Knee News and Research

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Psychological cognitive disorder can lead to development of persistent post-surgical pain

Patients with a psychological cognitive disorder known as catastrophizing are more likely to develop persistent, chronic pain after surgery, according to new research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2014 annual meeting. Pain catastrophizing occurs when a patient has an irrational and illogical focus on pain, perceiving that it is worse than it actually is.

14 Oct 2014

Bone mineral density not linked to musculoskeletal pain

Bone mineral density does not contribute to musculoskeletal pain, researchers report in findings that shed light on the controversy over whether osteoporosis is a painless disease.

13 Oct 2014

Physical therapy before joint replacement surgery reduces need for postoperative care by nearly 30%

Physical therapy after total hip (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is standard care for all patients. A new study, appearing in the October 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery), also found that physical therapy before joint replacement surgery, or "prehabilitation," can diminish the need for postoperative care by nearly 30 percent, saving an average of $1,215 per patient in skilled nursing facility, home health agency or other postoperative care.

8 Oct 2014

Poor body mechanics cause chronic lower back pain

If you want to steer clear of lower back pain, remember this: Arch is good, flat is bad.

7 Oct 2014

Acupuncture fails to hit the mark for chronic knee pain

Research findings do not support the use of needle or laser acupuncture for treating chronic knee pain in patients older than 50 years.

6 Oct 2014

Resistance exercise can improve episodic memory, shows study

Here's another reason why it's a good idea to hit the gym: it can improve memory. A new Georgia Institute of Technology study shows that an intense workout of as little as 20 minutes can enhance episodic memory, also known as long-term memory for previous events, by about 10 percent in healthy young adults.

1 Oct 2014

Laser, needle acupuncture do not benefit patients with moderate to severe chronic knee pain

Among patients older than 50 years with moderate to severe chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture provided greater benefit on pain or function compared to sham laser acupuncture, according to a study in the October 1 issue of JAMA.

1 Oct 2014

More insurers change how they pay medical providers

Commercial insurers are moving rapidly from the old system of paying health providers for every test or procedure they do toward payments based on the value rather than volume of services, according to a report by Catalyst for Payment Reform, a business coalition focused on health care costs.

30 Sep 2014

OSU engineers develop simple device to improve hand function after surgery

Engineers at Oregon State University have developed and successfully demonstrated the value of a simple pulley mechanism to improve hand function after surgery.

29 Sep 2014

Study finds that majority of athletes return to play after having knee surgery for ACL injury

The majority of athletes included in a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine were able to return to play after having knee surgery to repair an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

25 Sep 2014

Increased pain scores in surgery patients result in deceased sleep duration

Pain can make it difficult for some patients to get a good night's rest while recovering in the hospital following certain surgical procedures, often resulting in longer hospital stays, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

25 Sep 2014

Pain can disrupt sleep in surgery patients, result in longer hospital stays

24 Sep 2014

Studies explain why some people are at greater risk for ACL injury than others

The successful rise and fall of an athlete's moving body relies on an orchestrated response of bones, joints, ligaments and tendons, putting the many angles and intersecting planes - literally the geometry - of a critical part like a knee joint to the test. But it's more than just a footfall error at the root of one of the most devastating of sports injuries: the ACL or anterior cruciate ligament tear.

24 Sep 2014

State highlights: Medicaid bankruptcy ruling could save some nursing homes; high HIV rates in Southern states

A federal judge's recent ruling blocking Medicaid officials from cutting off a struggling nursing home could help troubled health care facilities survive using bankruptcy, according to restructuring professionals.

23 Sep 2014

Neuropathic pain phenotype identified in knee osteoarthritis

Some patients with knee osteoarthritis may experience neuropathic-like symptoms associated with central pain processing, reflecting a discrete phenotype, study findings suggest.

22 Sep 2014

Fat mass contributes to musculoskeletal pain risk

People with high fat mass could be at an increased risk of musculoskeletal pain, say researchers.

17 Sep 2014

State Highlights: Calif. prop 45 ad truth check; Medi-Cal autism coverage

Proposition 45 would give California's elected insurance commissioner the authority to reject excessive health insurance rate hikes, a power the commissioner already wields for auto and homeowners insurance rates. The campaign against it -- for which the insurance industry has so far put up $37.3 million -- is now airing a 60-second radio ad narrated by a nurse named Candy Campbell.

16 Sep 2014

Research roundup: Prevention services for seniors; drug shortages

This policy brief reports the findings of a systematic review conducted by the Community Health Innovations in Prevention for Seniors (CHIPS) project. ... Clinical preventive services such as colorectal cancer screening and pneumococcal immunization can help reduce rates of premature death and disability. Yet, many older adults are not receiving the full set of clinical preventive services that have been proven effective and are considered "high value" in terms of their costs per life saved. Rates are particularly low among racial and ethnic minority older adults compared to national goals.

15 Sep 2014

People who take antidepressants are twice as likely to have dental implants fail

A team from McGill University has discovered that people who take the most common antidepressants (such as Celexa, Paxil, Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft, the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs) are twice as likely to have dental implants fail as those who are not taking SSRIs.

12 Sep 2014

Inadequate pain relief common in knee osteoarthritis

Patients with knee osteoarthritis requiring analgesic therapy are often not receiving adequate pain relief, researchers report.

8 Sep 2014