Orthopedics Medical Library Stories & Articles

A biomedical engineering team is forming to develop what would be a revolutionary self-hardening putty made of bioactive nanoporous silicon that could be molded to any shape in order to repair crushed or shattered leg bones."Fracture Putty" Envisioned for Shattered Leg Bones)

If you're at all a sports fan, or an athlete yourself, you've probably heard of the anterior cruciate ligament. It's commonly injured. Now a new study shows what happens to NFL players who are sidelined by their acl's, and it's not good news... ( Read more about ACL Injuries with NFL Players | Orthopedics)

If you've tried all the pain medicines, the heat packs, and you still have aching knees, there's new evidence that acupuncture might help with your osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of joint disease, and the most common... ( Read more about Acupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis)

For 25 years Robert Reid kept active by practicing karate, playing football, softball, and basketball. But, his love for sports took a toll on his body. Robert developed arthritis in his knees and would need surgery.

What is the Atlas?

The atlas is the top vertebra of the cervical spine. When the atlas become misaligned, it can compress and irritate the nerves and thus cause problems throughout... ( Read more about Atlasorthogonal)

If you or someone you love has osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones, there's a new approach to protecting your bones along with your overall health. It involves taking a couple of vitamins each day!

Joyce Hamrah regularly travels to Paris and Milan hunting down the latest fashions for her high-end clothing store. But, last year, excruciating back pain left Joyce completely incapacitated. Not only was she unable to fly, she could barely... ( Read more about Back Pain Surgery)

We’re now well into basketball season, and there are a variety of injuries that can happen on the hardwood. But one that may be under recognized may be one of the most preventable. Especially in college basketball, stress fractures of the foot... ( Read more about Basketball Stess Fractures)

Joint replacements are a major dimension of the orthopedics specialty, but they may be replaced in about 15 years by biological products that stimulate tissue and bone growth, according to a leading prognosticator. "We will be a little in the... ( Read more about Biological Materials Seen Ousting Joint Replacements)

Older dental patients should not stop taking osteoporosis medications over fear of developing a rare condition in which portions of the jawbone die, a new public-information brochure says.
   
Fear has been rising... ( Read more about Brochure Discusses Osteoporosis Drugs' Effect on Jawbone)

Doctors are finally beginning to use cartilage transplants to fix damaged shoulder joints instead of relying on arthroscopic surgery or impermanent implants to do the job. But only a few hospitals nationwide have taken up the practice. "For a... ( Read more about Cartilage Transplants Help Repair Shoulder Joints)

They’re the guys on the baseball diamond that get the brunt of the bangup: catcher’s get run over, they destroy their knees by crouching all day long. And now, there’s evidence that they suffer significant hand trauma, perhaps, because their... ( Read more about Catcher's Mitts Cushioning)

Children’s playground safety is an issue that requires more attention to ensure that children’s broken bones don’t lead to complications that trouble them for the rest of their lives. 10 year old Renee Novelli is a bundle of energy. When she’s... ( Read more about Children Breaking Bones)

As a youngster, Angela Benvenuto had a diving accident which severely damaged her spine. Her vertebrae became compressed in several different places. "I was writhing in pain for years and it was my chiropractor who suggested yoga would be... ( Read more about Core Strengthening and Back Pain)

10 year old Robert Meermam eats, drinks and sleeps baseball. "I'd play baseball everyday if I could." says Robert. Robert has been a pitcher for little league since he was 7 years old. His passion for pitching makes it a struggle to put down... ( Read more about Counting Pitches)

A new study out of UCLA links high cholesterol and osteoporosis and identifies a new role that the body's immune cells play in bone loss. Published in the Journal Clinical Immunology, the research could lead to immune-based approaches for treating... ( Read more about Discovery Hints At the Immune System's Role in Bone Loss)

A drug that was cleared by the government as a treatment for osteoporosis has demonstrated an ability to help bone fractures in older people heal as quickly as in the young, by stimulating the activity and production of stem cells, according to a... ( Read more about Drug May Cut Bone Healing Time in Half)

An osteoporosis drug that is the first ever known to prevent cartilage loss following injury to a joint may also regenerate some cartilage that has been lost to osteoarthritis, according to research presented at the American Society for Bone and... ( Read more about Drug May Extend Life of Arthritic Knees and Hips)

We all want to be as flexible as we can be. But sometimes, even this can be too much of a good thing. There’s a relatively rare skeletal condition that cause people to be overly-flexible--and most who have it don’t know it, until bad things... ( Read more about Elastic Man)

At the age of 66, Patricia Bennett’s full-time job is taking care of her diabetic husband who is also a stroke victim. They’ve been married for 49 years and says she wouldn’t have it any other way. But, a botched hip replacement nearly left... ( Read more about Femur Replacement)

There is new research out tonight that shows two common types of blood pressure medicines can have a significant impact at protecting aging bones from fracture risk. The study focuses on two types of blood pressure medicines, beta-blockers and... ( Read more about Fracture-Reducing Drugs)

When women get more sun during the last months of their pregnancies, their babies are likely to have stronger, healthier bones, a benefit that may last their whole lives, a recent study found. The study, conducted in Britain and reported in the... ( Read more about Getting Sun During Pregnancy May Strengthen Baby's Bones)

A popular over the counter pair of supplements used by millions for osteoarthritis has been called into question in new research. We’re talking about glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Are they worth your money? The answer is….. maybe.... ( Read more about Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate)

Green tea, one of the most popular drinks around the world, may benefit bone health, according to new research from Hong Kong. Researchers suggest it has the potential to help prevent and treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases suffered by... ( Read more about Green Tea May Help Strengthen Bones)

Elderly people taking a daily supplement of vitamin D at a dose of 700-1000 IU (international unit of measurement) reduce their risk of falling by 19%, according to a study published on bmj.com. Every year, one in three people over aged 65... ( Read more about High Dose Vitamin D Can Prevent Falls For Seniors Over 65)

Osteoarthritis

Hip replacement surgery is becoming more and more common as the population of the world begins to age.Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative joint disease is the... ( Read more about Hip Replacement Surgery Becoming More Common)

Contrary to conventional wisdom, total hip replacements fail just as much, if not more so, from implant dislocation or infection than from the wearing out of the bearing surface, according to recent research. While many thousands of people... ( Read more about Hip Replacements Fail Due to Implant Irregularities, Infection)

Hispanics are the nation’s largest minority group, and they are also the fastest growing group, accounting for about half of the growth in the U.S. population since 2000. Thus Hispanic healthcare is an increasing concern that a lot of doctors... ( Read more about Hispanics and Osteoporosis)

Susan Dwan, who is 48, is at risk for osteoporosis. She has osteopenia, the precursor to full blown bone loss. The condition of reduced bone mass, known as osteoporosis, is very common. About 10 million Americans have it, and another 18... ( Read more about Homocysteine and Fracture Risk)

A hormone naturally produced in the body seems to stimulate stem cells to promote bone growth, a recent study revealed. The findings may hold hope for developing new treatments for osteoporosis, a disorder in which the bones lose calcium and... ( Read more about Hormone Stimulates Bone Stem Cells, May Reverse Osteoporosis)

If you have osteoarthritis of the knees, with all of the pain and loss of flexibility that entails, chances are your doctor has recommended arthroscopic surgery. This is a procedure in which the surgeon inserts a scope into the knee and cleans... ( Read more about How to Save Your Knees From Arthroscopic Surgery)

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego report that experimental rats recovered from blood flow related paralysis after receiving grafts of human spinal stem cells. When damage occurs due to loss of blood flow to the spine's... ( Read more about Human Stem Cells Return Motor Function to Paralyzed Rats)

A new drug inhibits a protein necessary for the formation and function of cells that break down bone, a recent study showed, a development that may have important repercussions for the treatment of diseases that involve bone loss, such as... ( Read more about Inhibiting a Protein Prevents Bone Loss)

As people age, bone healing becomes slower and poorer. But a new drug may provide hope of restoring to seniors the rapid bone healing of youth, according to a recent study.
   
The research, which is presented in the... ( Read more about Insight Into Faster Healing of Seniors' Broken Bones)

"She was fine on a Thursday. But when she woke up on a Friday her legs didn't function the way they did before." recalls Gina Gorisek. Suddenly, just 6 months ago, 2 year old Isabella, an active toddler, could no longer stand. She'd cry every... ( Read more about Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis)

A recent study of middle-aged and elderly patients showed that damage to the cushioning cartilage in the knee can often lead to osteoarthritis. The cartilage is known as the meniscus. Actually, there are two menisci, one on the inside of the knee... ( Read more about Knee Cartilage Damage Raises Osteoarthritis Risk)

"I was very sad when I had to stop tennis. Life wasn't the same." says Phyllis Hyacinthe. She didn't want to accept the fact she could no longer play tennis because knee osteoarthritis got the best of her.

52 year old George Laflare has been a sports fanatic since his high school days. A former football player, George says over the years his knees have really taken a beating. Eventually he developed knee osteoarthritis. Now, new topical... ( Read more about Knee Osteoarthritis Topical Treatment)

Cause for Knee Replacement Surgery:

Knee Replacement Surgery To Correct Damage to Cartilage)

A pencil-thin, roughly 2-foot-long muscle running from the base to the top of the spine is composed of a novel "scaffolding" of fibers that strengthen and support the back, a recent research study has shown. "The multifidus muscle was formerly... ( Read more about Long, Skinny Muscle Found Crucial to Healthy Spine)

The most advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine is nearly as effective as going in surgically to detect tears in wrist ligaments, according to a recent study. The author of the paper in the American Journal of Roentgenology, Thomas... ( Read more about MRI Excels at Detecting Wrist Ligament Tears)

No one said getting old is all fun. After 40 or 50 or 60 years of walking, running, and playing sport, the knees start to wear down. Make no mistake, osteoarthritis is a serious condition. It limits what people can do, affects quality of life,... ( Read more about Massage Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis)

The very joint implants that bring pain relief and restore freedom of motion to patients’ extremities can be their own undoing, setting off a metal-induced immunological defense mechanism that causes the implants to loosen and fail,... ( Read more about Metal-Particle Inflammation Causes Joint-Implant Failure)

Drinking a glass or two of wine or beer a day appears to build bone density even better than calcium does, a recent study demonstrated – though drinking more, and consuming spirits instead of low-alcohol drinks, has the opposite... ( Read more about Moderate Drinking Seems to Improve Bone Density)

While the common cold claims the most sick days among U.S. workers under age 45, lower back pain comes in a strong second, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition, it says, some 80 percent of adults are expected to... ( Read more about Myths and Facts About Back Pain)

Injecting a patient’s own bone-marrow stem cells into the spine using multiple routes helps to restore some function and quality of life to victims of spinal cord injury with no objectionable side effects, a recent study revealed.New Bone-Marrow-Cell Therapy Aids Spine Repair)

A newly developed electrochemical process for coating metal implants vastly improves their functionality, longevity, and integration into the body, according to research conducted at Tel Aviv University. The new process has the potential to... ( Read more about Orthopedic and Dental Implants Aided by New Coating)

There is a growing number of cases of a disturbing complication to the bone building medications like fosamax. Those taking the drugs are at an increased risk of horrible breakdown of the jaw after dental procedures. This was first noticed... ( Read more about Osteoporosis Drug Danger)

There’s been some confusion lately concerning several popular osteoporosis medications. Whom should they be prescribed to? Women with mild bone loss, or only those with serious cases of osteoporosis? And can these medications actually cause... ( Read more about Osteoporosis Medications)

Today, over 10 million individuals have or are at risk of osteoporosis—80% are women. Almost 34 million more have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis. With estrogen treatment running into controversy, there is now... ( Read more about Osteoporosis Treatment Debate)

    Contradicting long-standing traditional notions that sprained ankles can best be healed through tubular bandages and “walking it off,” a recent study showed that full-immobilization plaster casts work far better... ( Read more about Plaster Casts Speed Sprain Recovery)

What are Hip Fractures?

Hip Fracture is a fracture or a crack or break in the proximal end of the femur near where the bone meets the hip. The term Hip fracture is used to describe... ( Read more about Precautions for the elderly: Hip Fracture)

Two new studies highlight the risk men with prostate cancer face concerning osteoporosis risk. Both show that hormone treatment for cancer can up the chances of developing the bone brittling disease. One study in Wednesday's New England Journal... ( Read more about Prostate Cancer and Osteoporosis)

There’s new evidence that people with arthritis and other diseases caused by inflammation may be at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. This study specifically looked at patients with rheumatoid arthritis, although it’s possible that... ( Read more about Rheumatoid Arthritis and Atherosclerosis)

Bone cancer is rare, but up till recently if it was diagnosed in a limb, it almost certainly meant an amputation. But that has changed with the advent of internal prosthetics that can replace the diseased bone. Surgeons can now reconstruct a... ( Read more about Saving Bone Cancer Patients' Limbs)

When seatbelts and airbags are used together, victims of motor-vehicle accidents suffer spine fractures at a 33 percent lower rate than those using neither device, a recent study has shown. And use of the two restraints in combination cuts the... ( Read more about Seatbelt Plus Airbag Use Reduces Spine Fractures)

Seven out of ten children in the US have low levels of vitamin D, putting them at greater risk of eventually suffering from bone disease high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors, according to research published in the online... ( Read more about Seventy Percent of Children Low In Vitamin D)

Adopting a set of aggressive guidelines to manage patients with osteoporosis, or “bone-thinning,” can lower hip-fracture rates by more than 37 percent, a recent study showed.
   
Fractures in hip bones made... ( Read more about Six Ways to Lower Hip-Fracture Rates)

A condition in which there is radically abnormal bone growth stems from bone-forming cells that line blood vessels deep within skeletal muscle tissue, not, as would have been expected, from muscle stem cells, according to a recent study. It... ( Read more about Source of Out-of-Control Bone Growth Discovered)

What is a Sprain?

A sprain is an injury to a ligament. A ligament is a thick, tough fibrous tissue that connects bones together. Commonly injured ligaments are in the ankle, knee... ( Read more about Sprains & Strains)

Cartilage grown from stem cells in a laboratory may one day repair damaged knees, according to research from UC Davis Department of Biomedical Engineering. Lead author, Kyriacos Athanasiou and his team used adult stem cells from bone marrow and... ( Read more about Stem Cell Cartilage Offers Hope to Osteoarthritis Sufferers)

If you're trying to enjoy a holiday meal but your jaw is killing you, you may be suffering from TMJ disorder. Ten million Americans suffer from it, and now experts believe in many cases, it's simply due to stress.

British scientists have created a dissolvable ceramic bone substitute that, through a technique for building automobile catalytic converters, can be made highly porous so that natural bone cells can infiltrate it and use it as scaffolding for... ( Read more about Synthetic Bone May Assist Implant Surgery)

With all the extraordinary array of muscles, bones, ligaments and nerves that cluster in the shoulder, it's sometimes called the "spaghetti junction" of our bodies. And with this dizzying array of layered elements, it's not surprising that the... ( Read more about The Shoulder and Its Many Sources of Pain)

The backyard trampoline is a common sight in the suburbs. But is it completely safe? You would think that if kids can play on hard ground and concrete surfaces, that a soft surface like a trampoline would be very safe. But the fact is, there... ( Read more about Trampoline Injuries)

What is the Bursitis:

A bursa is a liquid filled sac that provides lubrication between the moving parts of the joint. When these become inflamed, the condition is called bursitis.... ( Read more about Understanding Bursitis: Symptoms, Types, Causes, Treatments)

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome also called repetitive strain syndrome results when a nerve that supplies that hand called the median nerve becomes... ( Read more about Understanding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome)

What are Fallen arches?

The condition of flat feet or fallen arches refers to a condition where the arch of the foot collapses and the entire bottom of the foot come into contact... ( Read more about Understanding Fallen Arches)

What is Osteoporosis?

The bones of your body undergo a constant state of rebuilding and remodeling. Aside from providing rigid support, your bones also store calcium.

What is Osteoporosis Arthritis?

Understanding Osteoporosis Arthritis | Symptoms, Cuases)

What is the Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid Arthritis affects more than 2 million people in the United States. Rheumatoid arthritis differs in origin from degenerative arthritis... ( Read more about Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis | Symptoms, Causes, Treatments)

What is Sciatica?

The sciatic nerves are the longest nerves in the body. They start in the lower spine, pass behind the hip joint and go down the buttock, down the back of the leg... ( Read more about Understanding Sciatica)

What is a Slipped Disc?

One of the most common injuries to the spine is slipped or a herniated disk. This condition may be extremely painful and may damage surrounding muscle and... ( Read more about Understanding Slipped Disc | Symptoms, Causes, Treatments)

New studies demonstrate that waiting may be the best alternative to back surgery. Approximately 1.5 million back surgeries are performed worldwide. These surgeries are performed to address painful problems associated with slipped or misaligned... ( Read more about Waiting May Reduce Need for Back Surgery)

A simple set of new warm-up exercises provides young athletes considerable protection against season-ending knee injuries, according to a recent sports-medicine study. The findings, presented by scientists at the University of North Carolina at... ( Read more about Warm-up Routine Helps Youth Athletes Avoid Knee Injuries)

There's another good reason to lose even a moderate amount of weight: it could reduce your chance of developing knee osteoarthritis, according to data from a large ongoing study at the University of North Carolina. People who are overweight and... ( Read more about Weight Loss Can Help Reduce Chance of Knee Osteoarthritis)

How the Body Ages:

The nucleus of every cell has 23 pairs of... ( Read more about Why and How Does the Body Age?)

By Tauseef Ahmed, MD, FACP Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Oncology / Hematology at New York Medical College Your tests have come back. The news is not good and your doctor refers you to a specialist. Oncologist, Orthopedist,... ( Read more about Your First Visit)