Saturday, December 21, 2013

What Is the Future of Stem Cell Treatment for Arthritis?


One of the most promising areas for arthritis treatment is the use of autologous adult mesenchymal stem cells. These are progenitor cells (cells that can differentiate into other cells) that are present within the patient.

Most descriptions of the use of mesenchymal stem cells have come from evaluations of patients with osteoarthritis. While most of these reports have been largely anecdotal, one recent presentation from our center revealed our experience with 22 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (American College of Rheumatology meeting, November, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia).

The findings were quite encouraging. Among other joints we have evaluated include the shoulder as well as the hip. Further investigation is planned for joints such as the base of the thumb, ankle, and the base of the big toe.

What is extremely exciting is a recent report from RNL BIO, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the use of donor adult stem cell therapeutics.

They described a patient report utilizing stem cell therapy on an orthopedic spine surgeon who suffered from autoimmune arthritis.

According to the press release, "Dr. Stanley Jones, the surgeon and patient, reports that he had a sudden onset of acute pain in his wrist in September 2009; shortly thereafter the patient experienced pain in his knees as well. Dr. Jones saw a rheumatologist who diagnosed him with autoimmune arthritis. He was placed on cortisone, a steroid hormone, to suppress immune response and alleviate pain. Unfortunately Dr. Jones suffered complications from the cortisone... His condition deteriorated and his ability to perform routine activities of daily living or his profession was impacted.

... After a workup, he received stem cell infusions in Kyoto, Japan in May 2010. Post infusion, he began to notice improvement and by the end of 5 months, he had a complete recovery and was able to resume sports as well as operating."

While the exact diagnosis regarding this patient's arthritis is unknown, the clinical presentation suggests the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

The major difference between the use of autologous mesenchymal progenitorcells in treating osteoarthritis and treating other forms of arthritis is fairly significant.

In treating osteoarthritis, we use a combination of growth factors and a tissue scaffold in order to hold the stem cells in place so that they can grow new cartilage.

The situation described above with using donor autologous mesenchymal stem cells makes use of their ability as immunomodulators.

These cells have been used in autoimmune disease such as lupus.

According to the NIH, "the objective of hematopoietic stem cell therapy for lupus is to destroy the mature, long-lived, and auto-reactive immune cells and to generate a new, properly functioning immune system"....

"The patient's own stem cells have been used in a procedure known as autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. First, patients receive injections of a growth factor, which coaxes large numbers of hematopoietic progenitor cells to be released from the bone marrow into the blood stream. These cells are harvested from the blood, purified away from mature immune cells, and stored. After sufficient quantities of these cells are obtained, the patient undergoes a regimen of cytotoxic (cell-killing) drug and/or radiation therapy, which eliminates the mature immune cells. Then, the hematopoietic stem cells are returned to the patient via a blood transfusion into the circulation where they migrate to the bone marrow and begin to differentiate to become mature immune cells. The body's immune system is then restored."

( http://stemcells.nih.gov )

Essentially, this is the theory behind using autologous mesenchymal stem cells for treating other autoimmune types of arthritis such as rheumatoid disease.

Those differences aside, what is similar is that mesenchymal progenitor cells are being asked to create new tissue and correct abnormalities brought about by disease processes.

The bottom line is this: autologous mesenchymal stem cells are the future in dealing with arthritis.

I Have a Torn Meniscus - Protect Damaged, Twisted Or Hurt Knees With a Well Designed Brace


Meniscus Injuries - What Do You Do Next?

Introduction : If you have suffered from a knee injury in the past, you know the importance of protecting your knees and helping to prevent further knee damage. There are some knee injuries that are hard to avoid - such as meniscus tears. The knees have the tedious job of bearing the entire weight of our bodies every day and with every step that we take. If the meniscus is injured, this can cause the weight to be unevenly distributed and can lead to knee injuries.

1.) The Job of The Meniscus

The role of the meniscus in the knee is to allow the bones that come together at the knee - the tibia and femur to glide smoothly over each other and not cause friction or rubbing together of the bones. There are two of them around the knee called the lateral meniscus and the medial meniscus. For people who are athletes or are very active and put a lot of force on their knees, this cartridge can wear down and that is how tears in the meniscus occur. Once there is a tear in the meniscus, it usually has to be diagnosed by a doctor and in some cases a surgery is required to repair the tears.

2.) The Job of A Knee Brace

If you are active in a lot of sports or put a lot of strain on your knees through a lot of lifting and bending, you may want to consider wearing a knee brace to help stabilize the knee joint and protect the knee area. Often after a knee surgery, patients are required to wear a knee brace to help protect the area while it heals, and you can also do your part before an injury occurs by wearing a knee brace. There are many different kinds of braces on the market, some are designed specifically for a certain sport, and others are general purpose. There are hinged knee braces that offer a lot of support and those that are unhinged and still offer enough support and allow you to move freely.

You want to protect your knees and keep them safe from injuries before a meniscus tear occurs. If you do suspect that you may have a meniscus injury, you want to talk to your doctor to see if you should get tested in order to fix the injury and what preventative measures you can take to keep meniscus tears from developing.

The VMO - The Key to Patella Tracking, Knee Pain Relief and Knee Joint Stability


The VMO, or vastus medialis obliquus, is the large tear drop shaped thigh muscle, that lies just above and on the inner side of the kneecap, or patella. It is one of the four quadriceps muscles in the front of the thigh, but it is the only one that attaches directly to the inner (medial), upper margin of the patella.

For this reason, it pulls inward on the kneecap and opposes the slightly outer (lateral) pull of the other three muscles. The VMO is most active in the last 30 degrees of extension, meaning that it helps to lock the knee out, fully straight. So, you can see that this one muscle has a strong influence on both the kneecap and knee stability, as a consequence of its anatomy.

Pain behind the kneecap usually results from a direct blow or a fall, or it may result from maltracking, meaning that the kneecap is pulled off its normal path, usually to the outside (lateral side), and often because the VMO is weak and can't counteract the pull of the other three quadriceps. Usually, this is accompanied by tightening or contracture of the soft tissues on the outer side (lateral side) of the kneecap, which makes it much harder to treat and correct the problem.

Some combination of these factors is usually involved in kneecap pain, which can also be accompanied by instability, or giving way of the knee. Over time, these factors can result in degenerative softening of the cartilage under the kneecap, a disease called chondromalacia patellae.

The other major source of pain in the knee comes from within the joint, either from a twisting injury that may injure a meniscus, one of the cushions within the joint, or a sprain of one of the ligaments, or an effusion, or "water on the knee," which results from inflammation of the lining membrane of the joint, the synovium. And, in the older population, degenerative arthritis within the joint is also a source of knee pain and instability.

In every case, strengthening the VMO is critical to relieving knee pain and restoring knee joint stability. So, what exercises are best for doing that? Here again, we take our lead from the functional anatomy. Since the VMO muscle fully straightens the knee, and is most active in the last 30 degrees of extension, we want to load the muscle within that range of motion, to strengthen it.

Isometric exercises, technically defined as muscle contraction without shortening, those done with the knee fully straight, can increase VMO tone and strengthen its tendinous attachments. For example, quad setting is done by tensing the straight leg, contracting the quadriceps, as hard as you can, for six seconds. This is particularly important when you have a fresh injury, or in the first few days after knee surgery. It adds strength, but without any movement of the joint.

Similar in effect is straight leg raising. Lying on your back, with the opposite leg bent up (to straighten your spine, and relieve stress across the lower back), you tense your quads, and, while maintaining the contraction, then slowly raise the straight leg up, to about 45 degrees. Then, slowly lower it again. To start with, try for 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions. This, too, is an exercise that is very useful in the immediate aftermath of an injury, or surgery.

Isotonic exercise is muscle contraction with shortening and what we normally think of as exercise, with overt movement of the joint. This type of exercise can utilize the resistance of bodyweight only, or additional external resistance, like free weights, or an exercise machine.

The simplest exercise is a quarter squat. With or without weights, with your back against the wall, simply squat down just a quarter of the way, approximating about 30 degrees of knee flexion, then stand straight and tense the quads strongly.

Even full range movements, like Full Squats or Hindu Squats, can be converted to VMO strengthening exercises by that isometric tensing of the quads, with the knee fully straight, with each repetition.

My personal favorite for working the VMO is the Hack Squat. In this exercise, you hold a barbell or two dumbbells behind your knees and leaning backward to put maximal stress on the VMO, do quarter squats. It's helpful to have a wooden block under your heels to help with balance.

Machine exercises are also useful, but leg press machines are probably better for your knee than leg extension machines, because the leg press loads your knee from above, and is more physiological (a "closed chain" exercise). This is especially true if you have kneecap disease, like chondromalacia patella, or patellofemoral arthritis. Here again, you can handle very heavy weight eventually, because you're using it for a very short arc, just 30 degrees.

Whatever exercises you choose, you will begin to notice an improvement in your pain and your stability within about 10 days, and real improvement within 30 days. As the VMO becomes stronger, your patella tracking will improve and your knee will subjectively feel more stable. Although this regimen can't cure everything, it can go a long way toward making your knees feel better and stronger. Give it a try.

Exercises to Help Delay a Knee Replacement


There are exercises that you can use to help delay a knee replacement by building stronger muscles that surround the knee and will absorb the impact of walking and other stress related movements. What exercise will not do is regenerate the damaged or missing cartilage inside the knee.

The following are several exercises I personally used to delay my knee replacement and keep the surrounding muscles strong. By maintaining strength and flexibility around the affected knee you can buy yourself some time and become better prepared before you have your knee replaced.

1. Seated Leg Extensions. During this time I was a member of a local gym and had access to a seated leg extension machine. By using this machine you are able to isolate your quadriceps while seated. You simply select a weight you can comfortably use, and complete 10-15 repetitions. The key is to be sure you are seated properly in the machine with your back against the back rest and, your knee aligned to the axis of the machine.

Gentley extend your knee and slowly lower it. This will keep your thighs strong and also help maintain you range of motion with your knee.

2. Seated or Prone Hamstring Curls. This device works like the seated leg extensions but just work the opposite muscle group. Keep your movements slow and controlled. You are targeting the hamstrings here. Fast or partial repetitions take the workload off the hamstrings onto other muscle groups. By maintaining strong hamstrings you help in building support for your knee also. I would recommend that you also work on stretching this muscle group to avoid a knee flexion contracture which will make it more difficult to walk if allowed to develop.

3. Calf Raises. There are several ways you can complete this exercise. You will have the option of either working on this exercise standing or seated. Seated may be the better option if your knee is giving you considerable trouble. By maintaining strong calves you help in developing more support underneath your knee and, and help with your standing balance by building stronger feet and ankles.

These exercises also can be done easily at home without going to a gym. All you need is a chair and some ankle weights. Hamstring curls and calve raises can be done at the kitchen counter for 12-15 repetitions as well.

There are other options you can consider. It will depend again on your age, and current physical condition.

Stationary biking is wonderful for building lower extremity endurance and maintaining your range of motion with your knee, It also helps with the blood flow and bringing nutrients to the area.

One of the most popular forms of exercise for older adults with knee or hip problems is pool therapy. Water is great when it comes to adding resistance to your exercise program and keeping excess weight off the arthritic joints. This to will help in building a stronger framework around your knee and delaying a knee replacement

One of the big benefits of completing these exercises along with overall body conditioning is losing weight which may be the best option you have at delaying the knee replacement process.

Stretching your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves will be important also in maintaining your mobility after exercise. The important thing to remember is to work on building equal or close to it a possible strength around the knee. Unequal strength or muscle imbalance can cause its share of problems and even speed up the arthritic process.

This is just a small sample of several types of exercises you can use to postpone your knee replacement and these type of exercises will not exacerbate your arthritic problems. They will also come in handy when the day comes that you need your surgery. You will be better prepared and will rehabilitate much faster after surgery as well.

Tennis is Loads of Fun, But Hard on the Knees


Whether people are just volleying the ball back and forth or are playing in a serious competition, tennis is loads of fun for players of all ages and skill levels. Tennis is a game that is either played with two players or two teams consisting of two players each. Most competitions are either the best of three or the best of five sets. This is a game that has been popular since the 19th century, when people in the United Kingdom enjoyed the earliest version of the game, lawn tennis. The game became quite popular with the upper-class British and soon was being enjoyed by players all over the world. Throughout the years, there have been few changes to the game, especially when it comes to the rules, with the exception of the tie-break, which was created in the 1970s, and the fact that after 1960, players no longer had to have both feet on the ground when serving.

Not a Sport that is Easy on the Knees

As fun as it is to play tennis, this is not a sport that is easy on the knees. There is a lot of running involved and a lot of impact on the knees. It is important that people who play any amount of tennis take steps to protect their knees in order to avoid injuries that are very painful and often lead to knee surgery, which one only wants to undergo as a very last resort. Knee surgery is painful, and the recovery can take months. Many patients report that they still have problems, and wish they had never bothered with the surgery.

One way to possibly avoid knee surgery is to protect you knees while playing tennis. This can easily be done by wearing a comfortable knee brace on each knee, which will protect the knees from impact as well as hyper-extension. One brace that is popular with many tennis players is the DonJoy Performer Patella Knee Support, which is also great for the healing process of such mild to moderate knee injuries as mild ligament sprains and strains as well as patellar instabilities.

Features of the DonJoy Performer Patella Knee Support

The DonJoy Performer Patella Knee Support is lightweight and comfortable, making it the ideal knee brace for tennis players, as well as those into playing many other supports that involve running. Made from a breathable neoprene fabric, this brace is a good, all-round support for tennis players and other athletes. It provides support and compression while the athlete is playing tennis, which will help the player to avoid injuries to their knees. There are thigh and calf straps that provide additional compression, and a sewn-in pad for patellar support. The DonJoy Performer Patella Knee Support relieves knee pain and is available in sizes to fit most, from small to extra, extra large.

If you are a tennis player and would like to do more to protect your knees from injury, you really should consider using knee braces.

Acupuncture Is A Considerable Choice To Treat Knee Pain


The largest joint in the human body is actually the knee. It is composed of the lower bone, which is known as the femur, and the upper bone, which is referred to as the tibia. It is vital to take care of the knee for the reason that the knee is the only part of the body that supports the feet and legs. But, there are times that knee pain happens accidentally. In such a case, it is important that there is a quick treatment and remedy on hand in order to resolve and ease the pain and discomfort.

There are countless people who experience knee discomfort. This kind of pain is not that easy to handle. In fact, the pain in the knee is not the only effect that a person feels. He also suffers from real and physical discomfort, low self-esteem and even unproductiveness. In order to understand knee pain better, it is essential to know a number of causes of pain and discomfort in the knee. These causes include muscle cramps, injuries and also aging. Knee discomfort is felt by almost every one from children to adult. However, there is an effective and direct remedy to pain the knee.

Acupuncture is an effective treatment to knee pain. This kind of treatment is actually a part of the Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is an Oriental remedy that has been practiced for countless years. Acupuncture actually helps the human body by balancing the flow of energy and blood. The acupuncture needles are targeted to specific points in the body that triggers inherent and natural healing properties. The effects of acupuncture include positive energy, calmness, proper circulation and many others. Acupuncture is good for people who are suffering from knee pain because this therapy eases the pain and discomfort.

There are a number of studies which show and prove that acupuncture decreases and minimizes knee pain and discomfort. It actually lessens the stiffness found in the knee area. Moreover, acupuncture increases muscle strength and provides more flexibility. Since acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, people who are suffering from knee ailments are not exposed to modern day pills or prescriptive drugs.

Acupuncture is a natural way to resolve and treat knee discomfort and pain. It triggers the natural healing properties of the body in order to give relaxation and diminish the stiffness in the knee region. Acupuncture therapy relaxes the muscles and eliminates stiffness.

In sum, people who are looking for an alternative treatment or medicine to reduce and get rid of the discomfort brought about by knee pain, they should consider acupuncture as a primary option. It is effective because it does not involve harmful prescriptive drugs that may cause damage to the body.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Romantic Martial Arts


Over the past 25 years in the martial arts I've seen many people and fads come and go. However, one thing that seems to stay the same is the romantic notion of what a "real fight" will be like. Women seem to have their heads on fairly straight when it comes to self defense but I'm sorry to say that generally I can't say the same for they guys, especially the young guys. I've asked many women why they're studying self defense and their answers seem quite realistic. Generally women talk about a guy getting too "touchy feely" and having to stop them, a guy following them home and trying to rape them, or being car jacked. Where it starts getting interesting is when you start talking to the guys.

I place a certain amount of the blame on TV and the UFC personally, but when it comes to guys nine times out of ten they almost always envision a bar fight. Women picture some drug addict kicking in their front door and coming in to rape them, but guys picture some macho scene in a bar where they go outside, put up their hands, and square off with some other guy and having some big fight like in the UFC. It takes a lot of work to break these guy's romantic notion of squaring off in a bar and trading blows with another guy while their girl cheers in the background.

The truth is that people actually squaring off and assuming fighting stances rarely, if ever, happens during a real violent encounter and if you look at statistics you'll see that they show this. After spending 5 years as a bouncer I've seen all kinds of things and hundreds of fights but never once have I seen two guys model the "sparring scenario" which is to put their hands up, get into fighting stances, and then fight. Even in a bar or nightclub there is no "stepping outside" or putting your hands up; if a guy gets pissed off and wants to get you they'll walk right up to you with a smile on their face and when they're standing right next to you they'll sucker punch you with an ashtray and then start kicking you when you're down and helpless.

The point I'm trying to make is that the notion of putting your hands up and getting in a fighting stance is really just romantic B.S. Sure if you're just messing around or in a competition you have the luxury of "getting ready" but when someone really wants to hurt you it's not a luxury you will have. If someone wants to punch you they won't put their hands up first so you can see it coming, they will walk up to you and sucker punch you. A common tactic that I've seen used time and time again, and is also commonly used to mug people on the street, is for the "bad guy" to pretend to ignore someone and walk up to them like they're going to walk right past them, and then when they get right next to them they suddenly turn and punch, grab, shoot or stab them. Another popular tactic is to maneuver behind them and punch them or jab an object in their kidney which can completely incapacitate them.

The threat that people face isn't some big guy in a bar, its violent crime which is aggravated assault, forcible rape, robbery, and murder. It would be great if someone that wanted to rob or rape you would walk up to you and announce their intentions so you both could get into fighting stances and use your best sparring techniques, but statistically the encounter will actually start with you being blindsided and punched, stabbed, bludgeoned, or shot. Statistically, when you actually become aware that its time to start defending yourself its far more likely that you'll be laying on the ground and bleeding with one or more people standing over you, then dancing around in your sparring stance.

Luckily there is a silver lining and that lining is that since the person that actually wants to hurt you isn't going to bother with putting their hands up, getting in a sparring stance, dancing around with fancy footwork, worrying about kicking and punching ranges, setting up combinations, and pretty much everything else that is a part of sparring, you don't have to worry about that either. When a real criminal attacks you they won't be in a fancy stance or using fancy footwork, if they attack you they will just walk right up to you and attack leaving themselves wide open and completely vulnerable the entire time. If they throw a right hook, which is how most assaults and fights start, they'll just walk right up to you and throw it which means that every single target on their body will be exposed and unprotected.

If you're walking down the street and someone surprises you by coming out of nowhere and punching you in the face, as long as they haven't knocked you out or incapacitated you then you can defend yourself. You don't have to worry about all that fancy sparring b.s. because your attacker will be standing right next to you completely exposed. At this point he will probably be grabbing you with one hand and punching you with the other, but as long as you're still conscious you can turn the tables. All you have to do is locate one vulnerable area on his body and hit it as hard as you can.

Let's say you're bent over and he's repeatedly punching you in the back. While he's doing this you look up and see his eye so you simply step into him and jam your finger into his eye as hard as you can and push as aggressively as possible. You've just collapsed the dome of his eyeball and now his optic fluid is running down your arm as he drops to the ground, grabs his eye, and begins screaming, giving you a chance to run away.

He may have broken your nose and nearly ruptured your kidney from the repeated punches but he didn't knock you out or incapacitate you; while all you did was look at someone who was completely open, pick a vulnerable area, step in and hit that area, and then follow through. As long as he didn't knock you out you can defend yourself and you have a completely open and vulnerable person right there.

Since criminals like to surprise you and sucker punch you its very unlikely that most people will ever see the attack coming unless they've received the proper training and are using it. Even then you can be surprised which is why a lot of situations start with someone bent over covering their head, or on the ground, with someone standing right there hitting or kicking them repeatedly.

Here's a quick technique that has saved several people. You're walking down the street minding your own business when you notice that just up ahead there is a man leaning against a building looking at you. As you get closer he comes off the wall and walks towards you. He's now just about 6 feet away and he says, "Hey, do you have the time?" You instinctively look down at your watch and just as you're focusing in on the dial you feel like a bomb exploded in your head. The stranger managed to distract you for just a second and as soon as you looked down at your watch he came forwards and punched you in the face with this right hand. Now your head is ringing, you're seeing double, and your knees are starting to buckle. You've just been knocked nearly unconscious and you never saw it coming.

You're a little dizzy and off balance as you instinctively bend forward and cover your head with your arms. Your attacker grabs your left shoulder with his left hand and begins to repeatedly punch you in the back of your head with his right hand. You begin to curl into the fetal position as you open your eyes and see the ground... and his knees. You stare right at his nearest knee as you take a small step into him with your nearest leg, drop shoulder first right into his knee, and roll towards him. Your entire body weight has just crashed through his knee tearing his joint as he falls to the ground. As soon as you hit the ground you roll into him and grab his head with both your hands and you push it to the ground and use it to help you come up to a knee. Once you're on your knee you strike his head into the ground once, twice, or as many times as you wish and then run away.

Most people like this technique, especially after they practice it, but often ask, "what if you miss the knee?" Since you're entire body weight is falling down onto his leg you can pretty much guarantee that you'll knock him down with your weight. If you don't think so then just practice is a few times and you'll see how easy it is. Since you're entire body weight is crashing into his leg, even if you don't fall directly on his knee there is a good chance that you will still tear his ACL (the ligament that connects the front of the knee joint) on the way down.

But what if you don't tear it? Well you will still knock him down which means that he can sustain other injuries from the fall (broken wrists, broken arms, head trauma, etc.) but even if he doesn't you'll catch him by surprise and when you roll into him and hold his head down as you get up you ensure he stays on the ground because it is impossible to get up if someone holds your head on the ground. After that you strike his head into the ground which will most likely knock him out right away and could very well kill him.

I've taught this technique for years and more than one person has said that it had perhaps saved their lives. Many people have adapted it to use it before they get hit. The way this works is when someone confronts you, you go submissive, put your hands up, tuck your chin, and curl your back. Then once get right next to you, you just drop onto their knee and do the technique. Either way it is very effective.

Unfortunately few martial artists or martial arts schools realize that real violence doesn't start with two guys squaring off in fighting stances and everyone seems to be only preparing for the one-on-one sparring style fight, and that would be fine in criminal wanted to "fight", but statistically they don't and they seem quite content with leaving fighting stances out of it.

How To Know If Your Knee Brace Is Right For You?


I get lots of questions about knee pain and weak knees...

Reminds me of the old saying, "If I had a nickel for every time I heard about knee pain, I would be a millionaire."

Anyhow, there is a huge demand to figure out how to bring support to the knee joint when it is experiencing knee pain. So many people look to knee braces to pick up the slack.

But first, let's look at the knee joint to see what brings it strength and stability to begin with. The main components of the body that hold the knee joint together are the ligaments. By definition ligaments connect bone to bone. So at the very center of your knee are the 4 main ligaments that hold your knee together:

- ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)
- PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament)
- LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament)
- MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament)

It was explained to me by a Dr. friend of mine shortly after my knee surgery, Dr. Ralph Dobelbower,

"Dr. D" as we affectionately called him, explained to me that the ACL is about the thickness of a #2 pencil and pretty much holds the knee together. He added it is amazing how something so thin is able to handle all the pressure from the rest of the body it does and keep the knee together.

Of course when any of these ligaments are torn it is nearly impossible to regain normal stability in the knee again without surgery. However, there are many instances when these ligaments are not torn and the knee is still unstable. As a result, many people look to knee braces to bring stability and support to the knee joint.

This is all well and good in theory however the reality of these braces doing the same job as the ligaments in the knee is something quite different...

There are both pros and cons with knee braces. All of these I experienced myself trying out different types of knee braces in an attempt to find out how to get my knee to feel normal again.

The pros being they definitely keep the knees warm when the seasonal temperature is cold and depending on some of the thicker neoprene style knee braces can keep the knees especially toasty on summer days. So much so that you will need a towel to keep up with the sweat produced. Depending on how snuggly the knee brace fits this can prevent swelling from occurring while the knee brace is on however after you take the knee brace off it is an incredible relief. There are also the bigger metal style braces like the one at the top of this post that keep the knee in a somewhat locked position preventing it from hyper extending or twisting.

Then there are the cons and one of the biggest cons to all of the knee braces has to be...I didn't want to wear them! I didn't want to deal with the hassle of remembering to bring them to workout, to deal with the smell because ALL of them smell no matter how much I tried to clean them, and then when I was working out. I was never totally confident that I wouldn't re-injury my knee again. This all added up to trying to figure out what is the underlying cause of the knee instability to begin with.

Which takes us full circle back to the ligaments we talked about at the beginning of article. Strengthening the ligaments in the knees is key to making sure your knee joint has the strength, stability and support it needs so you never have to think about wearing a knee brace again.

Now the next question invariably presents itself, "But I heard that there is no way to strengthen the ligaments in my knee joint. My (fill in the blank) told me so."

This has always led to more questions on my part, "How do they know?" "Has your (fill in the blank) ever had knee pain?" "Is the knee therapy that you have been doing working?" "If it has then why do you still have knee problems?" "What other options has your (fill in the blank) given you besides that ligaments can't be strengthened?'

It bring to mind a quote by T. Harv Eker that goes, "It NOT what we know that's the problem. It's what we know THAT ISN'T SO, that's the problem."

Besides most of the time when you get close to strengthening the ligaments in your knee is when you quit the exercise.

Try this at home if you are able...

Find a sturdy wall and put your back up to it. Next squat down with your back pushed up against the wall so your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Now wait for 30 seconds...

Most likely before the second hand hit 30 your legs began to shake and you stopped doing the exercise. This is key to understanding how to strengthen ligaments in knee joint. Do as many Google searches as you want, there is very little out there at this point teaching you how to strengthen the ligaments in your knees so you can rid of your knee braces.

The ligaments are the body's natural knee braces, the only ones that are right for you all you need to do it strengthen them properly.

What Are Orthopedic Implants?


Orthopedic implants are medical devices used to provide fixation of bones. They are also used to replace articulating surfaces in different joints of the body. There are many bones and joints that might need repair due to injury, disease or simply wearing out. Orthopedic implants are used to strengthen or fully replace the damaged bones or joints in the region.

Orthopedic implants are inserted into the body using surgical procedures. These surgeries are always performed by highly trained surgeons who have specialized in this particular field. When a joint has deteriorated beyond a certain point, the damaged joint is removed and then replaced with an orthopedic implant.

Most of these implants are made from titanium alloys and stainless steel, which are then lined with plastic. The metallic structure provides strength to the implant, while the plastic surface acts as an artificial cartilage. Most often, the implants are fitted into position and the bone is allowed to grow into the implant for better strength. Sometimes the implants are also cemented for better adhesion.

The Need for Orthopedic Implants

The cartilage surrounding the bone is what makes joints function smoothly. Degenerative joint diseases like osteoarthritis result in the cartilage wearing out and causing friction between moving bones in a joint. This can cause a lot of pain and discomfort whenever there is movement in a joint. Excess weight and other factors can also contribute to cartilage loss. When other treatments fail to improve the condition, orthopedic implants might be suggested by the doctor.

The Different Types of Orthopedic Implants

The knee, elbow, hip and shoulder joints are some of the joints in the body most affected by loss of cartilage. Implants are designed to withstand the stress and movement associated with each kind of joint. This can then correct the affected function of the joint and decrease pain while at the same time increasing the mobility of the joint.

There are different orthopedic instruments used to insert and position the joints in place inside the body. Safety locking plates, interlocking nails, wires, pins, Large / Small / Mini fragment implants, Cranio Maxillofacial Implants, cannulated screws, external fixators and many other orthopedic instruments are used in these procedures.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Orthopedic implants can greatly increase the mobility of a patient and at the same time decrease the pain associated with joint movement. This will enable patients to enjoy the quality of life that they had before.

However, the success of the treatment depends to a large extent on the skill and experience of the surgeon performing the procedure. The outcome of the operation also depends on post-operative care which includes prevention of infection and possible malfunction of the implants.

Kneecap Dislocation - A Common Cause of Knee Pain


There are many causes of knee pain, from strains and sprains to tears to broken bones. Another common cause of knee pain is having an unstable kneecap. This can lead to kneecap dislocation, which occurs when the kneecap does not properly align with the groove known as the trochlea. This groove is what the kneecap slides up and down on as the leg bends.

Unstable kneecap, also known as patellar subluxation, is when the kneecap is pulled toward the outside of the knee. In many cases, the dislocation is subtle, and causes little to no irritation to the patient. Other times, kneecap dislocation is an extremely painful condition. Kneecap dislocation is most often seen in adolescents and sometimes in younger children.

Causes of Unstable Kneecap

There are all kinds of things that can cause the kneecap to become unstable. Usually, it is a combination of things that lead to this condition. Some of the things that can cause kneecap dislocation include a shallow groove, a wide pelvis, an irregular way of walking and even abnormalities in the feet, which is now known to cause a number of other problems, including back pain. Younger patients who suffer from chondromalacia patella, which is an irritation of the cartilage beneath the kneecap, are prone to having kneecap instability. Some other causes of kneecap instability include patellar tendonitis (jumper's knee), plica syndrome and osteoarthritis.

Treating Unstable Kneecap

Before getting treatment for an unstable kneecap, it is important to correctly diagnose the condition and make sure that there is not already kneecap dislocation. In order to find out exactly what is going on, a physician will perform a number of diagnostic tests, including x-rays, to see where the kneecap is sitting. If the kneecap is dislocated, it will need to be put back into its proper alignment.

There are a number of ways to treat kneecap instability and prevent kneecap dislocation. Physiotherapy is often recommended, where patients will strengthen the quadriceps muscle, which will help to realign the knee and pull on the kneecap. Often, patients are required to use a brace as a short-term treatment, and because this condition is often caused by an improper gait, quality footwear is also recommended.

Is Surgery Necessary?

For some patients who do not respond to non-surgical therapies, surgery may be required to fix an instability or dislocation in the kneecap. The physician will perform an arthroscopic surgery, which involves the use of a tiny camera to see exactly where the problems lie, then the proper surgical procedure can be performed to correct the problem. The most common procedure is a lateral release, where the lateral ligaments are cut so the kneecap can go back to its proper position. Because kneecap dislocation can become a recurring problem, many patients opt to have the surgery following the first dislocation, to relieve knee pain and prevent future ones.

Kneecap dislocation is painful, but can easily be treated, and with the proper treatment, patients can live virtually pain-free for the rest of their lives. If you think you have a dislocated knee or kneecap instability, see your physician and find out what you can do to treat it now, before it gets worse.

Knee Operations Can Give You Back Your Freedom


The most commonly done knee operations are knee replacement surgeries. These surgeons perform joint replacement of the knee. This could be total or partial knee replacement. Such a surgery becomes necessary when rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis have caused the joint to wear off completely. The surfaces of the knee joint cannot bear the weight and even the normal day-to-day movement becomes difficult. In a total knee replacement operation, the surgeon discards completely, the cartilage from the thighbone, kneecap, shinbone and the damaged bone. Then he or she replaces this with an artificial knee joint, called the prosthesis. The prosthesis or the artificial knee is made of plastics, polymers and metal alloys.

When patients are suffering from knee problems, the surgeon performs Arthroscopy on them. This is a procedure to diagnose the knee problem and to treat it. The surgeon makes an incision on the knee and then inserts an instrument known as arthroscope. This instrument allows the surgeon to get a view of the interior. He or she sends images from the inside of the knee to a television monitor, through fiber optics on the arthroscope. This will help the surgeon to determine if a knee replacement operation is required.

The knee operations are safe and have a very good success rate of approximately 90-95%. After the surgery, excessive activity or exertion could cause the knee to wear down again. In such a case, another replacement might be required. However, this is not common as statistics reveal that 90-95% of knee implants perform perfectly even for ten to fifteen years after the surgery. With moderate levels of activity, most of the knee implants function for about fifteen years or more. If the patient does strenuous activity, it might need a new replacement. With the kind of medical care and expertise available today, complications and infection have reduced largely.

The reason why physicians recommend a knee surgery is to prevent the bones of the knee joint from rubbing against each other. This rubbing causes a lot of knee pain. With an artificial knee joint, the new surface provided relieves the person from pain. Knee replacement surgeries enable people to live better lives without knee pain. If the patient takes proper care and rest, he or she can be active in their movements after the surgery for many years.

With success rates being over ninety percent, knee operations are perfectly safe and satisfying. People have improved the quality of their lives by getting freedom from knee pain. Knee pain could make even normal daily activities tiresome and difficult. People who have pain problems find it difficult to even walk or move about without effort. After the surgery, the quality of life enhances as movement becomes pain-free and swift. People with knee pains are not able to do several tasks but after the surgery, they begin to live a normal healthy life.

The knee joint prosthesis usually made very strong can function for 15 years or more. This is Made of durable materials and designed to minimize friction between the bones. This helps smooth leg movement. There are even gender specific knee joints to cater to women suffering from knee problems. Knee operations are very common and have high success rates. People with severe knee pain must consider replacement for a better life.

Training Clients With Knee Injuries


Do you know how to train, and deal with a client that has a knee injury, or structural concern? Many trainers simply avoid the issue and work around the injury which needs to be addressed, and as a trainer, you will come across clients with previous and current musculoskeletal implications more often than not. Some of the most common knee injuries or conditions that you will encounter are, patellar tendonitis, patellar tracking dysfunction, chondromalacia patellae, torn meniscus, ACL, LCL, PCL, repair or reconstruction, knee replacements, genu recurvatum, etc...

Typically during your initial assessment and musculoskeletal evaluation with a new client you want to get as much information on the injury or injuries, but for now, we are going to focus on the knees since this is the topic. Find out when and how it happened, and what was the exact procedure and protocol for taking care of the knee. Did it require surgery, and did they go to physical therapy and for how long? Find out if the knee is still symptomatic, or maybe it is asymptomatic at this point.

If the client had a surgical repair or physical therapy, find out their progression from then until now. Contact the surgeon or physical therapist that worked with this client, as you can find exactly what was done, and how far their progression in physical therapy was. If you get a client that is still in physical therapy, then you're in good shape, as you can work in conjunction with the therapist. As a Strength and Conditioning Coach you want to take the client to the next level, beyond restoration. Your job is to strengthen and stabilize the knee, so it is more mechanically efficient and stronger than it was previously, and to minimize the likelihood of re-injury.

As the client steps down from physical therapy, and you take over, your job is to get the knee as stable as possible by focusing on strengthening all of the musculature of the hip girdle, core, and ankles. By this I mean that you need to strengthen all of the supporting musculature of the knee, not just the ones around the knee, but the musculature more proximal to the core, where the root of knee stability comes from. For example if I wanted to build a table with four legs, and each leg had a movable joint much like a knee, and I needed to attach the legs to the table top with nails and bolts. If I attached three of the legs with only one nail from the top, then attached the fourth leg with glue, a thick bolt from the top going down through the leg, and secured it with braces, the fourth leg would obviously be much more stable then the other three. Let's just say that all of the joints on the table legs were equally as stable, still the fourth leg would be much more stable than the others. Makes sense right? Well let's apply that concept to a client's hip and knee. You need to strengthen the hip adductors, abductors, hip flexors, hip extensors, gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and all core musculature as mentioned in an earlier article "The Lowdown on Abs". If these muscles are not strong then it is impossible for the knee to have good stability, even if the knee musculature is strong.

Typically seated machine leg extensions are contraindicated, because all of the pressure, and sheer force are directly on knee. Also any type of plyometric is as well, such as lunges and jump squats. As a note, utilizing knee wraps while training will only end up detraining stabilizing musculature. Some good choices of exercises to perform are hip flexion/ extension, hip abduction/adduction, standing TKE's, and proprioception drills on one leg. Don't forget about the ankle either. Perform soleus raises, calf raises, dorsi flexion, ankle inversion/eversion, and utilize a BAPS board.

If the client is still symptomatic and has a limited range of motion in the knee, less than 60 degrees, then you want to focus on strengthening all of the stabilizing muscles as mentioned above. As their range of motion increases, start incorporating compound multi joint exercises that include knee flexion. A good place to start is with a body weight ball squat, mini squats with adduction or abduction, light weight supine leg presses, and straight leg deadlifts. Another thing to keep in mind with compound lower body movements are to ensure that the clients feet are in the natural position in which they stand, and the feet stay flat on the surface you are working on. Make sure that the knees also follow a straight line in relation to the toes, and that they are not buckling in or outward. This is a good way to tear a meniscus. Take a look and evaluate their mechanics of how they initiate movement in the knee. Watch your client perform a ball or simple squat if they can do so and make sure they are initiating the movement from the hips, rather than the knees. You always want to place the greatest load on the bigger muscle groups first. Initiated from the hips and the knee follows. The knee can go slightly past the toe in flexion, as long as the heel is not lifting up off the floor. If you watch an athlete perform a front squat, the knees will most likely pass over the toe somewhat at the bottom range of the exercise. This is normal mechanics. If you try doing a squat below 90 degrees it is almost impossible not to do so, especially with individuals with long femurs. Try doing a single leg squat, and see what happens. If you want to believe otherwise about the toe not allowed to surpass the knee, then enjoy moving around like a robot.

You also need to ensure that the client has a proper quadriceps to hamstring strength ratio of 3:2, and testing the flexibility ranges of the lower extremities so they are within biomechanical norms. A good way to test lower body flexibility is to utilize the Thomas Test Position, and supine position on a treatment table. If you cannot make a good estimation of degrees, utilize a goniometer. Normal minimal ranges of motion are as follows, hamstring flexibility 90 degrees, glutes 135 degrees, abduction 45 degrees, dorsi flexion 20 degrees, quadriceps 135 degrees, knee extension should be at least 0 degrees or up to 10 degrees past 0, and internal/external rotation of knee is normally 10 degrees to each side. In a Thomas Test Position, hip flexors knee just below line of anterior illiac crest, quads 90 degrees ROM, and Iliotibial band where lateral side of knee is in line with hip.

As the client progresses in strength and flexibility, and can perform compound multi joint exercises with a full range of motion without pain, then it is a good time to teach them eccentric loading techniques. A good place to start is by doing step ups and enforcing good eccentric loading in the landing phase of exercise. Once mastered then they can move into lunges and entry-level plyometrics as discussed in "The Rules of Gravity: Plyometrics".

In the end, tight or weak muscles will ultimately compromise knee stability, and most likely lead to some kind of injury, and as a final note, these are just basic guidelines for working with an injured knee. If you are not sure what to do, talk to a physical therapist, Athletic Trainer, or Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Total Knee Replacement Considerations


Having your knee replaced is a decision that thousands of people virtually all over the world have to decide on every day. There will be a multitude of reasons why or why not to have it done that all of us can come up with however, the biggest reason that helps make the final decision for us is the amount of pain you have to endure every day.

Once the pain becomes a problem to your every day activities then you need to consider having the procedure done as soon as possible. One of the biggest problems I see as a physical therapist is the patient that waits too long to have the procedure done in the first place. By postponing your surgery if in fact you have been advised to have it done, creates muscle and soft tissue contractures to develop which in the long run complicate your rehabilitation further and, can also create muscle imbalances in your hips and low back leading to hip and or back pain.

The rehabilitation therefore is longer, you ability to get back to work is delayed longer and, you are put through possibly more pain and swelling than you may have had to encounter if you had been more proactive in getting the surgery completed when first advised. Now I am not talking about someone that has been told they need a knee replacement and give it a month or two to consider their options, I am talking about someone who has put off the surgery for two to five years in hopes that something will miraculously change.

Another important consideration you want to take a look at is that you are preparing your mind and body for the surgery. In other words if you have decided along with your surgeon on a date to have your knee replaced, then you want to get into the best physical condition you can. In most cases you are in so much pain that physical conditioning has gone by the way side. I would recommend you start on a pre-operative home exercise program that your orthopedic surgeon or local physical therapist can give you to start getting your affected leg or legs in condition for the rehabilitation.

Aquatic therapy also is a wonderful exercise to strongly consider. It is easy on your joints and allows you to get a complete full body workout in. I can assure you I can tell immediately during our first rehabilitation session who has prepared for the surgery and who has not. Most orthopedic surgeons today like to get you involved in a pre-operative exercise program to increase your chances of a full recovery in the minimal amount of time.

Take into consideration these two important aspects when considering to have knee replacement surgery.

The Top 3 Secrets You Need to Know to Avoid Knee Pain When Cycling


Cycling is regarded as one of the safest sports for avoiding injury. However is the world of cycling knee pain is fairly common.

As with most sports, the more mileage you do, the more close to perfect biomechanics you need to be in order to avoid injury. As cycling is a non contact sport knee pain from cycling stems from poor biomechanics, muscle imbalance, poor flexibility or poor bicycle set up.

The top three areas to examine when trying to fix your knee pain is training errors, technique errors or bike set up errors.

1) Training errors.

It is very easy to develop muscle imbalances around the knee. For example you may over

develop the quadriceps compared to the hamstrings.Hamstrings and calves commonly get tight and can adversely affect knee alignment. Some cyclists also develop imbalances within the quadriceps muscle resulting in a stronger lateral side versus medial side. It is essential you talk to your physiotherapist or coach about your training protocol and address any underlying imbalances. Further training will simply exacerbate the problem.

2) Technical errors

Pushing excessively high gears with slow cadence can place more stress on the knee cap. If this heavy power work is implemented too early in the season you will risk wearing out the back of the knee cap.

The other common error is cycling with the knee turned in which causes massive lateral force on the knee cap aggravating the knee pain. Get someone to cycle behind you to check your alignment as you ride along. Make sure the knee is moving up and down with the knee over the foot and not wobbling around or turning in.

3) Bike set up

Even if you are training correctly and have perfect cycling technique, knee injuries whilst cycling can still be caused by poor bike set up. If you have not had your bike fitted to you and are doing high mileage this is a good investment.

Check the crank is not too long, check the cleat alignment, check the distance of cross bar from seat to handlebars.

The seat height is important as well. The easiest way to check is to allow one pedal to drop to the 6 o'clock position and observe the angle of the knee joint. There should be a 25-30 degree flexion in the knee when the pedal is at the bottom most point. Another is to measure your inseam (in centimetres) and multiply this measurement by 0.883. This should be your distance from the top of the seat to the centre of the bottom bracket. If you place your heels on the pedals, have someone else hold the bike, and pedal backwards, your hips should not rock back and forth. Likewise if your hips rock when you are riding, then lower your saddle until you achieve a smooth pedal stroke.

The majority of people suffering knee pain whist cycling will need the seat position adjusting. Once this contributing factor has been corrected then treatment will be effective.

Physio treatment may be required to loosen off tight structures, knots or scar tissue within the muscles. A good sports physio will also advise you on specific strengthening exercises to address any muscle imbalances.

Does Omega-3 Benefit Arthritis Aches?


More and more people are taking omega-3 supplements for their arthritis. Studies are now showing that omega-3 and arthritis alleviation go hand in hand.

But why? How exactly does omega-3 improve the symptoms of arthritis? Well, it depends what kind of arthritis you have. Omega-3's are not going to help with all types.

However, it will help with some of the common types of arthritis. This is because in many cases of arthritis, inflammation is the culprit. Inflammed joints create pain and stiffness, which is the end result of arthritis.

This pain and stiffness and lack of range of motion robs people of their enjoyment in life. Who can live joyfully when they are in constant pain?

Omega-3's, especially high quality fish oil supplements loaded in omega-3's, are natural anti-inflammatories. Simply put, they help counter the inflammation of joints that creates much of the pain associated with arthritis.

Now, omega-3's can't work miracles. If you have a very severe case of arthritis, you will probably experience some relief using a high quality omega-3 fish oil supplement, but it's not going to get rid of all your pain.

However, if you suffer from a modest case of arthritis, you will probably experience a much greater sense of relief since your inflammation isn't that acute yet.

In addition to omega-3 supplements, you should try to eliminate foods from your diet that help create inflammation. Some of the most common culprits include: processed foods, fried foods, fast foods, grains, such as white rice, white bread, and pasta. This of course includes foods like donuts, bagels, and many other things many Westerners consider staples.

It's not going to be easy changing your diet, but if your arthritis pains are bothering you enough, you will make the change.

With a change in diet to more healthy choices: a lot more leafy greens, eggs, grass fed meats, nuts and seeds, etc., and a quality fish oil supplement, you will most likely experience the omega-3 and arthritis pain alleviation that improves your quality of life markedly.

Best Water Exercises For Arthritis in the Knees, Hips and Joints - Nurse's Guide


If you have arthritis, either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, you may have been thinking about doing some water exercises for your knees, hips or other arthritic joints. Water exercises, meaning either those used in aqua aerobics or resistance exercises, have been used for years by arthritis sufferers to find pain relief.

Over the years water exercises for arthritis have been fine-tuned so right now the best exercises have been developed by many experts in the field. Exercise physiologists and doctors who specialize in sports medicine, rheumatologists, physical therapists and other health professionals have come up with the best arthritis exercises for use in the water.

Water exercises work very well for people who have arthritis in their knees and hips. People without arthritis greatly benefit too. The floating feeling or buoyancy of the water takes the stress off knees and hips.

If you're doing water exercises on your own it's best do the exercises with the water at chest-height. If you're going to take aqua exercise classes, the instructors may make aerobics a part of your exercise period. Of course aerobic exercise will greatly benefit your heart and may even lower your blood pressure.

Aerobic exercise in the water may consist of exercise that moves the large muscles such as those in your legs. You'll be kept constantly moving to get the heart rate up and sustained for at least 20 minutes or so.

Resistance exercise in the water contributes to building your muscles and strengthens them. Noodles (which are flotation devices) are used to exercise the arms and shoulders. The noodle is held at about the level of the waist while you are under water then you lift it over your head. You will feel resistance. Make sure to start the lift under the water.

You can do these exercises on your own in a public pool, private pool, Jacuzzi or wherever you have access to water. You may want to check with your doctor before starting any new water exercise routine or before you sign up for any water exercise or aqua aerobics classes.

If you're using public pools, try to find pools that use salt water rather than chlorine. Chlorine is very hard on the body and skin. Much is absorbed and the long term effects are not known. Olympic swimmers will not swim in chlorine pools. Many public pools have switched from chlorine to salt water. Call around and see what the pools are using before you get started.

Doing these exercises may help relieve some of your arthritis pain. Many arthritics have reported pain relief after starting a water exercise program. You can find relief too.

And don't forget that diet plays a big part in arthritis and exercise coupled with an arthritis diet or raw food diet will get you on the road to superior pain-free health.

Knee Pain From Osteoarthritis - Can Your Hip Be the Cause?


Osteoarthritis is a very common disease that can greatly affect our mobility and quality of life. Osteoarthritis is commonly found in the weight-bearing joints of the body. The knees, hips, lower back, and neck.

It usually starts off gradually and most people continue on until it reaches the stage that medical advice is required. If you are complaining of knee pain, you doctor should also question you on your lower back and hips and assess these joints.

Referred pain is when the sensation of pain is felt in an area other than the location in which it is caused. Osteoarthritis of the hip commonly causes hip, groin and buttock pain but it is not limited to these areas. Pain from an arthritic hip can be felt radiating down the thigh and into the knee. It is not uncommon for a patient to present to their doctor complaining of only knee pain when the cause is their hip. This can come as a surprise when the doctor starts ignoring your knee and starts asking you about the joint above.

Osteoarthritis can be easily diagnosed on x-ray and when the knee film looks too good to explain the pain, the hip is the next suspect.  Pain is not the only symptom of this type of arthritis and your doctor may suspect the hip after examining you due to a loss of the normal range of motion.

Of course there is always the possibility that you have arthritis in both your hip and knee at the same time. In this case it is hard to be sure which joint is responsible for the majority of the symptoms. Your surgeon will advise you in this situation.

Knee Pain Relief - Types of Knee Arthritis & Knee Braces That Help Provide Support


You do not really know how much you need your knees until something goes wrong. They are a crucial part of the human body, and preserving them is extremely important . Knee arthritis can strike anyone at any age, but it is most common in people who are over 50 years of age. Other contributing factors, in addition to someone age, would include being overweight, suffering through trauma to the knee and ligament or bone damage.

Symptoms of knee arthritis are often painful and debilitating, especially if the problem is left untreated. However, unlike most diseases, symptoms can fade or disappear altogether some days, and strike fiercely and unexpectedly other days.

There are three main types of knee arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form, and generally strikes people who are middle-aged. This type of knee arthritis usually gets worse as time goes on. Gradually, the cartilage that surrounds the knee is worn away, causing your bones to rub together.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammation of the knee that can destroy the cartilage surrounding the knee. This type of knee arthritis can strike at any age, and it generally strikes both knees and not just one.

Post-traumatic arthritis is the final, main type of knee arthritis. As mentioned, this type of knee arthritis occurs after an injury. It may not show up for years after you have sustained an injury to the knee, but once it does, it can be painful.

Symptoms of knee arthritis are different from patient to patient. You may experience "good days", or "bad days". In some cases, knee arthritis sufferers complain that the weather affects their symptoms. If it is damp or cold outside, your symptoms may increase in severity compared to when it is dry and more warm outside.

Symptoms of knee arthritis include:

A weakness in the knee

Joint swelling

Knee area feels stiff

Range of motion is reduced

Knee can become deformed

The knee and surrounding area becomes sore to the touch

Do not allow knee arthritis to ruin your mobility. If you notice any of the symptoms of knee arthritis listed above, see your doctor. The longer you leave it, the worse the symptoms can become.

While visiting with your physician is important there are a number of things you can do to alleviate the pain in your knees, if you are suffering from knee arthritis.

First and foremost, if you are overweight, you should strongly consider losing weight in order to take some of the pressure off your knees.

Staying away from any exercise that may exert extra, unneeded pressure on your knee is also recommended. In extreme cases of knee arthritis, you may be required to undergo knee replacement surgery.

A knee brace can also be used to lend extra support to the knee. If you tend to have more pain when certain knee movements occur you should highly consider the support a knee brace can provide. A low profile knee brace can prevent excessive movements and as a result reduce your pain. This is extremely important when you forget about your arthritic symptoms and make a movement without thinking. This is when the knee brace can be your aid.

If you have osteoarthritis a knee brace can also helpful. If you have malalignment due to arthritic anatomy changes at your knee joint. An "OA" (osteoarthritis) knee brace can help maintain proper alignment, thus reducing your pain.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Is Muay Thai Kickboxing a Good Street Fighting Martial Art?


Muay Thai or Thai kick boxing has seen a surge in popularity in recent years thanks to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) where many of the competitors employ this brutal and sometimes deadly art. In fact the Gracies were inspired to promote mixed martial arts matches after a trip to Thailand where they saw competitions similar to those in their native Brazil. Muay Thai has been the national sport of Thailand long before the UFC though, and steeped in ritual. The sport can also be found in other parts Southeast Asia and is known as Pradal Serey in Cambodia and in and Malaysia as Tomoi. What attracts many competitors to this martial arts form is its lighting attacks of hands and feet. Unlike Western style boxing, traditional or "old school" Thai boxing didn't end until somebody got knocked out. It is a brutal and demanding combat sport.

In Thailand training begins at a young age with boys beginning training as soon as they are able to walk. Women are also involved with the sport and have their own tournaments. American Kathy "The Punisher" Long who is a regular contributor to Black Belt Magazine also competed in Muay Thai and is now training several male competitors as well as commentating for UFC. There are competitions and schools every where from California to Russia as the sport remains popular.

The sport which been around in one form or another for centuries and is steeped in tradition and rules. Buddhist rituals are part of traditional so in Thailand a fighter will take a trip to a shrine as well as meditate. The fight itself is preceded by a symbolic dance called wai khru which also acts as a form of warm up exercise. The headband and armbands worn by the fighters also have meaning. The headband is called "mongkhol" and is a blessed by a monk and is worn for good luck, but is taken off before the fight while the armbands remain because they offer protection to a fighter and won't be taken off until the fight is done.

The fight itself is broken up into five three-minute rounds with two-minute breaks in between each round. Matches are decided by knockout like in the old days as well as a modern point system. Three judges decide who carries the round and the one who wins the most rounds, win the fight. There's a referee in the ring with the fighters though and prevents injuries from occurring and stops fighters from grappling or doing anything else that violate the rules which only allow for striking.

Few see the weaknesses of Muay Thai because if is brutal moves using hands and feet as a fighter employs "Art of the Eight Limbs." The sport form we now know today stems from Lerdrit which was taught to the Royal Thai Army. Forward movement, kicks, knees, locking, grappling and elbows are all major concepts in Lerdrit with the major difference being that one uses and open hand not a fist like Muay Thai. Though this method is combat tested it still has the difficulties like Muay Thai.

First one must remember this a sport which is limited in what someone can do and how they can move. In Thai Boxing opponents are always coming at you straight on with rules prohibiting many moves including wrestling on the ground. This can bring an end to a Muay Thai fighter's deadly assault once they are taken down. Also there are no defenses to weapons. In a street fight there is much more to the fight then hit and get hit back. Judo may be a competitive sport in Japan and around the world, but only rules separate competitive Judo from what one might use for self defense in real world situations. In fact most UFC fighters find themselves having to study another art form in addition to Muay Thai so they survive matches with better trained fighters.

On the street a Muay Thai fighter isn't ready for battle, a mistake made by a lot of sprot martial artists, since you're not dealing in a fair fight. Full contact may make a person tough, and you most certainly can knock someone out with a good blow to the head. Muay Thai for the street is simply inefficient. There are a lot faster ways to dispatch someone. The lesson here is you can enjoy a sport like Muay Thai, but study a martial art that you can use outside the ring. Survival is pass fail and nobody cares about how well you score.

Where and When to Throw the Most Powerful Knees in MMA - Our Top 3


Throwing a powerful knee during a Mixed-martial arts bout will add some variety to your game. When in the clinch, knees are a very valuable tool. Here are the ways you should utilize a powerful knee.

Abdomen or Chest.

When in the clinch, you are too close to throw any kind of powerful kick, or often times even punch strongly enough to put any damage on your opponent. Throwing a huge knee into the abdomen can cause a lot of damage to your opponent if done correctly.

Sometimes you can hit the liver on the opponent's right side, a few inches below the nipple line, mid-axiliary. If you can hit them in the chest hard enough you can easily knock the wind out of them.

Legs.

You have a perfect opportunity to throw some massive knees to your opponent's thighs in the clinch. Do this also because you are far too close for any damaging leg kicks.

After repeated knees to even only one of your opponent's thighs, you remove most of their punching power. Not to mention they will be standing a lot more still in front of you and you can launch an attack.

Head.

Of course if the opportunity is there. Throw a knee to your opponents head. It almost doesn't matter where you throw it. If it is hard enough, it will surely knock them out.

If there is anyone you could simulate knocking out someone with a knee, it is Alistair Overeem. Watch some of his old K1 and MMA battles to see how to throw the most powerful of knees.

Throwing a proper knee in MMA is very valuable. Watch tape of fighters utilizing knees in the clinch. An MMA strength and conditioning program is vital to have knowledge and power to control your opponent in the clinch.

Gender Specific Knee Replacement in India


The Gender specific knee replacement is meant to improve overall function after a knee replacement in Indian women. In India, women constitute 60 percent of patients undergoing a total knee replacement. Until now Indian surgeons used knee implants that were designed on the average measurements of knee sizes of men & women. The Gender specific or Woman special knee is the only knee implant specifically designed for women.

It is based upon findings presented at the meeting of biomedical and biomechanical engineers in the US. It was first introduced in the US in 2006. It was launched in India in April 2007 and most women preferring a high flexion knee replacement opt for the Gender specific knee. Patients have reported rapid relief from pain and earlier return of function in comparison to non gender knees. They needed hospital shorter hospital stay.

Anatomic differences between the two sexes have been acknowledged for long but only recently applied to design of orthopedic implants. The Gender specific knee is based on the anatomical facts that the thigh bone or femur in Indian women is narrower from side to side, the knee cap rides on a more oblique line and the lower end of the front of the thigh bone is less prominent.
The surgical technique is not significantly different.

The new knee prosthesis can be implanted through the highly successful technique of minimally invasive or less invasive surgery in which the incision is only 4- 5 inches long. This woman knee prosthesis also allows high flexion. Post operative pain is significantly reduced and hence patients can be discharged from hospital within a week.

Women who have undergone this gender knee replacement in India are very satisfied with the result at two years of follow up.

Common Causes of Knee Pain - Jumper's Knee


Many injuries that cause pain to the knees are not actually injuries at all, but are actually just repetitive movements that over time will cause irritation, leading to pain and inflammation. Jumper's knee, or patellar tendonitis, is a painful condition that is often caused by repetitive movements and is common in many athletes. Jumper's knee is one of the most common types of knee pain, and it can easily be treated.

What is Jumper's Knee?

Before we explain the condition, we first need to talk about the construction of the knee. There are two main tendons that allow the knee to have the range of movement that it does - the quadriceps tendon and the patellar tendon, which connect the muscles to the bones, and allow people to straighten and bend their legs. Most times, this condition is caused by overuse, which is why it is often seen in athletes, who tend to use a lot of repetitive movements that involve running and jumping. Jumper's knee can be painful, and there is often inflammation to go along with the pain. Jumper's knee can also be caused by not properly taking care of a serious injury to the tendon, but overuse is a much more common reason for the condition.

Symptoms of Jumper's Knee

There is usually quite a bit of pain associated with jumper's knee, and this pain is usually centralized directly around the patellar tendon. It is fairly easy to diagnose jumper's knee. All a physician needs to do is to press on the affected area, and if the patient displays the right symptoms, he or she more than likely has jumper's knee. Many people with jumper's knee complain of pain when they are doing certain activities, such as running, jumping, kneeling and going up and down stairs. Sometimes, there is inflammation around the patellar tendon. To make sure that the tendon is not degenerating, an MRI may be performed, as well as x-rays, to make sure there are no bone spurs, which are associated with jumper's knee.

How Can Jumper's Knee Be Treated?

One of the first recommendations a physician will make to someone with jumper's knee is to rest the affected knee as much as possible, and if the person is an athlete, it is recommended that they stop playing sports until the tendon is properly healed. Most times, the patient is the best judge of how much rest his or her knee requires, and the majority of people are going to take it easy as long as needed to make sure that they have no problems with their knees in the future.

Anti-inflammatory medications are often prescribed to patients with jumper's knee to relieve pain, or they may prefer to take weaker medication that they can find in pharmacies without a prescription. Ice treatments are important, as well as stretching exercises that will help to strengthen the tendon. Many patients need to wear a brace of some sort, usually an infrapatellar or Chopat strap or a knee brace.

As long as patients follow their physician's advice properly, there is no reason why the knee should not heal completely. Then, they will be able to take part in all of their normal activities, including the sports they love so much.

Joint Replacement Surgery In India- Common Misconceptions


Orthopedic surgery for trauma and elective problems like joint replacement is popular amongst the urban and rural population. However due to supply & demand discrepancies, advertising has a big role. The gullible public often is at risk of misinterpreting the reams of information brought out by hospitals. They may land up with their expectations falling short of what was promised. In this article I shall attempt to clarify some commonly heard terms and discuss the possibilities and limitations of the procedure and thereby remove some misconceptions.

Key Hole surgery- is another term for Arthroscopic surgery. The arthroscope is a device introduced into joints through key-hole incisions about 5 mm wide to inspect the internal structures. The orthopedic surgeon often makes 1- 4 key holes during performance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures all of the same size. Through these other holes or portals, similar sized instruments of 5 mm width are inserted to smoothen, cut, trim or suture damage structures. Arthroscopic surgery is commonly done in the Knee, Shoulder joints and rarely for the elbow, ankle and hip in our country. Arthroscopic ACL and other ligament reconstruction are possible in the knee. However a knee or any other joint replacement cannot be done by Arthroscopic or key hole surgery. An artificial joint is made of metallic alloy and High density poly ethylene. In a Joint replacement the surgeon sculpts the surfaces of the joint to prepare it for implantation. These prostheses should match the dimensions of the original joint. It requires common sense to understand that an artificial joint cannot be introduced and implanted into a joint through a tiny hole,

5 mm wide. Yet large hoardings, banners and radio and newspaper ads would want the public to believe so.

Minimally invasive surgery- This differs totally from Key hole surgery. This is traditional open surgery done through full length incisions and not just punctures holes. The size of the incision is down sized from the traditional sized large incisions. It is not "Arthroscopic surgery"
Joint replacements can be done through minimally invasive incisions. The advantages of minimally invasive surgery are smaller sized scars, less bleeding, less post operative pain, and faster recovery. Hospital stays are shortened even for Joint replacements. Discharge from hospital requires that the patient has minimal or no pain is ambulant independently with or without aids and the wound is showing signs of settling down. It is therefore not the size of the skin incision alone that matters but what happens inside. Minimally invasive surgery is applicable to Joint replacements, Spine surgery trauma and post trauma reconstruction. Image intensification, computer assistance, innovative surgical approaches, skilled surgical assistants and newer equipment are helpful to perform this difficult form of surgery. The whole purpose of this approach is to make the operation patient friendly without compromising the results of the traditional operation. It should not be a mere marketing Gimmick.

Computer assisted surgery- This is an area where the misconceptions fall under two categories. A section of ill informed people think that the computer just performs the surgery like an auto pilot and the surgeon sits back. Another section is given to understand that it is the Gold standard in surgery and that surgery done without computers is bound to fail. Both these perceptions are false. Computer assisted surgery is not robotic surgery, nor are the long term results proved. A Knee replacement done by a well trained and qualified surgeon in the right operating theatre environment has a chance of lasting for 10 -15 years in 95 percent of the people in whom it is implanted. What computer assisted or navigational surgery is capable of doing is perhaps to raise the survivorship rate at 15 years by one to two percent to say 96- 97 percent. Under no circumstances can the prosthesis last for ever as one of the component polyethylenes is bound to wear. If the prosthesis is fitted correctly, then the incidence of loosening is reduced. Due to its inherent wear over a period of time, it cannot be everlasting as claimed in some quarters.
An auto pilot in a modern aircraft makes calculations about altitude, atmospheric turbulence etc and adjusts the elevation and speed of the aircraft without the pilot's intervention during flight. This does not happen in Orthopaedic surgery. The surgeon cannot stand back and let the computer make the surgical incisions, cut the tissues and bones. Computer assisted surgery is not Robotic surgery where a Machine performs the operation without human assistance.

Computer assisted surgery is traditional open surgery performed by human beings and not Robots. The surgeons makes the incisions and during the operation gets information about remote inaccessible areas like the Hip and ankle joints from "Sensors" or arrays implanted into the leg and thigh bones. This information is processed by the computer to give intra operative information on the correct alignment and positioning of the instruments for making the bony cuts to get the alignment correct. The surgeon makes the cuts and not the computer. The accuracy of the cuts could be marginally improved with this procedure as compared to standard instrumentation. However there are no long term studies to show that more accurate cuts produce improve results. A surgical operation consists of attention to the soft tissues like the ligaments and muscles which the computer cannot see. Nor can it give any information on the size of the implants. These two criteria are paramount to the success of a Total knee replacement, i.e., "Soft tissue balancing' and "Sizing" of the implant. The computer plays no role in these two steps.

Computer assisted surgery adds on extra operating time to the tune of fifteen minutes to a total knee replacement. This translates into increased cost to the patient. The amortization of the equipment per case works out to nearly fifteen to twenty thousand rupees. Thirdly, some of these navigational aids supplied by a particular company are compatible only with implants supplied by that company alone. So if better implants from another rival company are introduced into the market, the navigational system and the instrumentation won't work together. So these hospitals are forced to make false propaganda about their function provided by the implants used in their hospital despite the contrary evidence in the literature. For example it has been claimed that a "Rotating platform Knee" provides High flexion to the tune of 155 degrees. If one were to only do an internet search, then this claim would fall flat on its face.
Another term that is misunderstood by patients is "Knee transplant" A knee or other joint replacement is not a transplant. It only resurfaces the worn out portion of the joint and leaves behind the normal bone. The worn out surfaces are sculpted to receive the implant.

Marketing of health services is now an aggressive business with complete control of the media like TV, Radio, print and banners by large corporate hospitals with huge investment on advertising. Misinformation is spread easily by subtle innuendoes and inferences in banner ads. Advertising is ethical and permissible if it doesn't propagate misinformation. Spreading misinformation by advertisements is unethical as the innocent patient reposes his trust in a Doctor and his trust is betrayed with incorrect information. With nobody to bell the cat, except for some agencies like the advertising standards council of India, the unwary patient is at great risk of being misled. So how do they protect themselves? What are the safeguards from false advertisements? They need to do more deep digging and research by referring to the manufacturer's information booklet, consulting other specialists, and search the internet. Only then will they perhaps avoid falling into a trap of misinformation and gain full value for their hard earned money.

Chronic Knee Pain - A Life Sentence


Chronic knee pain is a debilitating condition that robs a person of the ability to freely enjoy everyday activities without pain. Chronic joint pain is a constant or reoccurring pain that can stem from a number of causes. While the intensity varies for each individual, those who suffer from chronic pain long for relief. It is not enough to grin and bear it and deal with the pain; one must learn how to manage their chronic knee pain.

It's discouraging to think that your body is having trouble healing itself. That's what your body is made for! But when the pain is a daily battle, it is easy to feel hopeless, like your pain is just never going to end. Many people who suffer from the daily effects of chronic knee pain seek only for immediate relief of the pain. It's natural to yearn for that feeling of well being, but sadly, many only look as far as pain relief and don't explore rehabilitation of the joints. Doctors, it seems today, are quick to scribble out a prescription and send patients on their way. Some people with chronic knee pain take several pills a day to simply get through the pain, and of these, some will take the same painkillers the rest of their lives. This is not to say that they are not justified in needing real relief. Chronic pain can be crippling and each person tolerates pain at a different level.

If the idea of dependency on medications that you can't pronounce with a list of side effects a mile long worries you, you're not alone. Many chronic knee pain sufferers are looking for safe and natural ways to manage their pain, and work to rehabilitate their sore joints. Going all natural may not be as recognizably effective as prescription medications, but natural remedies may go further in healing your chronic pain than simply covering it up. There are many products you can buy that promote joint health. Supplements and lifestyle changes could do more for relieving your pain than you might think.

Glucosamine is something that your body makes naturally to assist in making healthy cartilage, but as we age our bodies slow down the production of this naturally occurring compound. When taken in a supplement form, glucosamine can help rebuild healthy cartilage, thus eliminating pressure on the joints and relieving knee joint pain. There have been promising studies made with glucosamine, although some doctors would express doubts about its effectiveness. Chronic joint pain sufferers seem to sing its praises, swearing by its healing properties.

Your chronic knee pain doesn't need to be a life sentence. There are ways of treating and rehabilitating joints without heavy-duty painkillers or expensive surgeries. The best way to get effective results is to be proactive about your pain management regime. The sooner you take your joint health seriously into your hands, the less likely it is that you will succumb to your chronic pain and find yourself missing out on the things you love to do.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Knee Inflammation - How You Can Treat Inflammation in the Knee


A very common ailment for people as they get older is knee pain. As you get older your body begins to wear down and your muscles usually begin to deteriorate. As a result, many people suffer from different pains and ailments throughout their body. Bad pain in the knee is usually a result of arthritis in the knee. People who have arthritis are probably aware that it will cause knee inflammation and severe pain.

People who suffer from arthritis are probably aware that one of the best ways to treat this pain is to focus on strengthening the muscles that surround the knee. Being proactive and building up your muscles can help stabilize the weakened knee. It can also help to relieve some of the pressure that is being put on your knee. It is important to realize that finding a good exercise routine for your knee is not only a good way to treat current problems, but it is a good way to treat future problems.

If your body is healthy and strong, you will be less likely to develop any ailments or pains. Focusing on trying to treat the causes of knee inflammation means that you can work to prevent it from occurring. If you are looking into pain killers to help your pain, you should be aware that painkillers are not a long term solution. Most pain killers will only act to mask the pain that you are experiencing. You need to find a good knee pain treatment program that will comprehensively help you eliminate the swelling and pain.

Knee Replacement Surgery - Help For Antibiotics


When you go in for a total knee replacement, as I recently have, you will automatically be given antibiotics to help fight infection. This is just part of the process. Knee replacement requires major surgery. The surgeon is going to make an eight inch incision in your. Whenever you are opened up like this the medical team has to be concerned about the risk of infection. Hospitals are full of bacteria, after all.

The antibiotics that are prescribed for you will be administered intravenously during and after the surgery, for a few days. Now we have all heard about antibiotic resistant germs, and this is something that is becoming more of a concern every passing year. Is there anything you can do to help relieve your concerns in this area?

As it turns out, There is a proteolytic enzyme, extracted from the stem of pineapples, that has been reviewed in studies for thirty years, and is now used as a matter of course in some countries around the world, whenever antibiotics are administered.

Bromelain has been found to boost the effectiveness of antibiotics by assisting the body to absorb them more completely and to have an anti-inflammatory effect as well.

In recent studies it has been shown to act as an immunomodulator when administered orally during tumor therapy, by improving the ability of monocytes to act against tumor cells and by inducing the production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-a, and different forms of interleukin. In addition, reports on animal experiments have claimed antimetastatic effects, inhibiting the growth and invasiveness of tumor cells.

Bromelain is easily available by mail order and is sold as an aid to digestion and wound healing. It is reasonably priced, being under $20 for a months supply. This is definitely a supplement worth doing some research on. It's use in clinical setting has discovered very few negative indications, though individuals with an allergic reaction to pineapple have broken out into rashes upon ingesting this product in some studies.

Supplementation should always be discussed with your doctor. You do not want to take something that will negatively impact on what your medical team is trying to accomplish. On the other hand, you can't expect your doctor to be up to date on the latest information that is available. The best thing you can do is put in some time on reviewing available information yourself. Then go to your doctors well inn advance of any procedure with the info, from credible sources, and express your desire to use the product or particular therapy.

An excellent source of information is PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

You can type in your search topic, and then review abstracts of studies that have been done and published. If you go to your doctor with the results of a published study, or several studies, then your doctor is going to be much more comfortable considering your request.

Liposuction - Remove the Excess Fat and Get the Perfect Figure


Even those who commit to eating well and exercising can find that genetic factors can negate their efforts as age and hormones cause deposits to grow and sag. At this point, cosmetic procedures can be an appealing option. Liposuction can give a perfect shape to the abdomen, the waist area and also to the hips, neck, arms, thighs and back. Here are some details about the various ways the procedure can improve specific areas of the body.

Legs

Inner thigh liposuction can reduce the rubbing together of the inner thighs and improve the silhouette of the legs. For women who are bothered by their knee, this will usually be treated at the same time. The best results will be experienced by those who have good skin elasticity. Otherwise, a thigh lift might be needed to accompany the procedure to remove extra skin. Liposuction alone will not improve rippling in the skin.

Buttocks

Because too much liposuction will result in sagging skin, a conservative approach should be taken and no more then 40 percent of flab in the buttocks should be removed. The procedure cannot be expected to lift or elevate the buttocks, although sometimes that can be a positive side effect once the natural elasticity of the skin is regained. Often it is best for this surgery to be performed under local anesthesia with the patient remaining awake but sedated so she can lie comfortably on her stomach providing the surgeon best access to the surgical site.

Face

Liposuction is performed to the chin, cheeks, neck and jowls to remove deposits that are usually the result of genetics and completely resistant to diet and exercise. These deposits can make a person appear chubby, older and less athletic. When combined with laser resurfacing or a chemical peel, the results can be as dramatic as a facelift.

Arms

This procedure is almost exclusively performed on women who, as they age, find it more difficult to maintain a toned upper body. Loose some skin in the triceps along with fat pads in front of and behind the arm pit can cause insecurity when wearing sleeveless shirts or evening attire. A patient considering this procedure must have realistic expectations as excessive removal of flab from this area can result in an unappealingly lumpy look which can become even worse with weight gain.

Of course, under all circumstances always consult with your doctor about what method best meets your goals, body type and medical history.

What Is Methylsulfonylmethane? Advantages of MSM


Methylsulfonylmethane or MSM, is a sulfur-containing organic compound that is produced by certain primitive plants. It can be found in small amounts in certain food items and beverages and is sold in the form of a dietary supplement.

As a dietary supplement, it is commonly used in combination with glucosamine and chondroitin which is used for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis although its biochemical effects have not yet been extensively explored.

MSM is shown to treat certain illnesses such as osteoarthritis, seasonal allergic rhinitis, interstitial cystitis and snoring but further studies and research are needed to prove its use as a medical therapy.

Previous experiments showed that a daily dose of 1,500 mg of MSM is effective in relieving symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. A double-blind experiment was conducted on patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee and results showed that the patients exhibited a significant improvement in their physical activity and a reduction in pain without experiencing severe discomfort.

An experiment was also conducted to evaluate the effect of MSM on seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever where 25 subjects were given a daily dose of 2,600 mg of MSM for 30 days. The results show that a significant improvement in the symptoms experienced was observed among those suffering from this illness.

The FDA has approved, since 1978, the use of dimethyl sulfoxide or DMSO to be used as treatment for interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome by introducing it into the bladder. MSM is a metabolite of DMSO, therefore it is possible that MSM is the main active ingredient that makes DMSO treatments work effectively for the patients.

A study was also conducted to test a clinical trial of an MSM-containing throat spray for snoring which was found to be effective in controlling loud and vigorous snoring but further studies have to be conducted to prove this claim.

Because of its polarity and thermal stability, MSM is used as a high-temperature solvent for both organic and inorganic substances.

It has been shown through nuclear magnetic resonance that MSM, when taken orally, is easily absorbed into the bloodstream and has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. It has also detected substantial amounts of MSM in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid

The dietary supplement and health food industry highly promotes MSM as a natural source of sulfur. It is this characteristic of MSM that provides added flexibility and permeability to the gastro-intestinal tract thus preventing diarrhea, constipation, nausea and hyperacidity.

MSM is also believed to reduce the incidence of cataract by allowing the appropriate level of fluids to flow through optical tissues and blood vessels thus, removing toxic substances on the way. MSM is also believed to strengthen hair and nails, and aides in the rapid healing of wounds.

Previous research show that MSM is effective in eliminating Giardia from the body, the parasite that causes giardiasis, a kind of diarrheal infection of the small intestine.