| I read an article about hip fractures in the elderly. No specific ages were mentioned. What is considered “elderly” these days?
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| Some say you are as old as you feel. Still, there’s a biologic age that defines “old.” With the continued aging of America, the term “elderly” is being replaced with the word “aging.”
People who study aging adults are trying to define new age categories. This will help researchers identify risk for illnesses and injuries (like hip fractures) at each age level. Prevention programs can begin before adults reach the age with the greatest risk. At the present time, the National Institute on Aging (http://www.nih.gov/nia/) has identified the following age categories. These may change slightly with more research: Pre-elderly: 55-64 years The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
Naples Orthopedic Surgeon – Dr. Robert J. Zehr The Zehr Center
How old is "old"? There is a biologic age.
July 30th — adminHow does my hip function compare with other guys'?
July 29th — admin| I’m a 46-year old man with severe hip osteoarthritis. I’ve always been active, but now the pain gets in the way. I can’t help but wonder how my hip function compares to other guys my age without arthritis. Is there any way to find out?
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| Maybe not directly, but we may have some information to offer. A recent study from Finland compared 27 men with hip osteoarthritis (OA) to 30 men of similar ages without OA. Hip motion and function were measured and compared.
Everyone was tested twice (on two separate days) with two to six weeks time in between the first test and the retest. Subjects stood on one leg to test standing balance. Marching in place with the knee lifting up to the hip level was another test. Stair climbing, knee bending and hip range of motion were also included. It turned out that the men without OA were much more flexible than the men with OA. They had more hip motion, especially moving the legs out and rotating the hip in or out. Men with more hip deterioration had less motion. Men without OA also had better function when walking, climbing stairs, standing on one leg, or moving the hip. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
Walking hurts – is it aging or is it osteoarthritis?
July 28th — admin| I am only 54 years old, but already I’m noticing changes in the way I walk. I can’t seem to put my full weight into my left hip without twinges of pain. Is there anything I can do about this? I don’t want to lose any more ground.
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| The natural aging process does cause increased stiffness throughout the body, but usually this is equal on both sides. When you have pain or symptoms in one joint, you may be experiencing more than just natural aging.
Early degenerative arthritis of the hip, called osteoarthritis, can bring about changes in the way a person walks. The body compensates in order to take pressure off the problem joint. The stride gets shorter, so the person takes shorter steps at a slower speed. Sometimes the number of steps taken per minute decreases, too. It may be wise to bring these changes to your doctor’s attention. He or she will evaluate you and determine if anything more serious is going on. If you have early arthritis, it is important to keep up exercise and physical activity. Your doctor may recommend a physical therapist who can help you find just the right program for your condition. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
Can using a cane cause low back pain?
July 27th — admin| Last year I was diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis. The X-rays show it is in the early stages. Even so, I have had considerable hip pain and can’t walk without limping. I started using a cane, which seems to help with the hip pain, but now I am having low back pain. Could the cane be causing this?
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| Probably not. Canes and other walking aids actually dampen forces that act on the joints. It is more likely that the low back area has absorbed some of the stress normally taken by the hip.
When the hip is painful, it is not always possible to put full weight through the joint. The body compensates for this by transferring some of the normal forces generated through the hip to the pelvis (the bones between the hips). Pelvic motion is altered to help the hip. This in turn increases the load on the low back. You should report your symptoms to your doctor. It may be that exercises prescribed by a physical therapist can help you balance out the stress on the back, pelvis, hip, and knee. Dealing with your symptoms now can help prevent other injuries. |
The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com
Does the size of a rotator cuff tear affect the success of surgery?
July 23rd — admin| I have a very large tear in my rotator cuff, and I’m going to have surgery to fix it. Does the size of the tear make a difference in whether the results of surgery will last?
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| It’s possible that the size of the tear will make a difference in the surgery’s success. A recent study followed patients who had this kind of surgery at age 55. Ten years after surgery, researchers checked on patients’ pain, level of function, and shoulder strength.
All of the patients who had small or medium-sized tears had excellent results from surgery ten years later. Patients who had large tears also had good or excellent results. These numbers changed somewhat for the 11 patients with massive tears. There were seven excellent results, one good result, and three unsatisfactory results. From this study, it looks like the chance of having an unsatisfactory result goes up slightly as the tear gets bigger. However, there’s still a good chance of having a positive result. Ask your doctor what kind of results you can expect, given your age and condition. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
What is a rotator cuff and how does it get torn?
July 23rd — admin| I recently fell and hurt my shoulder. The doctor told me that I have a rotator cuff tear. What is the rotator cuff, and what part is usually torn?
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| There are four muscles that make up the rotator cuff. The tendons from each muscle encircle the top of the shoulder, much like the cuff of a sleeve goes around the entire wrist. The rotator cuff holds the humerus in the socket of the shoulder joint while still allowing it to turn, or rotate (hence the word “rotator”).
Usually only one or two tendons of the rotator cuff are torn. The tear commonly occurs close to where the tendon attaches to the bone. It is rare for all four tendons to be injured at the same time. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
Elbow injuries in Major League Baseball players on the rise
July 22nd — admin| In baseball, what kinds of injuries are the most likely to keep players from the game?
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| A group of researchers studied injuries in Major League Baseball over five years. They looked specifically at what kinds of injuries kept players from the sport. Twenty-eight percent of these were shoulder injuries. Twenty-two percent were elbow injuries.
Injuries to the knee, wrist, hand, and back were also reported. However, these injuries weren’t as common. And they were less likely to keep players from the game. Elbow injuries seemed to be on the rise. But injuries to other areas stayed about the same over the five-year period. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
Loosening socket most common reason for failure of shoulder arthroplasty.
July 21st — admin| What’s the most likely thing to go wrong with a total shoulder arthroplasty?
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| The most common reason total shoulder arthroplasties fail is loosening of the glenoid, or socket, component. Sometimes the new socket doesn’t line up right, or it may loosen, move, or even dislocate. Loosening occurs in about 10 percent of cases.
The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
Does your shoulder snap, crackle and pop?
July 20th — admin| Why do I sometimes feel popping and snapping in my shoulder when I move my arm?
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| It depends on where and when you feel the popping. If it is in the back part of the shoulder blade, the popping might be coming from a problem called snapping scapula. Snapping scapula causes feelings of grating, grinding, or snapping under the back part of the shoulder blade when you move your shoulder.
Popping felt during shoulder movement can also happen when a tendon rolls over a bony bump. The acromioclavicular joint is formed where the shoulder blade meets the collarbone. This joint tends to wear out earlier than other joints and can also start to pop and click with shoulder movement. Most cases of popping or snapping in the shoulder are not serious. They often can be helped by a well-rounded exercise program designed by a physical or occupational therapist. |
The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com
Will I gain my balance back after knee surgery for torn ACL?
July 17th — admin| I tore my ACL playing basketball, and I’m having surgery to reconstruct the ligament. Can I expect to get my balance back? |
| The outlook is good. Researchers recently observed patients who had ACL surgery followed by five weeks of wearing either a cast or a brace. Patients also had six to eight months of therapy to get their agility and strength back. Three years after surgery, these patients did as well on tests of balance as people who didn’t have ACL problems. Patients who had ACL surgery had slightly slower reaction times, but in general their balance was just as good.Ask your doctor or physical therapist about ways to manage your knee after surgery to ensure a full recovery.
The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com |
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