Friday, March 14, 2014

Which Witch is Which? Part III: I-N


When it comes to joint pain, arthritis is undeniably one of the biggest culprits, but we should not let that cloud our judgment. Yes, arthritis can cause severe elbow joint pain, but surprisingly enough, this is less frequent than what many people believe.


One common cause of elbow pain is a condition known as tennis elbow, and no, it does not only affect tennis players. Approximately 50% of people who participate regularly in a racquet sport will get tennis elbow at some point, but even so, the vast majority of cases involve people who do not play any type of racquet sport. Anyone with a job that is demanding on their forearm muscles is particularly at risk. Plumbers, electricians, painters, and even butchers are prime candidates.


Conventional treatment usually involves physiotherapy and pain relief medication, and sufferers are instructed to avoid using their elbow or elbows excessively. In more severe cases, patients may receive corticosteroid injections which are administered into the immediate area. Having said all that, many people are reluctant to have these injections, and many also can not afford to pay for physiotherapy. Instead, they tend to opt for natural remedies such as fish oil supplements and supplements containing New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel extract.


Nerve entrapment is another very common cause of elbow pain, but fortunately it is relatively easy to determine whether or not this is the cause of your elbow pain. In most cases of nerve entrapment, a person will also experience a tingling sensation in their little finger and their ring finger. If there is enough pressure being applied to the nerve which is trapped, the tingling can be replaced with near total numbness.


Nerve entrapment is usually self-correcting. In other words, with enough rest, the pain should eventually go away, although there are cases where surgical intervention is required so that the ulnar nerve can be repositioned.


Bone tumors can also cause a significant amount of pain in one's elbow, but in truth, this is actually very rare. As with bone tumors, septic arthritis is yet another disease which can certainly cause severe elbow joint pain, but it too is very uncommon. Additionally, it is more often than not easily treated with antibiotics, although surgery may be necessary in very severe cases.


While joint pain is often caused by medical conditions such as some of those I have discussed above, it can also quite often be caused by nothing more than a nutrient deficiency. Joints are generally high maintenance body parts, and as such, they are dependent on a healthy diet. If you know your diet is not providing you with all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, you really should try to make a few changes, or alternatively, you should consider supplementing your diet.


Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement in India - High Flex TKR


Minimally invasive knee replacements are popular amongst patients. The perceived benefits are less post op pain, less requirement for analgesics, and faster return to normal activity. The surgeon performs through traditional open surgery, downsizing the incision. The instruments used are miniature versions of the standard instrumentation. Through smaller incisions standard and high flex knee replacements can be done.

High flex knee replacements are the latest advance in Knee replacement surgery in India. Indian orthopedic surgeons are now able to provide this operation to patients with a higher functional demand of knee bending. Arabs, South Indians, Japanese customs call for knee bending in activities like sitting cross legged, kneeling, stair climbing, use of Indian toilet and prayer. Hitherto knee replacements only afforded ninety degrees of bend. A new knee prosthesis allows 155 degrees of bending. Even computer assisted navigational surgery cannot achieve this degree of flex if improper implants are chosen.

Many patients who were in dire need of knee replacement for arthritis are now thronging to have their operations done in Chennai. Although TKR is not new to Indians, the procedure did not find many takers earlier, about 12,000 knee per year before for the whole of India. These numbers are poised to grow exponentially, with the advent of newer designs and inflow of patients from abroad.

Orthopedic surgery is affordable in Chennai's hospitals and is world class.
Another attraction is Minimally invasive surgery an operation in which incisions are smaller than usual. This reduces blood loss and post operative pain and allows quicker return of function. Again MIS and High flex knee replacements are world class operations available in India at very affordable costs minus the hassles of grappling with insurance companies, Medicare, Government NHS etc.

Knee Pain - How to Deal With Tendonitis


Anterior knee pain is very common (pain in the front of your knee, above or below your kneecap), especially with activities such as bending, squatting, stairs or running. One major cause of this is tendonitis. There are two main tendons that get strained in your knee most commonly: the patella tendon and the quadriceps tendon.

The quadriceps muscle is the large muscle in the front of your thigh which attaches to your knee cap ("patella") via the quadriceps tendon. Your knee cap must move up and down in its groove in order for your knee to bend and straighten. Your quadriceps "tendon" comes from the quadriceps muscle in your upper thigh, and then wraps down over the knee cap. The quadriceps tendon is then referred to as the "patella tendon" as it attaches below the knee cap to your tibia, (your lower leg bone).

Quadriceps and patellar tendonitis usually occur from repetitive stresses on the tendons from repetitive bending and straightening your knee such as squatting, stairs, running, jumping or quick starts and stops. The forces going through your knee are approximately 2-3x your body weight just with walking, and up to 5x your body weight when you are running. This is a lot of stress through your joint. Muscle imbalances, as well as poor alignment within your knee joint or your lower leg or ankle can also lead to uneven forces on the tendon, which can overstress the tendon even with low impact activities. You do not have to be running or an athlete to get tendonitis. Tendonitis is also common for people who have had knee surgery in the past and moved too quickly back into activity without fully regaining the strength in their quadriceps, or fully balancing all of the muscles in their leg.

Just like in any tendonitis, if the stresses going through your tendon are too much, then you can get tissue breakdown and microtears in the tendon, which can lead to inflammation and pain and even partial tearing of the tendon. Chronic tendonitis can also lead to degeneration of the tendon and scarring within the tendon or tendon sheath, which is considered tendonosis.

Pain with quadriceps or patella tendonitis is typically right around the tendon, at your lower thigh, either right above your knee cap or below your knee cap, respectively. The tendon is typically tender to touch or massage and usually will hurt when you bend and straighten your knee. It can be swollen if severe enough and can also get stiff after sitting for a long time, or when you first wake up in the morning.

The biggest thing with any tendonitis to remember is that it is inflammation in the tendon, so rest is important. You do not want to continue to increase that inflammation; you need to let the tendon fibers heal. You can also take anti-inflammatory medication over the counter, such as Ibuprofen. If you see an orthopedic doctor you will probably be given a prescription anti-inflammatory medication, such as Celebrex or a Medrol Pack (Prednisone) which should help. The best thing you can do at home for it besides rest is icing. Better than even an ice pack, is an ice massage to the tendon, if you can tolerate it. Fill a small paper cup/ Dixie cup with water and freeze it, then you can massage the ice over that area for 1-2 minutes, or whatever you can tolerate.

Also important is gentle stretching. For your quadriceps, the best way to stretch is on your stomach so that your hip is straight. Place a rolled up towel or pillow under your lower thigh to slightly lift your leg off the surface and gently pull your ankle towards your buttock. You can stretch yourself, or if that is too difficult to do without twisting your back or your hip, then have someone gently stretch your knee for you. Just make sure they are doing it very gently and not pushing through pain. Hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds and repeat 5 times.

If it has moved from acute tendonitis to more of a tendonosis, then it is not as much inflammation that is the primary problem but that degeneration and scarring of the tendon has occurred. If so, doing massage right at the tendon would be helpful to break up the adhesions. If it's really tender to massage, you might want to do the ice massage first to numb it a little, and then massage, and then do another ice massage after. You want to be massaging back and forth over the tendon fibers, because adhesions can build up within the tendon and the tendon's sheath. Also continue with the gentle stretching.

If it does not get better I would suggest seeing your orthopedic doctor because he or she will most likely send you to physical therapy which can be very beneficial. The physical therapist, after evaluating you will most likely do the cross friction massage and the stretching for you, and they also can do modalities to help bring down the inflammation and break up the scar tissue or adhesions, such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation and iontophoresis.

You may have seen people wearing a knee strap on their knee for tendonitis. These can be helpful for patellar tendonitis. The knee straps or bands are worn beneath your kneecap, putting pressure on your patella tendon. This can sometimes help to decrease the stress through the patella tendon where it attaches to the bone. If you do have anterior knee pain from patella tendonitis (so the pain is below your knee cap, versus above the knee at the quadriceps tendon as discussed earlier) then a knee strap may help reduce your pain and the stress on your tendon with activities. However, be aware that the strap will not take the place of the other treatment suggestions discussed above. The strap is also typically only helpful for patellar tendonitis, and is not used for quadriceps tendonitis.

As the inflammation and pain go down you really want to be careful how you progress back into exercising and high level activities. Over stressing the tendon can cause microtearing and tissue breakdown, which leads to the inflammatory response and can lead to partial tendon tearing. It's a vicious circle that you need to break, so if you start going back to working out, running or high level activities too early, especially doing repetitive knee flexion/extension exercises which stress the quad tendon, such as squatting, repetitive stairs, running or the knee extension machine, it can definitely exacerbate things. If you are working with a physical therapist they should help guide you back into your activities safely.

8 Exercises to Create an Athletic Physique


More and more people are becoming tired of the "Bodybuilder" look. Let's cut to the chase. Most people want to look good to attract the opposite sex. It's really that simple. What kind of body does that? The answer is in multiple magazines, on tons of websites as well as in many playing arenas. The "Athletic Body" is the answer!

If you compare the bodies of today to that of the late 80's and 90's that are "attractive or desirable", you will see that men are Athletic/Natural Muscle and women are curvy with good muscle tone. Gone are the days of the no-neck, roid-raging, waddling bodybuilder and the stick figure no-ass having bleach blondes with crazy crimped bangs. We have entered the hot athletic body era.

How do you develop the Athletic Body that the opposite sex wants to see on you? There are of course many ways. Let me be clear and mention I do NOT want to discount the importance of Traditional Weight Training. There are many benefits to weight training. However, for now I want to focus strictly on the Athletic Look. An athlete can do what? They can perform! In order to perform they must be able to use their body as a vehicle to respond to their every whim. Would you agree?

So doesn't it make sense that in order to get your body to respond to your athletic desires (as is the necessity of the athlete), you should do workouts which incorporate body movements? Remember that "form follows function." In other words, if you force your body to perform a function the form that is necessary for that function will follow. You are probably asking, "What are these functions that will create the form we want?" The answer is bodyweight exercises, and derivations of them.

Yeah I know! I love the weights and talk a lot about them; but, we can't deny the results from good ol' pull-ups, push-ups, and lunges, et cetera. You must perform these types of exercises to tie all the weight training together to create the ultimate athletic physique. Do you perform these exercises already or are some too difficult or boring?

If you find them too difficult or boring I have a couple ideas to help you out with that. Finding a way to make the exercises easier or more exciting can help you get to where you are able to push past that plateau. A great way to accomplish this is to add assistance, thus reducing your effective bodyweight in a given bodyweight exercise. If you already do many of these exercises with full bodyweight and find them too easy, I have a couple ideas to take them to a completely different level. This is accomplished by performing variations that spice up these basic exercises and stimulate the kind of results your workouts may currently be lacking. A great way to add structure and variation simultaneously to your workout plan is my using the right equipment for your body movement exercise.

At this point you're probably wondering, "how is using this piece of equipment going to enhance body movement exercises?" The best way to describe this is to take the simple exercises, explain what they will do to help you reach your maximum athletic appearance development and give variations for each. Without any further ado the exercises for the ultimate athletic physique and their variations depending upon fitness level or fatigue.

Upper Body

Pull-Ups / Chin-Ups

Look at most athletes from behind and you will see an awesome V-taper. That is the result of a great set of Lats. What is one of the top ways to develop Lats? What else, but none other than Pull-ups and Chin-Ups! The problem is that many people can only do a few reps, if any. That is not enough to elicit the kind of changes needed to create the Athletic Physique. How do we overcome this? You can opt to use an assisted-pull up with the help of a plate-loading machine that will provide a counterbalance on your body weight, which allows you to work with less than our full bodyweight. The result is more reps and more results.

Now if you are already extremely strong, you can actually do 15 or more good reps! So now what? How about you try using ONE ARM! Most people can't do TRUE single arm pull-ups (not the grab the other wrist kind, but true single arm pull-ups). With the assisted pull-up you can add some weight to counterbalance your own body weight and do single arm work. This is the perfect twist to a basic exercise to push your body to the next level.

Oh and let's not forget that pull-ups and chin-ups are perfect for developing the biceps and rear delts, when done right!

Push-Ups

What can I say about push-ups? They are a staple for chest and triceps development. By placing your hands at a higher level you decrease the difficulty. By planting the feet higher you increase the difficulty. You can try single arm push-ups as well. If you want to mix the two ideas, you can come up with some serious chest development. An example would be to plant the hands at an elevated level and use only one arm. This reduces the load on that arm via the angle you are at and allows more reps. The result is a variation sure to challenge your body to adapt.

Dips

Many would consider dips one of the best exercises for triceps, lower chest and front shoulder development. If you are having trouble knocking out 10 reps then assisted dips are the key to getting past that plateau and getting the results you are looking for. If you easing knock out 20 reps then a drop set is an idea to take it to the next level. "A drop set on a bodyweight exercise?" That's what I said! By adding weight to the counter-lever on the Dip-Assist on successive sets one after the other you are essentially doing a "drop-set." As you know, drop sets are highly effective.

Lower Body

Squats / Lunges

Developing the total Athletic Physique means getting those legs going too! Often neglected by many TALKERS, always done by DOERS! Do you talk or do you do? If you are a doer and looking to get the balanced physique, it's hard to beat squats and lunges. If you have difficulty performing squats or are coming off of an injury, assisted squats may be the perfect option. This allows you to work with less than your body weight to build up the necessary strength.

If you already do tons of squats this is a great way to work until failure and then hit additional reps with assistance to push to a new tier. Another way to use the machine to take this exercise to a new level is to be able to perform Single Leg Squat with the assistance. I don't care how good of shape you are in. Single leg squats are very challenging. This apparatus gives you the chance to do massive numbers of reps with single leg for the extreme athlete for incredible changes in the Athletic Physique.

Lunges are another good exercise for the legs. To enhance the lunge or build up to it you can do Single Leg Press Downs on the Assistance Pad. Whether you are trying to build strength to lunge or push to a new level all you have to do is adjust the amount of resistance you add.

Abs and Lower Back

Crunches and Hanging Leg Raises

It doesn't get much simpler than crunches to work the abs. Lie down on the floor and crunch away. Let's say you want to take it to a new level. On a pull-up bar or using a plate-assisted machine, you can perform knee raises. This is a simple exercise. Just grab on to the bar and lift your knees being sure to tilt the pelvis for maximum abdominal engagement. If you find this easy you can keep the legs straight throughout the movement and do traditional Leg Raises. Whichever you choose, you are sure to hit the abs and lower back.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Hip Replacement


After years of a deteriorating hip joint, you are left with almost constant pain and decreased mobility. Eventually, your personal and social life suffers. You are no longer able to do all the things you could once do with ease. If you've exhausted all other attempts to relieve the pain and stiffness, it may be time for you and your doctor to consider hip replacement surgery. You don't have to live with pain for the rest of your life. Hip replacement is a common surgery with a high success rate.

Depending on your age and the condition of your hip, total hip replacement surgery (total hip arthroplasty) may offer the best solution to your problem. Hip replacement hardware (ball and socket prosthesis) can last up to 20 years. And it can often be replaced if the first prosthesis wears out (though second surgeries are not always as successful as the initial hip surgery). If you are fairly young, your doctor may suggest delaying surgery. If so, medications or lifestyle changes may help control your symptoms until the time is right for joint replacement. Losing weight can take a tremendous amount of stress off your hip and knee joints.

Surgical Procedure

Most hip replacement surgeries involve the traditional approach to the hip joint (lateral/posterior or posterior approach). With the common lateral approach, an incision (8-12 inches long) is made down the outside of your hip. The ball at the upper end of your femur (thigh bone) is cut off and replaced with a ball/metal stem component. The stem is placed into the marrow cavity of the thigh bone and the ball portion at the top fits into your new ceramic or plastic socket that is implanted into your pelvis (the cartilage from your hip socket is removed or smoothed).

The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System (BHR) is relatively new (introduced in 1997). Long term studies are still in progress, but so far results have been favorable. The BHR method eliminates the need to cut off the ball at the top of the femur. Instead, the ball is left intact and merely resurfaced (reshaped) to allow an anatomically shaped metal sphere to be attached. The socket is replaced with a metal implant. The procedure is bone-saving and results in a stronger hip joint than the traditional total hip replacement. The chance of hip dislocation is greatly reduced. For younger and active people, this may be the procedure of choice.

Minimally invasive hip replacement surgery involves an anterior approach to the hip joint. An incision is made along the front of the hip, which allows a more direct route to the hip joint. The major hip muscles are not in this area, so there is minimal tissue/muscle damage during surgery. This usually results in a shorter hospital stay, a quicker recovery/rehab period, and less pain. The only downside to this method is there are few surgeons performing the anterior approach surgery. It requires a special surgery table (which few hospitals have) and special surgical training.

Total Hip Precautions

After traditional total hip replacement surgery, patients are required to follow strict precautions that restrict certain movement/positions of your new hip. This is to prevent your new hip from dislocating. They are commonly called total hip precautions, or total hip protocol, and include the following:


  • Do not cross your legs

  • Do not point your toes inward (no pigeon toes)

  • Do not bend your new hip more than 90 degrees

Your doctor may also restrict the amount of weight you can put on your new surgery leg while walking. This is called your weight-bearing status. This should be strictly followed so you do not damage your new hip while it's healing.

Surgery Complications

All surgeries carry risk. Hip surgery complications include, but are not limited to, infection, DVT (deep vein thrombosis- blood clot), dislocation of your new hip, leg length discrepancy, vascular damage, nerve damage, just to name a few.

Surgery Recovery

Recovery after hip surgery depends on the amount of cartilage damage, your age, and your fitness level prior to surgery. Exercise before your surgery and your recovery will be easier. Approximately 4-6 months after surgery you should be fully healed, but you must take an active part in your recovery by doing daily exercises and taking daily walks.

Making Money Quick - 3 Ideas to Make Money Fast


If you need help making money quick, then listen up. This short article shows you exactly to make money fast with 3 proven ideas. Sure, you've got to take a little action, but I'm talking about making money quick, like as fast as tonight. So, let's not waste anytime. If you follow along, you can truly get money quick. Here's 3 ideas to make money fast:

Make Quick Money Online

The fastest and easiest way to make some money right now is to look through your attic, garage, and wherever else you (or your spouse) keeps your junk. Find everything you can and list it on eBay. You'd be surprised how many people buy stuff on eBay...stuff that you honestly would rather just throw away.

Selling some of your old collectibles can produce a pretty penny as well. I've seen a friend of mine sell his old coins for thousands of dollars online. Ah, the power of eBay.

Now let's pretend for a second you don't have a garage full of stuff (you know you do!). What can you do then? Here's a supertip for you. Go to sites like freecycle.com and see what people are giving away for FREE. Go pick it up, then sell that on eBay. A little cheezy I know, but hey, you did say you want to be making money quick, right?

If that doesn't product enough money fast enough for you, try this:

Get Quick Money Given To You

Let's face it. We all know someone with money. Heck, in my family I'M the one with money! I can't tell you how many times I've coughed up thousands of dollars for a friend of family member. Sister needs college money? Here ya go. Mom needs knee surgery? Got it. Friend needs a new laptop for his job? Sign me up!

So, sadly you aren't my friend (yet!) or in my family. But odds are you know someone who has a few extra bucks laying around. Make the phone call. Tell them what you need. Make sure you use a REASON WHY. That's what it's all about. I need $1,000 because I want to start an online marketing business and I can get a personal coach to help me setup everything, Uncle Rich. (like that name?;)

If begging and pleading doesn't work, don't worry. There are other alternatives. You can hit up payday loan and cash advance places. There in your town. Google them. They are not the best places usually and I don't really like the practice. I'd only recommend them if it was such a necessity that life and limb were on the line.

Otherwise, I'd keep working on Uncle Rich or check in Granny. But, what if you've got no family with money and time is running out. You've got to make money fast...and I mean quick. Like, yesterday, even. Here's the real secret to making money quick:

Make Money Working Online

OK, so by now you're expecting me to sell you something. But, don't worry. I've got something you can do for free to make quick cash. You might not like it, but it is pretty fast and easy.

Join Elance.com. It's free to join. (yay!) You can setup an account and start doing any odd jobs you possibly can. Companies and people like me put jobs on there that pay anywhere from $50 all the way up to the tens of thousands. I'd start small if I were you. Focus on what you can already do.

Some examples are accounting, copywriting, editing, translation, web design, virtual assistant, and a lot more. If you can't find anything you can do there then try these 2 sites:

Fiverr.com and MTurk.com

They don't pay as much, but the jobs you can do are a lot easier. Actually, the site Fiverr.com is up to you. You post what job you will do for $5.00. It can get a little crazy in there. But hey, $5 is $5 right?

If you don't mind putting in a little effort you can setup a blog and find affiliate offers to promote. You can setup a free blog at Blogger.com or WordPress.com. Pick a niche you like. Could be knitting, writing, whatever. Use ClickBank.com and CJ.com to find affiliate offers you can add to your blog. When people click your affiliate links and buy, you get paid.

Through CJ.com you can even promote eBay products. What do you know, we've come full circle. To make even more money off your blog, you can add Google AdSense. These are ads that Google runs on your site and when your visitors click the ads you get paid. Sometimes I get clicks that pay me $2-$4. Isn't that cool?

1 click an hour and you're making decent money everyday.What have we learned about making money quick? So, what have we learned? If you're looking to make money fast you're easiest option is to start with eBay. Go through the garage, the attic, wherever and start listing. Just think, you can make a few bucks AND finally see your garage floor again. After you've exhausted your eBay stash, start calling the friends and family. At least one of them has some money they need to give to somebody. What not you? I heard Uncle Rich is waiting for your phone call. Just remember, after you say how much you need, follow up with the word because and explain why.

And after that...go to elance.com. Find odd jobs, do them. Make money fast and easy. Quickly, even. It's all up to you. Good luck, though with these ideas to make money fast you won't need luck.

What Can You Do If You Suffer From Runners Knee To Stop It Coming Back?


Do You Suffer From Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)? Have you ever had knee pain; a rather general tenderness in the knee that can come with a sharper pain when you extend the knee, or step down steps? You might just be experiencing a condition known as Runners Knee (also called Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome).

As you might surmise from the title, patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner's knee, is a problem generally found in runners, but it's also seen in athletes from many other disciplines where there's a lot of knee bending activity - walking, running, jumping, biking, and so on.

What is Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)?

Runners knee is not really a single ailment, it's more of an expression that covers a number of concerns caused by a number of underlying problems, all of which can result in pain in and about the knee, hence the name 'Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome'.

Runners knee is usually induced through activities where use of the knee is prominent like running, court sports, hill walking, etc - but it can also happen when simply walking up or down steps, or from sitting for long periods at a time.

What Causes Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)?

There are multiple causes of runners knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome), and it's not uncommon to see more than one of these factors coming into play for any given person sufffering from this ailment.

Any surplus irritation or stress placed on the various components of the knee named above can cause aggravation that will be identified as runners knee.

Overuse - plain and simple over-doing it. Repeated heavy stress placed on any joint will, over time, normally result in pain or damage.

Injury to the knee - if you have fallen or had some sort of injury to the knee, or leg, you may have displaced the patella, stressed the ligaments, or affected the muscle wellness and balance in the thigh or calves.

Alignment concerns - your kneecap might not sit right, either naturally, as a result of an injury. The bones in your leg may not be well aligned, or you might have foot issues producing awkward foot pronation.

Foot Problems - over pronation and flat feet can cause even more tension on muscles and tendons in the foot and lower leg - the added stretching of the muscles like this can bring on weaker muscles and reduces support for the knee.

Weak muscles in the leg - your quadriceps are the primary muscle responsible for flexing the knee, and are necessary for actions such as walking, running, jumping, and squatting. Weakened thigh muscles (quadriceps) are often believed to be the major cause of Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome).

How are you able to treat and prevent Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)?

Because there's no single condition and no simple source, therapy for runners knee will depend upon an accurate analysis of the underlying cause.

Rest - As with most leg injuries, the first course of treatment method is to rest.

Ice - If the pain is bad enough, you can ice the joint to help lessen the pain.

Knee Support - Wearing a protective sleeve or taping the joint may also help reduce the stress placed on the knee.

Footwear - Correcting issues including overpronation or flat feet can also help protect against patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Muscle Strengthening - stretching and bolstering activities can help because stronger, more flexible, muscles provide improved support and stabilization for the knee.

Switch Your Activities - Reducing the mileage you run, finding flatter runs, or less court time, will help to reduce the pain simply because you are cutting down the stress.

Cross Training - adding low impact activities and workouts to your program can help with muscle wellness - strength and flexibility.

This article is not intended to substitute expert guidance, always consult a qualified specialist before taking any medicine or embarking on a physical therapy program.

Is Osteoarthritis Part of Metabolic Syndrome?


Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage, a spongy protein that covers the ends of the bones within a joint. Normal cartilage helps with shock absorption by serving as a cushion at the ends of the bones. The cartilage as the fluid within the joint allows for smooth joint movement. As osteoarthritis progresses, the space between the bones narrows, the cartilage wears down and the underlying bone is exposed. This results in painful movement of the joint as well as limited motion. Bone spurs can develop around the joint, limiting motion further and contributing to more pain. Inflammation plays only a minor role in osteoarthritis.

There are many causes of osteoarthritis, the most well known is the aging process. As we age, the water content of cartilage increases and the protein content decreases. As the water content increases, the cartilage becomes softer, more permeable and loses it's mechanical properties. The protein content decreases which contributes to slow degeneration of the cartilage, resulting in flaking and erosions.

Other causes of osteoarthritis include abnormal bone alignment. In the foot, the most common cause is faulty foot mechanics. When the foot is not in alignment and not functioning properly, this causes abnormal stress on joints in the foot, ankle, knee, hip and back. Trauma is a well known cause of arthritis. Direct trauma can disturb the joint structures, cause mal-alignment of the joint or cause weakness of the surrounding structures, resulting in instability of the joint and eventual osteoarthritis. Other causes, such as infection, medications (such as steroids) and genetics contribute to the development of arthritis.

Obesity is a common cause of arthritis. The exact mechanism of how excess weight influences osteoarthritis is unclear. Although the excess load placed on joint surfaces will accelerated the breakdown of cartilage, obesity is also correlated with osteoarthritis of the hand, indicating a more systemic cause. Obesity increases the chances of having metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a condition characterized by a set of risk factors which are linked to coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The risk factors include high blood pressure, abdominal obesity (fat around the waist), abnormal cholesterol levels (such as high triglyceride levels & low HDL levels) and insulin resistance (which corresponds with high blood sugar). The underlying theories of metabolic syndrome are tied to the body's metabolism, most likely insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the cells inability to efficiently use insulin, a hormone which transports sugar from the bloodstream to the cells. The result is high blood sugar. Insulin resistance is correlated to weight gain and inactivity.

In a recent study in the journal Skeletal Radiology, popliteal artery wall thickness was evaluated in individuals with osteoarthritis. Forty-two patients who were diagnosed with osteoarthritis at multiple joints were compared to 27 patients without osteoarthritis (the control group). An MRI of the knee was used to evaluate vessel wall thickness of the popliteal artery. The osteoarthritis group had thicker vessel walls than the control group, even when the researchers made adjustments for gender, weight and age. Because vessel wall thickness is directly related to high blood pressure and peripheral and coronary artery disease, the authors suggest that osteoarthritis might be another facet of metabolic syndrome.

One theory to explain the link between osteoarthritis and metabolic syndrome is based on white blood cells, immune fighting cells, increasing in areas where fat accumulates, especially around the abdomen (abdominal obesity). As the white blood cells increase, they contribute to widespread inflammation in the body, causing a pro-inflammatory state (as indicated by high blood levels of C- reactive protein) and the production of immune chemicals (specifically cytokines) which cause a chain reaction resulting in damage to the cartilage. The combination of insulin resistance and the pro-inflammatory state may also affect the normal cartilage repair process.

It is possible that osteoarthritis might be an inevitable outcome for those with metabolic syndrome.

Kornaat PR et al. Positive association between increased popliteal artery vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis: is OA also part of the metabolic syndrome? Skeletal Radiol. 2009 Jul 3.
Rojas-Rodríguez J, et al. The relationship between the metabolic syndrome and energy-utilization deficit in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced osteoarthritis. Med Hypotheses. 2007;69(4):860-8.
Cicuttini FM, Baker JR, Spector TD: The association of obesity with osteoarthritis of the hand and knee in women: a twin study. J.Rheumatol. 1996; 23:1221-1226.
Felson DT: Weight and osteoarthritis. J.Rheumatol. 1995;43:7-9.
Armstrong CG, Mow VC. Variations in the Intrinsic Mechanical Properities of Human Articular Cartilage with Age, Degeneration, and Water Content. JBJS. 1982; 64:88-94.

Get Ready For the Joys of Being a Grandparent


Any way you look at it, being a grandparent is an experience that you will never understand until it happens to you. I have heard it compared to the feeling you have the first time you fall in love and to seeing your first child. Grandparents tell me that it just isn't the same. Being a grandparent is God's way of rewarding parents for not strangling his or her children when they are young. Being a grandparent is a parent's revenge on his or her child for late night telephone calls to pull them out of ditches or drive them home because they've been drinking. Being a grandparent and grandparenting can't really be described. A friend told me once that you don't know what unconditional love really is until you become a grandparent. A grandparent looks at this new little life for the first time and it's like God has just handed him or her a piece of his/her heart. The child of your child brings to a grandparent a feeling that can never be duplicated and a bond that can never be broken.

Before you become a grandparent, you can't imagine what it is going to be like. You might think that your friends who have grand children are a little crazy because they seem to think that grandchildren are the most wonderful things in the world. So, what do you do when you find out you are going to be a grandparent?

First of all, as soon as you find out you are going to be a grandparent prepare for your life to change. Next, find out what your resources are. Did you know that there is actually a Grandparents magazine? Online it is called Grandparenting.com. Be thinking about all the things you will be able to teach this little being. You will be surprised at how much they can absorb from the very first day they are a part of the family.

Remember that you are the GRANDPARENT and not the parent. Therefore, you do not have to worry about discipline. The "fill 'em with sugar and then send 'em on home" can be your motto. I would also suggest the motto "discipline as a last resort".

There are laws you need to commit to memory. A deck of cards do not always number 52; you can just as well play with 49. Never, under any circumstance, win a game at the expense of your grandchild. Grandchildren ALWAYS win (even when they don't). There will come a day when your grandchild will become too heavy for you to pick up. Grandparents know everything; you will find this out during your grandchild's first dispute with his/her parents. Get a local cell phone number with unlimited minutes so your grandchild can call and talk to you at anytime.

You should also remember that "the look" that used to knock your child to his knees does not work on grandchildren. They won't even see it.

If you are not going to be living close to your grandchild you will need to be able to create and keep the bond between you. One way is to get a free website online and post messages and photos to your grandchild for you. We have already talked about the unlimited minutes on your cell phone. Visit your grandchild as often as possible and spend as much time with him or her as possible. Send your grandchild mail each week. It doesn't have to be costly; children love getting mail. Little packages addressed only to him or her will be a special treat but a post card of your town will still be special and find a place on the refrigerator.

Always have a special treat for your grandchild when you visit. There should be something special that you always do together. Going to a movie, having a sleep over, or going to see Santa or to the haunted house can be your own ritual that continues till adulthood.

How To Treat Sprains, Dislocations and Fractures


Sprains, dislocations and fractures are the type of injuries that involve a lot of pain and swelling. Also, walking becomes very difficult, so it's even harder to get help if you don't have your phone around. And if it happens during a disaster, when there's nothing but chaos all over the place, you're in for the time of your life!

Now, I don't mean to get all apocalyptic about this, but I do believe it's very important that you know basic measures when you're dealing with bone and joint injuries.

So let's take them one by one and go through the whole process together:

Sprains

Most people get a sprain at least once in their lives, so you're probably familiar with the symptoms: pain and swelling mostly, but also discoloration (when the sprained area turns black and blue).

Now, even if it hurts, do not call 911 for a sprain. Those guys take on more severe cases. However, according to firstaid.about.com, you should go see a doctor if there's one close to you, especially if you're experiencing:


  • severe pain

  • inability to put any weight on it victim unable to put any weight on it

  • inability to move it

  • inability to walk

  • numbness

  • redness or red streaks spread out from the injury

  • pain, swelling, or redness over a bony part of your foot

When it comes to treating sprains, you should think RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate):
REST the sprained joint. Don't try to walk if you're feeling severe pain whenever you take a step or two. But if you have to walk, use a cane to take most of your body weight.

ICE the sprained area with an ice pack.

COMPRESS it with an elastic bandage. Like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTAJ2qbYxNw

ELEVATE the sprain above the level of the heart during the first 48 hours. Just place your foot on top of some pillows or a rolled blanket and keep it that way as much as possible.

Dislocations and Fractures

According to eMedicalHealth.com, these are the guidelines to treat a fracture or dislocation if medical help is not available:


  • Apply a cold pack to the area of fracture or dislocation to decrease swelling and to relieve pain.

  • Flush open wounds associated with compound fractures with clean, fresh water and cover them with a dry dressing.

  • Splint the injured area to keep it from moving. Support a broken limb by using the best material available for a splint, such as sticks, part of a backpack frame, or other stabilizing device. Wrap tape around the splint and the extremity affected. For example, if a forearm is broken, the splint should run from the wrist to the upper arm and support the arm without repositioning it.

  • Monitor the extremity near the fracture or dislocation, assessing any loss of sensation, decreased temperature, and pulse.

However, the first thing to do is call 911. ALWAYS.

Pain can get pretty nasty in case of dislocations or fractures, so take 1-2 tablets of acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours or 1-2 tablets of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) every 6-8 hours.

I really hope you'll never have to take these measures, not for yourself or for anyone else. But if you do, I hope they help you treat your injury and relieve your pain. Make sure you stay safe, alright?

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Knee Replacement Surgery - Your Last Option to Get Rid of Arthritic Knee


People that have generative joint disease or arthritis of their knees, often suffer from chronic pain for quiet a long period of time. Conservative treatments such as steroid injections, pain management and therapy are sometimes not enough to get rid of the pain and stiffness. Knee replacement maybe right for you, if you have a great decline in your daily living activities, that is related to pain with decrease in knee mobility and function.

The knee is the largest joint in the body. A person needs a healthy knee to be able to perform daily activities such as walking, climbing and running. More people ages 60-80 years old, that have some type of chronic arthritis such as Osteoarthritis, often choose to have a knee replacement. It is also performed on younger adults, depending on the severity of pain and damage to the knee. Your Orthopaedic surgeon will determine if you are a good candidate to undergo a knee replacement. You will be expected to stay in the hospital for several days after surgery.

Knee replacements are one of the most painful joint surgeries and dealing with post operative pain is one of the most important aspects of your care. Your therapy usually starts right after the surgery and it is important that you take pain medication prior to your therapy sessions to be able to participate fully with therapy. Your pain usually subsides in a few days, to a week and it may differ from person to person.

Most common complications after surgery are blood clots in the leg veins and you will be given a blood thinning agent to prevent this complication. You will also be taking iron supplements, depending on your laboratory result after surgery, since post operative anemia is also common to patients that undergo a knee replacement. Wound infection although rare will also occur so it is very important that you check your incision daily for signs and symptoms of infection.

Your therapy will usually focus on your balance, strength and mobility. You will be expected to use assistive devices during ambulation, such as a walker to prevent accidental falls for a few weeks. You will notice a marked improvement of your knee function, usually within 2-6 weeks of continued physical and occupational therapy, with a safe and fast recovery as a main goal.

The Benefits Of Going To An Orthopaedic Clinic


An average orthopaedic health facility brings surgical and medical expertise to patients. Such a clinic usually offers an all-in-one solution for anyone's orthopaedic-related problems. Other than providing diagnostic and radiology services, these clinics similarly offer acupuncture and physiotherapy complementary services. They also supply surgical and medical solutions for those suffering from arthritis in the hips, knees and joints.

A good orthopaedic clinic is more than ready to offer 24-hour emergency assistance. Patients with any orthopaedic-related injury could go to such a clinic and have access to specialists. Take note that health screening is extremely important in the early detection of diseases and conditions which could cause death or disability. Also, do be aware of the fact that stress and a lifestyle associated with modern unhealthy living could have a negative impact on health.

The best orthopaedic facilities offer personalised treatment. Their goal is to enhance your well-being as well as improve your own knowledge on your personal health. Screening services are ideal for corporate organisations and individuals. Remember that you have to be responsible for how you take care of your well-being. Do have yourself evaluated in order to halt any possible health risks. Expect an individualised detailed medical report from an orthopaedic clinic. This will then be reviewed while you are in a private consultation with your preferred doctor.

Pain management is also addressed by such clinics. A few of these ailments include neck/shoulder/arm pain, musculoskeletal pain, back/leg pain. whiplash injuries, work-related injuries, sports injuries, chronic post-surgical pain, arthritic pain, fibromyalgia, spinal cord injury, phantom limb pain, peripheral nerve pain, spasticity complex regional pain syndrome and HIV-related pain.

However, though these clinics are more than willing to provide extensive services for patients experiencing these physical discomfort, there are cases where severe problems are evident which not even the most intensive therapies might not be able to fully relieve. This could similarly apply in cases where there is neglect or when a physical condition has been left to degenerate to a serious state. When this happens, it is a must for patients to consider procedures which are invasive.

A few of the surgeries include Slipped Disc Replacement, Knee Replacement, Nucleoplasty, Bunion Corrections, Hip Replacement, Shoulder Operation. Also, there are numerous orthopaedic surgeons all of whom differ in experience, skill and sub-specialty. It is a fact that it might be difficult and confusing to select the proper orthopaedic surgeon for your case. Also, do not forget that cost could similarly be a contributing factor specially when you select private specialists. If you want to find the doctor that is suitable for your specific condition, do research and locate those which are experts in their field.

Severe Elbow Joint Pain - Possible Causes And Ways To Deal With It Effectively And Safely


When it comes to joint pain, arthritis is undeniably one of the biggest culprits, but we should not let that cloud our judgment. Yes, arthritis can cause severe elbow joint pain, but surprisingly enough, this is less frequent than what many people believe.

One common cause of elbow pain is a condition known as tennis elbow, and no, it does not only affect tennis players. Approximately 50% of people who participate regularly in a racquet sport will get tennis elbow at some point, but even so, the vast majority of cases involve people who do not play any type of racquet sport. Anyone with a job that is demanding on their forearm muscles is particularly at risk. Plumbers, electricians, painters, and even butchers are prime candidates.

Conventional treatment usually involves physiotherapy and pain relief medication, and sufferers are instructed to avoid using their elbow or elbows excessively. In more severe cases, patients may receive corticosteroid injections which are administered into the immediate area. Having said all that, many people are reluctant to have these injections, and many also can not afford to pay for physiotherapy. Instead, they tend to opt for natural remedies such as fish oil supplements and supplements containing New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel extract.

Nerve entrapment is another very common cause of elbow pain, but fortunately it is relatively easy to determine whether or not this is the cause of your elbow pain. In most cases of nerve entrapment, a person will also experience a tingling sensation in their little finger and their ring finger. If there is enough pressure being applied to the nerve which is trapped, the tingling can be replaced with near total numbness.

Nerve entrapment is usually self-correcting. In other words, with enough rest, the pain should eventually go away, although there are cases where surgical intervention is required so that the ulnar nerve can be repositioned.

Bone tumors can also cause a significant amount of pain in one's elbow, but in truth, this is actually very rare. As with bone tumors, septic arthritis is yet another disease which can certainly cause severe elbow joint pain, but it too is very uncommon. Additionally, it is more often than not easily treated with antibiotics, although surgery may be necessary in very severe cases.

While joint pain is often caused by medical conditions such as some of those I have discussed above, it can also quite often be caused by nothing more than a nutrient deficiency. Joints are generally high maintenance body parts, and as such, they are dependent on a healthy diet. If you know your diet is not providing you with all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, you really should try to make a few changes, or alternatively, you should consider supplementing your diet.

Total Knee Replacement - Why You Shouldn't Wait


Undergoing surgery is not something that anyone looks forward to. Sometimes people will learn to live with pain rather than going under the knife to repair any damage but when it comes to your mobility it's never a good idea to wait. Total knee replacement becomes necessary when the patient's mobility is hampered and typically more damaged is caused when arthritic conditions are ignored. This is especially true for female patients. It is thought that women can bear more pain than men so they wait longer to consider surgery.

What is a total knee replacement?

A total knee replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces the ends of the damaged femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone) and creates a smooth knee joint. The prosthetic components are made from metal or plastic and are secured to the bone with cement. Depending on the extent of the damage, a partial knee replacement or uni-compartmental replacement can be done in which only a portion of the joint is replaced. (The knee is comprised of three compartments).

What causes degeneration in the knee joint?

When bones become degenerative it is most commonly associated to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, also referred to as "wear and tear" arthritis is common in older patients and is caused by aging joints, obesity and prior injuries. Symptoms associated with osteoarthritis are joint pain and stiffness and decreased mobility. Weight loss can improve osteoarthritis and has been shown to decrease symptoms.

What to expect after Surgery

After undergoing a total knee replacement, patients are instructed by their physician to under go physical therapy to strengthen the surrounding muscles and ligaments. Depending on the amount of trauma, rehabilitation time will vary in patients. Rehabilitation is extensive but is necessary in the process. It is very important to manage weight gain because one of the contributing factors to osteoarthritis is obesity. Throughout the recovery process it is vital to maintain constant communication with your doctor.

Knee Replacement Surgery: Does It Have To Happen?


Although many that have knee replacement surgery do so because they have a medical condition that may cause it, it is also important to realize that you don't have to have it. There are many reasons why you may feel like this is not the right thing for you to do. Many patients struggle with the decision to have it done. Usually, it is a case of the 'what ifs." What if your new knees don't work right? What is the surgery is too expensive? What if you can't do the things you are doing now? But, the end result is simple. Without a knee replacement surgery, you may not be able to walk again.

The scary truth about this surgery is that it may be the only thing that can be done to help treat your condition. For example, one of the most common reasons to have this surgery is due to the condition known as rheumatoid arthritis. In short, this condition affects millions of people each year to different extents. If you don't get treatment and it progresses significantly, you can find your knees hurting day in and day out. It hurts to walk, it hurts to stand and it hurts to move at all. Eventually, arthritis can take over your knees function completely leaving you without the ability to move.

Knee Replacement Is Good

When you begin to work with your doctor about this treatment option, he or she has probably found that your condition is one that simply can not be improved with medications either to treat the arthritis pain or to help in slowing the progression of the condition. Most that have knee replacement surgery have no option in improving their condition through other means of treatment either. But, the alternative is to have a knee replacement surgery, which doesn't have to be a bad thing.

In fact, this surgery can be a turning point in your life. Today, the metals and plastics that are used in knee replacement are completely dependable and long lasting. They are easy to use and they function with your body when you want them to. Although there is a few weeks of time where physical therapy is needed to help educated you on how to use and get the most out of your new knees, you'll find that this process is nothing compared to the pain that you are currently facing.

For those that are dealing with the possibility of a knee replacement surgery, the first step should be to fully understand what your doctor wants to do and have him or her walk you through the surgery step by step. During this process, you should determine with your doctor the prognosis for what happens afterwards. If you have questions, get them answered. Find out what if anything can be done to ease your worries. Most importantly, make it a point to find others that have had knee replacement surgery and learn what their experience has been. Whether you are online or through local contacts, you deserve the opportunity to fully explore this treatment options that you have.

Diets and Vitamins - Why Essential Vitamins Are Important


There may be 15 essential vitamins needed daily for a balanced diet. Knowing what these are can improve our physical and mental lives. The vitamins I will talk about in this article are basic for children. How these vitamins work and which ones you don't want too much of is something I will brief you on.

Vitamins are essential for good health. Some vitamins are known by letters and some by their chemical names and some by both. The body cannot manufacture most vitamins and rely on your balanced diet and/or supplemental consumption.

There are warnings on all vitamins/mineral supplements of accidental overdose. "Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6 years old." "In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately."

Children supplements contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid( Vitamin B12), Biotin, Vitamin B5, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Zinc. Amount per serving are equal to 100% of their needs except in Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Zinc.

Vitamin A is important for the immune system, infections of the kidney, bladder, lungs, and the mucous membrane (the lining around inner parts of our body to keep them moist), protects us against cancer and heart disease, helps skin repair itself, development of bones, and most common night blindness. The reason most multi-vitamins don't have a full days supply is our bodies convert some food we eat into Vitamin A. Beta-carotene is found in green and yellow plants. Plants we eat or eat the fruit of are carrots, cantaloupe, spinach, broccoli, mango, oranges, peaches, garlic, and sweet potatoes, just to name a few. Excessive amount can lead to liver failure. A deficient amount can cause night blindness and dry, itchy skin.

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is found in oranges, lemons, and potatoes. It is needed for the maintenance of the ligaments, tendons, and other supportive tissues. Some of these supportive tissues are blood vessels and muscles. Consumption of a healthy diet is best because too little can cause fatigue, swollen gums, nose bleeds, weakness, and scurry. Consumption of too much Vitamin C may cause Kidney stones. Vitamin C is for the immune function, to help keep the body healthy. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from food.

Vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which leads to stronger bones and teeth. Our bodies can get what we need from the sun's UV rays with just 10-15 minutes twice a week without sunscreen but it is not recommended due to the possibility of skin cancer. Vitamin D deficiency is called rickets which is an abnormal development of the bones. The most common forms of rickets is knock-knees.

Vitamin E is made in or bodies in our intestine by bacteria. It helps with proper clotting of the blood. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, helping to maintain a healthy heart. Foods like wheat germ, eggs and roasted nuts in a healthy diet are best.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Degenerative Knee Problems - Are Your Knees Screaming!? Improve Your Knee Stability


Case Studies Of Degenerative Knee Problems

Degenerative knee problems, also can be referred to as Osteoarthritis, are typically progressive and incurable. What starts off as stiffness and swelling of the joint will eventually develop into a severe deformity of the joint wherein even walking becomes a major chore!

While degenerative knee problems are incurable, there are several ways that an individual can deal with this condition. Treatment depends upon age and the severity of the condition as well as the frequency of the flare ups. These two case studies offer valuable insight into making the right choices when it comes to treating osteoarthritis.

How Beth Treated Her Degenerative Knee Problems

Beth was only 42 when she began to experience pain and swelling in her right knee. She figured she had twisted it and used an ice pack to alleviate the symptoms. The pain continued to get worse and she experienced flare ups more often. Finally, Beth decided that she had to go see a doctor. He diagnosed her with osteoarthritis of the knee and recommended that she use an ice pack to keep the swelling down and to wear a knee brace to support the knee.

Wanting a second opinion, Beth consulted with another doctor who advised her to undergo knee surgery. This involved complete knee replacement. The problem was Beth did not have insurance to cover the operation. Moreover she would be 'out of the running' and would need full time care for at least a few weeks post surgery. After all of this, there was still no guarantee that surgery would render the knee fully functional and pain free.

Beth chose to take the advice of the first doctor. The knee brace provided much-needed support to her knees as she want about her daily activities and the ice pack helped keep the swelling down. Today, Beth is only bothered periodically by knee pain.

How Dave Treated His Degenerative Knee Problems

Dave played softball all of his life. At the age of 53, he developed pain in both of his knees but it was worse in his right knee. Diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee, he opted to go in for surgery. He got a full knee replacement, went through rehab and was off work for nearly a year. The knee worked well but it was not as good as new. It still troubled him occasionally but what bothered him now what that his left knee had started to really hurt.

Instead of undergoing another surgery for degenerative knee problems, Dave decided to treat the left knee conservatively and use a knee brace in addition to some exercises that he learned in rehab. Today, Dave walks fine and uses the knee brace on his left knee when he experiences knee pain. He does not recommend knee surgery to anyone as his right knee still feels stiff.

While there are several different ways to treat degenerative knee problems, it is always best to first opt for more conservative treatment methods, which will help manage the symptoms without any adverse effects. As these case studies demonstrate, using a knee brace in addition to doing a select few knee strengthening exercises and using an ice pack to control flare-ups can be extremely effective.

Total Knee Replacement Surgery Abroad


One of the ways that some people are looking to cut the overwhelming medical costs or extensive waiting lists (in Canada or the U.K.) is by looking abroad for total knee replacement surgery in India or Mexico. The typical cost for a total knee replacement surgery in India is around $7,000. Compared to U.S. costs, that is very reasonable. How do you go about investigating a total knee replacement surgery in Mexico or India, for example?

There is the old standby of asking around to your co-workers, your family, or acquaintances. Statistically, you will either know someone or be connected to someone who has had surgery abroad. Their experiences can be a testimonial about the care they received, but it is ultimately hearsay. Unless your friend, family member or personal source happens to be a medical professional, their testimony about a total knee replacement surgery in Mexico or india is going to lack important information about the technology being used, the sanitation procedures, and the competence of the staff.

Then there is the seemingly omniscient internet. Without a doubt, it serves a vital function in the distribution of vast amounts of information. It does have certain drawbacks. Unlike the New England Journal of Medicine or the British Medical Journal, the internet is not a peer-reviewed source. Its greatest strength, the ability of almost anyone to acquire a website, is also its greatest weakness. In a situation in which anyone can post virtually anything, most information becomes suspect. Nonetheless, a keyword search on "total knee replacement surgery in India or mexico" or "total knee replacement surgery in Mexico or india" can provide you with a starting place in your search.

If you do choose the internet as your primary search tool, make sure to use due caution. At the very least verify your information from multiple sources. Hospitals are like any other business and will work to put the best foot forward. The only way to be sure that the facility you choose overseas is a safe environment is to make sure that it has JCI accreditation.

The JCI or Joint Commission International, an international accrediting body for medical facilities that has been approved by the International Society for Quality in Health Care, maintains a listing of accredited facilities.

The simplest and probably best way to find safe facilities overseas is to employ the services of Medical Travel Facilitation group. These businesses find facilities and make arrangements with them to provide services such as total knee replacement surgery in facilities in either india or Mexico to prospective clients. They will often assist in dealing with the paperwork and travel arrangements prior to the surgery. Again, it is best to employ some due diligence and make sure the facilities these facilitators work with have JCI accreditation.

Knee Surgery Past And Present


A guy by the name of Mack Lee Hill died in 1965 after knee surgery, according to Wikipedia. He played professional football for the Kansas City Chiefs, in the American Football League, from 1964 until his death in 1965 at the age of 25. He was born in Quincy, a small town in North Florida. His death was due to complications from knee surgery, due to a football injury.

My wife just had arthroscopic knee surgery a few days ago and she's doing just fine. Mack Lee Hill graduated from the same high school where my wife and I met. He played football on the same high school team that I did. The outcomes of the knee surgeries, however, were quite different.

I have previously griped loudly about modern medicine in this forum, but not this time. Sure, as my mother used to always say when she commented on my school report card, "there is always room for improvement". Today, however, I am very thankful for medical advances. No bloody gashing of the flesh to open up the knee. No extensive suturing to close the incision. No long and dreaded recovery, heavy medication or overwhelming pain killers, rehabilitation or intensive convalescence.

What if Mack Lee Hill had been given the same opportunity. Would he have lived through knee surgery today. I don't know all of the details or complications that took place with his procedure and so my reflection on that situation is just to say how things have changed.

Our doctor tried hard to present a pleasant "bedside manner". Other staff members did well in making us feel comfortable. No perfection yet but progress aplenty.

We were able to be diagnosed, have an MRI, get crutches, and have out-patient surgery, all at the same facility. I'm not griping, but we have good medical insurance and indeed that made a huge difference. Today I am thankful for having good medical coverage.

My wife is a little uncomfortable, she was expectantly groggy after the procedure until the anesthesia wore off. She gets the few stitches taken out in a short time and I've been here with her to make things go as smooth as possible.

During the procedure I was very nervous. We've all seen stories on TV or heard about cases where someone went in for a routine operation and died on the operating table. My wife was admittedly nervous, so no gripes today, just thanks. These past days have caused me to think about the relative nature of things. It reminds me of the old anecdote about whether the "glass is half full or half empty". Today mine is bubbling over. So thank you modern medicine and all of the sincere good folks that practice it. Thank you good medical insurance and your community for what you have provided.

And what of Mack Lee Hill? What would be his outcome today?

What Is Medical Tourism? Medical Tourism Facts Explained


Medical tourism is the practice of travelling to different countries to get quality and affordable healthcare services. It is also referred to as global healthcare, health tourism, and medical travel. The term 'medical tourism' was created by the media and travel agencies to popularize this form of practice. Today, medical tourism has grown to become an official industry in more than 50 countries.

Why is Medical Tourism Popular?

So, what exactly are the benefits of medical tourism and why do people travel abroad for simple and complex medical procedures? The main factor that encourages medical travel is undoubtedly the high cost of medical care in developed countries like the United States. Most medical travel destinations offer surgeries at almost one-third the costs of developed countries. This translates into bigger savings for a person who has to undergo a complex medical procedure like a liver transplant or even for a cosmetic surgery procedure.

Another reason is the high costs of medical insurance in western countries which have led to many people not opting for any medical plans. The high unemployment rates in the U.S and other European countries are another major contributing factor. Today, due to the deteriorating unemployment levels millions of people can no longer afford health insurance. So, a person not covered by health insurance has very less options other than seeking cheaper treatment elsewhere. As a result, medical travel has gained rapid acceptance and popularity in a short period of time.

Medical Tourism Costs Comparison

Here are some surprising cost comparisons which justify the existence of the medical tourism industry. A liver transplant in the U.S would cost close to a whopping $300,000, while a person who opts to travel to Taiwan would end up paying just around $90,000. This translates into savings of around 70 percent. Similarly, a heart valve replacement costs about $10,000 in India, whereas it costs around $200,000 in the United States. Women who plan to undergo complex cosmetic surgery have to spend a fortune in the U.S. In this case, a full facelift in South Africa would cost just around $1250 compared to about $20,000 in the United States. These glaring price cost savings are the most important reason for the huge growth in the medical tourism industry

Pros and Cons of Medical Tourism

Medical travel abroad isn't just popular because of the cost savings. There are many other benefits too. For example, the waiting times for medical procedures in the U.K are long and cumbersome. On the other hand, in medical tourism, a patient's entire procedure is planned and scheduled well in advance. Once the patient arrives in the host country, there is little to no waiting time. Here is another example to illustrate this point. In Canada, during the year 2005, more than 750,000 Canadians had to wait for an average of 9.5 weeks to get their medical procedures done. Canada also sets long waiting benchmarks ranging from 16 to 26 weeks for non-emergency medical procedures like cataract and hip replacement surgery.

While the medical travel industry has its benefits it also has its share of drawbacks and concerns. For example, a medical tourist can easily be susceptible to many diseases in the host country, where high standards of hygiene may not be available. A person from the United States may have low to no natural immunity levels to these diseases. These diseases could hamper or complicate existing health conditions. Some of the diseases that could weaken or complicate the recovery of the person are amoebic dysentery, influenza, typhoid, and tuberculosis. Health complications could also arise during travel due to cramped seats in airlines and long distance flights.

Even accredited hospitals in countries like India lack adequate complaint registering policies. This leads to a lot of patients being totally dissatisfied with the services offered. There are also many legal and ethical issues involved during organ transplantation in India and China. This primarily is due to the large-scale illegal purchase of tissues and organs in these countries. Despite these shortcomings, medical travel seems to be the way forward unless countries like the United States can manage to cut their medical costs drastically or start providing medical tourism insurance.

Popular Medical Tourism Destinations

Many people are on the lookout for both simple and complex procedures like cardiac surgery, hip and knee replacement, dental surgery and cosmetic surgery. For these procedures the most popular medical travel destinations are India, Argentina, Cuba, Hungary, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, The Philippines, Ukraine, Lithuania, and South Korea. High quality cosmetic surgery at affordable prices is available in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Turkey, and Colombia. Over the last few years, South American countries like Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Bolivia have become a hot destination for world-class plastic surgeries. These countries boast of talented and experienced cosmetic surgeons of repute. Most medical tourists come from countries like the United States, Canada, the U.K, and Japan.

Implications for the Healthcare Industry

Medical travel has created implications in countries from where they originate. In 2007, more than 750,000 Americans sought healthcare services outside the country and more than 1.5 million are expected to seek offshore healthcare in 2008. This has resulted in the United States health care industry losing billions of dollars and is set to lose even more in the future. According to a Deloitte Consulting report of 2008, medical tourism in the United States could most likely increase by almost 10 times in the next decade. This trend is alarming and can hardly be ignored by the healthcare industry. While this may spell trouble for the healthcare insurance industry, it could also be a motivating factor for the healthcare industry to lower its premiums to stay competitive. This major shift towards medical tourism has opened the doors for medical tourism insurance. Currently, very few medical insurers cover medical tourism. However, there is a growing demand for medical tourism insurance and we might soon see major healthcare insurance providers offering people the option to travel abroad. This would definitely be an important step in making healthcare more affordable.

Monitoring Industry Best Practices

To ensure higher standards of healthcare quality a growing number of international healthcare accreditation organizations are now certifying international hospitals. This accreditation is awarded based on the level of healthcare services and quality of medical procedures provided. Since 1999, the Joint Commission International (JCI), a non-profit organization based in the United States has been authorized to certify and accredit hospitals and medical facilities outside the country. Medical tourism providers in many countries are now seeking accreditation to keep on track with healthcare best practice norms and gain patient confidence and trust.

The medical tourism industry is growing and will continue to rapidly surge unless healthcare providers and insurance companies make sincere efforts to lower the costs of health insurance. Medical travel is not a problem; it is an answer to cheaper medical solutions. And unless the healthcare industry in western countries finds answers to reducing costs, medical tourism will definitely be the most convincing answer.

Should I Use Wedge Blocking In Youth Football?


Wedge Blocking is what the Single Wing offense is famous for. This may appear like the most irregular form of blocking you will experience, but once you witness it in action, you will turn into a believer. You need to realize that it will appear different to instruct and most likely appear helter-skelter at first. It will take outstanding patience and assurance as you instruct this method to the group.

It will be a slow advancement, but as soon as it has been taught the right way, it will be a crushing artillery in your arsenal. Waste no time teaching this system and start teaching this as early as day one. Your team needs to understand how important the wedge series is to the team. You will be capable of gaining a large amount of yards, and even those vital short yardage downs.

This actually is not difficult to show, but make sure that it is taught right. All lineman have to press into the lineman adjacent to him and form an solid area, wedge or upside down V.

The goal is on the snap of the ball, all blockers need to move together and step straight forward and towards the inside together. If you are using zero line splits, it will be simple to seal shoulders with the player adjacent to them. The key is that all linemen move forward together in harmony. Once your line is as close together as they can get, they now need to move together as one. The group cannot allow any defender to break into the wedge. After the wedge is in place, the squad must practice staying together as one, while moving at equal speed. The purpose of the wedge to remain as one and keeping defenders out for as long as conceivable.

The best way to introduce the wedge is for a coach to stand with a dummy over the right side guard and make the players step, seal, and complete the wedge. After this action is perfected, then have the group move as one and try to knock the coach back down the field. Every player needs to step together, as one as they remain in the wedge. I define perfection as being able to execute the play, or in this case the drill for 10 perfect repetitions.

Opponents will attempt many different techniques to try and break up your wedge. One of the more popular techniques is to dive down at your lineman's knees. The best way to counter this move is to use high knees and step on their backs. Defenders will stop diving at your knees almost instantly when you start stepping on them. Another great counter move is to run one of the wedge fake plays. Fake plays can be extremely effective because the whole defense will be "selling out" in an attempt to stop the wedge. The speedy pass routes or delayed reverses work great. Both the Double Wing and Single Wing have complete wedge series. The wedge can be a wonderful series of plays at all age groups.

Tips To Improve Your Bowling Game


In the process of learning how to bowl, people often overlook key elements such as arm swing, lower body leverage and other things that you would think that wouldn't be needed when it comes to the game of bowling. Leaving any of the tips that I listed below out of your game at the lanes will hinder you from bowling at your maximum potential. It's not hard at all, just applying a few of the tips at a time will change your game drastically. So apply each, one step at a time and you'll get the full effect when you step on the lanes next time.

I am going to give you some tips that you can use to improve your game drastically, go ahead and give them a try.

Tip 1 - Keep that arm swing loose

Remember first and foremost, keep your grip relaxed in the ball. To avoid the muscled arm swing don't squeeze your fingers or thumb. To avoid this it's best to head down to a pro shop and get a ball fitted and drilled correctly so you can have a relaxed thumb. Like I said, you don't want to have to squeeze the ball because your thumb doesn't fit.

Tip 2 - Use your lower body leverage It is absolutely necessary that you bend your knees in bowling. Make sure to bend your knee to get lower to the lane on the last step.

Tip 3 - Finish close to the foul line

The closer you are to the foul line the less energy you will have to use. When you're all the way up to the foul line, you'll want to have the ball a short distance over the foul line, which will result in the ball making contact with the lane further down and it'll preserve energy so you can knock down all the pins. The further you are from the foul line the more energy you will have to use.

Tip 4 - Relax your thumb and come through with the ball

If you over lift, or turn the ball during the release it will cause muscling or misdirection of your arm swing. So remember relax your thumb and release the ball with the free arm swing, finish close to the foul line and make sure you have good lower body leverage.

Tip 5 - Bowling is all in the mind!

Visualize the lanes in your mind, define your good shots and do them until they're near perfection.

Tip 6 - The drop off method

Instead of pushing the ball away, hold the ball up at the shoulder level then take a small step but do not move the ball just let it drop down into the swing on the second step.

Tip 7 - Come up with your own style

Whatever you think helps you make your game better and gets you high scores, then by all means use it. Apply the techniques that work for you.

Tip 8 - Watch how the pros do it

Turn to ESPN and watch the PBA games. Study the styles and techniques of the pros and use them.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Hip Pain Relief


You want hip pain relief?

It's like this.

Have you every had to have the wheels of your car re-aligned. What you may have noticed is the tread on one side is worn more than the tread on the other.

Rotating the tyres might stave off the inevitable for a while, particularly if you notice it early enough.

However rotating the tyres is pretty much like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It's not going to work for long and you'll just wear out another tyre quicker than normal.

Obviously you need a wheel alignment and you need to balance the wheels.

Lao Tzu said something to the effect that a big problem could have been solved easily when it was a small problem.

As with your tyres, so with your hips.

The sooner you can get them realigned the better.

The problem with hip dysfunction is that it creeps up on you without you noticing it. You feel a bit of a niggle and think it's transitory, it will go away.

It doesn't and it gradually gets worse. You finally get to the point where you have to do something about it. You rub some cr癡me into it. You go to the physio for a rub down, some palpation, the hot pad, vibration and the electric shock treatment. Problem is your hip pain is not caused by a lack of rub down, palpation, heat treatment, vibration or an electric shock t. It's caused by misalignment of your pelvis which in turn is caused by weak and tight muscles somewhere in your lower body.

But first, diagnose the cause of the problem - what's weak, what's tight and what's out of alignment.

For starters, if you can get a couple of digital scales (and you can pick them up for about $20 these days) and stand on them you may find that you're lop-sided. You're carrying more weight on one side of your body than the other.

A diagnostic posture I'd recommend is the sit-up-straight exercise - designed to let you know whether one buttock muscle is tighter than the other. If it is your body will be twisted putting more pressure on one hip than the other.

You may also find that one hamstring is tighter then the other. Again this will cause the pelvis to twist, putting more pressure on one hip than the other.

You may find that your hip flexor muscles and your quadriceps muscles are weak.

You may find that your legs are out of alignment. Maybe you find it difficult to get your knees together when your ankles are together; or you're knock-kneed.

Take a look at your feet, if they're not straight and about 10cms apart (4 inches) when standing, you can bet the misalignment goes right up to your knees and hips.

In a nutshell, when all this is happening for years on end, sooner or later the misalignment will become so bad you'll experience hip pain. The ends of the bones start to grind on each other. Then you get bone inflammation - arthritis.

If you have an X-ray the radiologist will be able to see the arthritis. They'll say that it is the arthritis that is causing your pain, pretty much useless information because you know that. What you want to know is what's caused the arthritis and what you can do about it.

Certainly your hip is not going to get better in a surgery or a pharmacy. Junk medicine - that is, taking drugs to mask the pain will only see the hip deteriorate further -but without you noticing it. It's just a vapid way to deal with musculo-skeletal dysfunction. It achieves nothing. It just puts off the inevitable.

Give it a few years and you'll need a hip replacement. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

So, based on what I've already explained, the task ahead is to get your body back into better alignment.

The good news is that if you want hip pain relief, start doing the right exercises. You could make a big difference to your alignment and take pressure off the hip that is hurting.

The aim is to restore poor function to good.

There's quite a few exercises you'll need to do, some general and some specific. I recommend you start doing them while you're watching TV. Plus you can't go past a good strength training program in the gym. Spending $700 on a gym membership is going to save you thousands and thousands of dollars in hospital fees and four week of agony spent staring at the ceiling.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and remember, it's easier to solve small problems than big problems.

John Miller

Multipurpose Hip Replacement Rehab Exercises


A physical therapist working with a patient in hip replacement rehab will introduce the patient to a variety of exercises; exercises that may include both standing and lying flat.  Initially it may seem as if all the exercises introduced are only benefiting the successful movement and use of the hip. However, these exercises your physical therapists introduce are known to help a lot more areas of your body.

Gluteal sets is an exercise that requires an individual to lay flat on their back, preferably on the floor, while squeezing the buttocks for an interval of time before releasing.  The  move is to be performed several times in succession.  Whether starting out slow with just a few reps or digging in to do 10 reps in 4 sets, a person doing this move will appreciate the results. 

This exercise is designed to work 3 muscles at once: the gluteus maximus, medius muscle, and minimus muscle.  These muscles work together and help make everyday situations easier to handle, like climbing stairs and getting up from a seated position.  By mastering this routine, you're doing more than making sure life is easier, you're helping the look of a very prominent part of your body.

Arc quad sets is another exercise you may be introduced to.  You complete this exercise by lying flat on the floor while tightening your thigh muscles and straightening your knee.  This is a power move that strengthens all four muscles that run up the front of your thigh. 

If an individual is introduced to this exercise, they can rest assured that walking, running, or even jumping will be a lot easier to do.  When looking at someone standing sideways wearing a pair of shorts it's, easy to see if there's a defining line from working out; this is one of those moves that can help you achieve that look.

The standing knee raise exercise is as simple as lifting one knee at a time upward towards the chest.  This move can be done standing free or with the assistance of a chair.   The importance of this exercise during hip replacement recovery is that it works vulnerable skeletal muscles that surround the hip joint area.  These skeletal muscles are what keep your hip joints from feeling or remaining stiff. 

Everyday movement often taps into the flexibility of the hip joint and if the joint is in pain, the movement is painfully hard to achieve.  The great thing about working on this activity is that you actually begin to work stomach muscles.  While it may not be the move that can turn a stomach into an instant six-pack, it is one that well help you on your road to achieving it.

Facing your physical therapy appointment with the understanding that your whole body can benefit is one way to make sure that your hip replacement rehab visit is a productive one.

All About PABA - Learn What it is Used For and the Amazing Health Benefits of PABA!


Para-aminobenzoic acid, or as is more commonly referred to - PABA, is also known by the name of vitamin Bx. Although this nutrient is so known, it is not exactly a vitamin. PABA is contained in a form of folic acid. And folic acid being a B vitamin, thus PABA is a B complex factor (a co-factor).

The Actions of PABA

Paba occurs naturally in the human body. It is metabolized from good bacteria which are found in our intestines. The following are some of the actions of PABA in the human body.

• PABA assists in the creation of folic acid.
• It is an imperative constituent in the break down of proteins.
• Paba helps in the formation of red blood cells.
• It has potent antioxidant actions, as a result of which PABA is helpful in maintaining the health of body cells and skin.

The Therapeutic Advantages of PABA

Even though Paba is a natural presence in the body and has many useful benefits, it is not considered to be an essential nutrient. Here are some of the therapeutic benefits of PABA, which will help you to decide whether it should be considered indispensable or not.

1. PABA for the treatment of Peyronie's Disease: Peyronie's disease is a condition that affects the penis and causes problems and difficulties in penile erection. A study conducted on men with the peyronie's disease, who were given supplemental PABA for a minimum of three months, revealed some interesting facts.

Of all the studied patients, about 45% of the patients had significant reduction in general penile distress. 60% of the patients noticed a remarked reduction in the size of plaque, whereas 65% of the patients had considerable improvement in the angulations of the penis. Although much more research is required in this area, the initial findings do suggest that PABA can be a very effective treatment for peyronie's disorder.

2. Want to have a baby? Take PABA: Supplemental paba has also proved to increase the fertility in women. Although it is not entirely clear why this benefit occurs, it is believed that since paba helps in the production of folic acid, which is an important fertility booster, it too helps to make women more fertile.

3. Reverses graying of hair: One of the causes of hair fall and premature graying of hair is a deficiency of B vitamins. If you have lost hair, or if your hair has turned gray, you can bring it back to its normal pigment by taking paba supplements. However, this action of paba holds true only if your hair graying is a result of such a deficiency or because of stress.

4. PABA for your skin: Paba has antioxidant properties and also helps to reduce the damage caused by harsh sun rays. Because of this property, paba has found a place in many sunscreen products, which can help to lower the damage caused to your skin when outdoors.

Side Effects of PABA Supplementation

Skin rash, nausea, anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever are some of the side effects that have been reported with the use of paba supplements. These side effects are temporary however, and usually disappear on discontinuation of the supplements.

Tips On Choosing A PABA Supplement

• As the supplement industry is not regulated in the United States, you need to be careful while purchasing any kind of nutritional supplement. One way to ensure that you get a reliable product is to buy a PABA supplement that has been made by a pharmaceutical GMP compliant maker only.

• Do not buy any PABA supplement if it has sugar, silica, gluten etc as these are harmful fillers which are bad for your health.

• As there is a danger of PABA toxicity when taken in doses higher than 8 gm daily, look for a PABA supplement that contains the nutrient in a dose lesser than this.

Studies have shown that when different ingredients are blended together, they form a synergistic effect, which means the health benefits are multiplied many times over.

When you're out there looking for a PABA supplement, look for something that has many different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, trace elements, flavonoids, herbal extracts and other specialty ingredients, because you know it WILL make a dramatic difference in your health.

How High Heels Are Related to Arthritis


Although there seems to be very little connection between high heels and arthritis yet deep study has revealed that the two are actually interrelated. Chiropodists and podiatrists have been studying the maladies which are related to the continuous use of high heels over a long duration. Apart from the common side effects such as bunions, ingrown nails and corns another malady has now been included in the list. This is the condition of arthritis of the knee and foot joints.

The actual structure of the footwear which has high heels is by itself very problematic due to the odd angle which is formed from the heel and the toe. This results in a lot of pressure on certain key areas such as the ankle, the foot and the knee joints. After bearing the brunt of the extra pressure these parts may get inflamed and the cartilage joints may become weak. This makes the person prone to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most frequently occurring kind of arthritis. Women are more vulnerable to this as compared to men.

Another major cause is the unusual hike in the rate of obesity in most of the countries of the world. Obesity is the main culprit and leads to inflammation and other ailments related to the joints. If an obese person gets injured by wearing high heels then his case becomes even more complicated as he has to tackle weight issues as well. Obese people are at a high risk of suffering from arthritis.

Many people have the misconception that arthritis is an inevitable part of the process of growing old. So they never imagine that the kind of life we lead often brings arthritis to our doorstep. Statistics reveal that more than 25% of the women wear high heels. When this is coupled with the growing obesity rates then the chances of arthritis increases manifold. This makes one realize that the process of growing old does not make it mandatory for a person to suffer from arthritis. This brings forth the fact that by taking certain precautionary measures this disease can be avoided. By being free from arthritis you ensure that you do not have to experience the excruciating pain and joint stiffness which is synonymous with this disease.

As there is a relation between high heels and arthritis therefore it is justified to keep comfort over style and switch over to footwear which is comfortable and supports your foot. To lower the amount of stress on the foot and the joins you should ideally switch over to footwear with lower heels and proper support. By selecting good and comfortable footwear you lower the risk of damaging your joints and reduce the wear and tear impact.

'A stitch in time saves nine.' This holds true for foot injury as well. Finding the root cause of any foot pain or injury will help to minimize the damage which may lead to arthritis if not checked on time. Any inflammation or injury which is caused from wearing high heels should be attended to in a timely manner. If you feel uncomfortable and suffer from pain then you should not hesitate to take medical help. This will help to diagnose arthritis at the onset itself.

Although in the days gone by the people often failed to see the relation between high heels and arthritis but research has led to the masses understanding the connection between the two. In order to make a style statement women often tend to ignore the need to keep their feet cushioned and comfortable. By making some healthy changes you can ensure that you have better foot health and can enjoy wearing heels without having to worry about contacting arthritis.

How to Stop Your Dog From Jumping Fast


Dog jumping on family members, small children or house guests is one of the most common, annoying and dangerous problems for dog owners. This may be related to feeling of insecurity or simply aggressiveness. Dogs learn jumping faster than any other dog obedience command. We involuntarily teach them, when they are a young puppy, dog owners or other people always invite them up and pays attention and affection. Everyone goes like 'come here puppy, cute puppy' and praise them when they jump up so dog learns jumping naturally. That is the biggest reason why dog jumping up is a very common problem and big problem that 90% of dog owners are having.

Most of the time puppies get confused by commands of people around them. When your puppy jumps up, make sure to use the 'off' command because using 'down' makes your dog confuse it with the 'lay down' command.Never touch your dog or puppy, pet or praise when your dog is jumping up on you or other people. Never get into an eye contact when using the following methods to prevent jumping up.

They have to learn that the greeting has to be calm with all paws on the ground. In order to be effective with any jumping program, you have to make sure everybody comes to contact with your dog is being consistent with the same training method you choose for your dog or puppy. Using different obedience commands may confuse your dog easily. Make sure to have a no jump policy at your home. This applies to all family members and visitors.

Holding Paws

When your dog jumps up on you, simply hold the paws and hang on to them. Not crush or squeeze the paws. Most of the dogs are sensitive of their paws touched and they are not used to it. Do not let it go fast. Hold the paws until it starts to struggle and wants back the paws. That point you can use the command 'off'. When your dog is off, praise your dog or puppy and give a dog treat or another reward.

Using Coins

Puppies cannot handle weird sounds. Put six to seven coins in a bottle, when your dog jumps up, shake this bottle of coins. Your dog associates this weird sound with jumping. After using this method repeatedly, you will see that your dog does not want to jump anymore because does not want to hear that weird noise. This is a very simple method and can be used effectively to any breed type without the need of touch.

Simply Using Your Knees

Another obedience training technique is using your knees. When your dog jumps up, just bend your knees and give the 'off' command, it will try to jump couple times and just leave it because your dog did not see any attention from you. We are not trying to send them on the other side of the room, it is just a little pop to knock them off the balance and get them off. Dogs are jumping to get attention on them. This method is very useful for small breed types.

Avoiding The Attention

Your pet is trying to get your attention. Turning your back for couple minutes when you get into house not paying attention or not having an eye contact, makes them understand and gets off easily. You can also hold your shoulders and look up on the ceiling. This will make them relaxed and calm.

It might be hard in the beginning because we are social and we get excited to see our pets, too. But it is worth to teach your dog how to act properly when someone comes over to your house. There might be a lot of cases in the future that you wish you thought this before. Training your dog is time consuming but being consistent and patient are the keys for fast and consistent results.