Inside Orthopedics Today with focus on reconstruction & regenerative medicine in sports

Due to the nature of a hinge joint structure & weight-bearing requirements the knees are easily subject to injury. This is especially true when it comes to playing sports and athletics that can inflict trauma on the knee.

Managing Acute Knee Injuries

The supporting structures of the knees(medial and lateral collateral ligaments), the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, hamstrings, surrounding quadriceps, pes anserine tendons and iliotibial band. The medial and lateral menisci protect the articular cartilage surfaces. Given the complexity of the knee, taking a thorough history of the patient’s injury and symptoms is perhaps the most important part of making the diagnosis

Knee Injury types and testing

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) originates from the medial aspect of the lateral femoral condyle, twists degrees (adding tensile strength), and inserts onto a tubercle along the anterior tibial plateau. MRI scans for a possible torn ACL is done with the knee in 30 degrees flexion with the thigh stabilized, exerting a forward motion on the tibia. Any more than a few mm of motion would be abnormal. The pivot shift test is performed by lifting the distal leg, allowing the tibia to fall posteriorly, and adding mild internal rotation and valgus stress. If abnormal, the tibia will sublux further. The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is tested in a posterior direction and feeling for a firm or soft endpoint feel, which might indicate a partial or complete tear

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Back and neck pain are  the most widespread and most disabling types of pain and it can occur in a number of areas of the cervical and lumbar spine. The most common type of back pain is lower lumbar spinal stenosis.

After having spine surgery, most expect your back or neck problem to be solved. But, sometimes, it doesn’t happen. Pain and other symptoms may return in a phenomenon known as failed back surgery (FBS). Also called failed back surgery syndrome and post-laminectomy syndrome, FBS can affect any level of your spine, and it can be a frustrating experience for patients and doctors alike.

Several factors may influence whether you have failed back surgery syndrome after your spine surgery, and they may occur pre-operative (before your surgery), intraoperative (during your surgery due to complications), and post-operative (after your surgery)

Arthroscopic joint replacement involves the doctor inserting a microdiscectomy through the hip joint and into the surrounding muscles and tissues. This helps to rebuild your cartilage and decrease pain but you may need to have more than one treatment.

Medications that are used to treat hip osteoarthritis include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, and steroidal solutions. . These medications can also be used to treat other conditions besides osteoarthritis to reduce the stiffness and pain caused by arthritis in the knees, hips, and ankles.

There are a number of different types of arthritis that can affect the knees. However, the most common form is rheumatoid arthritis, which commonly affects people who are in their thirties or forties. People who are in their sixties and seventies are at the highest risk for developing this condition. However, there is a difference between knee oa rheumatoid arthritis and normal rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, the symptoms of both conditions often mirror each other, which makes it difficult for a person to accurately tell the difference between them.

There are some prescription medications that are effective in treating knee osteoarthritis, and one such medication is the popular anti-inflammatory steroid, ibuprofen. It is important that you check with your doctor before taking any medications, particularly if you already have another medical condition. Studies have shown that women who take ibuprofen have a reduction in the severity of their osteoarthritis pain compared to those who don't take the medication. According to new research, anti-inflammatory medicines do not help prevent further damage to the cartilage lining but they do slow down the progression of the disease. This is a very beneficial result when you consider how fast this condition progresses once it begins.

Other factors that can lead to knee osteoarthritis include infection, injury, trauma, and differential diagnosis. Many conditions that affect the bones around the joints can also contribute to this condition. These include bursitis, gout, and kidney stones. Bursitis refers to swelling in the bursa, which is necessary for protecting the joint against friction. Gout is a condition that involves the accumulation of uric acid crystals within the joints; these crystals cause intense pain, stiffness, and damage around the affected areas.

Links from the show

Many people with spinal cord injuries want to work but worry about how they will be able to resume a normal life. People with spinal cord injuries can experience a loss of function around the entire body. This loss of function can be temporary or permanent. However, some people do make a full recovery.

Spinal cord injuries can cause secondary conditions, such as pressure sores and blood clots. People with secondary conditions such as these will need long-term care.

In this podcast, Emma Hasselbecker, explains the different options and benefits available to individuals with permanent disabilities so you can understand the process of getting back to work while maintaining coverage and coming out financially ahead.

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A rotator cuff tear is a very common cause of shoulder pain and disability among adults. Estimated say each year, almost 56 million people in across the world visit their orthopedic doctors because of a rotator cuff problem. Mike and Dave discuss the latest in the prevention and treatment of torn rotator cuffs.

A torn rotator cuff can weaken your shoulder and limit daily activities, like combing your hair or getting dressed, may become painful and difficult to do.

When one or more of the rotator cuff tendons is torn, the tendon no longer fully attaches to the head of the humerus. In most rotator cuff tears, the tendon is torn away from the bone and tears often take place in the supraspinatus tendon.

If you have a rotator cuff tear and you keep using it despite increasing pain, you may cause further damage. A rotator cuff tear can get larger over time. Chronic shoulder and arm pain are good reasons to see your doctor. Early treatment can prevent your symptoms from getting worse. It will also get you back to your normal routine that much quicker.

There is no evidence of better results from surgery performed near the time of injury versus later on and many doctors first recommend management of rotator cuff tears with physical therapy and other nonsurgical treatments. Non-Surgical treatments however do respond better closer to the time of injury