Article featured on MedicalNewsToday
As the global population ages, cases of dementia are also on the rise worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that some 55 million people currently have dementia, and the number is set to rise to 139 million by 2050.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that Alzheimer’s disease, the commonest form of dementia, affects around 5.8 million people in the United States alone.
The greatest risk factors for dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Society, are aging and genetics. Dementia is most common in those aged over 75, and having a close relative with dementia may increase a person’s risk of developing the disorder.
Other risk factors that we cannot control include sex — females are more at risk than males — and ethnicity. However, lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical exercise, controlling blood pressure, and keeping the brain stimulated, can decrease a person’s risk of dementia, even for those who have one or more risk factors.
And physical exercise need not mean sweating it out at the gym or taking up a new sport.
According to a study recently published in JAMA Neurology, simply increasing the number of steps a person takes each day can decrease their dementia risk by as much as 50%.
How did the study proceed?
The study used data from the UK Biobank. The 78,430 participants, of whom 44.7% were male and 55.3% female, had a mean age of 61.1 years. All participants were free of cardiovascular disease and dementia when they enrolled in the study. Researchers followed up with participants after a median of 6.9 years (6.4–7.5 years).
For the study, participants had to wear an accelerometer on their dominant wrist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to measure physical activity. The researchers then used an algorithm to work out the step count from the data collected by the accelerometer.
The researchers controlled for variables such as age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, smoking, overall health, and diet when analyzing the data.
At follow-up, 866 participants, or 1.1%, had developed dementia.
“The Alzheimer’s Association is conducting a clinical trial combining exercise with other lifestyle factors, like diet and social/ cognitive engagement, to determine if these factors in combination reduce risk of cognitive decline,” she added.
Dr. Porsteinsson agreed: “There are definite limitations to observational cohort studies but advantages as well. They are hypothesis-generating, that is they point us toward what we may want to study further in a controlled, randomized study. The good news here is that there is a bulk of evidence that suggests that exercise is beneficial in staving off dementia.”
What the study found
“This is an important study that may help inform public health guidelines around the amount of physical activity necessary to reap health benefits,” said Dr. Sexton.
“These results are not surprising given the robust data we have linking physical activity and better cognition. A strength of this paper is it used an objective, widely-understood measure of step count rather than self-reported data,” she noted.
The researchers found that both the number of steps and stepping intensity were associated with reduced dementia risk. For the greatest benefit — a 50% reduction in dementia risk — participants had to walk around 9,800 steps per day. Above this number, no further benefit was seen.
However, the good news for those who cannot achieve this many steps was that just 3,826 steps a day reduced dementia risk by 25%.
Dr. Porsteinsson agreed that any exercise will help reduce risk. “[It’s] never too late to get started and even a relatively small effort is beneficial and can then be added to as endurance improves,” he told us.
Purposeful steps, defined as more than 40 steps per minute, such as when going for a walk, increased the association with reduced dementia risk.
Stay active for mental and physical health
This study adds to building evidence that staying active as you age can maintain physical and mental health and improve longevity.
Another large-scale study of almost 650,000 military veterans found that being physically fit reduced dementia risk by up to 33%. In this study, even a small amount of exercise was found to help reduce dementia risk.
An analysis from the Alzheimer’s Society of 11 studies found that, out of taking regular exercise, not smoking, moderating alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy body weight, and eating a healthy diet, it was regular exercise that had the greatest impact on dementia risk.
For Alzheimer’s disease, regular exercise reduced risk by up to 45%.
When to Use Ice Versus Heat for Pain
in pain reliefDepending on the type of pain you have, one may be better than the other.
Hot vs Cold for Pain: What’s the Difference?
While both temperatures can soothe pain, they do so in different ways. Heat increases blood flow, nutrients, and oxygen to the affected area and, therefore, works to relax tight muscles. Cold lessens pain by reducing inflammation, muscle spasms, and circulation. While reducing circulation sounds bad, it’s actually a good thing because less circulation means your blood vessels shrink, which then lessens swelling and bleeding.
Let’s explore the different kinds of pain and how each responds when heat or cold is introduced:
Joint Pain/Inflammatory Pain
Typically caused by conditions such as arthritis and some autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain/inflammatory pain can feel like stiffness in the joints or an “on fire” feeling throughout the body or similar to how you feel when you have the flu (fatigue, exhaustion, chills, etc.). Triggers for this type of pain can include intense physical activity, stress, and even weather. When to use heat or cold to treat joint pain depends on the cause of the pain and what works best for you. For example, gout responds well to heat because it eases stiffness and relaxes the muscles in the surrounding area. Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, does well with cold because it numbs pain. Once you know the underlying cause of your joint pain, such as an arthritis condition, you can talk to your doctor about adding heat or ice to your treatment plan and/or to manage flare-ups.
Muscle Pain
Muscle pain can affect one or more sections of the body at a time and can be caused by injury or overuse. For instance, with back pain, you could be hurting because you overworked your back muscles at the gym or because you strained (or “pulled”) a muscle by tearing the fibers of skeletal muscle. For the most part, if muscle pain is temporary (or acute) it can be treated with cold compresses for no more than 15 minutes a few times a day and rest to allow tissues to heal. At the same time, if the pain is chronic (lasts longer than 6 months) heat is the best bet; it can even be alternated with cold if desired.
Nerve Pain
Nerve pain can be caused by many different types of conditions and varies in how it feels. For example, a patient with sciatica (a condition where pain is caused by spinal nerve compression in the lower back) can be described as a “radiating” pain; other times, nerve pain can feel like numbness or tingling. Pain caused by conditions such as sciatica respond well to ice or cold treatments because that temperature tends to calm inflammation and numb any soreness in the tissue. It’s best to use cold when the pain is still sharp and move on to heat once that sharpness has subsided. The heat will increase blood flow and help tissues heal faster.
Home remedies like heating pads, microwavable gel packs, a ziplock filled with ice, or a store-bought freezer pack and other compresses can be helpful in alleviating frequent chronic pain. Apply for no more than 15 minutes at a time, two to four times a day. At the same time, it’s important to know your body’s limits. Regardless of the type of pain you are experiencing, if you get to a point where the pain is intolerable or if it turns into numbness or weakness, see your doctor right away.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
6 Ways to Ruin Your Knees
in Knee Injuries, Knee PainArticle featured on WebMD
Piplica had experienced some warning signs during her previous season of skating as captain of her team, but she ignored them for the most part. “I had tremendous pain in my leg anytime I’d squat down so I just kept my right leg straight. But I never saw a doctor for it. I just assumed, ‘I’m in a contact sport and this is what happens,’” she tells WebMD.
Knee deep: A complex and vulnerable joint
Her torn ACL diagnosis confirmed, Piplica quickly learned how susceptible the knees can be to injury. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, these joints are responsible for sending nearly 15 million Americans to the doctor every year.
And it’s not just athletes who suffer. Knee problems can happen to anyone.
“Because they’re the main hinge between the ground and the rest of your body, the knees serve as your ‘wheels’ that get you around and allow you to be active,” says University of Pennsylvania orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Nicholas DiNubile, MD. “Life can really go downhill when you damage your knees,” says DiNubile, who is a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and author of FrameWork – Your 7-Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones and Joints.
Bound by an intricate system of ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscle, the knee is highly prone to injury. It’s a complex hinge where the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone), fibula (next to tibia) and kneecap all come together.
1. Ignoring knee pain.
An occasional ache here and there is common. “But knowing when you can and can’t ignore pain is key,” says sports medicine specialist Jordan Metzl, MD, from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Metzl’s rule of thumb: When the pain limits your ability to do what you normally do, you need to have it checked out.
“If your body is sending you signals, you need to listen to them. If they persist, you need to have it checked out,” he tells WebMD.
For Piplica, exploratory surgery revealed a torn meniscus she had endured in the past — unbeknownst to her — followed by the more recent ACL tear.
“In hindsight, maybe that first injury could have been repaired earlier, although I don’t know if I could have avoided this one altogether,” she says. “At least I would have been more careful.”
2. Being overweight.
Every pound of body weight yields five pounds of force on the knee, so even 10 extra pounds can put a considerable load on those joints.
Being overweight also increases your chances of osteoarthritis in the knee, a common and often disabling form of arthritis that wears away the knee’s cushiony cartilage. Excess pounds also cause existing arthritis to worsen more rapidly. According to the CDC, two out of three obese adults suffer from knee osteoarthritis at some time in their life.
Although diet and exercise are critical for weight loss, it’s a double-edged sword.
“If your knees hurt, it’s harder to lose weight through exercise,” says Metzl. So he recommends activities that go easy on the knee.
For example, opt for a stationary bike over running on the treadmill, and walk on a flat surface instead of hilly turf. If you’re a die-hard treadmill fan, then go for longer sessions of walking punched with brief intervals of brisk walking or running every three to five minutes, DiNubile says.
3. Not following through with rehab and rest.
The rest and rehabilitation period after a knee injury is critical to avoiding future pain or reinjury. Depending on the type of damage and treatment, recovery could last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months.
4. Neglecting your ACL.
One of the most commonly injured ligaments in the knee, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is responsible for about 150,000 injuries in the U.S. every year.
“Given what we know in how useful it can be in reducing ACL tears, it’s irresponsible of coaches and parents to not require athletes to undergo neuromuscular training,” says DiNubile.
He recommends that athletes of any age who play ACL risk-prone sports should seek help from an athletic trainer or other trained professional to help avoid this debilitating injury.
5. Overdoing it.
“You make gains in fitness when you work hard and then allow your body to recover. You can’t do a hard workout every day,” Metzl says.
As she awaits surgery to repair her torn ACL, Piplica tells WebMD that her perspective on long-term care for her knees has definitely changed.
“Half of me is frustrated about not being able to skate sooner, but the other half knows how important it is to get better so I don’t do this again. I’m 27 years old with a serious knee injury preventing me from moving around. So I need to look beyond just skating, skating, skating. I don’t want to have knee problems when I’m 40 or 50 because I’m not giving my body the kind of attention it needs right now.”
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
10,000 Steps a Day May Halve Dementia Risk
in Health & Wellness, Wellness TipsArticle featured on MedicalNewsToday
As the global population ages, cases of dementia are also on the rise worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that some 55 million people currently have dementia, and the number is set to rise to 139 million by 2050.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that Alzheimer’s disease, the commonest form of dementia, affects around 5.8 million people in the United States alone.
The greatest risk factors for dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Society, are aging and genetics. Dementia is most common in those aged over 75, and having a close relative with dementia may increase a person’s risk of developing the disorder.
Other risk factors that we cannot control include sex — females are more at risk than males — and ethnicity. However, lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical exercise, controlling blood pressure, and keeping the brain stimulated, can decrease a person’s risk of dementia, even for those who have one or more risk factors.
And physical exercise need not mean sweating it out at the gym or taking up a new sport.
According to a study recently published in JAMA Neurology, simply increasing the number of steps a person takes each day can decrease their dementia risk by as much as 50%.
How did the study proceed?
The study used data from the UK Biobank. The 78,430 participants, of whom 44.7% were male and 55.3% female, had a mean age of 61.1 years. All participants were free of cardiovascular disease and dementia when they enrolled in the study. Researchers followed up with participants after a median of 6.9 years (6.4–7.5 years).
For the study, participants had to wear an accelerometer on their dominant wrist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to measure physical activity. The researchers then used an algorithm to work out the step count from the data collected by the accelerometer.
The researchers controlled for variables such as age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, smoking, overall health, and diet when analyzing the data.
At follow-up, 866 participants, or 1.1%, had developed dementia.
“The Alzheimer’s Association is conducting a clinical trial combining exercise with other lifestyle factors, like diet and social/ cognitive engagement, to determine if these factors in combination reduce risk of cognitive decline,” she added.
Dr. Porsteinsson agreed: “There are definite limitations to observational cohort studies but advantages as well. They are hypothesis-generating, that is they point us toward what we may want to study further in a controlled, randomized study. The good news here is that there is a bulk of evidence that suggests that exercise is beneficial in staving off dementia.”
What the study found
“This is an important study that may help inform public health guidelines around the amount of physical activity necessary to reap health benefits,” said Dr. Sexton.
“These results are not surprising given the robust data we have linking physical activity and better cognition. A strength of this paper is it used an objective, widely-understood measure of step count rather than self-reported data,” she noted.
The researchers found that both the number of steps and stepping intensity were associated with reduced dementia risk. For the greatest benefit — a 50% reduction in dementia risk — participants had to walk around 9,800 steps per day. Above this number, no further benefit was seen.
However, the good news for those who cannot achieve this many steps was that just 3,826 steps a day reduced dementia risk by 25%.
Dr. Porsteinsson agreed that any exercise will help reduce risk. “[It’s] never too late to get started and even a relatively small effort is beneficial and can then be added to as endurance improves,” he told us.
Purposeful steps, defined as more than 40 steps per minute, such as when going for a walk, increased the association with reduced dementia risk.
Stay active for mental and physical health
This study adds to building evidence that staying active as you age can maintain physical and mental health and improve longevity.
Another large-scale study of almost 650,000 military veterans found that being physically fit reduced dementia risk by up to 33%. In this study, even a small amount of exercise was found to help reduce dementia risk.
An analysis from the Alzheimer’s Society of 11 studies found that, out of taking regular exercise, not smoking, moderating alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy body weight, and eating a healthy diet, it was regular exercise that had the greatest impact on dementia risk.
For Alzheimer’s disease, regular exercise reduced risk by up to 45%.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
How Retraining Your Brain Could Help With Lower Back Pain
in Back PainArticle featured on WebMD
Are you among the hundreds of millions of people worldwide with low back pain? If so, you may be familiar with standard treatments like surgery, shots, medications, and spinal manipulations. But new research suggests the solution for the world’s leading cause of disability may lie in fixing how the brain and the body communicate.
Setting out to challenge traditional treatments for chronic back pain, scientists across Australia, Europe, and the U.S. came together to test the effectiveness of altering how neural networks recognize pain for new research.
The randomized clinical trial recruited two groups of 138 participants with chronic low back pain, testing one group with a novel method called graded sensorimotor retraining intervention (RESOLVE) and the other with things like mock laser therapy and noninvasive brain stimulation.
The researchers found the RESOLVE 12-week training course resulted in a statistically significant improvement in pain intensity at 18 weeks.
Brainy Talk
Communication between your brain and back changes over time when you have chronic lower back pain, leading the brain to interpret signals from the back differently and change how you move. It is thought that these neural changes make recovery from pain slower and more complicated , according to the Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), a nonprofit research institute in Sydney, Australia.
“Over time, the back becomes less fit, and the way the back and brain communicate is disrupted in ways that seem to reinforce the notion that the back is vulnerable and needs protecting,” said McAuley, a professor at the University of New South Wales and a NeuRA senior research scientist. “The treatment we devised aims to break this self-sustaining cycle.”
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Possible Ways to Fall Into Back Pain
in Back PainA chill in the air, sweaters, football, pumpkin spice, and colorful leaves are all signs that fall is here. Cold weather is coming, which means this is your last chance before winter to get those outdoor maintenance tasks done that you’ve been avoiding in the summer heat. Injuries from cleaning are more common than you’d think, and millions of people visit the ER every year for anything from improper lifting to lawnmower accidents. We all want to get our outdoor chores done, but it’s best to avoid them making us sore! Back injuries, muscle strains, injuries from repetitive motion, accidents, and tendonitis all top the list for common fall cleaning injuries. Never underestimate the falls, slips, and trips that can happen in the blink of an eye!
Stay ahead of these injuries with the tips below to help prevent fall injuries happening to you!
Rake Smart
If you’ve ever raked a yard, you know it’s no joke. It can be a full-blown exercise routine, depending on the yard. Take these tips into consideration before you get started this fall!
Mow Safe
Maybe you mow the lawn regularly, or maybe it’s your first time. Either way, there are certain precautions anyone should take while operating a lawnmower.
Climb Carefully
When falling leaves clog up the gutters, it’s time to bring out the ladder. It’s very easy to get hurt using ladders, so take these tips into consideration the next time you climb one.
Remember
Not every tip can be categorized. Here you will find some other tips to remember this fall while working hard.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Best Exercises for Lower Back Pain Flare-Ups
in Back PainArticle featured on ProTailored
Why Do I Have Low Back Pain?
Low back pain is pain that occurs below the ribs, in the lumbar region of the spine. There are many causes of low back pain. Muscle tightness, injury to the ligaments or discs in the back, or problems with the bones and joints may lead to low back pain. Common causes include improper lifting, poor posture, lack of regular exercise, fracture, ruptured disk, or arthritis. Almost everyone will experience some level of low back pain at some point. Most of the time, your back will start to feel better on its own. However, sometimes the pain will not go away on its own and will require some form of intervention. Physical therapy is a great option to help with low back pain. Our physical therapists can do a full evaluation to determine what may be causing the irritation/inflammation/pain. The treatments will be focused on addressing the cause of the inflammation and helping to decrease pain levels.
Risk Factors for Low Back Pain
Some risk factors of developing low back pain include repetitive movements such as lifting, pulling, or anything that twists the spine. However, sitting at a desk all day can also be hard on your back, especially if your low back is not well supported, or you sit with poor posture.
Prevention of Low Back Pain
Prevention of the low back includes maintaining proper posture while sitting, but also while lifting or pulling. You want to make sure that you bend at the knees and lift with the legs rather than with your back. Exercise and having strong abdominal and back muscles can also help in the prevention of low back pain. If you are prone to low back pain, you may also want to try sleeping on a firm surface, sitting in supportive chairs (that are the correct height), and avoiding high-heeled shoes.
How Can Physical Therapy Help?
Our physical therapists will do a thorough examination to help determine the source of your pain. They will then work towards decreasing the source of the irritation with the use of manual techniques, cupping, scraping, dry needling, and therapeutic exercises. They will also help you determine things to do at home to help you manage and decrease your pain, and work towards preventing future pain.
What Should I Do During Flare-Ups or When I Have a Lot of Pain in the Low Back?
One of the best things that you can do when you have a flare-up or high levels of pain in the low back is to keep the back moving. Your pain levels may be so high that all you want to do is find a comfortable position and not move for a while. However, motion is key in helping alleviate low back pain. But there is a balance here, as you do not want to overdo it and create more pain. Therefore, the best thing to do is work in PAIN-FREE RANGES OF MOTION. That means movements that you can tolerate and that do not increase your pain.
Best Exercises for Flare-Ups of Low Back Pain
Lower Trunk Rotations
Single Knee to Chest
Pelvic Tilts
Piriformis stretch
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
How to Walk Towards Healthier Knees
in Knee Injuries, Knee Pain, Wellness TipsArticle featured on ScienceDaily
A new study published today in Arthritis & Rheumatology led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveals that walking for exercise can reduce new frequent knee pain among people age 50 and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Additionally, findings from the study indicate that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint.
“Until this finding, there has been a lack of credible treatments that provide benefit for both limiting damage and pain in osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo, assistant professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor, chief of rheumatology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and first author of the paper.
The researchers examined the results of the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a multiyear observational study where participants self-reported the amount of time and frequency they walked for exercise. Participants who reported 10 or more instances of exercise from the age of 50 years or later were classified as “walkers” and those who reported less were classified as “non-walkers.”
Those who reported walking for exercise had 40% decreased odds of new frequent knee pain compared to non-walkers.
“These findings are particularly useful for people who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain every day in their knees,” said Lo, who also is an investigator at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety at Baylor and the VA. “This study supports the possibility that walking for exercise can help to prevent the onset of daily knee pain. It might also slow down the worsening of damage inside the joint from osteoarthritis.”
Lo said that walking for exercise has added health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health and decreased risk of obesity, diabetes and some cancers, the driving reasons for the Center for Disease Control recommendations on physical activity, first published in 2008 and updated in 2018. Walking for exercise is a free activity with minimal side effects, unlike medications, which often come with a substantial price tag and possibility of side effects.
“People diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis should walk for exercise, particularly if they do not have daily knee pain,” advises Lo. “If you already have daily knee pain, there still might be a benefit, especially if you have the kind of arthritis where your knees are bow-legged.”
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
What to Do When You Overdo It
in Wellness TipsArticle featured on Summit Ortho
Summer is a glorious season when we can enjoy getting out into our state’s natural beauty after a cold winter. In the summer months, people flock outside to the garden and do yard work; play sports like golf, tennis, or tennis; do spring cleaning; or go hiking, cycling, or swimming. With all of these options at our fingertips, it’s easy to overdo it.
Getting active is good, but if you overdo it, you might find yourself having aches and pains in joints and tendons or even numbness or tingling of fingers.
What to do if you overdo it
How to avoid overdoing it next time
Evenson is a big proponent of prevention. “A few simple steps can prevent overuse injuries from happening in the first place,” she said.
Here are some quick prevention tips:
If your discomfort and irritation have lingered for more than a week after overdoing it, even with at-home treatment, it’s time to make an appointment with your primary care provider or orthopedic specialist. “People say all the time, ‘I wish I hadn’t waited so long to come in.’ If you haven’t seen improvement after a week, it’s a good idea to get it checked out,” Evenson said.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Therapeutic Massage for Pain Relief
in Massage TherapyArticle featured on Brigham Health Hub
A therapeutic massage involves the application of the hands or elbows with the intention of solving a physical problem, such as back pain. Alternatively, non-therapeutic or relaxation massage is more passive and is typically used to promote comfort.
“Therapeutic massage can be used to treat a range of conditions, the most common of which is low back pain, followed by neck and shoulder pain. I also use therapeutic massage to treat headaches, jaw pain and Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ),” says Arthur Madore, LMT, a licensed massage therapist at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
What are the benefits of therapeutic massage?
Most massage techniques are designed to promote pain relief, stress reduction, and improved movement in daily living.
Therapeutic massage has been shown to improve joint flexibility, relieve lower-back pain, and stimulate the release of endorphins. It can also be used to treat and prevent the following conditions:
“Therapeutic massage manipulates the body’s soft tissue, so it also stimulates the flow of fluid in the lymphatic system, which can improve natural immunity. In addition, when received soon after surgery, therapeutic massage can help reduce post-surgery swelling or adhesions,” says Madore.
What are the various massage techniques?
The first massage technique that most therapists learn is Swedish massage which involves the application of oil and is used to promote relaxation.
Other massage styles and techniques include:
Madore specializes in Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT), a technique that releases trigger points within tight muscles. NMT is used to create balance among muscle groups to correct postural strain patterns.
“The treatment is based on pain patterns, but also on an assessment of how a patient’s muscle tension is producing twists or other alignment problems,” says Madore.
How often should you visit a massage therapist?
For individuals without a particular problem, visiting a licensed massage therapist once a month is appropriate. For those with a condition such as back pain, it may be appropriate to work with a massage therapist three-to-six times within a short period of time.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Symptoms & Causes of Rotator Cuff Injuries
in Shoulder InjuriesWhat is a rotator cuff?
Your rotator cuff is part of your shoulder joint. It’s a group of muscles and tendons that holds the top part of your upper arm bone firmly in your shoulder socket. The rotator cuff keeps your shoulder stable when you move your arm in any direction.
What are rotator cuff injuries?
Rotator cuff injuries are common. Most of them are wear-and-tear injuries from doing the same arm movements over and over – especially reaching over your head. With time, the tissues in the rotator cuff break down, leading to these injuries:
Who is more likely to develop a rotator cuff injury?
Anyone can develop a rotator cuff injury. But certain people are more likely to have one:
What are the symptoms of rotator cuff injuries?
Rotator cuff injuries don’t always cause pain. But when they do, the pain is often in the top part of your arm or shoulder. You may feel more pain when you:
Other symptoms from a torn rotator cuff may include:
How are rotator cuff injuries diagnosed?
To find out if you have a rotator cuff injury, your health care provider:
What are the treatments for rotator cuff injuries?
The best treatment for you depends on your age, how much your injury bothers you, and whether your injury was sudden or happened from wear and tear.
Treatments for rotator cuff injuries often include:
Treatments for rotator cuff tendinitis and bursitis may also include ultrasound therapy. Surgery may be an option if your shoulder doesn’t feel better in 6 to 12 months.
Treatments for a torn rotator cuff may also include heat to the sore area or electrical stimulation of the nerves and muscles (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, TENS).
You provider may suggest surgery if your tear is large or is from a recent injury, or symptoms last for 6 to 12 months.
When should I see a health care provider for shoulder pain?
If certain activities bother your shoulder, it’s best to stop doing them and check with your provider. That’s because early treatment can prevent mild rotator cuff injuries from becoming more serious later on. If you your arm feels weak right after a sudden injury to your shoulder, see your provider as soon as possible.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm