The Burden of Knee Replacement Surgery
The number of knee replacement surgeries in the USA has been steadily increasing in the last decade. In 2010, more than 700,000 knee joint replacement (and more than 500,000 knee arthroscopic) surgeries were performed in the USA. With the aging of the Baby Boomers, this number is expected to increase sharply in the next decade as well. It is estimated […]
Maintaining Healthy Stem Cells
Stem cell therapy is emerging as an effective, non-surgical alternative for the treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Mesenchymal stem cells are harvested from your body, isolated, and concentrated, and then introduced to a damaged or degenerated tissue in order to repair it. The stem cells reproduce, differentiate, and become like little repairmen, while also secreting chemicals that act […]
Get Up and Move Around
I have previously blogged about the bad health consequences of sitting all day long. The vast majority of Americans sit for an average of over 7 hours a day. Sitting for most of your day puts you at an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and a shorter life span. Of course, sitting all day will […]
Spinal Fusion for Spinal Stenosis: A Good Idea?
Spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the spinal canal, is a common condition. It is usually associated with degenerative changes of the spine. Degenerative changes of the spine may result in bulging discs, enlarged ligaments and joints, and bony spurs that may cause compression or inflammation of the nerves leaving the lumbar spine to the legs. This results in pain in […]
How to Treat Mild Osteoarthritis (Part II)
In part I of this blog we discussed different ways to treat mild osteoarthritis, including medications, physical therapy, physical activity, losing weight, and stress reduction. Today in Part II we will discuss several other ways that mild joint osteoarthritis can be treated: 1. Injections: Hyaluronic acid substitutes, also known as viscosupplements, are a better choice for intra-articular injections of osteoarthritic […]