Orthopedics News

Long Term Impact of Osteoporosis Reported March 12, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Bisphosphonate treatments, proven to enhance bone density and reduce fracture incidence in post-menopausal women, may adversely affect bone quality and increase risk of atypical fractures of the femur when used for four or more years. Bisphosphonates are designed to slow or stop the … [Read more...]

Long-term use of osteoporosis drugs may harm bone Reported March 10, 2010 LOS ANGELES - Medications called bisphosphonates are standard tools for the treatment of osteoporosis. They include Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel and Reclast. But new data released Wednesday raise some concern about whether the drugs are safe for long-term use. Although the medications help … [Read more...]

Pediatric Sports Injuries: A Silent Epidemic Reported March 11, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Year-round sports and increased exposure are leading to a dramatic rise in adolescent sport-related injuries. Awareness, education, warning signs and early treatment can make a significant difference and help keep young athletes in the game. According to Thomas M. … [Read more...]

Arthritis: Side Effect-Free Treatment Reported March 09, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Electromagnetic pulses were found to significantly decrease pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. In a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study, 34 patients who used a portable battery-operated device that emits a low-intensity pulsating … [Read more...]

Avoiding Amputation: Lengthening Legs Reported March 01, 2010 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Imagine the doctors saying amputation is your only option. That's the reality for some kids born with leg deformities. One doctor is working to give these children more choices, including a treatment that allows them to keep their legs. The process isn't easy … [Read more...]

Exercise Program Associated With Denser Bones, Lower Fall Risk In Older WomenReported February 03, 2010 Women age 65 or older assigned to an exercise program for 18 months appeared to have denser bones and a reduced risk of falls, but not a reduced cardiovascular disease risk, compared with women in … [Read more...]

MRSA: Attacking Implant Infections Reported February 19, 2010 PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Almost 1 million people go under the knife every year for a knee, hip or shoulder replacement. Surgeons say those metal implants can become playgrounds for bacteria, leading to potentially deadly infections like MRSA. It happens to nearly 20,000 people every … [Read more...]

Knee Pain: Filling Cartilage Potholes Reported February 08, 2010 ROYAL OAK, Mich. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- From skiing down the slopes in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympic games, to running down your own road … You don't have to be an all-star athlete to feel the effects of a hard workout. Often, knees take the biggest beating. A new type of transplant is getting … [Read more...]

Beer: Does a Body Good? Reported February 09, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Beer may be giving milk a run for its money as a beverage to build strong bones. A new study found beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Researchers at the University of California, Davis studied the relationship between … [Read more...]

Osteoporosis Treatment That Could Cure Reported February 08, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Treatment that slows the production of serotonin in the gut holds promise for an osteoporosis cure. Known before as primarily a neurotransmitter in the brain, researchers have discovered serotonin released by the gut slows the formation of bone. In fact, 95 percent of the … [Read more...]

Bone Disease Secret Revealed Reported January 25, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Scientists have uncovered a genetic secret about previously unexplained forms of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic condition that weakens the bones. A newly identified gene contains the information necessary to make a protein called Cyclophilin B, partly responsibly for … [Read more...]

Vitamin D Reduces Falls Reported January 21, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Giving people living in nursing facilities vitamin D can reduce the rate of falls. In hospitals, supervised exercise programs also show benefit. According to a new Cochrane Review, older people living in nursing facilities or who have been admitted to hospital are much more likely to … [Read more...]

Does Stabilizing the Spine Help or Hurt Trauma Victims? Reported January 14, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The time-consuming, on-scene medical intervention of immobilizing the spines of shooting and stabbing victims before they are taken to the hospital appears to double the risk of death, compared to immediately transporting patients to a trauma center. The … [Read more...]

Program Saves Young Girls' Knees Reported January 13, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new program designed for young female soccer athletes can reduce risk of injury and elongate careers on the field. A new soccer-specific exercise program featuring strengthening exercises and improved motion pattern routines appears to reduce the risk of knee injuries -- … [Read more...]

Back Surgery Doesn't Live up to Expectations Reported June 21, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Surgeons may be leading some back surgery patients down a primrose path, find researchers who compared surgeons' predictions of success with actual patient outcomes. Results show 99 percent of doctors believed surgery would provide at least moderate improvement for people with low … [Read more...]

Calcium Supplements Prevent Fractures ... But Only If You Take Them Reported April 26, 2006   (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Calcium supplements can prevent fractures and bone quality but only if they are actually taken. The results of a five-year study on women 70 years of age and older reveal merely prescribing calcium supplements will be ineffective for nearly half of women. … [Read more...]

Drug Heals Broken Bones   Reported April 17, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A drug approved for the treatment of osteoporosis is healing broken bones with stem cells. Since 2002, teriparatide (Forteo) has been used to treat osteoporosis, but scientists have discovered a new use for the drug in helping bones repair fractures -- particularly in … [Read more...]

Fixing Mystery Pain Reported December 07, 2009 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- They are young, active people plagued by hip pain -- yet nearly 60 percent of them are misdiagnosed when they go to the doctor. That's because they've torn a piece of cartilage hidden deep within the joint that's hard to see on scans. Pro athletes are shining a … [Read more...]

Growing Up With Magnets Reported May 18, 2009 TAMPA, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Almost 1,000 people find out they have bone cancer every year, and the majority of them are children. The disease makes growing up a painful experience, with dozens of surgeries. Now magnets are helping kids keep their limbs and grow up without pain. He swings, slides and kicks just like any … [Read more...]

Hip Protectors not Worth the Hype Reported July 25, 2007 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Nearly 340,000 hip fractures occur in the United States every year. Padded hip protectors have become a popular preventive measure, but new research reveals they just don't work. The padded devices are worn under clothing like … [Read more...]

Mixed Results in Bone Study Reported October 14, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Researchers ended with mixed results in a study designed to see if daily supplements of vitamin K1 would protect women at risk for osteoporosis. While the treatment showed no effect on bone mineral density -- women taking the supplement lost about the same amount of bone as women taking a placebo … [Read more...]

Osteoporosis Drug Prevents Breast Cancer Reported June 11, 2008 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A drug approved for osteoporosis prevention and treatment may also prevent breast and other types of cancer. A study at the University of California at San Diego found post-menopausal women who took the drug raloxifene (Evista) were 55 percent less … [Read more...]

Prostate Drugs Not Linked to Hip Fracture Reported October 13, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Newer drugs used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), otherwise known as an enlarged prostate, don’t appear to raise the risk for a hip fracture. That’s the key finding from researchers who compared outcomes from about 7,000 men who had suffered a hip fracture with those … [Read more...]

Searching for a Cure for Clubfoot   Reported March 16, 2009 ST. LOUIS (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- One in every 1,000 babies are born with clubfoot. The common deformity causes feet to turn in, sometimes making it impossible to walk. Researchers are unraveling the mystery behind the condition, and a genetic discovery is opening the door to new … [Read more...]

Stapling for Scoliosis   Reported March 20, 2009 NEW YORK (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Scoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to curve like an "s" or a "c." Five out of every 1,000 kids need treatment for it. Braces are the most common treatment, but results take years. Surgery is used for extreme cases. Now, there's a less invasive way … [Read more...]

To Splint or not to Splint: Docs Disagree Reported April 17, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Although splints and plaster casts both get the job done when it comes to minor wrist fractures in kids, there’s disagreement about which is the safer method. A review on several studies on the topic has doctors on opposite sides of the Atlantic on opposing sides … [Read more...]

Back Surgery: Closing the Gap Reported October 28, 2009 PITTSBURGH (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Every year, U.S. surgeons perform more than half a million back surgeries to relieve disc-related pain. As many as 30 percent of those patients have recurrent problems. Orthopedic specialists are testing a new procedure that might prevent patients from needing … [Read more...]

Cell Injections Mend Broken Bones?   Reported February 16, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Researchers identified a new, faster method to help heal broken bones. It requires the injection of cells taken from the patient’s own bone marrow. The cells are injected into the fracture area and a clinical study proved it speeds up the healing process. … [Read more...]

Drug Reduces Bone Fracture Risk Reported March 17, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Treatment with the drug alendronate (Fosamax) can reduce the risk of vertebral bone fractures in women with low bone mass but not osteoporosis, according to a new study. Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, … [Read more...]

Fixing Sprains Fast   Reported February 18, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – The fastest recovery from ankle sprain starts below the knee. New research shows immobilization in a below-knee cast or an Aircast brace allows severe ankle sprains to heal faster and with fewer secondary complications compared to tubular compression bandages (TCB) or a … [Read more...]