Knee Brace For Children - Even a Child Can Get a Brace to Help Support Their Knees! - Special Report

Knee Braces For Children

How are your child's knees doing? - Do they ever complain that they have sore knees, or maybe something worse?

Introduction: Knee braces are not just meant for the high profile adult athlete that has blown their ACL! Knee supports for children can really help to reduce knee pain and improve their overall knee stability. Sometimes you can get a knee support that will not only due these things, but it will also help provide them with padded protection if and when they play contact sports.

1.) The Reasons Why Your Child Could Benefit from Support

We have all heard the stories of how kids having growing pains. Sometimes it is Osgood Schlatter's disease, or sometimes it is actually a ligament problem that causes the pain or instability. The reasons may vary, but the bottom line is that you can not always just leave them in pain. Low profile, light weight knee braces can really take your child's stability to the next level, and in turn, these supports can help to keep your child active because their pain can decrease when the brace is worn. We are not just saying this so you will buy a brace from a store that we promote. It is the truth. Many people will tell you that the second they put on the brace, the feel much more stable and their knee pain decreases almost immediately.

2.) So What Size Should I Get For My Child?

This is a good question. Basically, what you will want to do is take three important circumference measurements. Take a circumference measurement 6" (15cm) above and below the center of your child's knee center. Then take a circumference right at their knee center as well. This will usually be all the measurements you will need to help you make the right decision. - No need in guessing when the sizing chart is that available to you.

3.) Mom, Dad,... My Knees Hurt!

If you ever hear this, then you should seriously consider getting the proper support for your child. Sometimes, the pain comes from within and a knee brace can help. Other times, it will help to reduce painful movements that will stop an injury from getting worse! This is another very important function of knee braces! - Do not over look them, because it could be the one thing that really made a huge difference for your child. (This is good health information, but you should also speak to your doctor for medical advice.)

Delegation - How Nurses & CNAs Work As a Team

When work is delegated to you by a nurse, what does that really mean? Here's the definition of delegation:

Delegation is when a nurse entrusts the performance of a selected nursing task to someone who is qualified, competent and able to perform that task.

Every state's Board of Nursing has regulations about which tasks may be delegated by nurses to nursing assistants. Most states have certain tasks that can be delegated without first assessing each individual client. These tasks include routine things like weighing, repositioning or feeding a client.

However, in most cases, nurses follow a five step delegation process. In this process, the nurse:

1. Assesses each client thoroughly before delegating any tasks to you.

2. Plans how the task should be performed, based on the client's individual needs.

3. Trusts you with the task, but because you are working under the nurse's license, the nurse remains responsible for the task.

4. Gives you clear instructions and adequate supervision.

5. Follows up to see how you performed the task and how the client responded.

As you can see, delegation is a decision-making process that requires knowledge and skill. For example, it's not just the task involved but also the client's condition that determines if a task can be delegated.

Consider this situation:

Sally is a nurse on a medical-surgical unit. She has three patients who need help with their personal hygiene:

Mr. Smith is 68 and is recovering from a massive heart attack. He is very weak and his blood pressure drops whenever he changes position.

Mrs. Campbell is 49 and is recuperating from a knee replacement surgery that went very well.

Mr. Taylor, age 26, was in a car accident a week ago and suffered several third degree burns on his arms and upper body. He is able to stand without assistance.

Should Sally delegate the responsibility for bathing these clients to the nursing assistant? She assesses each client individually and decides that Mr. Smith is unstable and she wants to observe how he responds to repositioning during a bed bath. And, even though Mr. Taylor is ambulatory, she needs to assess and treat his burns during bath time. Sally decides that Mrs. Campbell is the only patient whose bath she should delegate to the CNA.

As a CNA, when you have tasks delegated to you, you have the right to expect that:

• The task assigned to you is one for which you have been trained and is an approved task in your state and at your workplace.



• The client's health will not be jeopardized by what you have been asked to do.



• In the past, your performance of this same task has met the standards of your workplace.



• You have been given all the details you need (either orally or in writing) to perform the task safely-and you understand what is expected of you.



• The nurse will be available (either in person or by phone) should you have questions about any aspect of the task.

If you have an issue with any task that is delegated to you, it is your responsibility to speak up. Remember...your client's health may depend on it!

Best Home Alarm System

The other day my neighbor Jim had called because he was having trouble going down the stairs so I told him to wait until I came over to help him down the stairs. He's about 90 years old and usually a very careful person when he's by himself.

I remember him telling me that he was going to buy a Home Safe Auto Dialer Security and Safety Alarm system but at the time didn't remember if he installed it or even purchased the alarm. The "home Life alarm system is a very easy to install system with only batteries to install.

For some reason my car was out of gas and I couldn't get it started so i was delayed on getting over to his house. Being 90 years old and set in his ways i later learned just how set in his ways he was. He didn't wait for me to come over to his house to help him so he went ahead and started on his own to go down the huge curving stairs in his big old house.

According to his wireless security camera that was installed he had only taken a couple of steps when he lost his footing and slipped down the stairs head first. From what I had watched on the video of the camera he fell with his face hitting the steps first. He looked like he was not breathing but he was ever so slowly.

I was not able to tell from the camera if he was going to get up or not from the video but as time went on and on he started to move his arms a little. its good that he had installed a Home Safe Alarm a couple days ago. He had forgotten to turn it off so it was triggered when he fell down the steps. The system quickly monitored his actions as he fell. The auto dialer called his daughter, 911, and myself.

In only a few minutes the emergency crew plus the fire department had arrived to help with the situation and quickly acted on the situation. About twenty minutes later his daughter Cathy arrived and in a frantic mood not knowing what to expect but was happy to know that the emergency team and came so quickly to help. Even tho she didn't know what was going on and was in shock when she noticed her dad was on the floor but was breathing she ran to him.

I told her what was going on and she was happy that the auto dialer had done its job well. I knew he had made the right purchase after seeing how quickly the alarm system had called for help. He was rushed to the hospital and admitted right away. They started checking him out and found that he had several broken ribs, a broken shoulder and a twisted angle. The next day at the hospital Cathy was walking up and down the floor as her dad was in surgery. He was having a replacement knee joint done hopefully so he could walk again. The ribs will heal on their own over time. Even though he did break a couple of bones he is still mighty lucky that it wasn't worse at his age. After a few days and some rehab he will be able to return home and once again staying in his house by himself which is what he wants.

This is one of those times when a wireless alarm with an auto dialer was worth ten thousand times what was paid for it and possibly saved a human life. He was able to install this system even at an older age.

The Auto Dialer can also be used in Chime mode, such as in a store, where a chime will alert you when motion is detected. The Auto Dialer is easy to set-up. Install a 9 volt battery (not included), connect the AC power cord and telephone line (included). Then mount the Auto Dialer to the desired location 5-6 feet above the floor.

Fighting Osteoarthritis: An All Natural Approach to Relief

Osteoarthritis is a form of joint disease that develops when cartilage deteriorates. Over time, the space between bones narrows and the surface of the bones change shape, leading eventually to friction and joint damage. Osteoarthritis can affect more than one joint in the body, but affects some more than others.

There are numerous causes of osteoarthritis. Some examples include:

Endocrine: Diabetes a disorder of the endocrine system may promote osteoarthritis. Other endocrine disorders also may increase risk, including acromegaly, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, and obesity. Diabetes can also cause nerve problems which cause loss of sensation in the limbs and joints, causing the body not to recognize when it is injured.

Inflammatory joint disease: This includes infected joints, chronic gouty arthritis, and rheumatoid disease.

Congenital: Abnormal anatomy such as unequal leg length may cause osteoarthritis.
Metabolic: Diseases causing errors of metabolism may cause osteoarthritis. Examples include Paget's disease and Wilson disease.

Genetic: A genetic defect may promote breakdown of cartilage. Examples include collagen disturbances such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Posttraumatic: There are many traumatic injuries of the joint that can promote osteoarthritis, such as a broken bone that heal out of alignment causing loss of stability, or damage to the joint cartilage. Microtraumas that occur over time, such as repetitive movements, or overuse can contribute to osteoarthritis.

Other causes include nutritional problems, hemophilia, and sickle cell.

Treatment of osteoarthritis begins by eliminating risk factors, early diagnosis and monitoring progression of the disease, and treatment of pain. Regaining mobility is important. The common course of treatment includes physical and occupational therapy, weight reduction, exercise, assistive devices (orthoses) drug therapy, and surgery.

Osteoarthritis increases aggregate health care expenditures by $186 billion annually. Osteoarthritis raised aggregate annual medical care expenditures in the U.S. by $185.5 billion according to researchers from Stony Brook University. The cost of Medication and surgery for osteoarthritis is significant. The average annual medication cost per individual is $4,434.50. Out-of-pocket medication expense averages $1,036.50 per person annually. These averages do not include the cost of office visits.

There are over 100 medications for osteoarthritis. However, most of these possess harmful side effects that are often worse than the symptoms of osteoarthritis. One of the most popular of these is Celebrex. On the Celebrex page of the website Rx List (rxlist.com), the first thing you are hit with are these two health warning associated with Celebrex:

WARNING

CARDIOVASCULAR AND GASTROINTESTINAL RISKS

Cardiovascular Risk

CELEBREX (celecoxib) may cause an increased risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which can be fatal. All nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may have a similar risk. This risk may increase with duration of use. Patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease may be at greater risk.

CELEBREX (celecoxib) is contraindicated for the treatment of perioperative pain in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Gastrointestinal Risk

NSAIDs, including CELEBREX (celecoxib), cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. These events can occur at any time during use and without warning symptoms. Elderly patients are at greater risk for serious gastrointestinal events.

See rxlist.com/celebrex-drug.htm

According to rxlist.com the following is not a COMPLETE list of side effects associated with Celebrex.

Possible side effects of Celebrex

Serious side effects:

Chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance; black, bloody, or tarry stools; coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds; swelling or rapid weight gain; urinating less than usual or not at all; nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, and muscle weakness.

Less serious side effects may include:

Upset stomach, mild heartburn, diarrhea, constipation; bloating, gas; dizziness, nervousness, headache; skin rash, itching; blurred vision; or ringing in your ears.

OTHER WARNINGS:
Signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Another factor to consider in treating osteoarthritis with Celebrex and other similar drugs is the toxicity that builds up in our bodies from the use of prescription medication.

Due to the high number of side effects and other health risks, millions are now turning away from modern healthcare and turning to natural health alternatives, which provide a much safer treatment alternative.

What alternatives exist for osteoarthritis sufferers? In recent years the popularity of Glucosamine and Chondroitin products, such as Schiff Glucosamine Plus MSM 1500mg or a blend such as Doctor's Best Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM has continued to increase substantially.

Results from several well-designed scientific studies suggest that glucosamine supplements may be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis, particularly osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. In general, these studies suggest that glucosamine reduces pain, improves function in people with hip or knee osteoarthritis, reduces joint swelling and stiffness, and provides relief from osteoarthritis symptoms for up to 3 months after treatment is stopped. Most studies have shown that glucosamine needs to be taken for 2 - 4 months before it is effective, although you may feel some improvement sooner. Glucosamine and chondroitin can be used along with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat osteoarthritis.

Other natural alternatives include:

Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids come in many forms, such as, but not limited to, Chinook salmon, sardines, cooked soybeans, baked or broiled halibut, steamed or broiled shrimp, raw tofu, baked or broiled snapper, and baked or broiled scallops. However, when your diet just doesn't contain enough of these omega-3 rich foods, there are numerous supplements available, such as Trident Krill Oil, 1000 mg, or Schiff MegaRed Omega-3 Krill Oil 300 mg.

Avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASU): A few preliminary studies suggest that this natural vegetable extract may help reduce the symptoms of OA and possible even slow progression of the disease. ASU is available in supplements such as, ASU300-Avocado Soy Unsaponifiables, w/SierraSil, Nutramax Laboratories Incorporated - Avoca Asu, and Cosamin ASU Active People Capsule.

Devil's Claw: Several studies support the use of Devils claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) as an anti-inflammatory to relieve pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee, hip, and back. Devil's Claw is a desert plant found in the South African desert. For centuries the native people of the South African desert dried this root to treat pain. The most popular Devil's Claw supplements include: Nature's Way - Se Devil's Claw, 350 mg, and Nature's Answer Devil's Claw Root, 1-Ounce liquid.

Other natural alternatives include: Ginger, Willow Bark, Capsaicin cream, and boswellia. There are several natural cream blends such as Now Foods Joint Support Cream.

Take back control of your health by learning more about natural health alternatives today.

Why Do I Have Burning Knee Joints? - Face the Pain With the Use of a Knee Brace

Whether you are an athlete, or you are just an active person, burning knee pain can ruin everything. You may be wondering how to address this pain without sleeping with a bottle of pain killers next to you. If you want to take a fresh look at how to face your knee pain, then read on...

When you suffer from burning knee pain, it can obviously keep you from enjoying simple daily activities. If you've ever experienced burning knee joints, you know how excruciating the pain can be. It's as if someone lit a fire under your patella.

So what should you do? Stop exercising? Stop living your life? Take a lot of pain medication on a routine basis? How about costly, long-lasting sessions of therapy? Or maybe an invasive surgical procedure is the only cure?

Face it: none of these options are pleasant, and while more extensive treatment may be necessary in the long run, there is something you can do in the meantime to help douse the fire: Wear a knee brace.

While only a qualified medical specialist can determine the cause of burning knee joints, in most cases, knee braces may help reduce the pain and add needed stability.

The burning joint pain that you feel in your knee is caused by inflammation. The burning knee pain you have can come from several different knee conditions. For instance wear and tear on the disc-like cartilage within the knee (otherwise known as the Meniscus), often causes inflammation, resulting in burning knee joints. Also, overuse can cause inflammation, as can arthritis, bursitis or a ligament tear. The inflammation is exacerbated by using the knee, and the more the knee is used, the more prominent the burning sensation becomes.

Consequently, any one of these and many other conditions can result in the symptom of burning knee joints.

A knee support is designed to easily fit on your leg, without being bulky, and can help support you while also allowing mobility. In this way, by helping to provide extra support to the joint itself, the brace helps to reduce stress on the joint when the knee is in use. The reduction of stress in turn helps to reduce the inflammation, and thus reduce the burning sensation. Therefore, with proper use, a knee brace may help you perform daily activities and partake in sports without being sidelined by burning knee joints.

This, of course is good news. But you may be thinking that you will have to save a ton of money to buy a well designed knee support. The even better news, therefore, is that in most cases, the knee brace you use does not have to be custom made!

There are many types and styles of knee braces available, each designed to fit your knee comfortably. This means that not only are knee braces readily available, but they are also more affordable since they do not have to be custom made.

Gout in the Knee - How to Ease the Pain

Gout is a form of arthritis that usually attacks the big toes of middle aged men but it can also attack women in the exact same way. It can even affect other joints of the body such as the elbow, the wrists, the ankles, the fingers and the one that we are going to talk about in this article, gout in the knee.

Unlike other forms of arthritis gout is almost 100% controllable with the correct diet and a few over-the-counter remedies. In this article we are going to teach you a few ways to control gout or cure it completely.

Gout in the Knee - Cures
1. In a recent 2009 studied carried out in the University of California 2 separate groups of people were given 2 different measures of vitamin C daily. The first group were given 1,500mg daily of vitamin C while the other group were given just the RDA of vitamin C. After the study was completed it was found that the people with the higher intake of vitamin C had up to 40% less uric acid in their body and were therefore less likely to get gout.

2. Black Cherry Juice - Black cherry juice will help gout in the knee due to its very high antioxidant levels. High level of potent antioxidants have been proven to reduce uric acid levels in the body and therefore can minimize the risk of you getting a gout attacks. Drinking one large glass of this wonder juice daily can lower your uric acid levels by up to 20%.

Combatives Solo Training Drills

Although training with a partner is the ideal way to train Combatives, quite often we won't have access to training partners. So rather than not train at all, we can train alone and still get a good session in.

A few pointers to keep in mind when solo training:

• Don't try to do too much in one session. Pick just a few techniques or drills to work on throughout the session and stick to them. If you try to cover too much you will scatter your focus and end up learning nothing. Remember that good Combatives training is about repetition. To get good you have to train a select few techniques over and over until you master them. If you try to master too many techniques at one time you will end up mastering none.


• Train with the street in mind. This means you do not train in a sporting manner. So no shadow boxing or long endurance workouts. Everything you do must be combative, not sporting. Warm up first, then practice your drills and techniques in short bursts. A real street fight is an explosive burst of energy that doesn't last very long. There are no rounds. Only periods of intense combat lasting only several seconds. Your training must reflect that. So basically, go like fk for no more than ten seconds then stop and repeat.


• Add emotional content to your training. Whatever you do, you must back it up with the correct mindset. If you hit the bag, do so with full intent and aggression. Really imagine that you are in a situation and you have to put this guy down. Anything less will not do. You are practicing accessing state as much as the physical techniques. Hit the switch, go like fuck and then knock the switch off again, making sure to check state every time. Training in this way, you are making sure the techniques will come out under pressure when you need them. This is the only way to train.


• Resist the temptation to do long sessions. Long training sessions are for endurance athletes and sport fighters. You will benefit most from shorter sessions of about fifteen to twenty minutes, but train at full intensity during that time. If you feel one session isn't enough, train twice a day.

1. FENCE AND STRIKE DRILL

What's good about this drill is that you don't need any equipment and it can be done anywhere.

Start from a square on stance, then move into a fence position with your arms out front as if controlling your space, then from there throw a pre-emptive strike.

Repeat a number of times.

To make the drill more useful, bring your imagination into play. Pretend there is someone in front of you, giving you grief. Control your space as they try to enter it and then, when you think the moment is right, strike with full intent and see yourself knocking the guy out. Remember, emotional content is what makes these techniques stick.

2. FENCE, STRIKE, BLAST AND FINISH

As above, only after you strike pre-emptively you continue to blast your opponent with multiple strikes, moving forward as you do so (forward drive) before finally finishing your opponent off with knees and elbows or some other technique of your choice.

3. IMAGINARY BRAWL DRILL

For this drill you are going to be playing out a whole attack scenario from start to finish. Think of a scenario first. You could be walking to your car in a dimly lit car park after a particularly tiring day at work or you could be standing outside the chippy on after having had a few drinks with friends. Whatever. Your imagination is the limit here.

Once you have a scenario in mind, really put yourself into it, mentally and emotionally. Begin to act it out the way a real actor would.

Let's take the car park example. You are walking to your car when you spot two dodgy looking guys loitering near your car. Your spidey sense starts to tingle and you can feel the adrenaline begin to bubble up inside you. Something isn't right (really feel this!). As you continue to walk to your car, one of the guys (dressed in jeans, black jacket and baseball cap) asks you for a light. You tell him you don't have one. No sooner have you answered him when the other guy (wearing track suit bottoms and a dark coloured hoodie) suddenly rushes towards you, drawing his fist back in preparation to hit you. The fight is on.

That's the set up. What way this scenario goes is up to you. The important thing is that you mimic every move as it happens. If you strike one of the guys, then do so for real and really feel the impact. If you get hit or grabbed, react to that for real.

Fall to the floor and grapple. Enact the whole fight. Then when it's over, walk away.

Done right, with your imagination in full swing, this can end up feeling like a real fight. It's almost like visualisation practice but you are physically acting out each movement instead of just picturing it in your head.

Try to be alone when doing this drill. If anyone sees you, they will think you've lost your mind as you throw yourself around and fight imaginary attackers!

Osteoarthritis of the Hip - The Most Common Type of Hip Arthritis

Who is Most Affected?

The hip joint is one of the most common locations for osteoarthritis, generally affecting people over the age of 50. Arthritis of the hip is more common in overweight people, with studies showing them to have five times more chance of developing the condition due to the extra stress placed on their hips. There may also be a genetic predisposition, where the joints become damaged simply because a person has inherited a body that wears in an unlucky manner. In addition to injury or repetitive stress, poor bone alignment or the way you walk could also be another factor.

Causes of Osteoarthritis of the Hip

Osteoarthritis of the hip starts when a small amount of the cartilage cushioning the bones of the hip begins to erode, creating some local inflammation and eventually causing the bones of the joint to grind or rub together. A major cause is traumatic injury to the hip and fractures to the bone around the joint. The trauma may be sudden and severe, such as a sporting trauma, but is more commonly associated with overuse of the joint for occupational or sporting purposes. In most individuals the indications do not appear until middle age, but the disease process starts much earlier, with the condition accelerating following trauma to the hip joint.

What are the Most Common Symptoms?

Hip pain is the most universal symptom of hip arthritis but it is possible to go for months and even years with the only symptom being loss of flexibility in the joint. The main symptoms of hip arthritis are pain, crackling, stiffness and inflammation of the affected joint. The rubbing together of the bones will sometimes cause patients to feel or hear their hip creak when walking. The level of pain varies and is described as mild, dull and aching or deep and throbbing. Usually it begins as a minor ache, which can disappear with rest, progressing to sharp pains when the joint is moved, ending in continuous pain. During the early stages the joints are often stiff at the beginning of the day, tending to improve with movement. However, as the condition worsens, a permanent loss of range of motion occurs.

Where is the Pain Felt?

Pain is frequently experienced in the groin and because of this can sometimes be misdiagnosed as a hernia or strain in the groin. It is also possible to feel pain radiating down the front or inner thigh, in the buttocks or knee and sometimes up to the back. There can be pain when pivoting or rotating the hip inward, bending, doing foot care and when getting in or out of a chair or car. Due to the overlapping nerve supply between the hip and knee, it is possible that knee pain may be the only symptom of arthritis of the hip.

Treatment for Osteoarthritis of the Hip

Many doctors today believe that weight loss is probably one of the most important treatments. Normally the first lines of treatment for mild osteoarthritis of the hip are pain relievers. Exercising is very important as it helps to keep the hip joint limber but must be ongoing to be effective on a long term basis. Too much or too little activity can make the condition worse and a full range of motion is encouraged to reduce stiffness. Because of its non weight bearing nature, swimming is highly beneficial and water exercises are particularly suited for improving the hip's range of motion and promoting strength and flexibility in the muscles surrounding it. Hip replacement surgery is sometimes suggested, and although in many cases it is usually an extremely successful operation, a new joint has a limited life span and is usually a final resort.

Basketball Shooting Tips and Advice

When it comes to the subject of shooting, there is a lot of basketball advice out there. It can be overwhelming for young players to absorb all the information they come across and then implement it when they get on the court. For this article I have tried to simplify the topic as much as possible and cover the key elements of good shooting.

Positioning of Feet and Body

The best shooters will start by shooting just 2-3 feet from the basket when they begin warming up. If you are trying to obtain a new shot, this is the best way to learn it. Start from 2-3 feet, not the 3 point line. Get directly in front of the basket, don't start from the side or try banking shots. Start from directly in from because you'll want to swish each shot. We start from the feet up first and that is by getting your feet shoulder width apart with your knees flexed a little bit. I put one foot slightly ahead of the other. I am right handed so it's my right foot I place forward. If you are left handed it would be the left foot that you would place in front. As we move up to our shoulders, make sure that your shoulders are in balance or squared to your hips. If I am raising my arms to shoot the ball, I need to make sure that my body is in balance and aligned. I don't want to be tipping to a side or tipping too far forward. I need to be in balance with the weight of my body on the balls of my feet.

Hands

This is something that isn't taught as well as it should be. Players are usually decent at the legs and shoulders, but terrible when it comes to the hands. You might have read about me referring to players as thumb shooters in other articles. These are players that use their off hand thumb to help propel the ball toward the basket. These players are typically very streaky in their shots because the shot rarely repeats the same release. Take the ball with one hand at first and shoot from 2-3 feet away but don't use your off hand to help yet. Make sure that you are keeping your elbow in and getting the proper rotation on the ball. For practice, make sure that you are shooting the ball from the logo on the ball so you can see the rotation you should be getting. The ball should be shot from your pointer finger and middle finger. If the ball is coming off the last three fingers then you need to do some adjusting before you bring up your off hand. Once your release is solid, then stay at the 2-3 foot range and bring up the off hand. Your off hand elbow should stay in as well and only guide the ball. Make sure that the rotation stays the same by using the guide hand. If you notice the rotation is different or the ball is coming off your shooting hand different, then stop and start over without the guide hand. Nothing should change by using the guide hand.

Aim

This is a great debate as some coaches say to aim for the back of the rim and others on the front of the rim. I believe that is best to aim at the back rim. In my opinion it is better to miss long because throughout the game you will get tired and the ball will be there when you need it. The important thing is to have a spot that you are aiming for and focusing on. Don't think about missing it. Think about making the shot and having a positive attitude. Remember that shooting is like golf in that you would rather miss long than short, you want to give the ball a chance to go in. When you leave it short, it has zero chance of going in.

Jump Shots

The jump shot is one of the most basic fundamentals in basketball. It differs from a set shot in that the player jumps in the air before releasing the ball. For a young player, this is very awkward to accomplish. Don't start too young to shoot these if you aren't ready. I believe that a jump shot started at too young of an age can lead to poor mechanics. What happens is kids aren't strong enough yet to get the ball to the basket from far away and because they have to strain themselves they develop poor habits that are hard to get rid of. A good jump shot is learned from inside the free throw line, not at the 3 point line. One of the prettiest shots I've seen in a long time is from JJ Redick. He obeys all the correct rules. Balanced feet, square shoulders and his off hand is strictly used just to guide the ball. He gets excellent rotation on the ball and shoots the ball above his head where he can see the basket with both eyes. Other great shooters, like Larry Bird followed those same principles. Bird's shot wasn't as pretty as Redick's, but his release was flawless. It came off the right part of the hand and he could see the basket with both eyes. It was simply amazing to watch up close. I say this a lot, but if your elbow is straight when you shoot the ball will probably go straight. Let's not make it any more difficult than it already is.

Lay-Ups

I was horrible at lay-ups growing up. I cost myself hundreds of points because I couldn't make one. I felt it was important enough to cover some of the fundamentals of a solid lay-up.

When I was 12 years old, I went to a basketball camp where the coach filmed us driving in for a lay-up. I was just getting over my lay-up phobia and was OK with being filmed as I thought I was the man. When we watched the tapes we were all amazed at a simple flaw some of us were doing. When we would come in for the lay-up we would bring the ball to the other side of our bodies before we brought it up to shoot with the correct hand. I was worse than everyone at this. By doing this, I was giving the defender the opportunity to slap the ball away or simply knock it away from me. I learned also that this was a major reason I was so bad at lay-ups in the previous years.

When you are shooting a lay-up make sure you are concentrating on using proper footwork. If you are on the right side, typically you will use the left foot to jump off and vice versa from the other side. For younger players this is honestly a major challenge. Young players don't be alarmed if this isn't natural for you right away. Lastly, don't take off too far away from the basket or too late. This can only be learned by practicing and knowing what your personal limitations are. I've recently learned that my limitations have changed as I've gotten older. No fun.

How Crucial is Good Customer Service to Your Bottom Line?

As I am both a service provider and a consumer, I'm quite comfortable saying I believe good customer service is essential to maintaining or growing your business. Excellent customer service is what begins to separate one from the crowd. So, it stands to reason that, regardless of how great your service or product is, poor customer service will eventually bring your business to its knees.

4 Elements of Customer Service

Manage Expectations: Whatever your service or product may be, ensure you consistently deliver on your service promises. If your company promotes that it guarantees a maximum 24-hour turn around on services, make sure that's what you deliver...every time.

Communicate Expectations: Let the customer or client know what they can expect from you and what you're going to do to ensure they get it. Ensure everyone on your team is aware of the customer service standards you've set for your company. They should understand how important consistent delivery of superior service quality is to your bottom line.

Exceed Expectations: Once you've set the standard for your customer service, try and find ways to deliver above and beyond. Your client is already expecting what you've promised; now knock their socks off by taking it a step further.

Follow Up: Particularly in the professional service industry the golden rule is "Follow up, Follow up and then, Follow up some more." Never leave a client wondering where things stand. Make certain you have a communication plan in place to always keep clients updated on progress during the project as well as maintaining continued success upon completion.

Too often companies can make the mistake of putting most of their effort into getting new clients and not enough into delivering on the services they've promised. I firmly believe that customer satisfaction from your current clients is the most valuable resource for attracting new customers.

Most clients won't complain about poor customer service, especially when it's the 2nd or 3rd time, they'll just go elsewhere. And, these days, they'll share their bad experience with their network of connections in person and through Twitter, Facebook, as well as various other online business review services. Local business reviews through Google serve as a very public platform for customers to easily comment on the businesses found in their directory. Here's where the impact of bad customer service can begin to drastically impact your bottom line.

Superior customer service is one of the most important tools left that seldom costs money and creates the most impact. It's more costly to attract and secure new clients than it is to keep the ones you've got satisfied.

Customers and clients are not only interested in the service or product you're offering; it's the additional elements of service that create loyalty.

How to Choose an Orthopedic Surgeon

Orthopedic surgeons do more than just practice on the elderly and athletes. Many people may need an orthopedic surgeon for a wide variety of different ailments. Orthopedic doctors practice on all parts of the musculoskeletal system including the bones, joints, nerves, tendons, and even the skin.

The orthopedic surgeon must treat a variety of conditions and diseases, as well as injuries, fractures, dislocations, and strains. Because of their extensive knowledge, you also want to ensure that the surgeon you choose has the necessary background and specialty training. When selecting a surgeon, do not hesitate to ask about their history and their methods of care. It's also important that you feel as though you could develop a solid doctor-patient relationship with the surgeon, as your treatment will only be successful if you can completely trust your doctor. Be sure to find a doctor who offers a variety of services.

Because they are surgeons, they typically offer several different types of surgical treatment including hand surgery, knee surgery, laser surgery, and microsurgery. However, in addition to surgical treatments, they should also offer a variety of non-surgical treatments such as pain management, internal medicine options, and physical therapy options.

The California Hand Surgery and Orthopedic Specialist Medical Clinic is a great place to find a qualified orthopedic surgeon. They also offer a wide variety of medical treatments, both surgical and non-surgical. The practice is over 20 years old, and physicians are QME, AME, IME, and Board-certified.

You can rest assured that you are putting your body into good hands when you go for treatment. For more information, visit MendYou.com.

Knee Pain - Causes and Treatment

The knee joint is one of the important and most complicated joints. It tolerates the weight of the body and allows us to walk, run, sit, stand and facilitate to name a few. Since this joint that performs so many functions can be bent, straightened, and rotated, it may be put under high risk of injury resulting in knee pain. Knee problems can arise as a consequence of a variety of injuries. These injuries can be categorized as overuse injury and acute injury.

Causes

• Arthritis. There are several types of arthritis that can distress the knee joints.

• Torn ligaments are a type of injury usually suffered by athletes due to sporting activities causing discomfort and instability in knee movement.

• Cases of torn cartilages are generally seen in both youth and elderly people and occasionally obese people, too, happening due to overuse.

• Patellar tendonitis is one of the common causes of knee pain, thus affecting the patellar tendon, which is a large tendon that is situated at the frontage of the knee.

• Chondromalacia patella is caused due to softening of the cartilage and is described as a pain that spreads out from the base of the kneecap. This problem is frequent in individuals in the age group of fifteen to thirty five.

• Dislocation of kneecap is a major injury caused by dislocation and can lead to other type of chronic knee soreness.

• Baker's cyst is one of the reasons that may cause knee pain. Resulting from a meniscus tear; this sort of knee ache is normally accompanied by swelling.

• Bursitis distresses the joint over the knee cap and is an ordinary knee complaint that is caused due to activities that involves a lot of bending and kneeling down while working like construction workers, carpenters and gardeners to name a few.

Treatment

All the problems have cures and hence there are many effective treatments available to address your knee pain. These are as follows-

• Anti-inflammatory medicines- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) are frequently recommended by orthopedics for curing knee pain. This is effective for knee pain that occurs as a result of tendonitis, arthritis, and bursitis.

• Physical therapy- There are very effective forms of treatment for the common knee injuries and can be performed in consultation with a physio therapist. The physical therapy can assist in augmenting strength, reclaiming mobility and facilitating return daily activity with ease.

• Cortisone injections- These are normally used to inject cortisone into the knee joint to lessen or reduce inflammation. One should keep in mind that Cortisone is not a knee pain reducing medication; it's only a potent anti-inflammatory medication.

• Ice and heat application- Ice packs and heat applications are generally used as a first response for knee injury. Alternating between hot and cold packs can be of assistance to reduce inflammation and pain in the knee.

• Stretching- Basic stretching exercises that focus on muscles and tendons around the knee joint are of great help to reduce the knee pain.

Surgery to Treat Arthritis of the Big Toe Joint

Arthritis of the big toe joint is common, and can be particularly disabling. Options to manage this condition non-surgically are few, given the express need for the big toe joint to attempt bending during the walking cycle. This article discusses the cause of this painful arthritis, as well as surgical treatment options to relieve pain.

The big toe joint consists of the first metatarsal bone forming the 'ball' of the joint, and the initial bone of the big toe (the first proximal phalanx) forming the 'socket'. It has an important role in how the body moves when walking, and limitation of its motion forces other joints and muscles to function abnormally to take up the slack. Arthritis of this joint, or cartilage wear, occurs when there is abnormal pressure or positioning of the joint bones. This results in grinding down of the smooth cartilage that covers the bone surface at the joint, allowing for smooth motion. As this cartilage erodes, the bone underneath begins to become exposed, and parts of the joint surface start to see bone rubbing during joint motion.

In addition to this, thickened spurs of bone can develop along the margins of the joint, further hampering motion. When bone grinds on bone and when spurs limit joint motion, pain usually results. This condition will gradually worsen, leading to destruction of much of the joint surface. In severe cases, the bones will even partially fuse together. The structural cause of arthritis can be due to many factors. Natural bone structure can contribute to this, such as seen in people with longer or shorter first metatarsals, as well as first metatarsals that are angled too steeply in elevation or declination with respect to the ground surface. Bunions and other rotational deformities of the big toe joint can also contribute to cartilage wear and tear. Fractures, crushes, sprains, and other injuries to the joint can also result in arthritis after awhile. Finally, certain body-wide joint-affecting diseases will cause joint erosion as well, such as seen with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

Non-surgical treatment is limited, consisting of measures to limit the painful motion of the joint and decrease the resulting inflammation. Stiff soled shoes and specialized custom foot inserts can be used to limit the painful motion. Anti-inflammatory medications and steroid injections can reduce the inflammation, although this is not nearly as effective as it is in larger joints like the knee. However, the unique structure of the big toe joint generally necessitates surgical treatment in many cases of arthritis. Surgical treatment is divided into procedures that destroy the joint and procedures that maintain the joint (in the case of mild arthritis). When joint destruction is severe or significant, the joint destruction technique is chosen as the cartilage of the joint will have to be replaced or removed entirely in order for the pain to be resolved.

The choice of whether to use an artificial implant or fuse the joint surgically is up to the health of the patient and the preference of the surgeon. Joint implants have been in use for fifty years, and are made of metal or silicone gel. Various designs can replace the ball of the joint, the socket, or both. There are advantages and disadvantages to each design, and certain conditions like diabetes with nerve disease, poor circulation, and obesity limit their use. Their lifespan is much longer than hip or knee implants, which have to be replaced after a certain number of years. The motion restored by these implants is rarely equal to the motion of the joint before the onset of arthritis, but in generally is significant enough to relieve all motion pain and limitation. When these fail, or if the surgeon is not advising their use, a joint fusion is the preferred method of relieving joint pain.

This procedure fuses the bones across the joint, resulting in no motion at all. It differs from painful arthritis that is partially fused in that there are still areas of motion in those cases that produce pain. By removing all motion, the joint is no longer painful, leading to a stiff lever upon which the foot rolls off during the walking cycle. Eventually the body adapts to this, although some minor strain can occur to the joint in the middle of the big toe, or the complex of joints in the middle of the foot. If the arthritis is only mild, the surgeon may elect to preserve the joint. In this technique, the surgeon simply removes any bone spur limiting motion, and drills holes in the eroded areas of cartilage.

The drilling promotes growth of a tissue called fibrocartilage, which is a rough form of cartilage that is not as functional as regular joint cartilage, but is better than the bare bone below. It is usually necessary to address the underlying structural problem if this procedure is selected, as leaving the reason behind the arthritis alone will simply result in further arthritic change years down the road. These additional procedures could include procedures to elevate, lower, shorten, or shift over the first metatarsal back to a proper position based on the underlying structural problem. Often a bunion is corrected if present. Follow-up with long term orthotics foot supports is usually needed, along with periodic monitoring.

Regardless of the selected procedure, repair of the big toe joint is generally successful, with good long term results. Complications, including infections and implant or hardware failure, do occur. However, they are uncommon and most patients are restored to pain-free or significantly reduced pain-limited walking within a month or two following the surgery. Nearly all podiatrists (and a small number of specially trained orthopedic surgeons) perform these procedures. If one is suffering from big toe joint arthritis, a visit to their foot and ankle specialist can lead to relief and restoration of activity.

Knee Replacement Surgery With An Un-Cemented Prosthesis

Having your knee replaced with an un-cemeted prosthesis has it advantages and dis-advantages. The advantages however outweigh the disadvantages depending on your age. Younger adults generally but not always get un-cemented components initially for several reasons.

Having components that are un-cemented are used for those patients that have healthy bone stock and quality. The un-cemented components have what is called a porous material that is built within them. This allows for your bone to grow naturally into the prosthesis giving them a more natural fit.

With an un-cemented prosthesis this will allow a younger patient who is active and who typically outlives the original knee replacement to get a revision later down the road with out the damage to the bone stock that the cement causes over time. They are also easier to remove overall then the cemented replacements.

The dis-advantage with un-cemented components is that after surgery generally your weight bearing status will be modified for the first four to six weeks while the bone begins to grow into the implant. This however is only temporary and if allowed to heal properly will work just fine.

Many younger patients and some older ones too however can get somewhat impatient after a couple of weeks and we as rehabilitation professsionals have to at times frequently remind the patient about their weightbearing precautions. Most patients I have found will at times exceed the precautions without further damage to the knee however constant non-compliance or total disregard for weightbearing precautions will have you back in the surgeons office in no time back on the operating table.

After surgery follow closely what your surgeons instructions are carefully and listen to your physical therapist and you will be on the path to a better quality of life in no time.

General Information About Osteoarthritis

Common Characteristics of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is one of the most common ailments associated with getting older, and it is therefore most common in those parts of the world where people live the longest. More than 15 million Americans receive medical attention for osteoarthritis each year, and more than twice that many are affected by it to some degree. However, it rarely results in serious disability.

Osteoarthritis is essentially a "wear-and-tear" disorder. In typical cases, symptoms appear after the age of 50, and usually in the large joints that bear the most weight--the hips, knees, shoulders and spine.

Pain and stiffness are at their most uncomfortable upon arising in the morning and are likely to be intensified during damp, cold weather. (This does not mean, however, that symptoms are likely to disappear in a warm, dry climate.) Redness and swelling of the affected joints may also occur. Joints, particularly in the fingers, may become permanently gnarled by osteoarthritis, but this almost never interferes with their function. Painless bony bumps, known as Heberden's nodes, may also appear symmetrically on the fingers of both hands or on toe joints as well.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

When a person is young and spry, the joints between the bones swing freely like efficient, well-oiled hinges. Stresses and strains are absorbed by the cartilage pads that provide cushioning and lubrication at the ends of the bones where they constantly come together as the parts of the body make their coordinated movements.

Over the years, these protective layers become eroded, lubricating fluids diminish and the result is a sensation often described as "creaking" at the joints. In addition to a decrease in smoothness of function, small growths, or spurs, may develop on the bones in the area of the joints. These are 10 times more prevalent among women than among men and are likely to aggravate an already uncomfortable condition.

Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Since the weight-bearing joints are the ones most commonly affected, stiffness and discomfort in the knees and hips are likeliest to occur first, especially in the overweight person or in someone whose life style involves long stretches of standing or walking. A visit to the doctor for diagnosis normally includes close inspection of painful areas as well as X-ray examination of the joints in question. (when X-ray pictures are taken for diagnosis of some other condition in younger patients, they usually reveal the beginnings of cartilage erosion in the weight-bearing joints at a stage that does not yet produce associated symptoms.) Other than X-rays and visual examination, there are no other diagnostic tests for osteoarthritis.

Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Where overweight exists as a contributing factor, efforts should be made to lose the extra pounds and keep them off. Application of warm, moist heat, slow and gentle massage of the affected joints and a reduction (not a total cessation) of normal activities are ways in which patients can help themselves when there is an intensification of discomfort. Where pressure on the weight-bearing joints can be diminished through postural adjustments, special exercises may be recommended.

Drug Therapy

Although inflammation is not one of the initial symptoms of osteoarthritis, as the joint degeneration progresses, swelling, redness and other signs of inflammation may occur. When this happens, anti-inflammatory drug therapy may be recommended.

Aspirin. Patients who can tolerate high doses of aspirin may be treated with this drug alone. However, patients on anti-inflammatory aspirin therapy, which may involve taking 16 or more tablets a day, should be aware of possible side effects, among which the most common are ringing in the ears, heartburn and other gastrointestinal upsets. To minimize gastrointestinal complications, the aspirin should be scheduled after meals. Acetaminophen, in smaller dosages, may be recommended as an alternative to aspirin.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. These are relatively new drugs that relieve the pain and joint inflammation of osteoarthritis. It is the physician's role to match the patient with the particular drug that will be most suitable and effective without adverse effects. Sometimes drugs are used in combination, but whatever the procedure, supervision by the doctor is usually indicated if maximum benefit is to be achieved.

Steroids. In those few cases where other measures fail, steroid drugs (cortisone) may be injected into the damaged joint for temporary relief. However, long-term treatment with steroids is not recommended for osteoarthritis.

Surgery

When an older person suffers such severe osteoarthritis that most normal activity becomes impossible, surgical replacement of the affected joints may be considered. Hip replacement, in which the entire hip joint or head of the femur is replaced, is the most common operation of this type. The replacement joint is made of plastic and metal parts and is held in place by special plastic cements. The artificial joints allow the previously immobilized patient to be relieved of crippling pain, and most activities can be resumed following physical therapy and regaining of muscle function.

More recent joint replacements include the knee--a joint that is more complicated than the hip and, consequently, poses more engineering problems in replacing. However, the newer artificial knee joints are providing good results, both in terms of pain relief and restoration of function.

Traumatic Arthritis

Closely related to osteoarthritis, traumatic arthritis is usually the result of excessive joint use combined with injury. It is commonly seen in athletes. Rest will usually resolve the problem, although in some instances, drugs or surgery may be required, particularly in the case of athletes who need to quickly regain the use of the injured joints.

Summing Up

For millions of people, osteoarthritis is an inevitable condition of aging. Most cases can be handled by rest and common sense. Anti-inflammatory drugs--both non-prescription painkillers such as aspirin or acetaminophen, or prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents--may be used during flare-ups.

Osteoarthritis rarely turns into a crippling disease, but as newer and more effective drugs are available for reducing aches and pains to a minimum, there is little reason for allowing this particular cause of physical discomfort to be a dominating factor in determining one's life style in advancing years.

Genital Psoriasis - The Hidden Secret of the Underpants

Exposing a psoriatic elbow, or a pair of red knees, can be pretty uncomfortable, but imagine how difficult it can be when the psoriasis is hidden beneath your underwear! It's the most private part, the part that is not normally shown to the world for fear of indecent exposure. How do you deal with psoriasis in this area?

Genital psoriasis affects the most intimate of your body parts, and it can be hard to deal with when the people that see them are the people who matter most - your partners, girlfriends, boyfriends, lovers... Sometimes you just have to take a deep breathe and allow one more person to see it - your skin specialist / dermatologist.

It can lead to a negative knock-on effect on your sex life, the level of intimacy you share with your partner and your body-image... But there are ways of dealing with it!

When it comes to sex and genital psoriasis, the best option is to be open about it. Sit your partner down on the bed and explain what it is, stressing that it's not contagious, it's not an STD (or Sexually Transmitted Infection STI) and they don't have to worry about anything.

Once you turn the lights down, you can't see it any more and the biggest obstacle is the uncomfortable feeling you get during intercourse. So don't forget to moisturise beforehand and use sensitive soaps and body wash in the shower so as not to irritate the skin unnecessarily.

By following these simple steps, you can minimize the impact that genital psoriasis can have on your life (including your sex life) and build an even stronger relationship. Psoriasis doesn't need to be a secret. By concealing it and hiding it from everyone, it can increase your stress levels and actually deteriorate the skin even further.

All The Dirty Details Of Genital Psoriasis

The type of psoriasis normally found around the groin area is called "Inverse Psoriasis". It doesn't sound very nice, but this type of psoriasis usually breaks out in those moist areas hidden by underwear, where there's a lot of sweat, heat and where the skin is already sensitive and thin.

For a man, it can appear on the penis, including the tip/head, the scrotum (yes, this means itchy balls guys) and around the bum (be careful when wiping!), and for the woman, around the vulva on the outside of the skin, and very rarely - inside it. The skin here is very thin and vulnerable, which makes the whole affair much more uncomfortable.

On the statistical side, genital psoriasis is quite common and usually affects one out of three patients with psoriasis. Whilst 33% might sound like a lot, I think that the number is actually higher, maybe even much, much higher.

Many people develop genital psoriasis, and are too afraid to seek professional assessment because they think it might be a sexually transmitted disease! It doesn't blister like herpes, or cause ulcers like syphilis, but people don't know that. They think that somehow they caught something - even if they don't sleep around!

Other people just feel embarrassed about going to their family doctor, unzipping and saying "look - it's redder than a tomato!" Furthermore, some people go to their doctor, but then their psoriasis is misdiagnosed as a fungal infection instead! It's this combination of different reasons that means that genital psoriasis is most probably the most hidden type of psoriasis on the whole body.

All in all, genital psoriasis might be more prevalent than we think. If you have it, remember to consult a qualified professional, because it is treatable and you don't have to suffer in silence!

The Top 3 Secrets You Need to Know to Avoid Knee Pain When Cycling

Cycling is regarded as one of the safest sports for avoiding injury. However is the world of cycling knee pain is fairly common.

As with most sports, the more mileage you do, the more close to perfect biomechanics you need to be in order to avoid injury. As cycling is a non contact sport knee pain from cycling stems from poor biomechanics, muscle imbalance, poor flexibility or poor bicycle set up.

The top three areas to examine when trying to fix your knee pain is training errors, technique errors or bike set up errors.

1) Training errors.

It is very easy to develop muscle imbalances around the knee. For example you may over

develop the quadriceps compared to the hamstrings.Hamstrings and calves commonly get tight and can adversely affect knee alignment. Some cyclists also develop imbalances within the quadriceps muscle resulting in a stronger lateral side versus medial side. It is essential you talk to your physiotherapist or coach about your training protocol and address any underlying imbalances. Further training will simply exacerbate the problem.

2) Technical errors

Pushing excessively high gears with slow cadence can place more stress on the knee cap. If this heavy power work is implemented too early in the season you will risk wearing out the back of the knee cap.

The other common error is cycling with the knee turned in which causes massive lateral force on the knee cap aggravating the knee pain. Get someone to cycle behind you to check your alignment as you ride along. Make sure the knee is moving up and down with the knee over the foot and not wobbling around or turning in.

3) Bike set up

Even if you are training correctly and have perfect cycling technique, knee injuries whilst cycling can still be caused by poor bike set up. If you have not had your bike fitted to you and are doing high mileage this is a good investment.

Check the crank is not too long, check the cleat alignment, check the distance of cross bar from seat to handlebars.

The seat height is important as well. The easiest way to check is to allow one pedal to drop to the 6 o'clock position and observe the angle of the knee joint. There should be a 25-30 degree flexion in the knee when the pedal is at the bottom most point. Another is to measure your inseam (in centimetres) and multiply this measurement by 0.883. This should be your distance from the top of the seat to the centre of the bottom bracket. If you place your heels on the pedals, have someone else hold the bike, and pedal backwards, your hips should not rock back and forth. Likewise if your hips rock when you are riding, then lower your saddle until you achieve a smooth pedal stroke.

The majority of people suffering knee pain whist cycling will need the seat position adjusting. Once this contributing factor has been corrected then treatment will be effective.

Physio treatment may be required to loosen off tight structures, knots or scar tissue within the muscles. A good sports physio will also advise you on specific strengthening exercises to address any muscle imbalances.

Total Knee Replacement - Three Mistakes to Avoid During Rehabilitation

After having a knee replaced, many patients get anxious about the healing process. Everyone wants to get results as soon as soon as possible and are looking for ways to speed the process up. Though you may have gone through pre-operative training at your local hospital, retaining the information learned from class can be short lived. I have listed three common mistakes most people will make after knee surgery.

1. Trying To Speed Up The Healing Process: A majority of the time this seems to affect the men. Most men will try and circumvent the time involved and get onto the fast track as if they have something to prove to someone. You will begin to start feeling like yourself in generally four weeks but, do not expect the knee to feel much better until six weeks out from the day of surgery. It will be temperamental for the first six weeks.

2. Not Using Ice: I would not recommend this. After you have completed your exercise session or just generally want to curb the level of pain or swelling apply ice to the knee. You cannot use too much ice. All rehabilitation professionals will agree with this. I have seen a few that never use ice but this is the exception rather then the rule. Ice is the best modality in my estimation to use after joint surgery. Please make sure you encase the entire knee however, throwing a bag of peas on the top of your knee will not get it done. Ice is great for pain relief and keeping the swelling do to a minimum.

3. Trying To Avoid Using An Assistive Device: Believe it or not there are some that will not want to use any device after surgery once they get home. In the hospital its mandatory but once you get home you may be tempted to see what you can do without the walker. This puts unnecessary stress on the knee and surrounding soft tissue setting you up for a sleepless night and a very painful knee. If you are receiving physical therapy at home or an outpatient clinic, you will be instructed as to when you can revert from using a walker to a cane.

The key is not to rush things. you can expect your new knee to calm down and swelling subside in six weeks. Of course some will progress faster then others but all in all your rehabilitation will work out if you give it time.

Botox For Arthritis?

Thousands of people all over the world turn to Botox to halt the signs of aging. But did you know that this cosmetic procedure may also fight arthritis?

That's what a small, preliminary study is telling us and doctors are already excited about it. In that study, osteoarthritis patients who received Botox injections reported a 50 percent or more improvement in knee pain. If other studies can repeat those results, it won't be long before Botox becomes the next arthritis miracle cure.

"It works very well. We have patients where the pain comes down for three months, or it could be up to six months," said Dr. Gordon Ko, one of the investigators.

Ko has been administering Botox injections to arthritis patients who don't respond to conventional medications. The drug is injected into the gap between the joint and results have been promising.

The pioneering study lasted for six months and involved 37 patients with moderate to severe knee pain due to osteoarthritis. The participants (36 men and one woman) received either 100 units of Botox with lidocaine (a short-acting anesthetic) or a saline placebo with lidocaine.

They were analyzed after a month, three months, and six months. Their pain and ability to move were measured during these times. After a month, two placebo patients dropped out from lack of benefit. Of the 18 patients in the severe pain group (half on Botox and half on placebo), there was a significant decrease in pain and improvement in physical function for those who received Botox shots. The placebo group reported minimal improvement.

Doctors are hoping to duplicate these results in other studies but patients are already convinced that Botox works for arthritis. One of the patients, Jenny Breen, had every reason to be thankful. She claims the injections have changed her life.

"If I had to give up my Botox I don't think I could live. My quality of life would go right down. I know, for me personally, it changed my life and made a big difference," she told CTV News.

Although Botox is expensive, the shots are seen as an ideal solution for arthritis patients who can't undergo knee surgery because of old age or frailty. Since Botox is injected directly into the joint, it doesn't cause stomach bleeding, hypertension, and other side effects of other traditional painkillers.

"If Botox injections for refractory joint pain continue to prove beneficial, they offer a very welcome solution for fragile patients. Local joint treatment with Botox injections could replace oral medications that carry the risk of systemic side effects, and Botox injections may negate or delay the need for joint surgery," said Dr. Maren L. Mahowald, the Rheumatology Section chief at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, and a principal investigator in the Botox study.

As we await more good news from Botox researchers, you can stop arthritis pain with a little help from Flexcerin. This powerful supplement rebuilds, lubricates, and soothes swollen and painful joints without the side effects of other prescription painkillers. Check out http://www.flexcerin.com for details.

The Different Types of Surgery for Cartilage Regeneration in the Knee

If you are in your 20's, 30's, or 40s and have a knee cartilage defect the pain can be debilitating on a daily basis. The injury that resulted in the pain may have been a car accident, sports injury, really anything that could've led to a cartilage defect in your knee that is now causing pain.

Just let's say that you are a competitive basketball player. You play at a very high level, and in one particular game you twist your knee and tear your ACL. You fall over after the incident and while you are falling, you end up with a medial meniscal tear and a cartilage defect. What would be the end result of all of the injury?

Well for starters in this day and age ACL reconstruction technologically has gotten very sophisticated and effective. So you could end up with an extremely functional ACL reconstruction from your own tissue or harvested from a cadaver. Also, if the medial meniscal tear is not extremely large it can be shaved down and the pain would no longer be there while enough meniscus would remain for appropriate shock absorption. The result though would be that you have a good amount of pain deep in the knee from the cartilage defect which could shorten your career and lead to a life of chronic pain.

The first treatment that works fairly well for a cartilage defect is called a microfracture treatment. It is performed as an outpatient arthroscopic knee surgery where the area of the cartilage defect is drilled multiple times through the bone slightly to generate some bleeding. With the bleeding present, there's able to then be some more cartilage production from the healing process being started. The cartilage that is produced unfortunately is not Type one native cartilage. It is call fibrocartilage and is not a great permanent fix for the defect. It will function well for a period of time, but the cartilage produces is not what you were born with.

The next treatment that works pretty well for a cartilage defect is called articular chondrocyte implantation (ACI). ACI is a procedure that involves harvesting some of your native cartilage cells and sending them to a laboratory for culture. After a few weeks when a sufficient amount of cartilage cells have been cultures they are then sent to the surgeon for implantation in the defect and overlying that a patch is placed to keep them situated while they grow in properly. This procedure works well but the problem is it involves downtime for the patient and another surgery.

The third procedure that works really well for a cartilage defect is called an OATS procedure which is an Osteochondral Autograft Transfer Surgery. Essentially what this involves is taking cartilage away from the part of the knee that is not a weight-bearing area and shifting over to the area where the defect is that is painful. It is done in multiple punctures that are circular and then essentially placed in mosaic type pattern in the hope that they will grow together with subsequent pain relief.

These three procedures are all performed as an outpatient knee arthroscopy and may work well for alleviating pain from a cartilage defect.

Arthritis Treatment: Another Cause of Knee Pain - Medial Plica Syndrome

Knee pain is one of the most common problems patients come in with to a rheumatologists office. There are multiple causes of knee pain ranging from arthritis to bursitis to tendonitis and so on.

One type of knee pain that is rarely mentioned is the pain from an inflamed medial plica. This is considered an arthritis condition.

In order to understand this type of knee pain, it's important to have an understanding of basic knee anatomy.

The knee is a joint consisting of four bones, the femur (upper leg bone), tibia (the larger of two lower leg bones), the fibula (the smaller of the two lower leg bones), and the patella (the knee cap).

All the articulating (interacting) surfaces of the knee bones are covered with a thin layer of hyaline cartilage, a tough type of gristle, that helps with cushioning and shock absorption.

This entire system is enclosed inside a joint capsule. The capsule is lined with synovium, a type of tissue that provides nourishment and lubrication for the joint.

On occasion, the synovium can form a fold of tissue. This fold can occur above the knee cap, below the knee cap, and between the knee cap and femur, along the inside part of the knee.

When the fold occurs along the inside part of the knee between the patella and the femur, it can cause problems. This is called medial plica syndrome.

Pain in the region of the patella is the most common symptom. A person may also note snapping, clicking, locking, and even a sense of instability. This latter symptom is relatively rare.

Inflammation of the knee capsule, as may occur with arthritis, or trauma can aggravate the pain. In addition, bending and straightening the knee (eg. Stair climbing) can also aggravate the pain of a medial plica.

The diagnosis can be suspected clinically by the history. On examination, the patient may complain of pain located over the medial (inside) part of the joint. A sensation of snapping may be felt when the knee is flexed and straightened.

The diagnosis can be confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning.

Usually, a patient will undergo arthroscopy (insertion of a telescope inside the knee joint). At the time of arthroscopy, the medial plica will appear to be thickened and inflamed. The treatment is also rendered arthroscopically.

By introducing a motorized trimmer, the arthroscopist can carefully trim the inflamed plica so it no longer becomes trapped. This procedure is usually curative. We have seen a number of symptomatic medial plica cases that were essentially cured by this arthroscopic approach.

Knee Brace After Surgery

Are you thinking about having a knee surgery?

Your doctor may have mentioned that you will be needing a knee brace for after surgery. So what kind do you get?

1.) Introduction

Knee braces are used by people to help ensure that their knee is supported and to alleviate the pain that they are feeling. Knee braces are constructed using a variety of materials. They are designed in a way to either cover your knee cap or allow for an open patella. The kneecap is left open in most knee braces available in the market. Remember, you do not always need to cover your knee to help provide stability to it.

It is important to make sure that the knee brace you are wearing is well designed. In reality, a well designed knee support will make a huge difference in the life of a sufferer of injured knees. One of the many benefits that they offer is to help you avoid painful movements that could probably lead to aggravation of the injury you have sustained. This is really important if you think about it. Why push a hurt knee? Why threaten a healing injury?

Right after a surgery you may be wearing a large knee brace that keeps your knee locked out in extension. This can be helpful because everything is very delicate after a surgery and your doctor will not want anything to disturb the procedures results.

2.) As Time Passes After a Surgery

This time period is still considered to be after surgery is done, but you will most likely heal as the days and weeks go by. A knee brace for after surgery now can be seen with different eyes. These braces can still provide you with maximum support, but often times you are allowed to move your knee around more and thus your physician will request that you are allowed more free range of motion to get the blood going.

3.) Your Brace Specialist

When it comes down to it, you may need a couple different knee braces depending on how long after the surgery you are. You will need to talk to your brace specialist with any questions and they can help guide you toward the best options. Do not just go to someone on the internet that does not know what they are talking about. Of course everyone claims to be experts, but you should be able to ask them questions and get some qualified answers when it comes to purchaing one of these supports.

* This is health information. We are brace specialists who have seen the benefits of bracing over the years, but we have to suggest that you speak to your doctor regarding medical advice.

Running After Knee Replacement

Any doctor will tell you it's not recommended to run after a knee replacement, because one piece is metal and the other piece is non-metal. Wear will come at some point depending on how much you run. Perhaps take up another type of exercise program. Running is considered a high impact sport. You can walk just about all you want to replace running. However, it will take double distance of walking to burn up the same amount of calories of the distance you ran.

Not many runners want to walk because, that's one reason they run. Walking is time consuming. Some people have plenty of time to kill. I don't! Any sport that has a lot of side to side movement like tennis is a no-no! If you were a full blown runner most likely you'll return to running at some point. It took me two years before I could up grade from a walk to a run. Then another year before I could run a full mile. Mainly because the idea was put in my head to not do it!

It's really a personal choice of what it all boils down to. A 136 pound 10% body fat is where I was before the knee replacement. Afterwards, I gained a whopping 40 pounds! A 176 pounds on a 5' 7" guy is not good for your health! That alone was enough reason for me to start running again. I'm still not 136, but I'm a lean 145. I'm happy with that for someone not racing anymore. I'm not saying I'll never race again, I'm just not right now.

These days two miles every other day, then alternate that week with two miles every day. The following week go back to two miles every other day. Of course I walk a whole lot more than I use to. My walking is no piddling around! A good walk pace is one mile every fifteen minutes. In other words four miles in an hour. I've read of some world-class master and senior runners alternating running with walking is their new way of training. If you email me, I'll dig up that information for you.

Running or whatever activity you choose to do after knee replacement is a real personal choice type thing. Only you, will know that for sure. I've read about some runners returning to racing, but that's them. I personally don't want to take a chance of messing up my $50,000 knee. I was told if you do wear out the plastic piece, it's not that a big of a deal surgery, like the initial knee replacement surgery.

If running is a weight thing for you, then here's another idea. If your having a weight problem, a lot of that is due to what you eat! If you're a vegetarian then just go ahead full boat to being on a raw food diet. This is a diet good for your health anyway, regardless if your over weight or not. Less weight on your artificial knee is a good thing. Less weight on your whole body is a good thing! Live longer and with a healthier lifestyle wither you have an artificial knee or not! All this is my personal experience. Check with your doctor and attorney before you do anything!