• Learn More About Arthritis Treatment – May is Arthritis Awareness Month

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    Did you know that May is National Arthritis Awareness Month? With thousands of people in the U.S. seeking arthritis treatment every year, arthritis is an important condition to recognize and understand.

    When it comes to arthritis treatment, joint pain management is often an important issue. Whether you are suffering from osteoarthritis in the knee, hand arthritis, or some other type of arthritis, one of the major symptoms of arthritis is pain. Understanding joint pain management is an important part of arthritis treatment.

    Walking is a physical activity that plays an important part of pain management for those suffering from arthritis.  (more…)

    Elite Ballet Dancers During Winter – Does Vitamin D Supplement Make a Difference?

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    ballet dancers and vitamin D supplement

    Vitamin D Supplement and Ballet Dancers

    A research team led by Dr. Matthew Wyon and colleagues (2013) looked at the effect that a vitamin D supplement had on two dozen classical ballet dancers during winter training months in order to better understand the effect of low exposure to sunlight.

    Researchers found that the dancers who took the four month Vitamin D supplement had statistically significant increases in vertical jump and isometric strength compared to those who did not take the Vitamin D supplement. (more…)

    Hamstring Injury from Soccer? Injury Rate Differences between Men and Women – Learn more from Sports Medicine Louisville

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    Hamstring Injury Rates and Male and Female Soccer Players

    Many soccer players experience a hamstring injury or strain and this common sports injury frequently reoccurs.

    Looking at hamstring injury rates, researchers led by Dr. Kevin M. Cross and colleagues (2013) compared male and female college student soccer players. (more…)

    Benefits of Physical Activity – It’s Good for the Brain – Learn more from Orthopedic Surgeon Louisville KY

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    benefits of physical activity - woman doing pushupsBenefits of Physical Activity and the Brain

    As people age, the human brain typically shrinks in size. However, some recent research led by Dr. Erickson (2013) and colleagues suggests that one of the benefits of physical activity is that it is linked to heightened brain functioning, enhanced cognitive functioning and lower cortical atrophy.

    According to this research, it may be that physical activity serves to maximize the brain’s own plasticity. Certain areas in the brain seem to be more influenced by physical activity including the prefrontal and hippocampal regions. (more…)

    Heat Related Illness and Sports Injuries A Real Concern for Kids

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    heat related injury - learn more about preventionLearn about Heat Related Illness and Preventing Heat Stress Before Summer Youth Sports Begin

    Researchers led by Zachary Kerr and colleagues (2013) and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimate that over 9,000 high school athletes are treated every year for heat related illness from physical exertion in warm temperatures.

    Risk factors include hot weather with high humidity, body weight and a lack of acclimation to physical exertion in the heat. Analyzing data from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System, researchers found that the highest number of heat related illness among high school (more…)

    Protection from Sun During Outdoor Activity – Reducing Risk of UV Exposure

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    protection from sun during outdoor activity, youth soccerProtection from Sun during Outdoor Activity

    Now that summer is coming, and sunnier days are ahead, thinking about protection from the sun is especially important for people who engage in a lot of outdoor activity including outdoor athletes.

    Many people experience excessive UV exposure and perhaps athletes in particular. Reasons identified by researchers Jinna and Adams (2013) published in Sports Medicine to explain intense UV exposure include not using sunscreen, not covering skin with clothing, UV radiation as reflected by either water or snow, UV radiation changes due to altitude, sweat induced skin photosensitivity, time outside from childhood, time outside during high UV radiation periods. (more…)

    Kentucky Orthopedic Explains Obesity, Arthritis and Knee Osteoarthritis as More than Just Wear and Tear

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    Why do obese people have a higher incidence of osteoarthritis compared to the non-obese population?

    The thought has been that the increased weight causes mechanical “wear and tear” on the articular cartilage, leading to arthritis. Research is now suggesting different reasons. An outstanding review article was published in the March, 2013 edition of the American Journal of Orthopaedic Surgeons, authored by Dr. Ryan Koonce and Dr. Jonathan Bravman discuss the scientific link between obesity and osteoarthritis including knee osteoarthritis.

    The definition of obesity is based in body mass index (BMI) not total body weight. BMI is calculated by taking the weight of the person in kilograms divide by their height in meters squared. Obesity is defined as a BMI of greater than 30 whereas over weight is defined as a BMI between 25 and 29. In the US 68% of the population is overweight and 34% are obese. These numbers have double in the last twenty years. Obesity is associated with a variety of medical conditions such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, asthma and some types of cancer. (more…)

    Baby Boomers and Health – A Generational Comparison

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    Baby Boomers and Health

    As reported by Dr. Dana King and colleagues (2013), baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 comprised about 26% of the population in the U.S. in 2010.

    Looking at baby boomers and health, including the overall health status of the baby boom generation, researchers looked at National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to compare current baby boomers to the prior generation when both were at the same age. (more…)

    Knee Osteoarthritis and Vitamin K Deficiency – Learn more on latest research from Louisville Orthopedic

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    knee osteoarthritisKnee Osteoarthritis and Vitamin K

    Researchers led by Misra (2013) and colleagues studying knee osteoarthritis, one of the most common causes of disability for older individuals in the United States, looked at the role vitamin K might play in early changes linked to osteoarthritis.

    Looking at 1180 people with an average age of 62 years, researchers found deficient levels of vitamin K were associated with incident radiographic knee osteoarthritis and cartilage lesions.  This vitamin K deficiency was not, however, associated with osteophytes. (more…)

    Orthopedic Injuries in Musicians and Dancers – Learn more from Louisville Orthopedic Surgeon

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    Research on orthopedic injuries in musicians and dancers reveals that certain orthopedic injuries are particularly common among these types of artists.  Research by orthopedic surgeon Dr. A.B.M. Rietveld published in Clinical Rheumatology (2013) specializes in treating orthopedic injuries in musicians and dancers and identifies some of the most common types of orthopedic injuries.

    During medical assessment for orthopedic injuries in musicians, it is recommended that musicians play their particular instrument during diagnosis since factors like posture, stability in the shoulder and trunk and other habits are an important part of the physical examination, diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

    Common orthopedic injuries in musicians include those stemming from posture-related issues like Cervicobrachialgia.  Individuals experiencing Cervicobrachialgia often experience symptoms that include neck pain that may extend into the arm, and thoracic outlet syndrome is also not uncommon. Hand related conditions like osteoarthritis are also found among musicians. (more…)