Paintball Protective Gear

I had a very interesting revelation last weekend while playing paintball for the first time in a few years. A close friend decided to celebrate his 40th birthday by organizing a scenario paintball event on a large paintball field with family and friends. Invitations were extended to couples and children over 8 years old. I've played paintball consistently for 25 years, until a few years ago when my life-long hobby succumb to other family priorities. Neither of my sons have ever played paintball but based on my countless "war" stories and pictures they were extremely excited to play for the first time at this birthday event. On the other hand, my wife was very apprehensive to participate but wanted to experience and understand what the excitement was all about. Interestingly as a parent, I now had major concerns and reservations about my sons and wife playing paintball due to the likely-hood of them being hurt by paintballs. I really wanted them to have a fun paintball experience, as I knew they would never agree to play again if they were hurt or felt too scared to play

Paintball Gear

Fortunately, a friend who is also a paintball referee suggested I purchase some protective clothing manufactured by Field Armor Paintball. After doing some research online about protective products for paintball, I found that Field Armor products offered the best paintball protection from welts and bruising. Apparently, there are also several expert reviews written about the effectiveness of their products, as well as many years of positive customer reviews. After some skepticism, I decided to purchase 3 Field Armor Paintball protective jumpsuits; 1 for my wife and 2 for my boys (13 and 18 years old). After receiving my order, I was happily surprised by the level of protection and comfort of these suits. They fit like regular clothes and lightweight with mesh on the sides for ventilation. I thought the overall design was very clever with multiple fasteners through-out the suit in order to make it fit properly. There were also pod-holders and pockets for personal items.

Paintball Fields

The birthday event turned out to be a lot of fun; especially for my wife and sons who did extremely well playing for their first time. I quickly noticed that only after a few games, my wife and sons were no longer afraid of getting hurt while huddled behind bunkers...and they begun to out-maneuver and knock-off other more experienced players. After several hours of playing and multiple welts, I decided to try-on and play in my older son's suit - oh boy, what a difference! I immediately noticed the change in my agility, especially when I had to dive on the ground or take a knee - the suit's thin padding considerably softens impact to elbows and knees. The paintball fields we played on each had a unique setting which made the game even more exciting. There were castles, Wild West town, trench ware fare and even tree house fields.

Paintball Vests

During my first game while wearing the suit I was shot 3 times at close range. The suit protected me from shots to the side of my neck, chest and crotch. I felt slight taps from paintballs breaking on the suit but felt absolutely no pain. This realization significantly increased my confidence level, which allowed me to become more aggressive while running for the flag and taking position on other players. I continued to play with my son's suit for a while and frankly did not want to give it back. Reluctantly returning the suit to my son, I realized that in my younger years I've played paintball in a much more defensive and less aggressive way than I did today, call it a case of subconscious or subtle fear. I noticed other players wearing a Field Armor Paintball armored vest. One of the paintball players was sitting out the next game and I asked if I could borrow one of his paintball vests for the next game. It was a one size fits all and had fasteners that helped keep it snug to my body. The paintball vest also could be transformed into a jacket with a pair of removable sleeves. I played with one armored sleeve on to protect my forward arm. The padded paintball vest stopped several hits to my neck and chest as I ran in for a bunker. I walked back to camp ready for the next game instead of sitting out with an ice pack nursing golf ball sized welts. Today, I played with less nervous anxiety and played to win which is a lot more fun!

Return to Sports Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

When is it OK to return to tennis following a total knee arthroplasty, a.k.a. knee replacement? I get asked this question all the time. The answer is not that simple, and it depends much more on range of motion and functional strength than it does just time from surgery.

This question came up the other day with a 65 year old tennis player, 6 months out from surgery. He had been attempting to play the last two weeks, but with swelling and soreness following the match. This is a very competitive guy so I know he is giving it his all. He had done some PT initially, 3 weeks at home and another 3 weeks in an outpatient clinic. He completed therapy feeling that he was doing fine. He was also under the impression he was doing well by his therapist and physician who gave him the green light at 6 months.

Problem was this guy still was lacking a few degrees of knee extension, couldn't squat without shifting the weight to his non-surgical leg, and had obvious hip abductor and external rotation strength deficits when standing on one leg (complicated way of saying his balance wasn't the best). This was just from the first five minutes of the exam.

Here are some general recommendations for range of motion and strength when attempting to return to sports following knee arthroplasty:

1. Must have full knee extension/hyperextension. Basically, the surgical leg must go as straight as the non-surgical leg for normal gait and running mechanics. Quad strength and control at this end range must be excellent as well.


2. The patient/athlete should be able to perform a body weight squat to parallel with perfect technique. This means even weight distribution right to left, heels stay down, knees stay apart, back stays straight. Cue the patient "keep your weight on your outer heels" during the squat. This can instantly clear up the valgus collapse (knock knees) that we so often see.


3. The patient/athlete must be able to perform a forward lunge to kneeling and back up maintaining an upright trunk.


4. Should be able to perform a lateral lunge to 3/4 depth. Ankle, knee, hip, and shoulder should be lined up vertically at that point.


5. Single leg squat/step down off a 10 inch box with excellent eccentric control x10. Eccentric basically means to lower slow and controlled


6. Single leg balance 30 seconds, pelvis level, pelvis and shoulder facing forward. This is a tough one to check on yourself if you are not trained. This is obviously looking at balance but also hip stability which is crucial when running, jumping, and changing direction. Watch the belt line, it should stay level when you go to one leg. Your body should not turn away from the stance leg either. If either of these things happen then hip stability is an issue and you will have issues with the knee down the road whether you participate in sports or not.

So there is my check list from 10 years of working in orthopedics and sports medicine as well as developing athletes of all ages. Does everyone achieve all six? No. The closer the better obviously as most will eventually attempt to resume their once normal activities. I do want each and every one of them to understand the risk they take with their new knee if they do not continue to work toward achieving these goals. Each one of them is critical to proper running and jumping mechanics, decelerating and cutting, and protecting the knee from the pounding, twisting, and beating that are all a part of athletics.

How Well Does Knee Microfracture Surgery Work for Pain Relief?

Knee microfracture surgery is meant to help individuals in pain resulting from a cartilage defect(s) in the knee. There are not great options for restoring one's native cartilage, so the procedure has produced reasonably satisfactory results.

A new study regarding knee microfracture surgery was recently presented at an international cartilage society meeting. The results of the study showed that knee microfracture is an effective way to treat smaller cartilage defects in athletically active patients, but the results tend to deteriorate over time.

The researchers looked at over 150 athletes who had undergone a microfracture surgery in a painful knee. Follow up on each patient was between 10 and 15 years, and athletes filled out numerous questionnaires during that timeframe with regards to activity and pain levels. The typical experience outside of this study has been that pain relief with small to moderate sized cartilage defects is pretty good, and lasts for a few years.

The results in this study showed that athletes who underwent microfracture surgery for a full thickness cartilage defect that was larger than 3 cm in diameter tended to fail within one year after the procedure. These athletes typically required another surgery with a large defect who received a microfracture procedure. This is very disappointing since the whole concept is to avoid a knee replacement, and such early failures are not delaying effectively.

For those who underwent microfracture surgery for a cartilage defect less than 2.5 cm, which is approximately 1 inch in diameter, they had much better results. By and large, those athletes had significant functional improvement and decreased pain for five postoperative years. After that time point, the results began to gradually decline in the athletes were able to do less activities at that point. This is much more encouraging as five years of pain relief is substantial for a big problem.

In that group the microfracture procedure was functionally successful with less pain and increased function. It is been known for a long time that a microfracture procedure is not meant to be a definitive surgery giving pain relief forever. It's been shown in numerous research studies that it's only meant to give a few years of significant pain relief and functional cartilage.

When a microfracture procedure is performed, a surgeon does some slight drilling into the areas where cartilage is deficient. This sparks up some bleeding and some new cartilage formation. The cartilage that is formed is not identical to ones made of cartilage. It is called fibrocartilage and is structurally defective compared to what humans are born with. So it works well for two years, and then deteriorates.

What remains to be seen is how well microfracture surgery can work for older individuals. If a person is trying to avoid a knee replacement surgery, microfracture procedure may work well the delay that surgery for years by allowing some sort of cartilage to regrow along with pain relief and increase in function.

The All in One Source of Hip Injuries Information

The Hip Flexor inherently has a lot to do with the Hip Joint. Hip Joint pain is often intertwined or confused with Hip Flexor pain; hopefully this article can clarify on the former.

The hip joint is the joint where the leg is attached to the upper torso, in other words the top of the leg connects with the pelvic bones. This is an extremely intricate area much like the Hip Flexor region because of the overlap, and many people suffer pain for many different reasons. Inflammation, tears, trauma, wear and tear, and many other factors can cause several serious conditions.

Hip Joint Pain Causes

Inflammation

Inflammation is basically the swelling of a body part when it is engorged by blood. It is a biological response in response to certain pain or other stimuli that signal that the body is being damaged or has been damaged.

Tendon Inflammation

Tendons are the strong tensile tissues that connect muscles to bones for the most part. In all cases they are attaching something in your body to another. When these become inflamed they can cause significant pain by not being able to operate correctly and by interacting with other internal parts they are not designed to. The result of this kind of inflammation is more often or not some sort of tendonitis.

Inflammation of Bursas

Bursas are little cushion like structures filled with fluid at all your major joints. Think of them like a pillow in between your head and the ground if you were lying on the floor. While your head and floor would hurt if they were directly moving against each other, with a pillow (bursa) in between any pain is ideally diminished during movement. When these bursas become inflamed however, they can become sensitive to movement and have functioning problems which leads to pain during movement.

Surrounding Injuries

Since the Hip Joint is central to a lot of body movements and functions, it depends on surrounding muscles and inner workings to function properly. When there are surrounding issues like lower back pain, Sciatica, Hip Flexor Tendonitis, there is often a correlation to Hip joint pain.

Wear and Tear

This is really the only truly age dependent cause of Hip joint pain that occurs somewhere just after middle age for many people. Any bad habits of posture, walking, etc. eventually start to catch up with you once you get older. The years of stress on the Hip can accumulate and emerge in different ways, but the result is usually a lot of pain, and in many cases this is why people need Hip replacement surgery as they age.

Common Conditions and Injuries

Arthritis

There are many types of Hip arthritis, but the most common is Osteoarthritis. This type of arthritis is caused by wear and tear because it usually affects elder people. In a joint there are many contributing body parts that help to ensure proper functionality; one of these is protective cartilage. In this condition the cartilage is slowly grinded down until only bone is left in the joint, and at this point a tremendous amount of Hip joint pain is suffered.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is caused by inflammation of the tendons connected to body parts, usually muscles. It usually occurs as a result of overuse of a certain body part, in this case the Hip Joint. Overuse in this case is a relative term that is measured in terms of bodily capacity (the fitness level) that can occur at any age.

Osteonecrosis

This condition results from a lack of blood flow to an area, in this case the Hip joint. There can be many reasons for restrictive blood flow which need to be diagnosed in person by a qualified physician. The reason for Hip joint pain with this condition is that the lack of blood does not allow for proper upkeep for cells, particular near the bones. Over time this leads to weaker bones that can become brittle and even collapse.

Developmental Diseases

From being a fetus to a child to an adult there are many ways in which people develop. Sometimes there are issues with development though because of diseases. The general term for this is Developmental Dysplasia, which is when a part of a person does not develop properly, like the Hip. There are numerous negative effects of this that usually reveal themselves first in some form of impaired walking and movement. Overtime these impairments will result in different types of Hip joint pain.

Treatments

As seen from the above section there are a wide variety of different Hip injuries that can occur. All of these need to be treated individually based on the specific case. It will be necessary at some point to see a physician in order to have any issues found or treated, the earlier you find the problems the better.

Pain Prevention

There are some things that you can do to prevent Hip joint pain from occurring in the first place. First of all, perform Hip Flexor strengthening to strengthen all the parts around the Hip joint. Strong muscles and tendons are necessary to prevent injury.

Take precautions if you are older. As people get older they become less mobile and durable, it is crucial to plan for this. Make sure that everyday things are organized properly, don't leave clutter around that someone can trip on, and get rid of anything slippery. If you live in a cold climate make sure to shovel and get rid of any ice around the house.

For women specifically, who have a higher risk of hip and back fractures in general, it is important to try to prevent injuries by getting all necessary nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and bisphosphonates to keep bones strong.

A final word on this subject - If you have any Hip joint pain or feel at risk, go visit your doctor to get more information, it is always better to be on the safe side.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament - The Use of Long-Leg Braces and Other Non-Surgical Treatments

Posterior Cruciate Ligament, abbreviated as PCL, is one of the major ligaments of the knee. A ligament is a strong band of connective tissues that make the knee stable.

The PCL and the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) work together but in opposite direction. PCL runs from the back (posterior) phase of the shinbone, also called the tibia or lower leg bone, to the front (anterior) phase of the thighbone, also referred to as femur or upper bone.

The PCL helps to control the back and forth motion of the knee. PCL injuries are not common because the PCL is the strongest ligament in the knee and is not damaged easily. PCL injuries may be partial, complete, or isolated, which means the PCL may get injured not alone but with other ligaments.

A PCL injury may occur due to hyperextension of the knee joint. Hyperextension means overextending the knee in a backward motion. It may get damaged by smashing the knee in a car accident or by landing in an awkward manner after a jump. After injury, the knee may swell up and there would be pain and ache in the space behind the knee. There may be joint pain and the patient may feel that the knee is not stable at all and is going to give out.

Non-operative treatment is suggested if the injury is partial or isolated. Rest and mild pain medication, ice, crutches, knee braces, elevating the joint, manual therapy treatments, and electrical stimulation can help in reducing the symptoms of PCL injury. Exercises may also help in reducing the pain by warming up the knee, but you should always speak to your physician prior to doing activities when your knee is hurt.

Surgical reconstruction is only suggested when other ligaments also get injured with the PCL or when the pain and instability remains even after 3 to 4 weeks has passed. Arthroscopy is used for surgery to examine the structure of the knee.

Surgical reconstruction is very complicated in PCL injuries because of the position of PCL in the knee. The torn ends of the PCL can first be removed and then a new PCL graft is placed in the position of the PCL. This is why surgical reconstruction is very difficult and is recommended only when other ligaments are also injured and the patient cannot perform daily routine activities. Patients may also use a CPM machine (abbreviation of Continuous Passive Motion) machine after surgery to help the knee in moving and to eradicate the pain.

Knee Braces

When hurting any of the ligaments in your knee it is wise to consider getting a knee brace for support. These braces, when well designed can help to reduce knee pain and provide meaningful support that can promote healing of the knee.

This is the only basic information that everyone should know about PCL. Anyone having PCL injury must be taken to the physician.

Sharp Knee Pain Causes - A Brace Can Help Provide You With Meaningful Support & Help Reduce Pain

Young or old, man or woman, heavy or thin, athletic or sedentary - sharp knee pain causes can be as varied and complex as the people who experience it. No matter what the cause of discomfort, there is one commonality: It hurts bad!

When your knee joint hurts it can stop you in your tracks, put a damper on your activities, and generally decrease your quality of life. - You may be unfortunately suffering through the harsh reality of this problem right now.

What's more interesting is that knee discomfort causes can be difficult to identify because numerous factors may be contributing to your discomfort. (Hey, the knee is just a little complicated!) Still, figuring out the cause of sharp knee pain is one positive step toward making it feel better.

Sharp knee pain causes are often hard to pinpoint because of the inconsistency of the pain. It may come and go, or it may be present with some activities, but not others. Actually, this seeming inconsistency may hold the key to identifying the problem, so it is important to keep track of when you experience your pain issues, and what activities you were doing at the time.

Some knee pain causes are obvious. Sudden injury to the muscles or ligaments in the joint (i.e. twisting the knee) can cause pain, trauma to the knee (i.e. falling or banging the knee cap), can also cause sharp pain.

However, other causes of knee pain are not quite so obvious. A few of the more common, less obvious causes are as follows:

Arthritis: Arthritis can develop slowly, gradually affecting the mobility of the knee until one day, you begin to experience severe discomfort.

Free-Floating Matter: Bits of bone or cartilage can break off within the joint and shift around, interfering with the mechanics of the knee and causing problem you are having.

Chondromalacia: This condition occurs when the cartilage under the knee cap (patella) becomes soft, allowing the knee cap to rub against the bone, causing sharp pain.

Misalignment: The knee joint can become misaligned, forcing the patella out of place and putting extra stress on the muscles and ligaments. This problem, sometimes caused by such simple things as improper gait, bad posture, and overuse, can be a cause of discomfort.

Bursitis or Tendonitis: Sometimes, the bursae (sacs of fluid) around the knee joint, or the tendons within the knee become inflamed, and becomes another of the many knee pain causes.

There are many other sharp knee pain causes. In order to properly diagnose the causes of your knee pain, you need to be evaluated by a qualified medical professional. Still, in the interim, whatever the cause of your knee pain, you may be able to obtain some relief through the use of a well designed knee brace.

Whatever the cause of your knee pain, a brace may help alleviate the symptoms. Simple to use, knee supports come in a variety of styles and types. Some are rigid, with a hinged mechanism to assist controlling excessive movements; others are soft and flexible, being more flexible in nature.

Regardless of the style or type, knee braces are designed to help support your knee, helping to take the excessive pressures off the joint and thus helping to reduce any inflammation that may be causing sharp knee pain. - Knee braces are also designed to help keep the knee properly aligned, thus helping to prevent problems caused by misalignment while also helping you to avoid traumatic injury.

We suggest that you do not look back, wishing you would have faced your knee problem earlier...

How to Use the Leg Press After a Knee Replacement

After you have a knee replaced many people get concerned about what they can and cannot do physically. The orthopedic surgeon also in most cases will try and scare you to death concerning the replacement and re-injuring the knee if you are not careful.

No doubt there will be limitations after your knee is replaced after all, it was a major surgery and, your knee is no longer the original. After having my knee replaced in 1999 and being told that I had to settle for swimming and biking only I set out to discover what else could be done to get my legs stronger again.

Having worked out in the gym for years prior to the surgery, I knew with some temperance that I could go back to several exercises for the legs, and the one that I feel builds the most strength and gets some mass and size back in your leg at any age is the leg press.

The leg press while being seated protects your low back providing you use it properly and does all the balance work for your upper body so that you can concentrate on the movement and, the development of the quadriceps. The important piece of advice I can give you is that you want to use a weight that is light enough that you can get a full range of motion from so, weight is not as important as is technique.

With the leg press also, you can either work both legs together or, work them unilaterally. The leg press itself is a safe alternative to the squat not only for your back but will not put as much stress on the knee prosthesis itself.

Be sure you are medically cleared by your orthopedic surgeon prior to starting or continuing your exercise program. Also be prepared for your surgeon to advise against most exercises in the gym. Most are very conservative and, unless they workout themselves or have had a knee replaced they will advise you against weight training.

You have to be the judge yourself. Use light weight and go for higher repetitions instead of heavy weight and low repetitions. I use anywhere from 15-25 repetitions and stay with a weight from 185-235 pounds. Settling for a world of limitations should not be for you.