News Updates
Considering hip surgery? How robotics could improve your outcome
Source: Chicago Tribune
In the last decade, we have been introduced to major technological advances such as self-driving cars and virtual home assistants. It was only a matter of time until robotics revolutionized medicine and healthcare.
Satisfactory results seen in revision THA with acetabular reinforcement, HA granules, autograft
Source: Healio
Using acetabular revision for loosening as an endpoint, investigators of this study found more than 90% acetabular component survival at 10 years among patients who underwent revision total hip arthroplasty for acetabular bone deficiency using a Kerboull-type acetabular reinforcement device to support hydroxyapatite granules and structural autograft.
Activity could help keep knees lubricated
Source: Science Daily
Cartilage is filled with fluid — about 80% of the volume of the cartilage tissue — that plays the essential roles of supporting weight and lubricating joint surfaces. Loss of this fluid, called synovial fluid, results in a gradual decrease in cartilage thickness and increase in friction, which is related to the degradation and joint pain of osteoarthritis. Since cartilage is porous, fluid is readily squeezed out of the holes over time. Yet the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis usually take decades to develop. Researchers have now proposed a mechanism that explains how motion can cause cartilage to reabsorb liquid that leaks out.
Higher rates of obesity seen over time in patients undergoing revision TKA
Source: Healio
DALLAS — Research presented here at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting found patients undergoing revision total knee arthroplasty have become significantly more at risk for obesity in recent years.
Bats and balls, not base runners, cause worst injuries to major league catchers
Source: Medical Xpress
Contrary to popular belief, the worst injuries baseball catchers face on the field come from errant bats and foul balls, not home-plate collisions with base runners, according to findings of a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Stiff shoulders less likely to re-tear after rotator cuff repair vs non-stiff shoulders
Source: Healio
Patients who had preoperative shoulder stiffness and those who developed stiffness at 6 weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively after rotator cuff repair were less likely to experience a re-tear compared with patients who had no stiffness, according to results presented here.
What constitutes good treatment of tennis elbow?
Source: Medical Xpress
What is the best treatment for acute tennis elbow? Physiotherapy? Cortisone? A combination? Or might you just as well forego treatment?
The two most common treatments for tennis elbow are physiotherapy and cortisone injections. It is unclear which of these gives the best result, and diagnosis can be problematic for general practitioners.
Factors affected variability in PF instability injuries among high school athletes
Source: Healio
Understanding that patterns of patellofemoral instability injuries among high school athletes may vary by sport, sex and type of exposure, which investigators in this study found, may help with the formulation of new injury prevention strategies and to decrease the risk of further patellofemoral instability injuries.
Similar results seen for ACL reconstruction with autograft, hybrid graft
Source: Healio
Satisfactory and similar subjective and objective clinical outcomes were reported in a study of patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction with either hybrid graft or autograft.
Researchers call for consideration of pre-injury status in ACL reconstruction evaluations
Source: Healio
Investigators who studied outcomes following ACL reconstruction said they believe patients' pre-injury status has been overlooked in determining postoperative results.
Greater strength, endurance found in quadriceps after PCL tear vs ACL tear
Source: Healio
Compared with ACL tears, the quadriceps muscle of the injured limb had greater strength and endurance after PCL tears, according to study results.
Treatment of shoulder instability helps return collegiate athletes to playing field
Source: Medical News Today
Athletes who suffer a shoulder instability injury may return to play more successfully after being treated arthroscopically compared to nonoperative treatment, say researchers presenting their work at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting.
Which Patients Are at Greatest Risk for Readmission after THA?
Source: ICJR
A recently published multi-center study provides guidance on modifiable risk factors orthopaedic surgeons can address prior to surgery to reduce the chances of patients being readmitted following total hip arthroplasty.
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.
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.
3D Imaging and Templating May Improve Glenoid Positoning in Anatomic TSA
Source: International Congress for Joint Reconstruction
In this prospective, randomized, controlled study, Ianotti et al compared glenoid implant positioning in 3 patient cohorts: 25 patients who underwent anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) with 3D CT imaging and templating
Splint-based treatment may yield high restoration rate for ACL
Source: Healio
LYON, France — A splint-based conservative treatment yielded the same high rate of anatomical and functional restoration of the ACL as seen in a smaller, previously reported study, according to results presented at the International Society for Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Biennial Congress, here.
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.
University of Iowa team developing bioactive gel to treat knee injuries
Source: Medical News Today
Injectable gel encourages self-healing of cartilage
Knee injuries are the bane of athletes everywhere, from professionals and college stars to weekend warriors. Current surgical options for repairing damaged cartilage caused by knee injuries are costly, can have complications, and often are not very effective in the long run. Even after surgery, cartilage degeneration can progress leading to painful arthritis.
High risk of capsular restretching found among women and elite athletes
Source: Healio
Even after successful arthroscopic Bankart repair and capsular shift, women, elite athletes and patients with frequent dislocations were at high risk of capsular restretching, according to study results.
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.
University of Iowa team developing bioactive gel to treat knee injuries
Source: Medical News Today
Injectable gel encourages self-healing of cartilage
Knee injuries are the bane of athletes everywhere, from professionals and college stars to weekend warriors. Current surgical options for repairing damaged cartilage caused by knee injuries are costly, can have complications, and often are not very effective in the long run. Even after surgery, cartilage degeneration can progress leading to painful arthritis.
High risk of capsular restretching found among women and elite athletes
Source: Healio
Even after successful arthroscopic Bankart repair and capsular shift, women, elite athletes and patients with frequent dislocations were at high risk of capsular restretching, according to study results.
An Anterior-based Muscle-sparing Approach to THA
Source: International Congress for Joint Reconstruction
A 66-year-old female who has acetabular protrusio and end-stage osteoarthritis of the right hip undergoes total hip arthroplasty through the ABM Sparing approach. According to the authors, this approach avoids the complications of wound healing that can occur with an approach that crosses the hip flexion crease, as well as avoids cutting muscle.
What Is the Future of Mobile-bearing Acetabular Components?
Source: International Congress for Joint Reconstruction
Mobile-bearing acetabular components are a relatively new design option for total hip arthroplasty. The goal of these components, say the manufacturers, is to allow a better fit with the patient's anatomy, provide greater mobility, and create a stable hip that's less prone to dislocation.
A hip and trunk training program for athletes reduces ACL injuries
Source: Medical Xpress
With the help of the Hockeyroos UWA researchers have developed a hip and trunk training program that could reduce the high rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in all levels of sport.
Year-round baseball in the South could lead to more injuries, according to UF Health research
Source: Medical News Today
Baseball pitchers are prone to elbow injuries, but pitchers who live or play in the South are at even more risk, a new University of Florida Health study finds.
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.
Osteoarthritis patients will benefit from jumping exercise
Source: Medical Xpress
Progressive high-impact training improved the patellar cartilage quality of the postmenopausal women who may be at risk of osteoporosis (bone loss) as well as at risk of osteoarthritis. This was found out in the study carry out in the Department of Health Sciences at University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The effects of high-impact exercise were examined on knee cartilages, osteoarthritis symptoms and physical function in postmenopausal women with mild knee osteoarthritis. The study was conducted in cooperation with the Central Finland Central Hospital and the Department of Medical Technology, Institute of Biomedicine in University of Oulu in Finland.
Study shows substantial benefits in obese patients after hip arthroscopy
Source: Healio
Although obese patients undergoing hip arthroscopy started with lower absolute scores preoperatively and ended with lower overall absolute postoperative scores, they showed substantial benefit from surgery, demonstrating a degree of improvement similar to non-obese patients, according to study results.
Hip Resurfacing: A Better Option for Some
Source: Ivanhoe
Every year, 330-thousand Americans undergo surgery to replace hip joints that have been damaged by age or overuse. After surgery, most patients can go back to their normal activities but no running, no jumping and no high impact sports for some people who have been very physically active. Now, new research shows hip resurfacing may be the better option to get them back on their feet.
High hip survival rate seen after hip arthroscopy in patients with dysplastic hips
Source: Healio
Seventy percent of patients with hip dysplasia who underwent hip arthroscopy did not require total hip arthroplasty at 5 years and demonstrated improved outcome scores, quality of life and patient satisfaction, according to data presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.
“In the difficult patient population of those with dysplastic hips, arthroscopy has had a controversial role,” said Marc J. Philippon, MD,managing partner of the Steadman Clinic and co-chair and board member of the Steadman Philippon Research Institute. “There is not much evidence to support treatment by arthroscopy in this group. But, a correlation has been shown between hip dysplasia and early-onset osteoarthritis, tears of the labrum and joint failure in the young patient.”
Philippon and his colleagues evaluated data from a prospective data registry to determine survivorship, defined as not requiring total hip replacement, at 3 years to 8 years after hip arthroscopy in patients with dysplastic hips. A single surgeon performed all consecutive hip arthroscopies in the data registry from 2005 to 2011.
Inclusion criteria were primary hip arthroscopy for labral pathology and femoroacetabular impingement with no previous total hip replacement or resurfacing and a center edge angle of 20° or less. Patients were excluded if they were professional athletes or had hip fracture, hips with bone grafting, bone plugs, hemicap implant performed during arthroscopy, underlying hip disease such as Legg-Calve-Perthes, pigmented villonodular synovitis, synovial chondromatosis or labral reconstruction during arthroscopy.
Researchers identified 11 hips that met the inclusion criteria. Patients were an average age of 39 years and the study included six women and five men. Their average center edge angle was 16°, and their average alpha angle was 69°. All hips had a labral repair, 10 had a femoral neck osteoplasty, and five had a minimal acetabular rim trimming.
Three patients required total hip arthroplasty: a 50-year-old patient at 12 months after the index hip arthroscopy, a 42-year-old patient at 15 months and a 58-year-old patient at 25 months. Two of these patients had a joint space of less than 2 mm.
For those patients who did not require total hip replacement, preoperative modified Harris hip scores improved from 55 points to 74 points postoperatively. The postoperative SF-12 physical component score was 53.2 points and the mean SF-12 mental component score was 53 points. Patients rated their satisfaction at a median of nine out of 10.
”Patients requiring total hip replacement were older and two of the three had limited joint spaces” Philippon said during his presentation. Hip arthroscopy was successful in the younger dysplastic adult with adequate joint space. Patients improved in function and symptoms. They had good general physical and mental health, and high patient satisfaction was reported. We use hip arthroscopy as a first stage in treatment, often to assess the cartilage and the status of the labrum, and we coordinate further treatment in the patient when indicated. – by Tina DiMarcantonio
References:Philippon MJ. Paper #411. Presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; March 11-15, 2014; New Orleans.
Revision preservation with hip arthroscopy successful after failed primary procedure
Source: Healio
After failed primary hip preservation surgery, revision with hip arthroscopy achieved moderately successful outcomes on the basis of multiple patient-reported outcome scores, according to study results.
All patients who underwent revision hip preservation with arthroscopy from April 2008 to December 2010, including patients who had previous open surgery and underwent revision with arthroscopy, were included. The researchers obtained patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores preoperatively and at 3-month, 1-year, 2-year and 3-year follow-up time points. Using a multiple regression analysis, the researchers looked for positive and negative predictive factors for improvement in PROs after revision hip arthroscopy.
Overall, 47 hips in 43 patients had completed 2 years' follow-up or needed total hip arthroplasty. Sixty-six percent of the hips had either unaddressed or incompletely treated femoroacetabular impingement.
At a mean 29 months after revision, the researchers found a significant improvement in all PRO scores, as well as improvement in VAS scores. The Non-Arthritic Hip Score showed improvements of at least 10 points in 65% of hips and of at least 20 points in 44% of hips. According to study results, four hips in three patients required conversion to total hip arthroplasty.
The researchers found previous open surgery, pincer impingement, cam impingement, symptomatic heterotopic ossification and segmental labral defects treated with labral reconstruction to be positive predictive factors for PRO improvement.
Disclosures: Jackson, Domb, Stake, Lindner and El-Bitar received support from the American Hip Institute. Domb also received support from MAKO Surgical and Arthrex.
Primary hip arthroscopy showed favorable outcomes for torn acetabular labrum
Source: Healio
Primary arthroscopy of the torn acetabular labrum had favorable outcomes and evidence of good healing, according to study results.
Researchers assessed patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with the modified Harris Hip Score; 37 patients underwent primary repair of a torn acetabular labrum and had reached 2 years' follow-up over a 4-year period. The researchers also evaluated the ratio of labral refixations after pincer femoroacetabular impingement correction to primary repairs for perspective on the frequency of this procedure.
Modified Harris Hip Score showed a mean improvement of 18.9 points, with 92% of hips showing improvement, including good and excellent results. Articular damage was seen in 21 hips, ligamentum teres in 14 hips, cam femoroacetabular impingement in 11 hips, borderline dysplasia in three hips, dysplasia in two hips and iliopsoas in two hips.
At a mean 10 months postoperatively, four patients underwent repeat arthroscopy, and the labral repair site was fully healed in each of these cases. Overall, the researchers did not observe any complications.
Disclosures: Byrd received support from Smith & Nephew, A3 Surgical and Springer Medical Publishing. Jones also received support from Smith & Nephew.
Speaker: Hip arthroscopy has a role in the management of FAI in adolescents
Source: Healio
Hip arthroscopy can be used in the management of adolescents with symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement, according to data presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, here.
This study reports favorable outcomes of arthroscopic management of [femoroacetabular impingement] FAI in adolescents with results at least comparable to an adult population. Concomitant procedures and revision surgery are both more common among adolescents and there is certainly a propensity for athletes in both groups, J.W. Thomas Byrd, MD, said.
Byrd and colleagues at the Nashville Sports Medicine Center prospectively assessed 122 consecutive hips among 108 adolescent patients who had arthroscopic surgery for symptomatic FAI. The adolescent group was 55% female with an average age of 16 years. The matched control group was 122 patients with an average of 36 years and was 58% male. Minimum follow-up was 1 year with an average follow-up of 30 months. Overall, 96% of the adolescents participated in athletics compared with 61% of the adults in the control group.
The average improvement in the modified Harris Hip Score was 23 points for the adolescent group and 21 points for the adult group. For the adolescent group, FAI correction was performed for 36 cam and 17 pincer lesions and for 69 combined lesions. There were 111 labral tears that required 85 refixations and 26 debridements. There were 101 acetabular chondral lesions with four microfractures. There were three femoral chondral lesions. The researchers removed seven loose bodies and debrided 19 lesions of the ligamentum teres. Concomitant extraarticular procedures included 13 iliopsoas tendon releases and two iliotibial band tendinoplasties.
Among the adult cohort, the researchers performed FAI correction for 53 cam and 5 pincer lesions and for 64 combined lesions. There were 103 labral tears that required 52 refixations and 50 debridements. There were 112 acetabular chondral lesions with 20 microfractures and 17 femoral chondral lesions. The researchers removed 17 loose bodies and debrided 21 lesions of the ligamentum teres in the adult group. Concomitant extraarticular procedures included four iliopsoas tendon releases and one abductor repair.
Four adolescents needed repeat arthroscopic surgery and one patient underwent a periacetabular osteotomy. One adult patient had repeat arthroscopic surgery. – by Kristine Houck, MA, ELS
Reference:Byrd JWT. Paper #32.Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 10-13, 2014; Seattle.
Disclosure: Byrd is a consultant to and receives research support from Smith & Nephew Endoscopy and is a consultant to and has stock in A3 Surgical.
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.
Positive results for meniscal allograft transplantation surgery for young athletes with knee pain
Source: Medical News Today
Patients undergoing meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) surgery require an additional operation approximately 32% of the time, but overall see a 95% success rate after an average five-year follow-up, according to new research released at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Specialty Day.
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.
Houston Methodist sports medicine experts discuss important facts about mouthguards
Source: News Medical
After every play, we all see the athletes adjusting their mouthguards, but what do they actually protect? Houston Methodist sports medicine experts discuss important facts about mouthguards.
Can wearing a mouthguard prevent a concussion?
"No, mouthguards cannot prevent a concussion," said Dr. Vijay Jotwani, a sports medicine-focused primary care physician with Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. "Mouthguards do not affect the movement of the brain within the skull and cerebrospinal fluid, so they are ineffective at reducing the forces on the brain that cause concussions."
Kids Who Played Sports Made Healthy Food Choices
Source: Daily Rx
Playing a sport is a healthy physical activity for kids, but does it promote healthy food and drink choices as well?
Over 75 percent of boys and 69 percent of girls in middle elementary grades play sports. It has already been shown that high school kids who play sports eat more fruits and vegetables than those who don't play sports, but food and drink habits in elementary kids who play sports have not been well studied.
Brain-training game improves vision and success of baseball players
Source: Medical News Today
In baseball, vision can play a key role in a player's success. If they have trouble seeing the ball, chances are they could be out after three strikes. But new research from the University of California, Riverside, suggests that a brain-training video game could help to improve the vision of baseball players and, in turn, help them win more games.
Ready to Get in Shape? Ease Into Exercise, Experts Say
Source: US News
Watching the Winter Olympics in Sochi may inspire some to get off the couch and begin working out or playing sports, but it's important to ease into these activities, an expert suggests.
"Just watching these events can serve as a tremendous inspiration to shape up, change or start a physical activity or sports regimen," Jim Thornton, president of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, said in a news release from the group.
How to Prevent Winter Sports Injuries
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."
Reducing 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.
Smith & Nephew DYONICS(TM) PLAN brings first-of-its-kind, individualized surgical planning to hip arthroscopy
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN;LSE:SN), the global medical technology business, will launch its DYONICS PLAN Hip Impingement Planning System at this week's American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting in New Orleans. Unlike standard imaging tools, DYONICS PLAN is a revolutionary 3D software system that allows surgeons to visualize, assess and generate a comprehensive surgical report for each patient's unique Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) surgery before that patient ever enters the operating room.
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.
Improper way of working out may do more harm than good
Source: News Medical
With the coming of the new year, many people will vow to get in shape after overindulging during the holidays. However, not knowing the proper way to work out might do more harm than good.
Nearly 500,000 workout-related injuries occur each year. One reason is people want to do too much too fast and overuse their muscles. These injuries occur gradually and are often hard to diagnose in the bones, tendons and joints. Another reason is poor technique during weight and other training.
Kids Teased in Pys-Ed Class Exercise Less a Year Later
Source: Science Direct
A new study found that children who were bullied during P.E. class or other physical activities were less likely to participate in physical activity one year later.
Overweight or obese children who experienced teasing during physical activity had a lower perceived health-related quality of life (referring to physical, social, academic and emotional functioning) one year later. Even children with a healthy weight who were bullied during physical activity tended to exercise less often one year later.
When Winter Fun Isn't So Fun
Source: US News (Health)
Winter sports and snowy day activities provide lots of exercise and fun, but there's also the risk of injury, an expert warns.
More than 700,000 injuries are reported each year in the United States due to sledding. More than 30 percent are head injuries, caused by collisions," Dr. Daryl O'Connor, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital.
Multidisciplinary treatment can help with pain after TKA or THA
Source: Healio
Multidisciplinary pain treatment has been shown in a recent study to one way to aid patients following total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty procedures.
In the study, investigators found that multidisciplinary pain treatment (MPT) ”has beneficial short-term and mid-term effects on subjective pain intensity, physical capability and depression levels in patients with persistent pain after joint arthroplasty,” lead author Christian Merle, MD, MSc, and colleagues, wrote.
Merle and colleagues conducted a retrospective study that followed 40 patients (mean age 62 years) with persistent unexplained pain following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) that previous treatments were unable to rectify. The procedures were performed between April 2007 and April 2010.
The evaluations, which were done before MPT, after 3 weeks of MPT and at 32 months mean follow-up, focused on the patients' pain intensity, physical capability and psychological status, according to the study.
All the scores used showed a significant improvement at the completion of MPT over the baseline pain scores. At 32 months' follow-up, pain intensity, physical capability and depression levels deteriorated slightly, but were significantly better than at baseline.
The results showed 79% of the 34 patients available for final follow-up reported a reduction in pain on the Numeric Rating Scale of 0.5 to 5.0 points. All patients reported pre-MPT NSAID use, 41% of patients continued to use NSAIDs and15% of them reported using opioids after 32 months.
Because MPT helps to alleviate unexplained pain following TKA and THA, Merle and colleagues noted in the study it may help patients avoid exploratory revision surgery.
Rose Needs Surgery on Torn Right Meniscus
Source: Chicago Tribune
Derrick Rose had so looked forward to the warm embrace that awaited him on Sunday.
With friends and family looking on from where he makes his offseason home, Rose was scheduled to play the Clippers in a matinee at the Staples Center. That's mere miles from where he spent so many grueling hours rehabilitating his torn left anterior cruciate ligament over many of the previous 19 months.
Instead, Rose was headed back to Chicago on Sunday, facing more surgery early this week and uncertainty after an MRI exam confirmed a medial meniscus tear to his right knee. The Bulls said Rose will be sidelined indefinitely.
Young athletes at risk for lower back injuries
Source: Medical News Today
Lower back injuries are the third most common injuries suffered in athletes under age 18, according to a study presented by sports medicine physician NeeruJayanthi, MD.
Many injuries are severe enough to sideline young athletes for one-to-six months, and put them at future risk for long-term back problems.
Hours spent in organized sports may predict young athlete injury
Source: Medical News Today
Athletes ages 8 to 18 who spend twice as many hours per week in organized sports than in free play, and especially in a single sport, are more likely to be injured, according to an abstract presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando.
Exercise may prevent fall-related injuries in older adults
Source: Medical News Today
New research suggests that exercise programs aimed at preventing falls in older adults may also prevent injuries caused by falls. This is according to a study published in the BMJ.
These injuries can have serious implications on a person's mobility and independence, increasing the risk of discharge to a nursing home, as well as incurring high economic costs.
Jamming to music at the gym helps physiologically
Source: Medical News Today
Many runners and gym-goers may have noticed that listening to music sometimes helps with running the last 400 meters or completing those final 20 reps. And now, researchers in Germany have found that controlling music while doing strenuous activity actually reduces the perceived effort.
When exercising, women have greater shortness of breath than men
Source: Medical News Today
The reason women find it harder to breathe than men during exercise is due to greater electrical activation of their breathing muscles,
It is well established that women experience greater shortness of breath during physical activity, from stair climbing to long-distance running, than men of a similar age. This is true in healthy young and older adults, as well as in patients with chronic heart and lung disease. This study is the first to explain why this happens.
J&J to pay $2.5B to settle hip-replacement lawsuits
Source: Modern Healthcare
Johnson & Johnson will pay about $2.5 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits filed by patients who already underwent surgery to replace the company's faulty metal-on-metal hip implants, which failed at higher rates than traditional hip implants and were eventually recalled.
About 8,000 patients who had revision surgery before Aug. 31 are part of the settlement, the New Brunswick, N.J.-based healthcare company said. More patients who received Johnson & Johnson's metal-on-metal hip implants are expected to undergo revision surgeries in the future.
Women more likely to tear ACL due to ‘knock knees'
Source: Medical News Today
Researchers say that women are nearly four times more likely to suffer from a tear to the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee than men, but that it may be prevented by a different ”landing strategy.”
ACL injuries are defined as a tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament inside the knee joint. The injury causes the knee to swell, and the joint becomes too painful to bear weight.
These injuries are very common in sports where the participants are required to do many ”jump stops and cuts.“ This includes basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball.
Physical activity decreases sudden cardiac death risk in unfit men
Source: Medical News Today
Dr Laukkanen said: ”Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for approximately 50% of deaths from coronary heart disease. SCD typically occurs shortly after the onset of symptoms, leaving little time for effective medical interventions, and most cases occur outside hospital with few or no early warning signs.
Finding ways to identify individuals at elevated risk of SCD would allow early interventions on risk factors to be implemented.”
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.
Contact-sport brain trauma may affect personality and cognition
Source: Medical News Today
Scientists have discovered that repeated brain trauma, which commonly occurs in athletes, may affect behavior, mood and thinking abilities, according to a study published in the journal Neurology.
All athletes had been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) following death. CTE is a brain disease linked to repeated brain trauma – most commonly found in athletes.
Insomnia helped with exercise – eventually
Source: Medical News Today
A new US study finds that it takes as long as four months for patients with insomnia to benefit from regular daily exercise.
It also finds that poor sleep can cause people to reduce the amount of exercise they do, and the researchers urge people with insomnia to persist and not expect exercise to be a quick cure.
Retired NFL players may not suffer unique cognitive disorder
Source: Medical News Today
The media have widely reported that retired NFL players are at risk for a neurodegenerative disorder called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which causes symptoms such as aggression, depression, suicidality and progressive dementia.
Fitness facilities more likely to have AEDs which improve survival odds following sudden cardiac arrest
Source: Medical News Today
People experiencing sudden cardiac arrest at exercise facilities have a higher chance of survival than at other indoor locations, likely due to early CPR and access to an automated external defibrillator (AED), among other factors, according to a study published online today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The findings underscore the importance of having AEDs in places where people exert themselves and are at greater risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
Combating Sports-Related Concussions: New Device Accurately and Objectively Diagnoses Concussions from the Sidelines
Source: Science daily
In the United States there are millions of sports-related concussions each year, but many go undiagnosed because for some athletes, the fear of being benched trumps the fear of permanent brain damage, and there is no objective test available to accurately diagnose concussions on the sidelines.
Balance tests are a primary method used to detect concussion. The current means of scoring these tests relies on the skill of athletic trainers to visually determine whether or not a concussion has occurred.
Sports Medicine Physician Advises Parents to Not Let Their Kids Play Football
Source: Science daily
The most common football injuries are knee injuries, especially to the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament (ACL/PCL). Other common injuries are ankle sprains, shoulder injuries and overuse injuries that cause back pain and patellar tendonitis (knee pain). Heat stroke is a significant risk during summer training camp.
Young athletes may have a more prolonged recovery and are more susceptible to concussions accompanied by a catastrophic injury.
Athletes Need to Be Careful to Monitor Diet, Weight to Maintain Muscle Mass
Source: Science daily
Athletes seeking a healthy performance weight should eat high fiber, low-fat food balanced with their training regimen in order to maintain muscle while still burning fat, according to a report by an Oregon State University researcher.
Depending on the sport, athletes sometime want to either lose weight without losing lean tissue, or gain weight, mostly lean tissue, she said. This is very difficult to do if you restrict caloric intake too dramatically or try to lose the weight too fast. Doing that also means they don't have the energy to exercise or they feel tired and put themselves at risk of injury.
Stress Fracture Risk May Be Modifiable
Source: Science daily
The incidence rate for stress fracture injuries among females was nearly three times greater when compared to males. Knee rotation and abduction angles when landing were both associated with the rates of lower-extremity stress fractures, as were reduced knee and hip flexion angles, and increased vertical and medial ground reaction forces.
Lower extremity movement patterns and strength have previously been associated with stress fractures and overuse injuries; however, our study is one of the first to identify dynamic knee rotation and frontal plane angles as important prospective risk factors for lower extremity stress fractures.
A Popular Myth About Running Injuries
Source: NY times
Almost everyone who runs (or has shopped for running shoes) has heard that how your foot pronates, or rolls inward, as you land affects your injury risk. Pronate too much or too little, conventional wisdom tells us, and you'll wind up hurt. But a provocative new study shows that this deeply entrenched belief is probably wrong and that there is still a great deal we don't understand about pronation and why the foot rolls as it does.
Monitoring Nutrient Intake Can Help Vegetarian Athletes Stay Competitive
Source: Science daily
”Vegetarian athletes can meet their dietary needs from predominantly or exclusively plant-based sources when a variety of these foods are consumed daily and energy intake is adequate,” Ghosh wrote in his presentation.
Vegetarians should find non-meat sources of iron, creatine, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium because the main sources of these typically are animal products and could be lacking in their diets. Vegetarian women, in particular, are at increased risk for non-anemic iron deficiency, which may limit endurance performance. In addition, vegetarians as a group have lower mean muscle creatine concentrations, which may affect high-level exercise performance.
In People With Fibromyalgia, Pain Is Not Worsened By Regular, Moderate Exercise
Source: Medical News Today
For many people who have fibromyalgia, even the thought of exercising is painful.
”For many people with fibromyalgia, they will exercise for a week or two and then start hurting and think that exercise is aggravating their pain, so they stop exercising,” Ang said. ”We hope that our findings will help reduce patients' fear and reassure them that sustained exercise will improve their overall health and reduce their symptoms without worsening their pain.
Muscle Adaptation Of Transition To Minimalist Running
Source: Medical News Today
For tens of thousands of years, humans ran on bare feet. Then we developed an assortment of specialized shoes, including – particularly since the 1960s – a seemingly limitless variety of running shoes. Despite the perceived advantages of foot protection, some runners in recent years have returned to barefoot running, believing it is a more natural way to run and therefore less injurious to the feet and legs.
No Gym Necessary: 4 Anywhere-Exercises
Source: US news
Quit the gym. Or rather, if the 40 or 50 bucks you shell out each month for a membership is shrinking your wallet, remember that folks have been exercising since long before the days of ellipticals and spin classes. Many exercises can be done just about anywhere, any time. Squats in the office; push-ups as the pasta cooks; lunges during ”Game of Thrones”—there's no need to pay cash for these moves, just cold, hard calories. Below, five fitness experts with a collective six-pack of 30 abs (don't think about the math too hard) dole out their favorite exercises that require no gym, no trainer and barely any equipment.
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.”
Heart Health Of Men With Type 2 Diabetes Improved By Soccer Training
Source: Medical News Today
Soccer training makes the heart ten years younger
”We discovered that soccer training significantly improved the flexibility of the heart and furthermore, that the cardiac muscle tissue was able to work 29% faster. This means that after three months of training, the heart had become 10 years ”younger”, explains Medical Doctor, PhD Student, Jakob Friis Schmidt, who co-authored the study alongside with PhD student, Thomas Rostgaard Andersen. He adds:
When Athletic Shoes Cause Injury
Source: NY times
Sometimes innovative science requires innovative machinery, like a moveable, four-legged robotic sled that can wear shoes, a contraption recently developed and deployed by researchers at the University of Calgary to test whether grippy athletic shoes affect injury risk.
It's well known, of course, that shoe traction influences athletic performance, especially in sports that involve sprinting or cutting, meaning abrupt rapid shifts in direction. In broad terms, more traction leads to better results.
Platelet-Rich Plasma May Have Edge in Jumper's Knee
Source: Medscape
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections might be more helpful to athletes with jumper's knee than focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), according to Italian researchers.
Dr. Mario Vetrano told Reuters Health by email that both approaches “seem to be safe and promising as part of the treatment of jumper's knee patients. However, both treatments share the same disputes: lack of hard evidence through randomized clinical trials and no standardized treatment protocols.â€
To compare outcomes, Dr. Vetrano and colleagues at Sapienza University of Rome studied 46 athletes with tendinopathy due to overuse of the knee extensor mechanism.They randomized their patients to receive either two autologous PRP injections over two weeks under ultrasound guidance, or three sessions of focused ESWT. Both groups then went on to a standardized stretching and muscle strengthening protocol.
Given minimal or no pain after four weeks, patients were allowed to gradually return to previous training activity. Complete return to sports took place in accordance with the patient's pain tolerance and recovery.
A blinded reviewer made assessments before and up to 12 months after treatment. The findings were published online February 13th in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Both groups showed benefit, and there were no significant between-group differences in outcome measures at two months. No clinically relevant side effects were seen in either group.
However, at six and 12 months, the PRP group showed significantly greater improvement in Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Patella questionnaire and pain visual analogue scale. At 12 months, the PRP group also had significantly better modified Blazina scale scores.
Both approaches seem promising, but “given current knowledge,†say the investigators, “it is impossible to recommend a specific treatment protocol.â€
Nevertheless, as Dr. Vetrano concluded, “The analysis of our study showed comparable results in both treatment groups at short term, with better results in the PRP group at six and 12 month follow-ups.â€
Platelets Win Against Tennis Elbow Pain
Source: DailyRx
Tennis elbow pain diminished through plasma enriched platelet therapy
If that repeated, twisting arm motion becomes painful, the pain might be tennis elbow, even in non-tennis players. Rest is often the first step to healing, and there may be a new way to decrease the pain.
Chronic tennis elbow pain was improved through plasma enriched platelet (PRP) therapy up to six months after treatment, according to a study presented at a conference.
Platelets, or sticky substances found naturally in the blood stream, can release healing proteins when activated and ease inflammation and pain, though the findings have not yet been peer-reviewed.
Treatment With Platelet-Rich Plasma Shows Potential For Knee Osteoarthritis
Source: Medical News Today
A study by researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery has shown that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) holds great promise for treating patients with knee osteoarthritis. The treatment improved pain and function, and in up to 73% of patients, appeared to delay the progression of osteoarthritis, which is a progressive disease.
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.
The fate of new hips in women
Source: DailyRx.com
Hip joint replacements can help patients regain normal mobility. But just like any surgery, risks are involved in hip replacement. And women may have a higher risk than men when it comes to failure of the new hip.
Women were slightly more likely than men to have a failed hip replacement within three years of surgery, according to a new study.
The findings highlighted the risks and precautions patients should consider before deciding to get a new hip.
More intense activity results in greater polyethylene wear for THA patients
Source: Healio
More intense activity, rather than amount of activity, has been linked with greater in-vivo polyethylene wear in highly crosslinked polyethylene implants, according to a results of a study from the Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting.
Based on this information, patients can be better instructed on what protects their joint form wear and what activities can be performed without affecting longevity, Senden said. “Given our results, patients can protect the longevity of their implants without being less active.
What's it like: To get hip replacement surgery
Source: Newsok.com
Joint degeneration from age, wear or disease can drive a doctor's decision to replace your hip joint. Learn what the surgery and recovery is like.
ACL Insurance Insight
Source: Medical Breakthrough
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.
Of the roughly 200,000 ACL injuries a year, nearly 100,000 of those are fixed with surgery. The cost of surgery ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 dollars, followed by months of rehab. It typically takes six to twelve months after surgery to get back to normal activity.
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.
Physical Activity Really Does Enhance Cognition
Source: Medical News Today
Exercise doesn't only strengthen your heart and muscles – it also beefs up your brain. Dozens of studies now show that aerobic exercise can increase the size of critical brain structures and improve cognition in children and older adults.
University of Illinois psychology professor Art Kramer, a nationally recognized expert on the role of physical fitness on cognition, discussed these brain-changing outcomes at a session of the 2013 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston. Kramer is the director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the U. of I.
Sitting For Long Hours Increases Risk Of Chronic Diseases
Source: Medical News Today
Sitting for long hours is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, according to recent research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
The study, led by Kansas State University researcher Richard Rosenkranz, was carried out on a sample of 63,048 Australian men aged 45-65.
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.
Lady Gaga's Hip Labral Tear
Source: Ginger Garner
Lady Gaga's tour operators, Live Nation, announced February 14, 2013 that she would be cancelling the remainder of her tour due to a hip injury. You may not know one single song that Lady Gaga sings (I don't), so why, you are thinking, should I be interested in this news?
Lady Gaga thanks her fans after surgery on her hip
Source: BBC
The singer had to cancel the last part of her Born This Way Ball world tour after suffering from synovitis, an inflammation of the joints.
Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement Means Faster Recovery
Source: Birmingham MedicalNews
The vast majority of surgeons use the posterior approach for hip replacement, entering at the butt and cutting through the large gluteus maximus muscle, then detaching the deep muscles, as well as the small muscles controlling hip rotation, to reach the hip joint. Its major surgery, with muscle cut from the bone and an extensive recovery period, but it's been the preferred method, in large part, because the hip joint is well exposed.
Surgery to Preserve Hips in Young Patients on Rise
Source: medicine.utah.edu
Young patients with hip pain have traditionally found themselves caught halfway between hurting and hip replacement. Unless the damage is obvious and dire, no one's wild about replacing the joint, because artificial joints wear out over time and, eventually, younger patients will require a return trip to the operating room for yet another set of hips.
Computer-Assisted Robotic Hip Replacement Surgery
Source: bonesmart.org
In computer-assisted robotic surgery, a robot acts as an extension of the surgeon's eyes and hands in a minimally invasive surgery to replace an arthritic hip. The robotics help surgeons operate more effectively through a smaller incision.
Bursitis: A Source of Hip Pain
Source: EverydayHealth
Your body limits friction between bones and tendons with fluid-filled sacs called bursae. Swelling and irritation of one or more of these sacs is called bursitis. You can get bursitis in any of your major joints such as knees, shoulders, and hips.
How Hip Pain Affects Your Body
Source: EverydayHealth
Your hips — the ball-and-socket joints formed by the pelvic bone and the end of the femur bone – are pretty strong, and it takes a good deal of force to injure them. However, if you have hip pain, it may cause you to feel pain elsewhere in the body. Patients who have hip pain may also complain of hip and knee pain, hip and leg pain, or hip and shoulder pain.
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 orthopaedic 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 orthopaedic surgery at Rush.
With that requirement, Verma said, “age is not a contraindication†for the surgery.
New hip replacement technique offers faster recovery with less pain
Source: Medical News Today
A new hip replacement strategy, an anterior approach technique, allows the patient to experience less pain, have a quicker recovery, and improved mobility.
The majority of hip replacement surgeries are done using other techniques because many hospitals do not yet offer the anterior approach. However, people are becoming increasingly aware of its benefits. Within the next 5 to 10 years, Dr. Rees believes that it will become the primary technique.
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 Orthopaedic 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.
Evaluation of the patient with shoulder complaints
Source: Wolters Kluwer Health
Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint that may be due either to intrinsic disorders of the shoulder or referred pain. The former include injuries and acute or chronic inflammation of the shoulder joint, tendons, surrounding ligaments, or periarticular structures.
A complex network of anatomic structures endows the human shoulder with tremendous mobility, greater than any other joint in the body. The shoulder girdle is composed of three bones (the clavicle, scapula, and proximal humerus) and four articular surfaces (sternoclavicular, acromioclavicular, glenohumeral, and scapulothoracic) (figure 1A-C). The glenohumeral joint, commonly referred to as the shoulder joint, is the principal articulation.
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.
Fewer injuries occur and more concussions are diagnosed in high schools with athletic trainers
Source: dailyRX
Where there are athletic trainers, there are lower rates of injury overall in high schools, a new study presented at a conference has found.
This study's findings mean athletic trainers can show the proper way to exercise and treat an injury.