Tips to Keep Arthritis from Slowing You Down

Arthritis is a term that refers to a group of diseases that cause pain, stiffness, and swelling of your joints. Symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe and may come and go, but generally worsen over time causing immobility and restrict your ability to perform activities of daily living.

With May being National Arthritis Awareness Month, let’s look at some tips to keep arthritis from slowing you down:

10 Superfoods That You Should Add to Your Diet

Did you know certain foods may be able to reduce aches and pains in your joints? As this is National Nutrition Month, let’s focus on inflammation-fighting foods that bolster joint health.

1. Salmon: One of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon also contains calcium, vitamin D, and folate, all of which are vital for strengthening your bones.

2. Sweet peppers: They are excellent sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folate. Sweet peppers preserve bone health and protect cartilage cells.

Advances in Knee Replacement Surgery

If you often experience knee pain with routine activities such as climbing a flight of stairs, walking, or when standing up from a seated position and you have tried pain medications, injections, and physical therapy without much relief, it may be time to consider knee replacement surgery.

With the current advances in knee replacement surgery, you may be back on your feet the same day as the surgery and be discharged home within a day or two.

The Facts About Minimally Invasive Surgery

Since its first emergence in the 1980s, minimally invasive surgery has been gaining ground in the surgical arena over traditional open surgery. Here are some interesting facts about minimally invasive surgery:

Smaller incisions: Instead of a single large surgical incision as made in open surgery, minimally invasive surgery involves the use of 2 or 3 smaller incisions through which specialized instruments may be inserted to perform surgery.

The Risk of Head Injuries in Contact Sports

Did you know that about 300,000 sports related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occur each year in the United States alone. Athletes that are involved in contact sports are at a significantly higher risk of developing head injuries.

A head injury is any type of trauma that injures the scalp, skull, or brain. In case of an open head injury, there may be bleeding, swelling, and bruising. A closed head injury may cause loss of consciousness, headache, lightheadedness, confusion, and dilated pupils. Serious brain injury may manifest as seizures, vomiting, convulsions, or paralysis.

How Weight Loss Affects Arthritis

To effectively tackle the national problem of obesity and encourage more people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, January is celebrated as National Weight Loss Awareness Month. There is a logical link between arthritis and obesity. The more weight you carry on your frame, the more stressed your joints become exacerbating the wear and tear caused by arthritis.

Studies have demonstrated that obese or overweight people are at a higher risk of developing arthritis and that arthritic joint pain and swelling is more intense if you are overweight.

It's Nutcracker Season! How to Prevent the Most Common Foot and Ankle Injuries in Ballet Dancers

The Nutcracker ballet is a holiday tradition that seems as old as the Christmas tree & mistletoe. You’d be hard pressed to find a ballet company that isn’t performing The Nutcracker in the month of December. For ballet dancers, the long rehearsals that must be endured to ensure successful performances will increase their chances of sustaining foot and ankle injuries. Let’s look at how to prevent common foot and ankle injuries during the Nutcracker Season.

Avoid Foot Pain While Holiday Shopping This Season

The "shop till you drop" fever that takes a hold of many happy shoppers during the holiday season can have disastrous consequences on intricate bones and supporting structures of your foot. After a long day of shopping for the best deals and special gifts, your foot arches can collapse and flatten out causing the muscles of your feet and legs to fatigue resulting in foot pain. Here are a few tips to help you avoid foot pain while holiday shopping this season: