July 2003
Ask Dr. Marks: 07/03
Subscribers Only I’ve heard recently about “minimally invasive” total hip replacement. How is it done, and what are its advantages—reduced rehab time, a longer lasting replacement? Surgical techniques have been developed to implant an un-cemented total hip replacement through two small incisions that allow access to the femur and the “cup” or acetabular portion of the hip. The hip prosthesis is fabricated to allow bone to grow into pores or crevasses located on the surfaces of the metal…
Get Back To Gardening
Subscribers Only Gardening is one of the top leisure activities for millions of Americans. Unfortun-ately, arthritis is the No. 1 cause of disability for millions of Americans. If you find yourself in both camps—you enjoy puttering around the yard but it takes a toll on sore or creaky joints—there’s a lot you can do to make your botanical days brighter. …
Straight Talk: The Importance of Good Posture
Subscribers Only Posture refers to the relative positions of the parts of the body. Good posture holds your body upright against gravity, whether you’re standing or sitting, helping you to maintain proper alignment of the bones and muscles so that the joints can function without additional stress. Proper posture helps decrease the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that can result in arthritis. Bad posture, or the wrong movements that poor posture causes, can damage the muscles and joints…
Arthritis Drugs: Why New Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Better
Subscribers Only You’ve probably noticed—in all the media—that there are many more drug ads today, describing magic new elixirs for the “Pain and Suffering of Arthritis,” promising there’s “More to Life Than Osteoarthritis Pain” or how a drug can “Help You Enjoy Everyday Things Again.” Perhaps you’re thinking, I’ve got to get this new drug—so you call your doctor and ask for a prescription. …
In the News: 07/03
Subscribers Only Vitamin D—In Big Doses—Foils Fractures Taking megadoses of vitamin D just three times a year lowers the risk of bone fractures in older people, suggests a recent study in the British Medical Journal. The study followed 2,686 men and women between the ages of 65 and 85. Participants were given one capsule containing 100,000 IU of vitamin D or a placebo capsule every four months for five years. Compared with those on placebos, people who took…
Experimental Therapies May Hold Key To Future Pain Treatment
Subscribers Only The treatment of arthritis and damaged joints is about to enter the era of regenerative orthopedics, in which physicians use detailed knowledge of your own cells, proteins and DNA to help you fight inflammation, repair the immune system, and rebuild joint cartilage. Although most of these experimental therapies are still in the research lab or in early stages of clinical testing, they hold the promise of earlier diagnosis, more effective medications, and better results. Following are…