Busting the Myth About Knuckle Cracking
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: People keep telling me to stop cracking my knuckles. Does it cause arthritis? A: Knuckle cracking is a common behavior enjoyed by many. It can become a habit or a way to deal with nervous energy; some describe it as a way to “release tension.” For some, […]
Early treatment for rheumatoid arthritis prevents joint damage
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I was just diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The doctor wants to me start medication now. What is the harm in waiting to see if it gets better on its own? A: For someone newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, waiting to start treatment is usually not a good […]
Joint cracks and pops usually not cause for concern
It’s not unusual for your body to make “popping” or “cracking” sounds as you lean over, twist or reach for something. Fortunately, it’s also usually not a cause for worry. Aman Dhawan, M.D., an orthopedic sports medicine specialist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, said complaints about such joint sounds are common, […]
Stretch daily to stay flexible
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I walk with my neighbor daily. She stretches after every walk and keeps telling me I should do the same. Is stretching really necessary? A: Your neighbor is right! You may think of stretching as something performed only by runners or gymnasts. But we all need to […]
When is it time for knee replacement?
Q: I have osteoarthritis. My right knee is especially painful and stiff. How do I know when the time is right for knee replacement surgery? Answer: You are not alone. Millions of Americans face this very question. And more than 700,000 of them will have one or both knee joints replaced this year. The usual […]
Shed Extra Pounds for Healthier Joints
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I am starting to have knee pain when I climb stairs. I read that being overweight increases the risk of developing arthritis. What’s the reason? A: Carrying excess body weight definitely affects your chance of getting osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the deterioration […]
Eating to ease arthritis pain
By Carrie Dennett, M.P.H., R.D.N., Environmental Nutrition Newsletter More than 50 million Americans — one in five adults — have arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation, making it the No. 1 cause of disability in this country. The condition is marked by inflammation in one or more of your joints, resulting in joint pain and […]
Stimulating Touch
Astym treatment heals pain for the active and overweight The treatments for ankle sprains, muscle strains and other problems in the soft tissues of the feet and legs are well known: rest, cold compresses, anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy. But sometimes the standard remedies don’t get rid of the pain. That’s when a lesser-known therapy […]
Flex Time
More patients are spending less time recovering from joint-related surgeries By Nancy Maes Ron Allen was born with an improperly formed hip joint. While the problem didn’t stop him from going to college on an athletic scholarship, it was causing him such excruciating pain that by age 40, he opted for replacement surgery on his […]
Physical Therapy after Joint Replacement Surgery
The recipe for a successful return to normal activities By Nancy Maes When extensive pain makes knee or hip replacement a necessity, it sometimes is beneficial to go through a presurgical round of physical therapy with a trained physical therapist. “If a patient lacks strength or range of motion before surgery, it can be beneficial […]
Old Arthur Itis
Are the effects of arthritis just something we have to deal with as we age? By Karen Schwartz Ah, getting older… You wake up each morning, and that back pain makes it hard to get out of bed. Or perhaps you jogged around your neighborhood, and it feels like you’ve run a marathon. Should you […]
Multiple Choice
Breakthrough technologies broaden options for hip and knee replacement hopefuls It had been months since Cheryl Risicato, 56, a retired cake decorator and avid dog lover, first came to Chicago’s Northwest Community Hospital (NCH) seeking partial knee replacement surgery. Risicato, like so many other Americans, suffered from osteoarthritis, a common yet potentially excruciating joint disorder […]
Triathlon Recovery
A lifetime runner gets a second chance with a total knee replacement Fear of immobility caused William Marty to postpone knee replacement surgery until it was almost too late. A professor at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago since 1980, Marty had been an avid lifelong runner. As a college student, he attended Biola University in Los […]
Defying the Odds
Meniscal transplant breathes life into athletic hopes of 16-year-old Lake Forest resident. On a warm afternoon this past July, Chet Baker was startled by the sound of his 16-year-old daughter Kristen bounding down the stairs. That day marked just five months since she’d undergone a meniscal, or cartilage, transplant—three months too early for her to […]
Navigating Back Pain
The spine is, arguably, the most important structure in the human body. It is an extension of the brain, a pathway for the neurological signals that keep us beating, breathing and moving. It is the base of our skeleton, where our limbs and movements begin—it is our backbone. So, it’s no surprise that when something is wrong […]
Out of Joint: Hip and Knee Replacement
Joint stiffness and pain, particularly in the hip and knee, can have a serious impact on a sufferer’s quality of life, limiting both athletic pursuits and everyday physical activities. When the pain and loss of function are severe, the culprit is often osteoarthritis, which is caused by the breakdown of joint cartilage. Though such a […]
