Orthopedics

Back pain diagnosis and management tools

July 15, 2009

An effective and relatively quick method for zeroing in on the root of back pain coupled with new findings about acupuncture treatment could help clinicians better manage this common complaint from patients.

A simple test for hip-fracture risk: How's your balance?

April 21, 2009

A team of Swedish researchers has found that self-reported impaired balance could be a risk factor for future fractures in the elderly.

Fractures herald more broken bones, increased mortality

April 08, 2009

When an older person breaks a bone, it's often not an isolated incident. It may actually be a warning, two recent studies suggest.

FDA approves new extended release painkiller

January 05, 2009

The agency gives the nod to Ryzolt (tramadol HCl extended-release tablets), a once-daily formulation of the analgesic tramadol. Ryzolt is indicated for the management of moderate-to-moderately severe chronic pain in adults who require long-term, around-the-clock pain treatment.

Knee OA guidelines emphasize weight control

By Myra Dembrow December 29, 2008

Losing weight and engaging in low-impact aerobic exercise are at the top of new guidelines for symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee from the American Academy of Orthopedic surgeons.

FDA approves once-yearly osteoporosis treatment for men

December 23, 2008

The FDA has approved once-yearly zoledronic acid injection (Reclast) to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis. The medication was approved in 2007 for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and Paget's disease of bone for women with osteoporosis.

New pain drug approved

November 24, 2008

The FDA has approved tapentadol immediate-release tablets for the relief of moderate-to-severe acute pain in adults 18 years of age or older. Tapentadol is a centrally acting oral analgesic that combines mu-opioid receptor agonism and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition.

Weight gains boost odds for arthritic knees

October 22, 2008

A new CDC study predicts that more than four out of 10 Americans will develop osteoarthritis (OA) in their knees before age 85. Those odds rise with weight gained after adolescence, reaching almost 60% among obese adults.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis overturned

CASE AND ANALYSIS BY DMITRI GORELOV, DO, AND GUADA RESPICIO, MD May 22, 2007

Symptoms pointed to ALS, but fluctuating weakness raised doubts.

Tripod sign for back pain

Comment made by Sheryl Lavender, DO, Delray Beach, Fla. March 14, 2007

In evaluating the patient with low back pain, don't forget the tripod sign. If the leg of a seated patient is raised 45º-60º, he should use his arms to brace himself....

Preoperative workup

Question by Suru Shah, MD, Johnstown, Pa., response by Susan Kashaf, MD, MPH December 15, 2006

What preoperative workup, if any, would you advise for an asymptomatic patient who has smoked half a pack of cigarettes a day for the past 18 years?

7 steps for treating chronic pain

By Matt Hollon, MD, MPH November 03, 2006

Primary-care physicians are treating more and more patients who suffer from chronic pain. Here we offer an easy-to-follow guide that will help give those patients some relief.