Musculoskeletal News and Research

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Early nerve damage caused by repetitive strain injuries can trigger "sick worker" syndrome

...characterized by malaise, fatigue and depression, and often mistaken for poor performance, according to a study by Ann Barr, Ph.D., and Mary Barbe, Ph.D., at Temple University's College of Health Professions.

24 Oct 2005

High rates of musculoskeletal injuries among poultry workers

A survey of poultry workers in western North Carolina reveals high rates of injuries, as well as significant differences among poultry companies in numbers of injuries and how workers view company emphasis on safety.

28 Sep 2005

Magnetic shoe insoles did not effectively relieve foot pain

...researchers report in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. And the results indicate that patients who strongly believed in magnets had pain relief even if they were given false magnets to wear.

26 Sep 2005

People who exercise regularly experience 25% less muscle and joint pain in their old age

Research published in Arthritis Research & Therapy reveals that people who regularly participate in brisk aerobic exercise, such as running, experience less pain than non-runners even though they are more likely to suffer from pain from injuries.

19 Sep 2005

Recent evidence suggests caution in prescribing hormone therapy for breast cancer

One of the most effective new treatments for breast cancer is a hormone therapy. Aromatase inhibitors work by powerfully blocking the conversion of androgen precursors into estrogens, which lowers estradiol levels in the bloodstream and estrogen levels in peripheral tissues.

4 Sep 2005

Alternative to Cox II inhibitors

After the failure of cox II inhibitors such as Vioxx, osteoarthritis patients and their doctors are faced with a lack of alternative therapies. The Orthokine-therapy means knee-injections of IL-1Ra protein, obtained from the patient's blood.

11 Aug 2005

Taking parathyroid hormone followed by a year on alendronate shows strong osteoporosis benefit

Postmenopausal women who took a bone-building drug for one year followed by a year on a standard drug that fights bone loss experienced greater increases in bone density than has been reported from any other drug regimen, an NIH-sponsored study has found. Bone density is the standard predictor of fracture risk associated with osteoporosis.

11 Aug 2005

Helping children deal with chronic pain

One in fifty children and adolescents live with severely debilitating and recurrent pain but there is an "embarrassing" lack of data on the best ways to treat them, according to researchers.

6 Jul 2005

Simple analysis of a bone marrow transplant patient's oral rinse indicates whether infection will develop

Simple analysis of a bone marrow transplant patient's oral rinse can give medical personnel a quick indication of the transplant's effectiveness and predict whether an infection will develop, says a University of Toronto researcher.

27 Jun 2005

Link between the protective effect of ischemic preconditioning in skeletal muscles and the substance that triggers hibernation

A phenomenon known as ischemic preconditioning (IP), in which blood flow to muscle is reduced and then restored, has previously been shown to increase muscle function, especially in the heart.

6 Jun 2005

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) affects 48.2 percent of women

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have found that female sexual dysfunction (FSD) affects 48.2 percent of women in a new study and that these women had decreased sensation in the clitoris, which increased the risk of sexual dysfunction.

26 May 2005

Fetal programming and childhood factors can't be blamed for poor bone health in mid life

This study collected comprehensive information on birth and childhood factors, and has regularly tracked the health of 1000 babies born in May and June 1947 in Newcastle upon Tyne, north eastern England.

24 May 2005

Soccer players most at risk of injury

Soccer players are far more likely to have injuries than other athletes including swimmers, tennis players and gymnasts, according to research published this week in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

20 Apr 2005

Drug that reduces the pain of fibromyalgia and improves sleep

A study of a drug that reduces the pain of fibromyalgia and improves sleep is published by a University of Kentucky physician in the peer-reviewed journal, Arthritis & Rheumatism.

12 Apr 2005

Depression overtakes back pain for incapacity benefit claims

Common mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, now account for more incapacity benefit claims than musculoskeletal conditions like low back pain, say researchers in this week’s BMJ.

7 Apr 2005

Pediatric use of complementary and alternative medicine

Insured pediatric and adolescent patients account for only a small part of total insurance expenditures for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) but are more likely to use these therapies if their adult family members also use CAM professionals, according to an article in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

4 Apr 2005

Lipitor patients who reduced 'bad' cholesterol show decrease in heart attack and stroke

Patients with coronary heart disease who took Pfizer's cholesterol-lowering medicine Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) and lowered their cholesterol to well below recommended levels experienced significantly fewer heart attacks and strokes than those who only lowered their cholesterol to recommended levels

8 Mar 2005

Future research should lead to better layout of work and equipment for orthodontists and all other dental workers

Gap-toothed youngsters may not be the only ones who are a little sore when they leave the orthodontist's office. While they sport tight braces on their teeth, their doctors may be nursing tight, aching backs, according to a study from the University of Alberta.

3 Mar 2005

Key players within the European medical device market

The European medical device industry is highly competitive, where new and smaller participants find it extremely challenging to make a significant impact. It is also a dynamic industry with continued scope for expansion, given the ageing population and consequent rise in the number of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, cancers, musculoskeletal disorders and diabetes.

1 Mar 2005

Surgical treatment of hip or knee arthritis does not reduce obesity

A number of arthritis sufferers attribute their weight gain to inactivity due to a painful hip or knee. These patients may be disheartened when their post-operative weight either remains the same or increases.

27 Feb 2005