10 Facts About Arthritis You Should Know

Posted May 8, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

10 Facts About Arthritis You Should Know

1. More than one in five American adults has been diagnosed with some kind of arthritis.

2. Arthritis is one of the biggest reasons for disability.

3. Arthritis is divided into two major categories – arthritis caused by use and arthritis caused by inflammation.

4. Osteoarthritis is the most common kind of arthritis in the United States.

5. Kentucky is ranked in the top three states in the United States for rates of arthritis based on CDC data.

6. Arthritis includes many different diseases and conditions that impact your joints.

7. Females are more likely than males to suffer from some type of arthritis. (more…)

Sports Injury Prevention for Kids and the Importance of Balance

Posted May 4, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

Researchers in Denmark considered whether a child’s ability to balance – referred to as “sway performance” – had an impact on injury risk. Dr. L Runge Larsen and colleagues thought that excessive sway would be linked to an overall increase in injuries.

Over 1,000 kids between 8 and 14 years of age participated in the study with nearly equal amounts of boys and girls. The kids’ injuries were tracked over a period of 1 year and 3 months.

The amount of sway was measured with different physcial tests including the bilateral and unilateral stance. Some of the testing was conducted with participants having their eyes open and others with eyes closed.

Researchers found that kids suffered from a total of 2,276 traumatic injuries. The most common injury was an ankle sprain, followed by knee sprains. (more…)

Lower Back Injury and Golfing

Posted April 27, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

There are more than 28 million golfers ages 7 and up in the U.S., based on 2009 data from the National Golf Foundation. Golfing is growing in popularity and is a sport enjoyed by people of all ages.

According to researchers Dr. John Parziale and Dr. William Mallon published in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2006), thousands of golfers each year in the U.S. end up going to doctors due to a golf-related injury.

Golf Swing Plays a Role in Lower Back Injury for Golfers

Lower back injury is the most common type of golf injury. The golf swing plays an important role in lower back injuries and should be assessed to prevent injury. The stages of the golf swing from setup to follow-through influence the severity and risk of lower back injury. (more…)

Injuries from Baseball Pitching

Posted April 22, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

Youth Baseball and Injuries from Baseball Pitching

Kids who play baseball and serve as the pitcher often end up pitching a lot of balls. This can mean that their arms, shoulders, and elbows get tired, especially if they do not have much time for recovery.

Dr. Jingzhen Yang, Dr. Barton Mann, and colleagues conducted a survey with 754 youth baseball pitchers between 9 and 18 years of age to understand whether there were any relationships between injuries and pitching activities.

The researchers found that about 44% of the kids had pitched on consecutive days and just over three out of ten pitched on different teams that had seasons that overlapped. Nearly one out of five pitched more than one game in a day during the prior year.

The pitchers who had less time off had an increased risk of arm pain that was pitching-related. Certain types of pitches like curve balls also were linked to increases in arm pain. Kids who pitched when their arm was tired were also more likely to suffer from a pitching-related sports injury. (more…)

Concussion Symptoms and Recovery for Girls and Boys

Posted April 17, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

Girls Experience Concussions Differently Than Boys, According to Latest Research

According to research by Dr. Shayne Feher at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, there are differences in the way that boys and girls experience concussion symptoms. Concussions are brain injuries that negatively impact normal brain functions. Often kids end up with a concussion following some type of sports injury that involves head impact from a fall, hit, or strike.

In Dr. Fehr’s study, just over three-fourths of the concussions were caused by some type of sports activity and this can include activities like soccer, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, and more.

Tracking nearly 550 patients between 10 and 18 years of age who went for treatment at a clinic for pediatric concussions, Dr. Fehr found that the concussion symptoms girls reported tended to be more severe. Girls also took longer than boys to be free of concussion symptoms. It took boys an average of 34 days to reach full recovery following a concussion, while recovery from a concussion for girls averaged 56 days. (more…)

MCL Injury in College Athletes

Posted April 10, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is a very important ligament in the knee. Situated on the inner side of the knee joint, the MCL is one of four knee ligaments. Many people suffer from an MCL injury at some point in time.

The MCL injury is a common sports injury for athletes engaged in sports like football and skiing. It often happens from impact and can occur as a result of a blow or during an intense landing.

Researchers Consider MCL Injury among College Athletes

Researchers led by Dr. Christopher Roach and colleages looked at MCL sprains among people at the U.S. Military Academy between 2005 and 2009. Based on the analysis, approximately 128 individuals experienced an isolated MCL injury. (more…)

Hip Injuries for Junior Tennis Players Include FAI Syndrome Risk

Posted April 3, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

Results of Hip Screenings for Elite Junior Tennis Players – While shoulder and elbow injuries are often associated with tennis players, research by Dr. Cotorro and colleagues (2014) found that tennis players may also more commonly suffer from hip problems. This research involved screenings on 148 youth tennis players with an average age of 15.1 years. There were 90 male participants and 58 females in this study.

The participants started playing tennis at the average age of 6 years. Many played tennis approximately 47 weeks per year. Following a special “hip at risk” screening for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome, researchers found that six participants had a past hip injury while three had suffered from sports hernias in the past. (more…)

Ankle Sprains – An Overview of this Common Sports Injury

Posted March 27, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

Ankle Sprain Injury – Ankle sprains are one of the most common types of injuries. Researchers led by Dr. Cailbhe Doherty and colleagues (2013) conducted a review of research on ankle sprain injuries, identifying a total of 144 separate studies.

Based on this meta-analysis, the researchers found that the sports with the highest rate of ankle injury were indoor and/or court sports like indoor soccer, basketball, or volleyball.

What is the most common type of ankle sprain injury for athletes?

Lateral ankle sprains were the most common type of ankle sprain injury. Lateral ankle sprains happen on the outside area of the ankle when a person’s lateral ligaments are pulled when their foot rolls.

Lateral ankle sprains happen when a volleyball or basketball player jumps into the air and lands unevenly on the court. They may also occur when a cross country runner turns an ankle after landing on uneven ground.

Different Types of Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains are divided into different grades depending on severity. Grade 1 ankle sprains are the least severe. These ankle sprains happen when a person’s ligaments are pulled and have minor tearing. (more…)

Researchers Find Ways to Cut Down on Osteoarthritis Pain

Posted March 25, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

Therapeutic exercise is often recommended to cut down on osteoarthritis pain. With all the different kinds of exercise, what types are most appropriate for people with osteoarthritis pain? Medical researchers analyzed data from sixty different medical trials which included 8,218 people. Physical activity was categorized in three different ways:

1. Strength building

2. Flexibility

3. Aerobic exercise

Strength building includes things like weight lifting, resistance training, and other physical activities designed to build muscle. Strength training helps to build up your strength while also increasing your metabolism.

Flexibility-based exercises include things like yoga and stretching activities designed to increase performance by improving muscle elasticity and tone, range of motion, and muscle control. (more…)

Sports Injuries and Kids Health

Posted March 18, 2014 by Stacie Grossfeld

Physical Activity A Key Part of Preventing Sports Injuries

Children that are not used to being active might be in more danger when they participate in sports and go outside to play, according to some of the latest research on sports injuries.

Research conducted by Dr. Evert Verhagen at the Australian Centre for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention discovered that children who did not do a lot of physical activity had higher rates of sports injuries than kids who are more active and play frequently.

Dr. Verhagen concludes: “This rise in injuries appears to correlate to a decrease in physical activity and motor skills.”

Kids often experience sports injuries when engaged in physical activity not connected to organized sports. This may involve, for example, time playing on the playground, or while walking to or from school. (more…)