected are the knees, hips and those of the hands and spine. The condition, for which there is currently no cure, develops gradually, usually in the over-40s.
Surgeons successfully use suture bridge technique for Achilles tendon reattachment
Source: Healio
A suture bridge technique with bone anchors to reattach the Achilles tendon in cases of insertional Achilles tendinosis resulted in no postoperative ruptures at the 24-month follow-up. Ninety-seven percent of patients successfully performed the single heel rise test at the final postoperative visit.
Study: Older patients at increased risk of DVT after Achilles tendon rupture
Source: Healio
After a study they conducted showed high rates of deep venous thrombosis following Achilles tendon rupture, researchers recommended that physicians be more attuned to symptoms of the thrombotic condition and educate patients about the signs of possible deep venous thrombosis. They also advocated for early mobilization after these tendon ruptures, particularly in older patients.
Rotator cuff tears
Source: Medical Observer
This Update looks at the anatomy, assessment and management of rotator cuff tears.
The rotator cuff is a set of tendons that surround the humeral head and seat the head in the glenoid which in turn allows overhead function. They are crucial tendons and commonly injured. The most commonly injured of the four tendons is the supraspinatus, particularly, at its insertion into the greater tuberosity on the humeral head.
Dedicated OR for joint arthroplasty decreases operating time
Source: Healio
In a dedicated operating room for joint arthroplasty, researchers found an improved time of 19 minutes per procedure compared to a traditional operating room, according to this study.
“The dedicated [operating room] OR system significantly decreased operative time, anesthesia controlled time, and turnover time for [total knee arthroplasty] TKA and [total hip arthroplasty] THA procedures, without increasing complication rates,” Wael K. Barsoum, MD, and colleagues wrote in the study. “Further studies are required to determine what benefits are made possible by these time savings, but may include improvements in employee satisfaction and retention, cost savings to the hospital, and/or opportunity to increase surgical volume.”
Corticosteroid injections may help injured NFL players return to play sooner
Source:
Eurekalert
Corticosteroid injections may speed-up the return time for National Football League (NFL) players suffering high ankle sprains, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. Players treated with these injections typically returned 40% faster or approximately 10 days earlier than those not receiving the same treatment.
12 Minutes Of Exercise A Week Could Be Enough To Stay Fit
Source: Medical News Today
Regular exercise training improves maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), but the optimal intensity and volume necessary to obtain maximal benefit remains to be defined. A growing body of evidence suggests that exercise training with low-volume but high-intensity may be a time-efficient means to achieve health benefits.
Joint Replacement
Source: townandstyle
More than 1 million people undergo a hip or knee replacement each year, according to the National Institutes of Health
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 PietroTonino, 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.
Walking Reduces Heart Risk As Much As Running
Source: Medical News Today
Brisk walking can reduce a person's risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol just as much as running can.
Walking and running provide an ideal test of the health benefits of moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running because they involve the same muscle groups and the same activities performed at different intensities."
Losing Your "Sole": Is Barefoot Running Right For You?
Source: Medical Breakthrough
A Wake Forest University study finds up to 65 percent of runners suffers an overuse injury each year. More and more are looking for new ways to avoid these aches and pains. Now, there’s one trend that some swear by, but you may have to say goodbye to what many consider to be the most important piece of running gear.
Sidelined from Sports Specialization
Source: DailyRx.com
Sports injury more likely in young athletes who specialize in one sport
Competition among young athletes can be fierce—so fierce, in fact, that some athletes may play their sport more than they can handle. And that intense focus on one sport may put these growing athletes at risk of serious injury.
High Heart Rate At Rest Signals Higher Risk Of Death Even In Fit Healthy People
Source: Medical News Today
A high heart rate (pulse) at rest is linked to a higher risk of death even in physically fit, healthy people, suggests research published online in the journal Heart.
Help Young Pitchers Avoid Overuse Injuries
Source: US news
The start of baseball season is a good time for parents and coaches to talk to young pitchers about how to prevent overuse injuries, an expert suggests.
Bones, muscles and connective tissues are not fully developed in most children up to age 16, so too much pitching can lead to injury, explained Dr. Michael Freehill, an assistant professor of orthopedics at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Doctors inject medicine into Affton High honors class
Source: stl today
Dr. Jason Young, dressed in surgical scrubs, relaxed Thursday in an office next to the classroom where he was going to teach a medical class.
What can I do to protect my child from concussions when playing sports?
Source: uberflip
As more children compete in sports, the rate of concussions increases. It is estimated that nearly 300,000 concussions are reported yearly in the United States. In Children under 5 the most common cause of a concussion is a fall.
Rotator Cuff Tears
Source: Ladue News
Among the most common orthopedic injuries, rotator cuff tears cause shoulder pain and temporary disability for millions of people each year. And while we associate rotator cuff injuries with baseball pitchers who are constantly putting strain on the shoulder, this problem is most often diagnosed in adults age 60 and older.
“Only about 8 to 10 percent of rotator cuff tears actually are caused by a traumatic event such as lifting overhead, falling, etc. In actuality, rotator cuff tears occur in the general population due to tendon degeneration caused by a multitude of factors,” says Dr. Jason Young, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist with Orthopedic Associates.
How to melt a frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
Source: Fitness wellness News
Those who suffer a frozen shoulder know it’s not easily shrugged off. Often, it’s not easily moved at all. Combined with a gripping pain and radiating aches, this condition really gets you in its clutches. Here are tips when you’re ready for a meltdown...
Most never give a thought to their shoulders and all the mechanics involved for their daily functioning. Until one day, for seemingly no explanation at all, they demand attention.
Although lifting a heavy object can trigger low back pain and an overstuffed pillow can kink your neck, the shoulder seems to suddenly protest for no reason. And when it does, don’t even think about a simple act like waving hello or flagging a taxi. A frozen shoulder also makes a lousy bed-partner. Dare to shift your arm the “wrong” way during the night, and it can interrupt sleep for hours with its complaining.
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.
BMD better preserved with resurfacing arthroplasty than THA
Source: Healio
Pressfit resurfacing hip arthroplasty was found to better preserve periacetabular bone mineral density (BMD) than conventional total hip arthroplasty (THA) in this randomized controlled trial that included 71 patients.
New hip replacement approach offers multiple benefits
Source: Daily Republic
It’s no fun walking around with an ailing hip; anyone with severe arthritis knows that kind of pain all too well. For years, orthopedic surgeons have been performing total hip replacements when less invasive options don’t provide the desired results.
The bottom line for those who have hip pain that significantly interferes with their quality of life is that there’s no need to suffer. If non-operative treatments don’t provide the long term relief, hip replacement or resurfacing may be the answer.
Baby boomers feed need for joint replacements; Docs seeing more patients under age of 65
Source: Daily News
US baby boomers are fueling a wave of joint replacement surgeries, hoping to use new artificial knees and hips to stay active as they get older.
The 45-64 age group accounted for more than 40 percent of the more than 906,000 total knee or total hip replacement surgeries in 2009, the last year for which figures were available from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Boomers will account for a majority of these joint replacements in 2011, according to projections by Drexel University specialist Steven Kurtz.
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.
Sports training and ACL reconstruction should focus on unique characteristics of the female knee
Source: Medical News Today
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 Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS).
New Concussion Test For Young Athletes
Source: Medical News Today
Parents with young athletes at risk for head injuries can now take advantage of a new type of concussion test offered at the University of Mississippi Medical Centre."Concussions are a hot topic," said Dr. William Mustain, Ph.D. audiologist and the director of UMMC's Vestibular Laboratory.
"This test will not only help determine if a concussion has occurred, but it can also ... help answer the vital question: When is it safe for the athlete to play again?"
The lab's staff recently learned of this new use for a piece of equipment already on hand: the Computerized Dynamic Post urography device, which features a large rectangular frame resembling a gutted refrigerator.
Preventing Athletic Injuries Due To Excessive Heat And Cold Exposure
Source: Medical News Today
Extreme heat or cold can cause dangerous and potentially fatal side effects in athletes. A literature review appearing in the December 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS) provides an overview of the risk factors, signs and symptoms, and management of various conditions related to excessive heat and cold exposure.
Adolescent athletes show asymmetric function in knee after ACL reconstruction
Source: Healio.com
Adolescent athletes who underwent ACL reconstruction showed a decreased vertical ground force in their operated limb after surgery, which researchers cited as potential factor for reinjury when returning to sport, according to this study.
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.
Rotator cuff anchor launched by DePuy Mitek
Source: News Medical
DePuy Mitek, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of orthopaedic sports medicine products and soft tissue repair devices, announced the launch of the HEALIX ADVANCE™ Family of Suture Anchors, a comprehensive new system of rotator cuff anchor and instrumentation solutions.
The HEALIX ADVANCE Anchor is the company’s next generation suture anchor that includes the dual thread fixation technology of previous versions, but adds a new multi-thread design that enables faster insertion into hard bone and an awl only bone preparation, in most cases. Dual thread technology independently engages both cancellous and cortical bone to maximize fixation and pull-out strength.
Healthy Bones: Calcium Counts
One in two Caucasian women will fracture a bone due to osteoporosis. If the fracture is in the hip, there is a 20 percent chance the patient will die in the year following the fracture. Less than half of the women who suffer a hip fracture will regain their pre-existing level of function.
