osteoarthritis
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Losing Weight Protects Knee Cartilage
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Weight loss may reduce the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
Australian researchers have reported that weight loss can result in improved knee cartilidge structure and reduced loss of thickness. This study involved 111 obese patients who lost an average of 20.3 pounds in a years time. Weight loss of as little as 7% of body weight preserved cartilage quality, which in turn improved range of motion. These findings suggest that by losing weight, individuals may improve knee health, and possibily prevent the need of total knee replacement.
PositiveTip: Sore knees? Perhaps losing a few pounds would enhance your mobility and quality of life.
Exercise to Tolerance
Posted by Jay Sloop on
Doctors used to prescribe rest as the best treatment for many health problems. However, evidence now shows that exercise is better, helping to build and maintain physical functions instead of rest.
Sports medicine arose from this conflict of advice. Serious athletes knew that if they rested for as long as the doctor prescribed, they would loose aerobic capacity and muscle mass. Then they were out of shape to compete for the rest of the season. Sports doctors began looking for ways to get serious competitors back in the game sooner, and back to training even before that.
Very soon it became evident that athletes who kept exercising had less pain, less muscle loss, and accelerated healing rates. The world of medical professionals took notice, and started prescribing treatments like walking for osteoarthritis in the hip or knee.
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Is One Leg Longer than the Other?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Unequal leg length may be a risk factor for osteoarthritis of the knee.
A 30-month prospective study of nearly 3000 adults has discovered that even less than 1/4 inch of difference in leg length nearly doubled the risk of osteoarthritis. It is estimated that up to 70% of the population have one leg shorter than the other. This study strengthens the evidence that unequal leg length is a cause of osteoarthritis and its progression. For people with very small leg length differences, corrective treatment with shoe inserts or modifications may be helpful.
PositiveTip: If you suspect your are at risk for osteoarthritis of the knee, you might benefit from talking to your health care provider.
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Women Lose Knee Cartilage Faster than Men
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Rate of knee cartilage loss is found to be greater in women than in men.
Women were found to lose significantly more knee cartilage than men in an Australian study of subjects with no clinical evidence of knee osteoarthritis. When adjusted for age, height, weight, and baseline bone area, magnetic resonance imaging data indicated women lost four times more tibial, and three times more patellar cartilage. All subjects in this small study were caucasian and results might vary according to ethnic and racial differences. Estrogen increases cartilage volume, but investigators did not control for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The women in this study averaged 149 pounds, which could account for part of these differences.