Saturday, January 18, 2014

Michael Jordan - A Sports Persona the Will Never Be Paralleled


There are few NBA stars that possess the ability to have there first names be recognizable above any other name in their sport.

Today's game boasts interesting names such as Kobe and LeBron but before they were even old enough to lace up sneakers one man separated basketball from sports.

Michael was, and remains, the most recognizable name in not just sports but in popular entertainment. His air-ness may share his name with the King of Pop and their achievements may be similar on a global stage but Michael Jordan's ability to combine his achievements as an athlete and his ability to bolster his public image with his successes in the business world undoubtedly separate him from the other Michael.

Jordan entered a league dominated by Magic, Doctor J., Larry, Kareem and Moses. Among those titans of basketball, Jordan managed to captivate the sporting world while playing for an untalented Bulls team.

Jordan's career seemed to reach new levels each season but his team was not always recognized as the second (behind Russell's Celtics) greatest dynasty in basketball history.

Though MJ led his Bulls to the 8th seed playoff spot his first several seasons, a feat that is underappreciated on Chicago teams that were untalented and under achieving, his early career was marred by injuries and controversies caused by jealous opponents.

The NBA's most jealous superstar, Isiah Thomas, unsurprisingly led the charge in 1984. Michael Jordan was voted as a starter, by the fans, to the all-star game in his rookie season. Isiah, feeling the attention Jordan was receiving was unjust, led a player revolt in the all-star game. In a move most forgotten for unsportsmanlike behavior, Isiah refused to pass Michael the ball throughout the game.

Jordan went on to win Rookie of the Year honors and his battles with Isiah had just begun.

His next two seasons were busted by foot and knee problems.

In 1986, Jordan returned from knee surgery in time to face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Though the Bulls were swept by Larry's Celtics, Jordan managed to set an unbroken playoff record of 63 points in game 2.

In 1987, Jordan averaged an astonishing 37 points per game but was again swept by the Celtics.

It wasn't until 1988, perhaps Jordan's most successful season individually, the Bulls emerged from the first round of

Jordan holding on of his 6 Larry O'Brien Trophies
the playoffs. That season, Jordan averaged 35 points per game, 52 percent from the field. He won his first of five NBA Most Valuable Player award and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

It's rare to have a player succeed on the offensive and defensive ends of the court in such a dominant fashion.

In 1988, the first of 4 epic post season battles, Isiah Thomas and his Detroit Pistons eliminated the Chicago Bulls in five games.

The Pistons and Bulls would meet again in 1989 and the Pistons, now famous, "Jordan Rules" defense facilitated in once again eliminating the Bulls.

In 1990 the Bulls emerging talent surrounding Jordan again fell to the Pistons as the "Jordan Rules" was now a famous and effective method for slowing down Jordan and stopping the Bulls.

It wasn't until 1991 that Michael and his now ultra talented squad finally beat the Detroit Pistons. The Bulls were able to finally get revenge and swept the Pistons led by Jordan opting for the assist over the shot, made difficult by the Pistons "Jordan Defensive Rules".

Isiah Thomas, in typical unsportsmanlike fashion, walked off the court before the final buzzer without congratulating his opponent.

After defeating the Detroit Pistons in 1991, Jordan led his Bulls to their first title.

The Bulls would go on to win 6 titles in 7 years.

Michael Jordan, a man who achieved personal stats unmatched by any player in NBA history, won 6 NBA titles, 5 NBA MVP awards, 6 Finals MVP awards, Rookie of the Year honors, Defensive Player of the Year honors, 14 all-star appearance, 10 all NBA first team appearances, 9 time defensive first team honors, 3 all-star game MVP awards, 2 Dunk contest championships, and now he will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Jordan, nearly single handedly, made famous such globally branded products as Nike and Gatorade.

Even in retirement, Jordan's endorsements of products such as Nike and Gatorade continues to ensure their profits. On the day of Jordan's first retirement, the NY Stock Exchange actually took a dip because of Jordan's effect on global business.

No professional athlete can boast such a claim.

I consider myself to be a somewhat astute NBA historian and yet I had to research all of Jordan's accolades online as to not forget any.

Above all of his personal and team achievements, perhaps Jordans most admirable contributions to professional sports was his ability to face defeat, adversity, world fame, and tremendous success with grace, maturity, sportsmanlike conduct, and humility.

His brilliance on the basketball court is missed but his presence is still felt by the players that follow him. Players such as Kobe and LeBron emulate Jordan in their on court highlights. We can often be found, jaw dropped, at an amazing move made by today's players while thinking and sometimes shouting:

"That was a Jordan move!"

Today's players may be able to resemble Jordan in their play but they certainly cannot reach the levels Michael achieved, always carrying himself with class, on and off the court

Knee Replacement Surgery Cost - The Inside Numbers


Replacing your knee isn't a little venture, where you head into your Doctor, get a procedure done and you go home. As you probably know by now, it's going to be a big deal. Whether you have insurance, or you don't have any insurance at all, I wanted to give you some numbers on what you should expect, when it comes down to getting your knee replaced.

If you have insurance, it's important that you check with your insurance to know your deductibles, your co-pay, and more. It never hurts to consult with the hospital, as well as your insurance company. Many hospitals will be able to give you some rather good numbers before the surgery even starts. Even though they can't give you exact numbers, you will find that they will come relatively close.

As long as the surgery is ordered by the Doctor, you will find that most insurance companies will cover them. Insurance companies such as Humana, as well as Blue Cross shouldn't have a problem discussing the surgery with you, in terms of costs.

Now, if you don't have health insurance, you will find that many hospitals out there will require that you pay a certain percentage up front. This prevents those to get a surgery and run away with out having to pay.

Experts from many leading hospitals will tell you that an ACL replacement can vary anywhere from $28,000 to as much as $40,000. A lot comes into play here, ranging from the hospital that is performing your surgery, all the way down to the complexity of the surgery itself.

Other options as well as saving money...

If you're worried about saving money, there are other options that you can choose. Many hospitals out there will more than gladly take cash discounts. You will find that if you haggle ahead of time. Not all hospitals do this.

Doctors will also tell you that you can get a partial knee replacement as well. Only go this route if you Doctor requires that you do so.

While the numbers that I'm giving you are a ballpark figure, it should be a wake up call to you to show you why you should get health insurance. There are many policies out there that you can take advantage of and while many of them are affordable, you shouldn't be living life without a policy!

If you have to, compare rates at various hospitals, and find a healthy option that works for you.

Joint Pain Relief - What You Can Do


Joint pain relief is a topic of import for people of all ages. At one time, the phrase joint pain brought to mind images of granny squatting down in her garden to pull weeds. This is no longer the case.

Victims of such pain are increasingly of all ages. In children, this is mostly due to the computer age. Kids who spend a lot of time on computers and playing video games are getting neck pain at a very young age. But what can you do to relief the pain of your joints?

The first thing to focus on for the pain of your joints, as with any medical condition, is prevention. Many doctors recommend reducing as much as possible the repetitive strain by taking frequent breaks from whatever physical activity, whether work or play. While taking these breaks, they say it's a good idea to take time to stretch the muscles around the joints as well.

Massage therapists often have to deal with clients who are looking for joint pain relief as well. While they work the muscles around the joints, there is not much they can do for the joints themselves. They often recommend using herbal topical ointments such as ones containing arnica, which seem to help decrease the pain.

Several people I know have tried acupuncture and have had good results. A coworker once twisted her ankle but had acupuncture immediately and was right back on her feet. A friend of mine suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for years and was able to decrease many of her drugs because she got more joint pain relief from acupuncture treatments.

Particularly when knee and hip pain comes from degenerative problems, such as osteoarthritis, the condition can't be cured. At the very least, there are topical creams and treatments like acupuncture that may decrease the pain and therefore improve the quality of life for people with these conditions.

There is a lot of arguing back and forth over whether cold or heat is best for joint pain relief. Generally, people with rheumatoid arthritis report feeling their affected joints are hot, therefore, cold may help with this condition. With osteoarthritis, these people report that the condition is worse with cold, therefore, they tend to feel better when heat is applied.

Also worth looking into is dietary changes. It appears that certain foods may affect the symptoms of joint conditions. Therefore, some people say that they have experienced joint pain relief merely through modifying their diet.

The good news is, with more and more people being affected by such pain on their jointsw and earlier in their lives, more note is being taken. It is no longer a condition that is treated as being inevitable with age. This means that, in the future, we will continue seeing more alternatives to joint pain relief become available.

Knee Replacement Surgery in India - Benefits, Risks and Costs


Knee replacement surgery is one of the most common types of joint replacement surgery performed in world, with more than 200,000 operations per year in the United States alone. Many patients travel from United States of America and UK to get low cost knee replacement surgery in India.

What is Knee Replacement Surgery?

Knee replacement surgery (also known as total knee joint arthroplasty) is usually undertaken when knee problems associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have resulted in the wearing down of the knee joint.In a total knee replacement operation, a surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from the thighbone, shinbone and kneecap, and replaces it with an artificial joint (knee prosthesis) made of metal alloys, plastics or polymers. Knee replacement surgery is one of the safest surgeries of its kind, and has a 90 to 95% success rate.However, excessive activity can cause the knee replacement to wear down or loosen and require replacement.90 to 95% of knee implants are still functioning well 10 to 15 years after surgery, and with moderate activity levels-most knee implants can be expected to function for 15 years or more, but more strenuous activity can require more frequent replacement.With the level of medical expertise and care available today, infection and complications are rare and the operations are straightforward.

Benefits of Knee Replacement in India

Indian corporate hospitals are comparable to hospitals anywhere in the world. In fact, India has medical facilities that are comparable with the USA or UK. India offers World Class Medical Facilities comparable with any of the western countries. India has state of the art Hospitals and the best medical experts which offer the Knee Replacement surgery in India at highly reduced costs as compared to the Western Countries. And the money you save can buy you a very good vacation in India. Not only do you get big cost savings for the knee Replacement Surgery in India, but you can also enjoy a holiday in a country that has a huge variety of tourist destinations available.

Risks of Knee Replacement in India

The intricate risks subjective to Knee Replacement Surgery are Blood Clots,Infections,
Stiffness, Loosening of the Joint Prosthesis. With the level of medical expertise and care available today, infection and complications are rare and the operations are straightforward. Also the other factors specific to India are that although India is able to offer surgery at very low prices, it still hasn't developed the confidence amongst the International Patients that its counterparts have developed. Patients from USA and UK still don't know a lot of things about India-like the climate, the culture and the language. Not only this,it is also difficult for an International Patient to make a good choice for the correct surgeon and the Hospital.

Cost of Knee Replacement Surgery in India

A total knee replacement in some of the private hospitals in the UK and USA costs about 40,000 $. The same treatment can be provided in India for a quarter of the cost or less than that. The cost of the Knee Replacement Surgery would range from 6000 USD to 7000 USD- in various Hospitals and Joint Replacement Centres. All these factors today have made the Indian Hospitals as the Medical tourism Destination of the World.

To know more about affordable and low cost surgery in India-please visit the Website =>http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com

Dheeraj Bojwani-MD-is an International Patient Consultant to foreign patients who want to travel to India for getting low cost medical treatment and surgery. More than 400 patients from across the globe have taken the benefits of his services till date.

Important Details

Medical Tourism to India - http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com

International Patient Experiences - http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com/international.php

Email-enquiry@forerunnershealthcare.com

Contact Number- 0091-98607-55000

Correct Your Common Bowling Blunders


As simple as it may seem, to simply knock down the pins by throwing a ball at them, bowling is not all that easy. Different people meet with different kinds of problems, while bowling. Crossing foul line, losing balance, incoherent throw of ball are some of the common problems that bowlers face. In this article, we will learn how to avoid these common problems by applying simple solutions to them.

A Common Mistake

'Fast feet' is the mother of all problems in bowling. This is a condition, when the feet of the bowler fall before he sways the ball. This one action is so fast that it gives rise to a complete series of wrong actions. Individually correcting those mistakes will automatically rid the bowler of this problem also.

Positioning The Ball

It is very important to discharge the ball properly. If it is not placed properly, it usually leads to fast feet. Always lean sufficiently low to launch the ball and never throw it from the height of your waist. The best way to do it is by discharging it between that time during your last step, when your heel touches the ground and before your toes touch the ground.

The Position Of Shoulders

The most common mistake that novices do while bowling is bringing their shoulders excessively frontward. This leads the waist to bend much more than the knees, thus causing imbalance. This results in a throw, which lacks power. To avoid this, you should keep your shoulders in a straight position and bend your knees a little. As you bend down to deliver the ball, bring yourself slightly forward, simultaneously bending your waist and knees a little more.

Take Small Steps

When heading towards the bowling lane, to throw the ball, take small and uniform steps. Large steps tend to take away the leverage from your swing and thus the ball. Your steps should just be just as big as your walking step. The first step may be slightly smaller than the second one, but the rest will follow the league and you will see that the ball will fall in place. Walking on toes can also cause similar problems. Always put your heel first on the ground and follow with toes.

Relax Your Muscles

When getting ready for a move, we all tend to stiffen our muscles. This results in a throw, which is loose and aimless. On the contrary, a ball thrown with relaxed muscles or minimum muscle contraction is the best ball. It hits the aim with full force, rather than your grip taking away the most of its force. Tense muscles can also cause injuries to your arm or shoulder.

Now you must have understood the reason, why you could never get your ball right. Correcting these simple errors will improve your game a great deal and you will enjoy it all the more.

Amateur Fight Night Dallas - Don't Mess With Texas


It was a close call whether the fighters in the ring or the spectators around the beer tents were the more hostile.

I had only night in Dallas, but having spent the morning looking around art galleries and visiting the JFK museum (housed in the old school book depository building), I was feeling that this would be quite sufficient time in the city.

I was therefore very happy to take up the suggestion of my host in Dallas (Jennifer) that we go to an amateur boxing contest to be held at the nearby country club.

She explained to me that her friend, Kyle, was one of the boxers who would be fighting later in the evening. Since it was an amateur event, she also added that an extra twist would be added to each fight to provide further entertainment for the crowd.

Kyle was from near New York, so for the purposes of this bout, he was to be referred to as The Yankee. He was paired against a local man from Texas, to be known only as The Southerner. The historical rivalry between the northern and southern state was to give the contest additional spice.

It struck me that that this was a decidedly one-sided arrangement. I expected the home-grown spectators to be thoroughly partisan - and imagined that this Yankee would be booed and heckled at every opportunity.

We arrived at the country club just before seven in the evening. The club was located in a reasonably wealthy suburb of Dallas, and had swimming pools and several sports fields on the site.

Somewhat at odds with this more formal and exclusive atmosphere, was the entirely relaxed dress code. Most of the men wore shorts and t-shirts (many carrying whimsical comments or colorful designs). Women were fewer in number - but made up for this by wearing more flamboyant clothes - ranging from cut-of jeans to skimpy evening dresses and bikinis. Several members of both sexes also sported various tattoos on their forearms, shoulders and legs.

There were a couple of hundred people already in the country club when we turned up. After having my ID checked, I was given a writstband to show that I was good to be served with alcohol - which promised to be in plentiful supply.

An impromptu boxing ring had been set up on the lawns of the country club. There was also a small stage on the far side of the ring where several commentators were sitting. The event was being broadcast on one of the cable channels, so there were also a couple of men standing by the corners holding cameras for filming - while a giant boom reached out over the ring carrying another camera and microphone.

The evening was being sponsored by Corona, so there were numerous stalls set up on the lawns selling beer. This could be purchased by the single can or, for the more determined drinker, it was possible to purchase an ice-bucket filled with half a dozen or so cans, suitably chilled.

Small pennants and gaudy flags belonging to the sponsors were hanging up in the trees or draped around the iron fences which separated the lawns from the swimming pool. To complete the ambiance, several large electronic speakers had been set up all around the country club, which were pumping out a loud and continual beat of heavy rock music, to create an appropriately aggressive atmosphere.

One of the earlier fights was already in progress when we arrived. As an amateur contest, all boxers were required to wear padded helmets. In addition, the rounds seemed to have been shortened. It was difficult to determine exactly how long the rounds were meant to be, since the bell was almost inaudible and somewhat arbitrary. Each fight consisted of three of these rounds.

As well as having to cope with the punches of his opponent, each fighter also had to deal with the onslaught of sarcasm from the commentators. They kept up a non-stop banter during the entire bout, usually disparaging the abilities of both boxers. One of the commentators was nicknamed The Man with a Laugh like a Telephone. And before he spoke, he would always guffaw raucously - imitating the ringing tone of a traditional telephone.

In between rounds, young women wearing bikinis would parade around the ring, carrying a placard showing the number of the forthcoming round on one side, and the name of a local sponsor on the other.

This ritual caused great excitement amongst the crowd, and cries of "Get that top off" were common. At one point in the evening, one of the commentators on the microphone could contain himself no longer and called out "Aw, come on! Can't someone pull those panties down just a little bit when she goes past?"

At the end of each fight, several girls entered the ring and threw free sponsorship material into the baying mass of spectators. These were usually t-shirts, towels or hats. This was also a popular activity, and many of the audience waved their arms enthusiastically, clamoring for one of the gifts.

Although later in the evening, when beer and boredom had taken greater hold, several of these items were hurled back into the ring with as much enthusiasm as they had at first been received.

As I approached the ring, I saw that the fighters were between rounds, and the commentators were holding forth on the microphone.

- Is that guy being sick? He must have taken a real pounding. Good job the trainer brought along a bucket.

- He's not being sick. He's just spitting out his water. All fighters do that. Haven't you ever been to a fight before John?

The first bout ended with a knockout, and an interviewer immediately entered the ring to talk to each of the boxers. In addition to the honour (and presumably the prize money) for winning the contest, it also appeared that there was some kind of forfeit system in place to be performed by the loser. I initially thought that this would be applied to every fight - but later realized that it was specific only to this fight.

I had no idea how these forfeits had been decided upon, but it must have represented something personal for the two men concerned. The first punishment for the loser was that he had to eat his opponent's choice of breakfast - which comprised a mixture of tuna fish and cheese flavored pretzels.

For the second stage of the punishment, an old Kentucky colonel type, complete with cane and white whiskers, climbed awkwardly into the ring, asked the losing fighter to bend over, and gave him three or four symbolic whacks on his backside with the cane.

- Jeez! This is like some low budget gay porn film or something.

- I wouldn't know Mike. I've never seen a low budget porn film. Sounds like you're an expert though.

The next bout was between a man with bright yellow socks and a man wearing no socks at all. Before the first round began, the man with no socks was asked why he wanted to fight that evening.

- Well, y'know. I've just got through a very bad divorce. And I've been working out in the gym. But I just got to take out my aggression somewhere.

After the bell sounded, albeit faintly, No Socks came out fighting hard and landed a few hard blows on Yellow Socks.

- Wow, John! I reckon it was those socks that got him mad.

- Maybe his wife wore yellow socks too. So he's had plenty to practice on there.

- Woah! Nothing like some domestic violence humour.

- Yeah! That's probably why she wanted a divorce.

Despite a promising opening round, No Socks (and No Wife) could not finish off his man. Since the first fight had been decided by a knockdown, I wondered what would happen in the event of an inconclusive result.

There was nothing so technical as a points decision. The commentators would only voice their opinions on who had won; but they remained divided to keep the crowd interested.

So instead a winner was chosen by popular acclamation. As each fighter's name was called out over the microphone, the spectators were asked to cheer loudly for their favourite. Yellow Socks got some vocal support, but the bigger cheer by far came for No Socks. He had perhaps fought better - but I suspected that sympathies may have been with him on account of his divorce problems.

- Don't spend all that prize money at once, man!

- Hey, Mike. He won't be spending any of that money. His ex-wife is going to get her hands on all of it.

Our friend the Yankee has no chance, I thought. Unless he can knock his man out, there's no way this crowd would declare him the winner.

The next fight was much shorter - finishing with a knockdown early in the second round. This bout was between a business owner and one of his workers. Rather than settle their differences regarding working practices in the courts, they preferred the spectacle and the more historic tradition of a public duel. Since both men, however, were wearing the shirts of the firm concerned, their company was getting well promoted whoever won.

The boss was a thickset heavy, lumbering man - while his opponent was much smaller and leaner. The subtlety of matching fighters based upon their weights was clearly not one of the requirements for Texas rules.

The boss won the fight, finishing off his employee with a well-timed punch on the chin. After landing him unconscious on the canvas, the boss quickly went over to see that he was alright.

- He probably doesn't want the hospital bill on the company insurance.

- Yeah. Or else he's trying to avoid a lawsuit.

- Sure. I hope he's gonna let the poor guy have the day off tomorrow.

- Well, I'm guessing he's not doing much work anyway if he's in a coma.

The vanquished employee was brought to his feet and helped from the ring. Next to enter were two thin and rather puny men with tattoos all down both arms. They were two members of the same music band - and had decided to fight because one was always stealing female groupies from the other.

This contest proved very unpopular - since neither musician had much aggression, and both seemed more afraid of being hit than wanting to land a blow upon his opponent. The crowd began to boo loudly as the pair shadow-boxed carefully around each other - occasionally offering a tentative jab at the other.

- This has to be the worst fight in the whole history of fight night!

- Nah! These guys aren't even fighting. They're just slapping each other with their handbags.

Eventually, half way through the second round, one man fell down. It seemed unclear whether he had been hit or just no longer wished to stand up any more. This brought the sorry spectacle to an end. But despite his victory, even the winner was jeered off the stage.

The master of ceremonies then announced that there would be a short break before the main event of the evening: the long awaited contest between The Southerner and The Yankee. This would be a momentous event he added. A chance for history to be revisited - and rewritten.

While waiting for the fight to start, I wandered amongst the crowd to see what other people had turned up. There were by now just under one thousand people present - though the announcer had multiplied this by a factor of twenty to declare that the official attendance was nineteen thousand.

Most of the spectators were white and male. Though a few were black - and some men had also brought their wives or girlfriends too. There was plenty of beer in evidence too, with ice from the buckets strewn widely over the grass.

The combination of beer and men meant that there were, unusually, long queues outside the gents toilets. This also brought it's fair share of ribald comments from the guys waiting in line.

- Hey! Move along. I'm busting back here.

- Don't get so close dude. I don't want you sneaking a peek at me while I' doing my business in there.

- I reckon we should, like, just go in the ladies. Sure they wouldn't mind.

- I wouldn't touch that beer can man. I think I saw another guy just pissing in there.

- Ahh. I needed that. Better than sex, dude. Better than sex.

Standard dress wear was mostly t-shirts and baseball caps - many of the latter being worn backwards. A few, mostly black men, wore reflective sunglasses. Some cowboy hats were also in evidence.

A blonde girl with fat legs wore a rainbow colored garment with the phrase "Keep Austin Weird" written on it. Other choice t-shirts included the following. A picture of a cow skull above the words "Republic of Texas", "Hike Naked. Add colour to your cheeks", "Is that blood?", a picture of a small bird with the caption "I drop bombs like it's my job", "Vicious without mercy", "Texas Ranger", and a map of Florida shaped like a gun.

At last it was time for The Yankee and The Southerner to fight. The Southerner was greeted by loud and prolonged cheers from the crowd - while The Yankee was booed and hissed. The master of ceremonies began to enthuse the crowd further with a rendition of Dixieland.

After the last strains of "I wish I lived in the land of cotton" subsided, the MC entered the ring to interview The Yankee. When he learnt that he originated from Brooklyn, he started talking to him in a mock Italian-American, wise-guy gangster accent from the Bronx.

- And in the red corner, let me now introduce The Southerner. Born right here in Texas. The land that I still consider to be a separate country. I hope you realise, son, how great the expectations are on you tonight. Everyone here wants you to change the result of the civil war.

But it seemed that the crowd would be disappointed, for The Yankee fought hard in the first round, striking The Southerner several times on the head, though never actually knocking to the canvas.

- I hate to say it. But I have to give that round to The Yankee. That Southerner needs to fight back.

- The Yankee looks to be the quicker man too.

- Well, he's dancing. I'll say that about him. But I think The Southerner has a chance here.

- Yeah. Why's that?

- Well. I just realized. That Yankee has a great big nose.

- Right. Land a few hits on that huge New York schnoz, and it'll be game over.

And the Southerner did fight back in the second round, knocking The Yankee to the deck once, and having him up against the ropes covering up on a few occasions too. He must have taken the commentator's advice - for in the break between rounds a doctor came out to tend The Yankee whose nose was now bloody.

- Ha! That'll teach him to stick his ugly northern face across the Mason-Dixon Line.

- Yeah. Don't mess with Texas. What do you think about states' rights now?

The third round followed the pattern on the second. But despite calls from the commentators - "he's tired", "he's exhausted", "there's nothing left" - The Yankee continued to fight hard. Eventually, by the end of the round, he had received one blow too many, and was given a ten count, slumped up against the ropes.

- You have made history, son. You have changed the result of the civil war. And Texas is proud of you.

The Yankee was still receiving attention from the doctor and tried to leave the ring without further comment. He was not allowed to escape so easily.

- So what do you think about the South now?

The Yankee still seemed a little confused and concussed. Trying to regain some composure and standing with the crowd, he could only say "Well, I just love Texas" before climbing out of the ring with the doctor.

It was now dark, but the entertainment for the evening was not yet over. Large spotlights lit up the stage and lawns as the next two fighters were brought into the ring. The announcer went over to one, a tall man in a blue tank top, and asked him to explain why he was there.

- We've been friends since we were seven.

- So why do you want to fight him then?

- Well. He's always been like competitive. But he always beats me at everything. But I reckon I can beat him here in the boxing ring.

- So, if you're best friends, how many times have you seen his penis?

Tall Tank Top seemed unsure what to say to this question.

- Hey, it's just a question. No need to be embarrassed. John here on the mike with me is my best friend. And I've seen his penis a thousand times.

Tall Tank Top still remained silent, so the MC went over to the other corner to interview his opponent - a small wiry man in a white t-shirt.

- So you're best friends. Anything you can tell me about him?

- Yeah. He has a small wiener. Small and kind of fat.

- Guess this is what got you guys so competitive in the first place!

Tall Tank Top must have been angry at these words, for he came out of his corner whirling his long arms and pummeling away in the direction of his friend - though more often than not he connected with nothing more solid than air, as his opponent nimbly dodged the swirling fists.

- He could do some real damage with those long arms of his.

- Right. If he could actually hit something with them.

White T-shirt was knocked to the ground once, but managed to survive until the end of the round.

By the second round, though, Tall Tank Top was beginning to tire visibly, and his friend started to gain the upper hand, landing several blows on his body in quick succession.

- He's taking forever to throw those punches now. He's leaving himself wide open.

As the round ended, Tall Tank Top was breathing heavily, bending forward with his hands on his knees to recover his breathe. Even after the break, he was slow to climb out of his chair, and still panting hard. After a flurry of punches from White T-shirt, he covered up and shied away, turning his back on his opponent.

- You see that. He doesn't want to fight. He turned his back right there towards him.

- Must be just like being seven years old again. He'll be bending down next for sure.

But Tall Tank Top did not give in. He gained further time to recover after the fight was temporarily halted when White T-shirt's gumshield got knocked out. Although barely able to move across the ring at times, he refused to give up. He survived the final round, but seemed almost unable to find his corner, as he staggered in exhaustion around the ring.

The crowd was almost equally divided between those who recognized White T-shirt as the better fighter, and those who thought that Tall Tank Top had shown good fighting spirit. After two calls for a public acclamation, it was impossible to decide a result. A large proportion of the spectators began to chant for 'One more round!"

- We'd love to have one more round. And I know you would like it too. But looking at Tall Tank Top over there, I reckon that would be classified as cruel and unusual punishment. And Mr Obama won't let us do that no more!"

Eventually the result was declared by the referee. He showed no sympathy for Tall Tank top, and announced that White T-shirt was the winner.

Further fights were scheduled into the night, but some of our group wished to go out to a local bar to commiserate with the defeated Yankee - while others wanted to turn in for an early night.

As I was leaving there was a fight in progress between The American and The Mexican. The Mexican did not seem to be very popular with the crowd - but by no means as unpopular as The Yankee. The announcer went over to interview him before the contest began.

- I'm sorry Mr Mexican. But I have to ask you this. It's a new law. What exactly is your immigration status?

The Mexican seemed unwilling to provide any kind of answer to this question, so the announcer continued on a different subject.

- So what tactics will you be using to fight The American?

- It's called the American shield. It means that he has to knock me out to win. I'll never give up. I'll never quit.

- So Mexicans never quit. Is that right? Apart from the ones I employ to do my garden, heh? I don't know why. Seven dollars an hour seems a fair wage to me.

I left before the fight ended, so I did not learn whether The Mexican or The American was victorious. The crowd was cheering loudly as we went - so I guessed they were clearly enjoying the contest.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Natural Ways to Relieve Arthritis Knee Pain - Remedies That Work


This article emphasizes on the natural ways to relieve arthritis knee pain effectively. Knee pain can restrict your movement and can greatly influence your daily life activities.

1. Limiting activities is one way of relieving knee joint pain. Avoid long walks, running or jumping. For instance, instead of stairs, the patient should use an escalator. Excessive exertion can accelerate the damage in already worn out joints.

2. Light aerobic exercises like hamstring set exercises, heel slide, straight leg raise and static hold exercises, knee extension with leg lift, flexion and extension, assisted knee flexion are some exercises that may be practiced at home for relieving knee joint pain.

3. Walking with the support of a cane serves as an effective pain reliever in case of knee arthritis. However while using cane, one should keep in mind to hold the cane in the hand opposite to the leg with the affected knee, and the cane under the guidance of an orthopedic doctor, should be of the appropriate height.

4. Knee braces or ace bandages may be used to give external support to the ailing joint. This helps in checking pain after an activity, and also controls swelling.

5. Reduction in body weight reduces the load on the knee joint. Thus weight reduction is one way of pain reduction.

6. Omega3 fatty acids are essential for mending damaged joints. Sweet water fishes like tuna, salmon, herring, sardines etc are rich in omega3 fatty acids. Also fresh vegetables like broccoli, fruits like banana, grapes and pineapple, flavonoid rich food items can prove beneficial for treating an aching knee.

7. Green tea is rich in antioxidants that have bone boosting properties. Therefore it may be used as a pain relieving means.

8. Cortisone injection for mild arthritis, and Gold injection and methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis are used these days for suppressing knee joint pain.

9. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are helpful in reducing knee pain and swelling. Aspirin is one example of such drug.

10. Glucosamine supplements are capable of restoring and rebuilding cartilages, and are therefore used by countless people all over the world as a remedial measure against knee pain.

11. Ice therapy is a proven means to reduce pain. Ice cube wrapped in fabric may be rubbed on the aching joint to get comfort and relief from pain.

12. Breathable, self-adhesive compression bandages may be used for results. They will prevent fluid accumulation within the knee joint.

13. Elevating knee with the help of pillows can reduce pain and swelling, as it drains away the fluid that could have collected within the knee joint.

14. A warm cozy ambience can ease painful situations.

15. Boswelia and bromelain herbs are clinically proven pain reducing agents.

16. If pain becomes intolerable, and makes the patient gradually move towards disability, knee replacement surgery could be a way out.

The Pros and Cons of Hip Replacements


Following on from last week's letter about the best ways to prevent and treat the pain and symptoms of arthritis, I've received a number of emails from people worried about the effectiveness and problems connected with hip replacement surgery.

So, let's start with the facts: There are approximately 65,000 hip operations in the U.K. every year, all of which carry certain risks.

In the past, it was difficult for those under 60 to receive a new hip as the lifespan of the replacement was only 10 to 15 years which meant there was the probability of replacements in the future.

Thankfully, new techniques and materials can now provide a lifelong expectancy for the new hip. Added to that there are also many new preventative treatments used to reduce the risks of post-operative problems.

Blood clots and infections are the most common post-operative problems. These are normally treatable, but you should discuss all the potential problems that could arise with your surgeon.

You should be aware that:

According to NHS Direct, post operative infections can be as high as 10%.

2. A recent study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found that blood clotting statistics after hip and knee replacement surgery were as follows:

O.25% suffered pulmonary embolism (obstruction of an artery by a clot of blood or an air bubble).
O.4% suffered painful symptoms of deep vein thrombosis
5.2 % suffered painless symptoms of deep vein thrombosis

*Also you must remember that all forms of hip replacement usually require a period of 18 to 24 months for the new hip to fully knit and this usually causes varying degrees of pain and discomfort during that time

TYPES OF HIP REPLACEMENT:


  • Plastic socket and metal ball - this method is now becoming out dated because the plastic wears away over the years, leading to further replacements every 10 to 15 years.

  • Metal on metal - The ball and socket are made from cobalt chrome and all the evidence shows that there is no significant wear and tear over time. Therefore, the new hip should last a lifetime. Some people have expressed fears about cobalt/chrome ions being released into the body, but as yet there is no evidence to support that.

  • Ceramic on ceramic (aluminum oxide) - again, this will last a lifetime and has even less wear and tear than metal and has a minuscule risk of shattering. However, some experts believe that this is the best material for younger, more active patients.

  • Hip resurfacing - Lasts for life, with no drilling into the femur required and it preserves the healthy bone. The new section is made from carbon hardened steel. Steve Backley, the Olympic javelin champion, had this procedure in 2005 and stated that it has allowed him to return to full and normal pain-free mobility.

  • Magnetic Hip - A revolutionary new technique containing a magnet that helps the prosthetic last three times as long. It's currently undergoing laboratory testing and should start clinical trials on NHS patients within three years.

Once again, it is vitally important that you speak to your surgeon about all the options available.

If you are not completely satisfied with your surgeon's answers, then either insist on an official NHS printed list of possible risks, or utilise your right to ask for a second opinion.

Never forget you're the patient, its your body, its your life - don't be afraid to ask!

Obviously, as I've been saying all along, it's up to you to take care of your own health, especially your joints. This is vitally important if you want to ensure good health and mobility well into old.

For those of you that already feel the early onset of any arthritic hip problems, you must consult your doctor immediately and be proactive in treating the pain and dealing with lost tissue and grinding joints.

If you are middle aged , and especially if you have suffered from any sporting injuries or endured an arduous working life, you really must consider taking action now to stave off any joint problems, especially with your hips.

TOP TIPS FOR HIPS:


  • Weight loss - I know its obvious, but relieving the stress on the joints is vital to retaining healthy tissue around the joint.

  • Water exercise - The buoyancy of the water allows for comfortable movement and gentle exercise for the hip area.

  • Hydrotherapy - A good physiotherapist can suggest a regime of warm water therapy that will alleviate pain and stress on the joint.

  • Strengthening exercises - Again a good physiotherapist can help you to build up the muscles around the affected joint. This will help you with your posture and mobility.

  • Artrosilium - Once again I would refer you to the all natural product Artrosilium that I mentioned here last week- its proven to help relieve the pain and even help rebuild lost tissue (and with no side effects!)

  • I would recommend the regular application of Artrosilium combined with a daily dose of Arthritis Power Formula.

Together they provide a potent arthritis busting team that is completely natural and safe to take.

Remember that arthritis is a particularly cruel condition and can hit anybody at anytime, irrespective of your past physical history - arthritis does not discriminate!!!

Improper Knee Replacement - Medical Malpractice Lawyer Explains


A woman who had orthopedic surgery underwent a partial knee replacement and the doctor waited until after the patient was in the recovery room when he took an x-ray for the first time. It wasn't clear whether the hardware was in the right place. Despite the fact there was a question as to whether the knee was correctly positioned, the doctor decided not to do anything about it and sent the patient for physical therapy.

Over the next few weeks the patient continued to complain of pain. Over the next couple of months the pain continued unabated. The patient finally went to another orthopedist with these complaints and the first thing he did was take an x-ray to see what was going on. The x-ray clearly showed that the hardware in the knee was totally in an incorrect place and the patient now required corrective surgery within three months after having the initial hardware put in.

When the patient had the corrective surgery, she had to have the partial knee replacement removed and now she had to have a total knee replacement put in which will hopefully last her for many years to come. The original knee replacement was supposed to last for 10-12 years, but because the doctor did not put it in the correct position this patient now needed to have surgery at a much earlier time period under general anesthesia. Luckily for this particular woman, after undergoing a recuperative period of time, she did very well with her total knee replacement.

Everything You Know About Knee Therapy Is Wrong


A few years ago there was an article written in Men's Health Magazine titled "Everything You Know About Muscle Is Wrong." by Christopher McDougall

The article talks in detail about what scientists have discovered as being the secret to healing long time sports injuries, improving posture, and building a stronger, faster more athletic body is actually hidden within you.

What essentially they are talking about is the patterns that develop in the connective tissue of the body. Just think of the ruts in an old dirt road that no matter how you try to drive your tires still end up in the ruts...

Connective tissue also know as fascia surrounds our muscles, organs and bones. This connective tissue or fascia is what needs to begin to change in order for knee therapy to be permanent and long lasting. So back to the comparison of the ruts in the dirt road, if the ruts are not smoothed out you are always going to fall back into the old patterns in your body.

So what does this article have to do with your knee pain and how does it tie into your knee therapy?

Well I'm glad you asked!

The patterns your body takes on as a result of a long time period of stress, trauma or injury are functional patterns for the stress, trauma, or injury however these same patterns become dysfunctional when they continue to present problems for your body resulting in chronic knee pain.

The key is to begin doing your knee therapy exercises slowly and with conscious awareness. The more awareness you bring to the table the more your mind is able to connect with that part of your body, namely your knees and begins to re-pattern the dysfunctional tension patterns in your body reducing the pressure going to your knees.

One drawback on the article is it only covers how to actively re-pattern these dysfunctional tension patterns through modalities of body work like Rolfing and Feldenkrais. At the end of the article they also talk about how doing this yourself can take a very long time...

This is partially true however there is a much easier and much quicker form of knee therapy I refer to as "passive stretching" that I cover in my Virtual Knee Pain Clinic. This approach works with the tension in the nervous system that builds up as a result of the body tensing up to protect itself. By teaching our body to understand what comfort is you avoid the entire tension mechanism and allow your body to "reset" itself.

When your nervous system is reset...It is much easier to go in and do the slow controlled knee therapy exercises that hold longer with better faster results...

Orthopedic Hip Replacement Brace


Have you recently had a surgery on your hip? Have you ever had a hip replacement, labral tear or hip dislocation?

1.) Introduction

There are many hip problems that can leave people not only in pain, but immobilized as a result. Injury to the hip is a common occurrence and the need for a hip brace (orthosis) can help to secure a patient's hip who has injured themselves. One of the ways people help to keep their hip safe after a surgery is to use a hip abduction brace. This is a support that helps to limit excessive or unwanted movements after a surgery. In this fashion it helps to facilitate the healing process.

2.) Indications for a Hip Brace

A.) Hip Replacement Surgery
B.) Hip Dislocations - Posterior or Anterior
C.) Labral Tears

3.) The Purpose of Hip Braces

Restricting unwanted movements after a hip injury can be a key component to the healing process. For example, your surgeon may have done a procedure that has either fixed a labral tear or maybe you have undergone a hip replacement surgery. Either way, certain movements can help to ruin the surgery. These movements are adduction (moving your hip toward midline) or excessive hip flexion. The brace will help to hold the hip so it does not pop out of place.

You may think to yourself, "I do not need a brace, I will just be careful". The problem with this theory is that all it takes is for you to make one movement the wrong way and the surgery can go bad. Unfortunate but true. You may be walking along as you have partially healed, noticing that no pain exists in your hip. Many patients make the mistake that since there is no pain that everything is totally healed internally. As a result of little to no pain, a person may try to make a certain movement (like adduction or excessive flexion) that was once more normal for you. - This is where the use of a brace comes in. The brace, when provided by a professional and applied correctly can help to stop those unwanted movements, while you are still in the healing process. This in turn will help to facilitate the healing process for you and keep you more safe from accidents that can happen.

*Note: This is health information. Although it is good information, medical advice on bracing should be provided to you by your local, licensed orthotist.

How to Improve Your Ballet Technique - Avoid Ballet Injuries and Eventual Arthritis


The fastest way to improve your ballet technique, no matter what style of dance your ballet conservatory teaches, is to learn what is anatomically correct and what is not.

You can improve your turnout by understanding the type of hip joints you have. You can also learn which muscles actually hold your turnout, and which muscles support your correct ballet technique and traditional ballet positions. Cheerleaders and even football pros use turnout in their movements and learning it correctly can prevent sprained and torn knee joints.

Analyzing arabesque for example, requires that you understand moving from an upright position of the spine, to a tilted, correctly twisted position of the lumbar (low back) spine. Even if you have 180 degree turnout from your hips, a high arabesque will demand the twist of the low back/pelvis to achieve a professional line. Different dance styles will determine the details of your line, as in some arm placement (square shoulders or not, etc.,) and yet correct ballet technique will allow the dancer to adapt to many choreographic styles.

Also, understanding a proper arabesque ballet position helps you stretch properly to do the splits.

Understanding foot types, foot muscles, and how to strengthen AND relax lower leg and foot muscles will help prepare you for dancing ballet in pointe shoes, regardless of your dance training style. Cheerleaders included - you may not aspire to dance in pointe shoes, but foot/lower leg control will improve your balance and help you avoid the most common ballet/sports/fitness injury - sprained ankles.

It's amazing that x-rays dancers in their twenties can show arthritis in foot joints, knee joints and joints of the low back, neck and shoulders. Certain ballet training styles sprain and strain joints to perpetuate the tradition. Ballet conservatories understand this, and their audition processes attempt to screen out the physiques that will sustain too much damage to finish the training. The better funded academies have added anatomy classes and physical therapists to their programs to diminish this accepted professional hazard.

Now any ballet student or cheer leading student can get the same information! No matter how out of the way your ballet school is! If you have no money to spend, there are many free articles to read on the internet, and many ballet books in your local library.

It's open access to anyone who will search and benefit from the wealth of information on how to improve your ballet technique.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Understanding the Difference Between Traumatic and Atraumatic Shoulder Instability


Discomfort and weakness in your shoulder is something most people notice immediately. Athletes, as well as ordinary people can suffer from shoulder instability. It is a treatable condition, however, pinpointing the exact issue or the treatment that will be needed can be more difficult.

Shoulder instability typically comes in two different forms - traumatic and atraumatic. Traumatic shoulder instability is related to a sudden injury while atraumatic shoulder instability is developed over time. Below is an overview of the differences between traumatic and atraumatic shoulder injuries, as well as the causes and treatments of each.

Traumatic

  • Traumatic shoulder instability is initiated by a dislocation that causes injury to the support ligaments. The most common examples of this include a fall on an outstretched arm, a direct blow to the shoulder, or a forced rotation of the arm.

  • The basis of instability in traumatic cases lies in the labrum of the shoulder. The labrum is where ligaments that stabilize the shoulder are attached. Therefore, when the labrum is torn or damaged, all of the support for your shoulder disappears, which causes reoccuring dislocations.

  • The severity and the extent of the damage to your labrum plays a big factor in the development of instability and future shoulder issues.

  • Often, the first injury causes repeated dislocations. Getting the problem fixed is the only way to stop the reoccurring injuries.

Atraumatic

  • Atraumatic shoulder instability begins with looseness in your joint, which over time will cause more instability. The looseness may be a natural condition or a problem that has developed more recently.

  • Participants in gymnastics, swimming, throwing and other overhead sports are often stricken with atraumatic shoulder instability.

  • Again, the labrum is the source of the problem. In this case, the ligaments that are attached at the labrum and stabilize the shoulder become stretched out, sometimes leading to dislocation.

  • Those suffering from atraumatic shoulder instability often experience looseness in other joints, like knees or elbows. This looseness can be fixed by surgery or overtime by physical therapy.

The primary difference between traumatic and atraumatic shoulder instability is the way in which the labrum is affected. In traumatic cases the labrum is damaged or torn, while in atraumatic cases extreme looseness is experienced. Both conditions can be healed or fixed through rigorous physical therapy or surgery. Distinguishing the difference between the two will help you and your orthopaedist decide on a treatment for your problem.

Gout Symptoms - 5 Ways to Tell If You Have Gout


Are you suffering from terrible joint pain?

Would you like to know for certain whether or not you are having a gout attack?

If you are suffering from these 5 gout symptoms, chances are you are suffering from this painful disease.

1. Your pain began in the middle of the night. This arthritic problem often begins at night. When you are sleeping the synovial fluid responsible for cleaning your joints doesn't flow enough to properly clear out the excess debris. This allows uric acid crystals to accumulate causing swelling leading to terrible pain. So ask yourself, did this pain come on suddenly in the middle of the night. If you were not suffering when you went to sleep, but woke up in pain, chances are you have gout.

2. You don't remember injuring your affected joint. One of the problems with a new onset of this condition is thinking you have a sprained foot or ankle versus having gout. The most common place for pain is in the big toe. However, this is not always the case. Often attacks occur in the ankle and many have felt they sprained their ankle. After a couple weeks of getting worse and not better many realize they don't remember injuring their ankle. So ask yourself if you remember injuring your ankle or foot. If the answer is no, you possibly have gout.

3. Your pain is getting worse. As mentioned in the last point, if your pain has not subsided over a few days, but is actually getting worse with increased swelling and redness, you could possibly have gout. When you suffer an injury the swelling will usually subside after a few days whereas gouty arthritis will continue to increase in intensity.

4. Your pain has spread to other joints. Sometimes gout will jump from one joint to another. You can have pain in your foot today and have it spread to your knees, elbow, wrists, and fingers. Sometimes it can feel like you have tendonitis, but in reality, it is gout.

5. Even the slightest pressure causes intense pain. For regular patients with this disease, it has been noted that even the slightest pressure from even a bed sheet can cause immense pain.

If you have these symptoms, what can you do?

Get a blood test to determine if your symptoms point to having gouty arthritis. Other arthritic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or pseudo gout can have similar symptoms. Blood tests can determine your base uric acid levels and enable a physician to properly diagnose you. Regardless of which disease you have, though, the treatments are often similar.

The Use of Therapeutic Home Ultrasound to Treat Arthritis


As we age, our once lubricated joints can become less efficient at absorbing shocks and protecting our bones. This condition, known as arthritis, can be both mentally and physically crippling and affects approximately 50% of adults 65 years and older. Arthritis can significantly reduce a person's ability to enjoy life because it effects major joints of the body, such as knees, elbows and hands, which are vital for daily functioning.

Types of Arthritis: Arthritis is an inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness. It comprises more than 100 different rheumatic diseases and conditions. It results from severe infection, traumas, degenerative changes (osteoarthritis, hypertrophic arthritis, senescent arthritis), metabolic disruptions, autoimmune disorders (lupus erythematous) or other causes. It occurs in various forms, such as bacterial arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, is considered a chronic disease and patients with rheumatoid arthritis develop chronic arthritis pain. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis, especially among older populations, affecting over 20 million Americans. Two types of arthritis are Rheumatoid arthritis &osteoarthritis, both of which cause arthritic joint pain that can significantly impair a person's quality of life.

Causes: Daily activities such as getting out of bed and even walking can be affected by a painful joint. This arthritic joint pain is occurs when the lubricant, known as synovial fluid, present in the joints and cartilage becomes damaged. Because this fluid acts as a shock absorber and ensures that the ends of our bones are protected, when it is comprised, our bones can grind against each other, causing significant pain in our joints.

Painful joints and joint inflammation and stiffness typically characterize the disease. Some causes of arthritics include overuse, basic wear and tear, pseudogout, infections, autoimmune disorders, bone diseases or fractures, and bone tumors or cancer. In addition, medications, such as penicillin, and the common cold or flu often cause sore aching joints or stiff joints.

Treatments: While there is no known cure for a chronic condition like arthritis, there are treatments for inflamed, arthritic joints that really work and help sufferers manage their pain to lead normal healthy lives. Most often, a doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist will prescribe a medication program of prescription medicines and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to treat an injured joint. These medications aim to reduce the pain and inflammation of sore arthritic joints. However, they are associated with a number of bad side effects, such as drowsiness, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headache and rash. Anti-inflammatory drugs are not your best treatment option because they do not heal your joints, they only mask the arthritis pain. A stiff injured joint is also sometimes managed with splints or braces of various types which allow the joint to rest.

Many Arthritis sufferers have found relief with natural supplementation of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine. Chondroitin is a building block of the human connective tissue in bones and cartilage and glucosamine is the major constituent of joint cartilage. Other herbs to try might be curcumin, MSM, and boswellia.

Alternative treatments such as acupuncture, homeopathic medicines and yoga, a weight-bearing exercise that strengthens bones, have helped some arthritis sufferers find relief.

The intense flare-ups of arthritis pain can be best managed through conservative, regular treatments. Patient education on how to treat arthritis and self-care are critical components in healing painful joints. Patience is also key, as an inflamed joint can we slow to heal. Often the combination of therapeutic modalities, such as an herbal supplementation regime and, can offer the most arthritis pain relief.

Ultrasound Therapy: RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate) can we a very useful procedure for managing arthritis pain, however, using therapeutic ultrasound prior to RICE treatment is best because the ultrasonic waves efficiently decrease inflammation and relive pain.

Joints have limited blood flow and as a result, they recover from arthritis flare-ups very slowly. In addition, inflammation and waste matter build-up due to the decreased blood flow causing extreme pain to arthritis sufferers. A personal, therapeutic ultrasound device acts as a blood flow stimulation therapy to increase circulation in the inflamed joint and decrease arthritic pain. People suffering from osteoarthritis pain or chronic Rheumatoid arthritis can perform rehabilitation at home now with the advent of portable ultrasound machines. The ultrasound therapy utilized by these devices can be used as an advanced treatment of arthritis and the chronic pain that accompanies the condition. Therapeutic ultrasound can be used to reduce pain, stimulate blood flow and injuries twice as fast.

Ultrasound physical therapy not only helps alleviate pain, but speeds up healing process as well. Ultra sound waves generate deep tissue vibrations that provide gentle heating to decrease pain and inflammation. The most rehabilitation benefits can be gained by utilizing therapeutic ultrasound at home.

Case Study: In a study by Casimiro et al, 2002 investigating the use of therapeutic ultrasound for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it was found that continuous ultrasound benefits grip strength when applied to the hands of RA sufferers. Ultrasound has both analgesic & anti-inflammatory effects, which is why its so widely prescribed for arthritis by qualified health care professionals. In two randomized trials, it was proven that continuous ultrasound applied to the hand increased grip strength and wrist dorsal flexion, as well as decreased morning stiffness and the number of swollen painful joints as compared with placebo.

Home Ultrasound Machines: A home ultrasound unit works the same way as bigger machines, found in physical therapist and chiropractor practices, but is more compact and priced reasonably so home users can afford to purchase. Portable ultrasound machines are also safe for use by the general public because they utilize pulsed, instead of continuous, ultrasound waves, which are just as effective when used on a daily basis. Physical therapy involving ultrasound for plantar fasciitis will provide users with immediate relief and continual healing over a 3-4 week period.

Because arthritis involves joint and bone inflammation, a specific kind of home ultrasound machine is required for treatment. A home ultrasound physical therapy machine should emit 1Mhz ultrasound waves. It is also important to purchase an FDA approved ultrasound unit that is quality manufactured. The portable therapeutic ultrasound device should also be covered with at least a 1 year warranty. And best of all, with a portable therapeutic ultrasound machine, on a daily basis you can treat your arthritis only when it's most convenient for you.

Conclusion: Studies have shown that people who receive early treatment for arthritis feel better sooner and more often, are more likely to lead an active life, and are less likely to experience chronic arthritis pain, and the type of joint damage that leads to joint replacement.

Arthritis sufferers can lead a more normal active life by reducing pain & swelling in their joints fast with a home ultrasound machine. If you would like to reduce or eliminate you intake of harmful pain-killers and improve your arthritic symptoms and chronic joint pain, a portable ultrasound unit would be a great, affordable option for managing your arthritis.

Arthritis Knee Treatment


Whilst there's no denying that arthritis can be an extremely uncomfortable condition, the good news is that there is a wide variety of treatments available today that will provide arthritis pain relief. These range from surgery on hips and joints, to steroids, injections to acupuncture. However, they are also simple, easy actions you can do, to provide relief on a day to day basis.

Before you start your arthritis treatment, get the correct diagnosis from your doctor. There are over one hundred different types of arthritis, including; fibromyalgia, gout, lyme arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis to name a few. Each different condition requires a different type of arthritis pain relief, so it is important that you know which one it is you are suffering from before beginning treatment.

The first step to arthritis pain relief is to protect your joints by avoiding placing extra stress on them. Using walking aids like sticks to remove pressure from your knees and hips and replace a shoulder bag (which encourages you to walk lopsided) with a satchel or wheelie bag, which will distribute the strain more evenly. Staying close to your ideal weight will also help to relieve your joints of unnecessary weight and strain.

Exercise is crucial to lessen the pain from arthritis; as keeping your body fit will in turn will help naturally combat the condition. Flexible joints and supple muscles are less brittle so less susceptible to cartilage deterioration and bone wearing. Talk to your doctor about special strengthening exercises you can do to strengthen the bones and muscles. If you're fond of water, why not take up swimming, as it's very good for relaxing the muscles and strengthening your body without the high impact of other aerobic sports.

If you want to find the best arthritis treatment to suit you, then it is important to educate yourself about the condition. Learning about arthritis will help you both to come to terms with the diagnosis and find a solution that works for you and enables you to live a normal, pain-free life.

5 Reasons Not to Drink Alcohol When on a Meal Replacement Diet


Drinking Alcohol on a Meal Replacement Diet is not a good idea because...

1. You will get knocked out of ketosis and be back to square 1. Remember week one? It wasn't much fun getting into ketosis was it? So protect your ketone and stay on track.

2. You will probably get too drunk as you are having so little calories and look silly and never want to go out again! (not a good look and after all we are dieting because we want to look better and be healthier, drinking alcohol on a meal replacement diet is not healthy and will certainly not make you look cool!)

3. With drink you will be easily tempted to eat more, oh yes the kebab shop, and the pizza place, all these places that you could easily walk past, now a few drinks will seem much more tempting.

4. If u get a hangover you will want to eat and drink next day, a lot of people will crave high sugar and high fat foods after drinking. So realistically you will probably not get on the band wagon the next day.

5. Also a lot of people say that drinking and ketosis are not good for your general health! Plus you will pile on some pounds by filling up your glycogen levels.

If you are on the choo choo train to slimdom, don't jump off, its a non stop journey, and if you jump off it will hurt, and it is hard to jump back on again.

Once you are the train the journey seems to fly by and the scenery is lovely. Don't jump off. Stay on track and get to your destination. It is a short time to say no... but it gives you a life time of experiences that will make you so happy.

Keep focused and motivated with support, New You diet provides support with an online social network and you can get your diet meal replacements delivered to your door!

Painful Knees - Popping & Cracking Noises - Knee Braces That Can Help You


Have you ever heard a popping sound, or a cracking sound in your knee? - We hope you have not, but if you have then this article was written for your eyes.

Often times knee pain can accompany this kind of a noise, and when it does the discomfort can be intense!

Maybe you can relate to this kind of a knee problem...

Let's take some time to discuss these sounds more in depth, as they may be attributed to different kinds of knee issues.

Popping Sounds

Popping sounds in the knee are common, whether you have a knee problem or not. Obviously, the bigger concern here is when these sounds are associated with knee pain or a knee injury.

For example, a "pop" sound is often heard or felt in the knee when a ligament tear happens. One of the most common popping sounds that people can have is when you injure your ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).

Crunching/Cracking Sounds & Sensations

When bone grinds against bone, due to a wearing away of cartilage, you may experience a cracking sound or sensation. People often have these kinds of issues when they suffer from a form of arthritis.

As a result of having these knee issues, people should often times look toward supportive options. Knee braces can be very effective when you have an ACL tear, MCL tear, or meniscus tear. Moreover, if you have arthritis, knee supports can also help to decrease pain and help add needed stability. They will obviously not give you back your knee cartilage, but they will help you resist excessive movements that will push you over the edge into a painful situation.

When you finally get sick of having knee pain, you should seriously consider using a knee brace. Sometimes you have no choice but to have surgery, and your physician's advice should always be considered as well. - Knee braces can help you maintain proper alignment and reduce pain due to the meaningful support that they can help provide.

When you are looking into your knee support options, we will not tell you which kind to get, because that decision should be up to you... But, what we do want to suggest to you is that you go with a brace specialist, not just someone that buys and sells knee supports. There is a difference in the support that you will get as a result and getting a well designed knee brace is important.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Arthritis Pain? Stop Eating Junk Food And Get Relief From Pain Naturally


After years of aggravating joint pain I finally found relief from my arthritis pain, naturally, and you can do it too. I got rid of my arthritis symptoms and arthritis pain forever by making one simple change in my lifestyle. I stopped eating all junk food.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease of the joint cartilage and bone. It's often thought to result from continuous "wear and tear" on a joint. There are other causes of arthritis such as congenital arthritis with congenital defects, trauma and metabolic disorders. And osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. When people refer to arthritis they usually mean osteoarthritis not rheumatoid arthritis, which can be detected by blood tests. Osteoarthritis cannot be diagnosed using blood tests. Arthritis is usually found in the joints of the fingers, feet, knees, hips, and spine.

The ability to make repairs to the cartilage becomes very limited as cartilage cells age. Damaged joints cause pain and arthritis sufferers are constantly looking for ways to relieve this pain. Our joints are uniquely designed to provide flexibility, support, stability, and protection.

Genetic factors are thought to be involved in about fifty percent of osteoarthritis cases in the hands and hips and a somewhat lower percentage of cases for the knee. An inflammatory response causes cytokines to gather in injured areas and cause inflammation and damage to body tissue and cells. It's known to play a role in a systemic form of arthritis - rheumatoid arthritis and other muscle and joint issues associated with autoimmune diseases. Genetic researchers report a higher incidence of osteoarthritis between parents and children and between siblings rather than between husbands and wives.

For part of a dietary approach try avoiding seven of the eight most allergic foods - wheat, which is the most allergenic of all, corn, eggs, milk, peanuts, fish and shellfish. If you really want to get rid of your arthritis pain forever it may take a big change in your diet and an ongoing commitment to it. So the first step in managing your arthritis is to change your diet. I think all health professionals would agree with this.

Try massaging your fingers or other affected joints with virgin coconut oil once or twice a day to help loosen them up and maintain flexibility. Nutrition experts say it takes a combination of supplements, not just one supplement to help relieve arthritis pain, build cartilage, etc. but studies done on antioxidant vitamins question their value as supplements. It's clearly better to consume these antioxidants in living plant foods because they may also need to work together with other nutrients present in the foods to work properly - called synergistic action.

One good natural treatment method involves avoiding all inflammatory foods. And dried Montmorency tart cherries and cherries and their juice seem to be helpful as a natural treatment for arthritis pain for many people.

Gluten may be just one of the culprits in arthritic diseases including fibromyalgia. So avoid wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, kamut and oats (although it's not a gluten grain it gets contaminated with wheat during the milling process at the where it is usually milled). Many arthritis sufferers who've changed their diets significantly have noticed major or total improvement in their overall health.

Exercise all your non-affected and affected joints every day, to keep them flexible. Even if you don't think you can exercise, you can do some movements no matter how small so just keep moving as much as possible. Don't lie down when you can sit and don't sit when you can stand. Keep your feet moving. Use the Chinese Taiji health balls, the kind with the chimes, to strengthen the finger joints. To use them hold the two balls in on hand, move them in a clockwise circle with your fingers to rotate them, then try moving them counterclockwise and do this off and on throughout the day and at bedtime. If you do have pain and swelling in your fingers, you can try squeezing some Thera-putty, which is made for this purpose. It's available at your local health equipment supplier.

Try wearing pair of stretch gloves at night to help reduce the pain and swelling in your fingers if you have arthritic hands. A doctor I know said he has found sleeping in a sleeping bag on his bed has really helped him. If weight is an issue, try to using exercises that will help you with arthritis and in losing weight such as walking, even if just around the block a few times. And did I mention to make sure to keep moving?

Please be aware that the use of pain relievers like NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors do not halt the progress of osteoarthritis and may even hasten its onset. Only you know which arthritis treatment options are best for you. As for conventional treatment of arthritis - if you do choose to take drugs or arthritis medicines, be very careful, read the labels thoroughly and talk to your pharmacist about side effects and adverse reactions. Make sure you know the name of your medications and if they'll react with any other medications you're taking. Always know the name and dosage measurement of your drugs in case of an emergency situation.

So begin your treatment program with a diet change, exercise and weight loss plan to see the best results and pain relief fast. Your treatment plan should include an anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritis diet, lots of movement, exercise, and a positive mental outlook. Arthritis pain relief of your arthritis symptoms is the ultimate goal. Understanding arthritis and conventional and natural arthritis treatments and applying what will work for you is a good way to get there.

Proven Arthritis Remedies


Arthritis is a serious and painful disease but rarely fatal. Arthritis attacks the joints and the surrounding muscle and connective tissue causing swelling, inflammation and pain. Arthritis forms as a result of a broken bone that may have knitted itself back together but never fully healed, general wear and tear on the body or an autoimmune disease. While arthritis cannot be cured except through surgery, the pain and discomfort can be managed. Not all treatments work for all arthritis sufferers and some find a combination of treatments work effectively. Here are a few arthritis remedies you can try at home to help manage the pain and discomfort of arthritis.

Weight on the knee joints causes swelling and pain. An overweight person should consider weight loss. The extra pounds will put as much as 4 times the stress on your knee joints. Even a small amount of weight loss will give your knees relief. Losing as little as 11 pounds can improve joint health and lessen the risk of developing osteoarthritis by as much as 50 percent. You will also feel better too.

A change in diet can help reduce arthritis pain. Certain foods are linked to rheumatoid arthritis, especially those in the nightshade family of plants. Tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and peppers may cause allergic reactions and increase the discomfort of arthritis for some people. Experiment by removing these foods one at a time to see what makes your arthritis improve or worsen and then adjust your diet accordingly.

Studies show that vegetable oils, which contain omega-6 fatty acids, can aggravate arthritis symptoms. Experiment by eliminating or cutting back on your salad dressing, margarine, fried foods, olives, corn and canola oil. If any of those foods adversely affects your arthritis, remove them from your diet or consume them sparingly.

Research shows that rheumatoid arthritis is linked to a vitamin C deficiency. Taking a total dose of 500mg of vitamin C in small doses throughout the day will provide the vitamin necessary to minimize the effects of arthritis.

Juices high in inflammatory nutrients such as beta-carotene and copper should be included in diets of those with rheumatoid arthritis. Beta-carotene is found in parsley, broccoli and spinach and copper is found in carrots, apples and ginger. Pineapple juice is rich in the enzyme bromelain which has strong inflammatory properties.

Bathing in Epsom Salt, which contains magnesium sulfate, is very relaxing. The magnesium has both anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties and is absorbed through the skin. Magnesium is one of the most important and essential minerals in the human body and most commonly deficient in the American diet. A New England remedy for arthritis is a hot bath in Epsom Salt. The heat of the bath increases blood circulation and reduces swelling as well as relaxes muscles.

Strength training will boost your metabolism and do wonders for your body as well. Lifting weights creates denser bones and builds stronger muscles which in turn helps protect your joints.

Consider adding a supplement to your health routine such as Glucosamine. It is made from the shells of crab, lobster and shrimp and has been shown to ease joint pain and stiffness. Some studies suggest it may contribute to cartilage repair.

There you have it. A few arthritis remedies proven to help arthritis sufferers. With some trial and error you will find the most beneficial and helpful to you.

Three Exercises to Lose Belly Fat and Bust the Belly Flab


That extra few pounds of hanging flesh wrapped around your waist can be not only unsightly but also dangerous for your health. It has been associated with heart disease and diabetes so it is helpful to find ways to get rid of it. Here are three exercises to lose belly fat and bust the belly flab.

Before I give you these three you also need to realize that proper nutritional value goes had in hand with exercise. Find yourself a great nutritional plan to go side by side with your exercise routine. Although these three exercises key in on your belly flab you also need to have a good well rounded plan. Okay, on with the topic of this article.



  1. What I call the one arm reach others call the renegade row. Position yourself in a push-up position with your hands on a set of dumbbells. From that position stretch out one arm toward the ceiling reaching as far as possible. Once yo come back to your original position you can continue this repetition with the same arm or alternate with each side. What happens as you will notice is that your core muscle tighten up to keep your balance. Works great.


  2. The Plank exercise. Again get in your push-up position only this time rest on your forearms. Raise yourself up and hold it as long as you can resting on your toes and forearms. Repeat ten times and you will feel it in your gut so you will know it is working. Tough to hold more than two minutes at a time.


  3. The single leg squat. I started this one when I had knee replacement surgery and needed to improve my balance. Stand on one leg and raise the other. I kept my raised leg bent but many raise it out as straight as they can. Next do a standard squat but on the one leg. Again you will feel it hit home. Ten reps on each leg. Great for the core muscles and the leg muscles.

There are many other great exercises you can do to lose belly fat but these three will definitely help you reach your goal and bust your belly flab.

Traumatic Osteoarthritis


Traumatic osteoarthritis or post-traumatic osteoarthritis as it is better known is mainly caused due to an injury of the joints, followed by a number of physiological and mechanical changes. A patient may develop arthritis in a joint which may have been previously injured. The development of arthritis in that joint though may or may not be related to the injury. The progressive degeneration of the joint after an injury along with the genetic or other natural causes of bone degeneration worsen the condition as the patient grows in age. It is extremely important for the treatment, to know whether or not the condition is a direct consequence of the injury.

There are various factors which can lead to conclude whether or not the patient?s condition is a case of traumatic arthritis. If it is noted that other joints are also suffering from similar symptoms as the traumatized joint then the condition is definitely not one of traumatic osteoarthritis. One must also try to recall whether or not the joint was absolutely normal even before the injury and whether or not any evidence of structural damage was found only within a few days of the injury. Many a times, a closer investigation into the history of the injury also reveals that it was not that bad enough to have caused an internal joint condition like arthritis.

However, if the injury may have caused a dislocation of the bone, a fracture, a torn ligament or anything as serious then it may have led to the present condition of arthritis which can easily be classified as traumatic arthritis. Also, if one realizes that only the previously injured joint is affected then too it is a case of traumatic arthritis. An MRI scan can sufficiently establish the condition.

The disease becomes evident only 2 to 5 years after the injury. However, certain changes which are symptomatic of an osteoarthritic condition maybe visible immediately after the injury.

Indicators and Treatment for Microfracture Surgery


Introduced over two decades ago, microfracture surgery has proven to be a successful method for those with damaged cartilage in the knee to return to their daily activities or sports without pain. Seventy-five to eighty percent of those that go through microfracture surgery show an improvement in these activities.

Microfracture surgery is an arthroscopic procedure that provides an enriched environment for tissue regeneration on the chondral surface through the body's own healing abilities. When a procedure is done arthroscopically it means that a surgeon will visually assess the problem via a small camera insertion and then performs the procedure with special instruments that are inserted in the knee through tiny incisions.

Indicators

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it may indicate that you have a condition that could be treated with microfracture surgery.

  • Swelling. The swelling may occur intermittently due to loose fragments floating in the knee.

  • Pain.Any discomfort or pain caused by prolonged walking or stair climbing may be an indicator.

  • Giving way.When weight is placed on your knee from everyday exercises, it may buckle or fold under the pressure.

  • Catching or locking.If you feel your knee catch or its motion become limited, floating pieces of cartilage may be catching in the joint.

  • Noise.The motion of your knee can create a noise called crepitus, often described as "snap, crackle, pop."

Treatment

After an evaluation by an orthopedist, the microfracture procedure may be chosen. However, this depends on age, activity level or the general alignment of your knee. Here is an overview of what you can expect from the treatment:

  • Unstable cartilage is removed from the exposed bone.

  • Remaining articular cartilage is checked on the surrounding rim of the bone for cartilage that is loose or slightly attached. If there is loose cartilage, it is removed leaving a stable edge around the defect.

  • Holes, or microfractures, are made in the exposed bone, three to four millimeters apart. The blood and marrow cells from the holes create a clot that covers the damaged area and becomes the basis for new tissue formation.

  • A rough bone surface is produced by the microfracture technique that the clot more easily adheres to; eventually the clot matures into firm tissue that becomes smooth and durable.

Typically, you can expect a two to six month window before experiencing improvement in the pain and functioning of your knee. Progress can continue for up to two to three years as well. Overall, microfracture surgery is an effective and reliable procedure that can reduce pain and improve your daily life.

Botox For Arthritis?


Thousands of people all over the world turn to Botox to halt the signs of aging. But did you know that this cosmetic procedure may also fight arthritis?

That's what a small, preliminary study is telling us and doctors are already excited about it. In that study, osteoarthritis patients who received Botox injections reported a 50 percent or more improvement in knee pain. If other studies can repeat those results, it won't be long before Botox becomes the next arthritis miracle cure.

"It works very well. We have patients where the pain comes down for three months, or it could be up to six months," said Dr. Gordon Ko, one of the investigators.

Ko has been administering Botox injections to arthritis patients who don't respond to conventional medications. The drug is injected into the gap between the joint and results have been promising.

The pioneering study lasted for six months and involved 37 patients with moderate to severe knee pain due to osteoarthritis. The participants (36 men and one woman) received either 100 units of Botox with lidocaine (a short-acting anesthetic) or a saline placebo with lidocaine.

They were analyzed after a month, three months, and six months. Their pain and ability to move were measured during these times. After a month, two placebo patients dropped out from lack of benefit. Of the 18 patients in the severe pain group (half on Botox and half on placebo), there was a significant decrease in pain and improvement in physical function for those who received Botox shots. The placebo group reported minimal improvement.

Doctors are hoping to duplicate these results in other studies but patients are already convinced that Botox works for arthritis. One of the patients, Jenny Breen, had every reason to be thankful. She claims the injections have changed her life.

"If I had to give up my Botox I don't think I could live. My quality of life would go right down. I know, for me personally, it changed my life and made a big difference," she told CTV News.

Although Botox is expensive, the shots are seen as an ideal solution for arthritis patients who can't undergo knee surgery because of old age or frailty. Since Botox is injected directly into the joint, it doesn't cause stomach bleeding, hypertension, and other side effects of other traditional painkillers.

"If Botox injections for refractory joint pain continue to prove beneficial, they offer a very welcome solution for fragile patients. Local joint treatment with Botox injections could replace oral medications that carry the risk of systemic side effects, and Botox injections may negate or delay the need for joint surgery," said Dr. Maren L. Mahowald, the Rheumatology Section chief at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, and a principal investigator in the Botox study.

As we await more good news from Botox researchers, you can stop arthritis pain with a little help from Flexcerin. This powerful supplement rebuilds, lubricates, and soothes swollen and painful joints without the side effects of other prescription painkillers. Check out http://www.flexcerin.com for details.

Rampage Jackson Vs Wanderlei Silva 3, Why Rampage Will Lose Again


Rampage Jackson is an infighter and always will be.

If you watch his knockout of Chuck Liddell it was from close range (punching range and closer). If you look at their first fight (Chuck and Rampage's) you'll see Rampage dominate Chuck by smothering him with this inside fighting ability. This is why he'll lose (again) to Wanderlei Silva.

Wanderlei Silva has a Thai clinch that is deadly. From inside (where the fight will go) he will clinch Rampage and knock him out again with knees.

I know what you're thinking, if Rampage can handle Chuck so easily (who beat Wanderlei), then all this doesn't make sense. Let me explain.

Here's what happened in Wanderlei's fight with Chuck (the first one, and hopefully not the last). Wanderlei tried way too much boxing and played right into Liddell's game. Had he clinched Liddell more, he would have probably knocked Chuck out. Chuck has an awkward stance (an open stance) that opens him up for straight punches down the middle.

Wanderlei has a better fighting stance, but swings very wildly with his hooks (which is why he lost to Chuck as well, Chuck was throwing his right straight down the pipe and beating Wanderlei to his power shots).

That's why Rampage beat him (Chuck), because Rampage's boxing is tight and close range. Chuck needs space to throw his bombs and Rampage effectively stopped his game plan. But again, in order to use his effective boxing, he must be in a range he shouldn't be in with Wanderlei. Wanderlei will clinch him, and he will knock him out with knees in the 2nd around at about 2:20 mark.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Choosing the Best Baby Shoes for Your Baby


Contrary to popular belief, a baby doesn't actually need support from shoes. The muscles in and around the foot are well equipped to do the job. We now know that the best thing for growing feet is not a cute pair of baby running sneakers, or stiff, high-topped baby shoes designed to support flat-footed steps and wobbly ankles or even flip-flops, but rather no shoes at all.

In adults non shoe wearers have better flexibility and mobility. Their feet are stronger and have fewer deformities along with less complaints than the shoe wearing population. In fact, it is suggested that we should walk barefoot for at least part of each day. Common foot problems in the United States are corns, bunions, hammer toes, athlete's foot and ingrown toenails, however, none of these pose problems in countries which most people go without shoes.

Children with the healthiest feet are those who habitually go without shoes. As your baby's feet are developing, walking barefoot helps toes get a better grip and develops foot strength. There is increasing evidence to suggest that wearing shoes in early childhood may be detrimental to the development of a normal arch. Additionally, children are more likely to have good posture if they go without shoes as often as possible.

While being barefoot is best, sometimes it just is not very practical. Your baby has tender feet that need protection from rough surfaces and hot or cold temperatures. The more closely baby shoes resemble the barefoot state, the better.

Soft soled baby shoes are the best choice in footwear for your little one. They promote the healthy development of growing feet, freedom of movement and allow the foot to flex, while still offering a protective, comfortable layer. A suede sole is skid-resistant, while the leather is flexible, soft and breathable.

Baby shoes should be lightweight, flexible and shaped more or less like the foot itself. Softness and flexibility are ideal with a soft, rounded heel, similar to the fatty pad of a bare foot, and a toe area that is wide and easy to bend. Above all, the shoe should not have any arch inserts or stiff sides once thought necessary to lend the foot support.

Until toddlers have been walking for at least a few months, the only purpose of footwear is to protect the child's feet and to offer some grip on a smooth surface. Children's feet should be left alone as much as possible. Prescribing shoes to attempt to correct physiological flat feet, knock knees or bow legs is not useful for the child and expensive for the family. There is no evidence that corrective shoes correct anything. You don't think of a shirt as something that will alter the development of the arms or trunk, it's worn for comfort and protection, and the same should be thought of when choosing baby shoes.

Many babies are born with what looks like foot abnormalities. Nearly all have flat feet because the bottom of the foot is covered by a thick pad of fat. It is through walking that the muscles and ligaments in the foot strengthen and pull upwards into a functioning arch. In most cases, the arch is fully developed by 6 to 8 years of age. As the limbs develop, they may assume any number of unusual variations, nearly all of which are outgrown.

The growing foot has a remarkable capacity to adjust itself. Many babies have feet that point inward, pigeon-style, usually as a result of having been cramped into the fetal position for so many months. Other children have hip bones or lower leg bones that rotate inward a bit more than they do outward causing the feet to point inward. Pigeon toes generally correct themselves by six months to three years of age.

Many other children begin walking with their feet rotated outward, more like a duck's than a pigeon's, but most will assume a more straightforward gait within six months of toddling. The great majority of youngsters also begin to walk striking the ground toe first and heel second, or even to remain on tiptoes. Most will master the normal heel-first stride by about 18 months of age. Bowlegs and knock-knees are also extremely common. For children who never do develop an arch are likely to be fine with soft, ordinary shoes. Flat feet are perfectly healthy feet, and are actually subject to fewer stress fractures than high-arched feet.

Keeping a baby out of shoes in warm, dry conditions is a good idea because walking barefoot develops good toe gripping and muscular strength.The best baby shoes should have softness and flexibility while resembling a baby's foot as close as possible. Baby shoes are needed to protect the feet, not help with walking or foot development.