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Lead Stories: Monday, October 6, 2008

A Guide to Life With Knee Pain

Posted November 17th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

knee brace pain Knee pain sufferers, especially those with osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK), experienced dramatic life changes including the ability to work, exercise and stay in their homes, according to a recent survey conducted by the makers of Synvisc. More than 20 million Americans are estimated to have osteoarthritis, and more than 10 million suffer from OAK, making it the most common form of arthritis in the United States.

Dr. Nicholas DiNubile, an orthopedic surgeon and author of “FrameWork – Your 7 Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones and Joints,” offers these preventative tips for maintaining healthy knees:

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“Walking on balls” therapy from Israel alleviates knee pain from osteoarthritis

Posted April 30th, 2007 at 10:38 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

For two decades, Yael Duvdevany suffered terrible knee and joint problems. The retired nurse from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a chronic disease that causes the cushioning (cartilage) between the bone joints to wear away, leading to pain and stiffness. It can also cause new pieces of bone, called bone spurs, to grow around the joints …

But over the last year, Duvdevany has experienced a physical rebirth and today can go for long walks and even two-hour workouts without feeling knee pain. She credits a unique walking system invented by two Israeli physicians specializing in orthopedic rehabilitation for her new condition.

Visit ISRAEL21C.com for more information by click ing here

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Osteoarthritis in athletes

Posted March 2nd, 2007 at 4:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

Former elite athletes are at high risk for degenerative arthritis requiring eventual hip and knee replacements (1), but that doesn’t mean that you should stop exercising!

Elite athletes often train through pain and compete when they are injured. You should never do that. Your body talks to you. If your hip or knee hurts when you exercise, stop exercising. If the pain returns every time that you run, stop running and find another sport. Most former athletes who end up with joint replacement surgery had major injuries that came from exercising when they should have rested, or traumatic injury that damaged cartilages.
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Podcast 20: Interview with Kristin Armstrong, Olympic cyclist & former pro triathlete

Posted February 26th, 2007 at 1:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Today’s podcast features my interview with U.S. Olympic and TEAm LIPTON cyclist Kristin Armstrong.

Although osteoarthritis ended her competitive triathlon career, Kristin made the transition to professional cycling and never looked back. In just five short years she has become one of the world’s elite; winning the 2004 American Olympic Trials, 2004 U.S. Elite National Road Race and the 2005 National Time Trials Championship.

Download the podcast to hear Kristin talk about how she overcame osteoarthritis and her own self-doubt to achieve tremendous success. She also discusses the journey from multi-sport training to a singular focus on cycling, injury prevention, TEAm LIPTON, how fans often confuse her with Lance’s ex-wife, her advice for runners looking to attempt a triathlon and much more!

Listen In
[MP3] Direct Download (Right click, select “save as”).
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Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Kristin Armstrong
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 16.2MB
Length: 00:23:44

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Arthroscopic knee surgery to remove cartilage is usually useless

Posted November 14th, 2006 at 3:41 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

I have said repeatedly that surgery to trim cartilage in the knee is worthless. I have seen many patients who have had cartilage removed by surgeons for an average charge of $5000 and then they must have a knee replacement several years later. The surgeon must know about the harm he is doing because he has to see his patients for followup, when many of them require knee replacement surgery.

Now a report in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that knee surgery to remove cartilage is worse than doing nothing. The headline from Baylor Medical School, where the landmark study was performed, is that “Study Finds Common Knee Surgery No Better Than Placebo.” Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who underwent placebo arthroscopic surgery were just as likely to report pain relief as those who received the real procedure. The researchers say their results challenge the usefulness of one of the most common surgical procedures performed for osteoarthritis of the knee. Read the rest of this entry »

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Glucosamine & Chondroitin: A Dynamic Duo for Young and Old

Posted October 28th, 2006 at 12:00 PM by Jonathan Faccone

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Nutrition, Supplements, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

One of the most talked about supplements today is glucosamine and chondroitin. People are buying it like its going out of style. So why is there so much buzz and what does it actually do?

According to WebMD, “Glucosamine, also called chitosamine, is a natural substance that is found in the covering of shellfish . . . Glucosamine is also available in synthetic forms . . . Chondroitin can come from natural sources, such as shark or bovine cartilage, or it can be made in a lab.”

Both of these substances are part of normal cartilage, which acts as a cushion between the bones in a joint. Unfortunately, both glucosamine and chondroitin not present in significant amounts in most diets.

A note from our Editor-in-Chief: For vegetarians, like myself, or those allergic to shellfish - there are vegan versions of glucosamine which I have found to be very effective in limiting joint pain during marathon training. Unfortunately, no such alternative exists yet for chondroitin.

Considering the physical demands placed on athletes and endurance runners, glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation should be taken seriously as a possible supplement to aid in joint health and injury prevention. Read the rest of this entry »

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