News Updates
Preterm, low birth-weight babies may need new hips in adulthood
Source: Science Daily
Researchers from Australia report that low birth weight and preterm birth are linked to increased risk for osteoarthritis (OA)-related hip replacements in adulthood. The findings also indicate that low birth weight and pre-term babies were not at greater risk of knee arthroplasty due to OA as adults.
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Inc. announces new data on the use of EXPAREL to treat postsurgical pain following total knee arthroplasty
Source: Medical News Today
Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced results of an independent, physician-initiated study designed to evaluate the difference in postsurgical pain and opioid consumption between patients who received EXPAREL versus a multi-drug analgesic cocktail for pain management following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The data, presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS), found that patients treated with EXPAREL reported significantly lower patient-perceived pain scores and morphine sulfate equivalence consumption, and reported higher satisfaction with pain control and overall experience, compared with patients who received the multi-drug analgesic cocktail.
Acoustic technique developed to detect knee osteoarthritis
Source: Medical News Today
A revolutionary medical technique using sound waves to identify osteoarthritis in the knee has been developed by researchers.
The UK is leading this new field of health research based on listening to the sounds emitted by the body.
Microphones are attached to the knees of patients, and the high frequency sound waves emanating from their knees are measured as they stand up. These acoustic emissions are interpreted by computer software to give information about the health of the patient’s knee.
Prehabilitation Could Help Knee and Hip Replacement Patients Recover
Source: Daily Rx
With the number of total knee and hip replacements on the rise, doctors are looking for ways to reduce the amount of care needed after surgery. Prehabilitation (physical therapy before surgery) could help patients recover faster and save money.
Rehabilitation following knee or hip replacement is the standard of care. The physical therapy is designed to help patients adjust to new joints and strengthen muscles.
A new study found that physical therapy before the joint replacement surgeries reduced the need for rehab after the surgery.
Exercise, Physical Therapy May Help Ease Pain of Arthritis
Source: Health Day
Regular exercise and physical therapy may benefit people with hip and knee arthritis, new research suggests.
The study included 206 people with hip and knee osteoarthritis, average age 66, who were divided into two groups. One group received usual care, while the other group had regular exercise, physical therapy or both added to their standard care.