Orthopedics

Zapping Away Foot Infections Reported March 22, 2010 HOUSTON (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- You can get it from the floor, the carpet, your house, your sneakers … even a bad pedicure. About 10 percent of American adults -- or 23 million people -- battle toenail fungus. Right now people spend more than $1.2 billion a year on pills and creams, but doctors say they're … [Read more...]

Study: Total Knee Replacement Improves Balance, Relieves Pain Reported March 15, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Total knee replacement (TKR) successfully relieves pain and improves function in patients with advanced knee arthritis, according to a new study. Researchers found the surgery also improves balance among elderly patients. “Balance is critical to the … [Read more...]

Long Term Impact of Osteoporosis Reported March 12, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Bisphosphonate treatments, proven to enhance bone density and reduce fracture incidence in post-menopausal women, may adversely affect bone quality and increase risk of atypical fractures of the femur when used for four or more years. Bisphosphonates are designed to slow or stop the … [Read more...]

Long-term use of osteoporosis drugs may harm bone Reported March 10, 2010 LOS ANGELES - Medications called bisphosphonates are standard tools for the treatment of osteoporosis. They include Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel and Reclast. But new data released Wednesday raise some concern about whether the drugs are safe for long-term use. Although the medications help … [Read more...]

Pediatric Sports Injuries: A Silent Epidemic Reported March 11, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Year-round sports and increased exposure are leading to a dramatic rise in adolescent sport-related injuries. Awareness, education, warning signs and early treatment can make a significant difference and help keep young athletes in the game. According to Thomas M. … [Read more...]

Arthritis: Side Effect-Free Treatment Reported March 09, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Electromagnetic pulses were found to significantly decrease pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. In a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study, 34 patients who used a portable battery-operated device that emits a low-intensity pulsating … [Read more...]

Avoiding Amputation: Lengthening Legs Reported March 01, 2010 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Imagine the doctors saying amputation is your only option. That's the reality for some kids born with leg deformities. One doctor is working to give these children more choices, including a treatment that allows them to keep their legs. The process isn't easy … [Read more...]

Exercise Program Associated With Denser Bones, Lower Fall Risk In Older WomenReported February 03, 2010 Women age 65 or older assigned to an exercise program for 18 months appeared to have denser bones and a reduced risk of falls, but not a reduced cardiovascular disease risk, compared with women in … [Read more...]

MRSA: Attacking Implant Infections Reported February 19, 2010 PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Almost 1 million people go under the knife every year for a knee, hip or shoulder replacement. Surgeons say those metal implants can become playgrounds for bacteria, leading to potentially deadly infections like MRSA. It happens to nearly 20,000 people every … [Read more...]

Beer: Does a Body Good? Reported February 09, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Beer may be giving milk a run for its money as a beverage to build strong bones. A new study found beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Researchers at the University of California, Davis studied the relationship between … [Read more...]

Osteoporosis Treatment That Could Cure Reported February 08, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Treatment that slows the production of serotonin in the gut holds promise for an osteoporosis cure. Known before as primarily a neurotransmitter in the brain, researchers have discovered serotonin released by the gut slows the formation of bone. In fact, 95 percent of the … [Read more...]

Knee Pain: Filling Cartilage Potholes Reported February 08, 2010 ROYAL OAK, Mich. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- From skiing down the slopes in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympic games, to running down your own road … You don't have to be an all-star athlete to feel the effects of a hard workout. Often, knees take the biggest beating. A new type of transplant is getting … [Read more...]

Bone Disease Secret Revealed Reported January 25, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Scientists have uncovered a genetic secret about previously unexplained forms of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic condition that weakens the bones. A newly identified gene contains the information necessary to make a protein called Cyclophilin B, partly responsibly for … [Read more...]

Vitamin D Reduces Falls Reported January 21, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Giving people living in nursing facilities vitamin D can reduce the rate of falls. In hospitals, supervised exercise programs also show benefit. According to a new Cochrane Review, older people living in nursing facilities or who have been admitted to hospital are much more likely to … [Read more...]

Does Stabilizing the Spine Help or Hurt Trauma Victims? Reported January 14, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The time-consuming, on-scene medical intervention of immobilizing the spines of shooting and stabbing victims before they are taken to the hospital appears to double the risk of death, compared to immediately transporting patients to a trauma center. The … [Read more...]

Program Saves Young Girls' Knees Reported January 13, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new program designed for young female soccer athletes can reduce risk of injury and elongate careers on the field. A new soccer-specific exercise program featuring strengthening exercises and improved motion pattern routines appears to reduce the risk of knee injuries -- … [Read more...]

Back Surgery: Closing the Gap Reported October 28, 2009 PITTSBURGH (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Every year, U.S. surgeons perform more than half a million back surgeries to relieve disc-related pain. As many as 30 percent of those patients have recurrent problems. Orthopedic specialists are testing a new procedure that might prevent patients from needing … [Read more...]

Cell Injections Mend Broken Bones?   Reported February 16, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Researchers identified a new, faster method to help heal broken bones. It requires the injection of cells taken from the patient’s own bone marrow. The cells are injected into the fracture area and a clinical study proved it speeds up the healing process. … [Read more...]

Drug Reduces Bone Fracture Risk Reported March 17, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Treatment with the drug alendronate (Fosamax) can reduce the risk of vertebral bone fractures in women with low bone mass but not osteoporosis, according to a new study. Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, … [Read more...]

Fixing Sprains Fast   Reported February 18, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – The fastest recovery from ankle sprain starts below the knee. New research shows immobilization in a below-knee cast or an Aircast brace allows severe ankle sprains to heal faster and with fewer secondary complications compared to tubular compression bandages (TCB) or a … [Read more...]

Guts Grow Bones Reported November 27, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A surprising new discovery in how bones grow may lead to a novel treatment of osteoporosis. Bone growth is controlled in the gut through serotonin, a chemical in the brain that also influences mood, appetite and sleep. Researchers have known that 95 percent of the body’s serotonin is produced by the duodenum, … [Read more...]

Hip Replacement Table Reported September 05, 2008 PHOENIX, Ariz. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Conditions like arthritis force close to 200,000 people to get a hip replacement every year. The surgery typically means significant pain and down time, but now there's a new option that uses a table to get people back on their feet faster. For Kris Irizarry, life with degenerative … [Read more...]

Knee Patients Take a Stand Reported June 26, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – For most people, standing up from a sitting position no problem. But for people with severe knee pain, it’s a major effort, and many learn to cope by changing the muscles they use to get the job done. Now a new study out of the University of Delaware finds people with severe … [Read more...]

Study: Monitoring Bone Density Unnecessary, Potentially Misleading Reported June 25, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Regular bone mineral density monitoring in postmenopausal women may be unnecessary and potentially misleading. Researchers looked at how the effects of the drug alendronate (a widely used osteoporosis drug) differ between individuals. They found after three years … [Read more...]

Osteoporosis Drug Safe for Kidney Disease Reported April 11, 2008 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study reveals the osteoporosis drug raloxifene (Evista) can safe and effectively increase bone mineral density in women with chronic kidney disease (CKD) -- a group often excluded from osteoporosis drug studies. For women with CKD, it is … [Read more...]

Shallow Hip Pocket Predicts Osteoarthritis Reported March 7, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study reveals the condition acetabular dysplasia is a strong independent indicator for the development of osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip. Acetabular dysplasia is a developmental condition, often present at birth. It is marked by … [Read more...]

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Harm Muscles? Reported September 30, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Taking higher doses of the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may cause dangerous side effects. New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham finds high doses of statins may hinder how the skeletal muscles repair and regenerate themselves. Statins have been known to … [Read more...]

Healing Broken Bones -- No Metal Needed Reported May 20, 2009 DAYTON, Ohio (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- They help hold bones together after a bad break, but are metal pins and screws the best option? One research team is using their own experience to find a more natural way of healing. Khalid Lafdi measures his success in strides. Two years ago, the avid runner broke his ankle. … [Read more...]

Bone thinning after stomach op Reported February 04, 2008 A new study confirms there is a high rate of the bone-thinning disease - osteoporosis - in patients who have had their stomach removed because of cancer. Dr Jong-Inn Lee and colleagues from the Korea Cancer Centre Hospital in Seoul used standard X-ray techniques to assess … [Read more...]

Osteoporosis Drugs Linked to Heart Problems Reported October 28, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The millions of Americans who take drugs commonly prescribed to treat osteoporosis could be at risk for irregular heartbeats, which could lead to hospitalization or even death, according to a new study. Researchers found people who take bisphosphonates, which include alendronate or … [Read more...]