Preparing For Your First Knee Replacement
Having a knee replacement takes not only certain physical preparation but mental preparation as well. Before having the surgery it is important to have your home laid out for simplicity and easy navigation.
Find a chair that you will be spending a majority of your time in when you arrive home. preferably, its a recliner as you do not want to have your leg in a dependent position where gravity affects the pooling of the blood. Once your chair is designated be sure its of proper height and does not rock. Building a platform prior to surgery to place under the chair is an idea that many have used in the past with great success to raise its height for easier transfers.
Hopefully you have been given an exercise handout prior to surgery to begin preparing your body for the surgery. Completing basic exercises to the affected limb or limbs will greatly assist you in the post-surgical recovery as its known that muscle has memory, and will return to normal function and strength much sooner if exercised in the same manner prior to surgery. The time varies, but 3-5 weeks out should have you prepared and ready following a written exercise program.
Please be sure to have a quality cold pack or other cooling system ready when you get home. Your knee will recover and respond much faster and pain relief will be kept to a minimum with an effective cold pack. Check your local drugstore or better yet a local medical supply will have a larger selection. I see many patients trying to ice down a knee with a small bag of peas and carrots this is something I do not recommend, your knee will need better coverage than that.
Have your meals prepared or have someone that will be staying with you for the first 10 days to 2 weeks home, as the last thing you want to do is stand on your surgical leg in the kitchen preparing meals, believe me it will only take one episode of meal preparation to understand the importance of having food prepared or someone assisting you with it.
Make sure you bring home your compression stockings that are issued at the hospital, many leave them and find they would have come in handy at home. The stockings are to curb edema and to prevent DVT. Take your pain medication as prescribed as well. Many try to get off the pain medication too soon only to be very uncomfortable you will need the pain medication anywhere from 4-6 weeks out from surgery.
And most of all, complete the exercises that have been prescribed by your therapist. your final outcome will be only as good as the time you put into the exercise program. You will see a big change in your overall condition within 6 weeks after surgery if not sooner remember, everyone is different and what your neighbor did and experienced down the street will be different from your experience.
Knee Pain, Knee Injuries and Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Knee pain and knee injuries, as a result of Iliotibial Band Syndrome, can be an extremely painful and frustrating injury that puts a big strain on both the knee and hip joints.
Knee pain and knee injuries are very common among runners and cyclists. However, they don't usually occur in an instant, like a hamstring strain or groin pull, but commonly start off as a twinge or niggle, and progress quickly to a debilitating sports injury that can sideline the best of us for weeks.
For those who aren't familiar with Iliotibial Band Syndrome, let's start by having a look at the muscle responsible for the problem. The iliotibial band is actually a thick tendon-like portion of another muscle called the tensor fasciae latae. This band passes down the outside of the thigh and inserts just below the knee.
If you look at the anterior (front) view of the right thigh muscles and follow the tendon of this muscle down, you'll see that it runs all the way to the knee. This thick band of tendon is the iliotibial band. Or iliotibial tract, as it is labelled in the diagram.
The knee pain occurs when the tensor fasciae latae muscle and iliotibial band become tight. This causes the tendon to pull the knee joint out of alignment and rub against the outside of the knee, which results in inflammation and pain.
Causes
There are two main causes of knee pain associated with iliotibial band syndrome. The first is "overload" and the second is "biomechanical errors."
Overload is common with sports that require a lot of running or weight bearing activity. This is why ITB is commonly a runner's injury. When the tensor fasciae latae muscle and iliotibial band become fatigued and overloaded, they lose their ability to adequately stabilize the entire leg. This in-turn places stress on the knee joint, which results in pain and damage to the structures that make up the knee joint.
Overload on the ITB can be caused by a number of things. They include:
Exercising on hard surfaces, like concrete; Exercising on uneven ground; Beginning an exercise program after a long lay-off period; Increasing exercise intensity or duration too quickly; Exercising in worn out or ill fitting shoes; and Excessive uphill or downhill running.
Biomechanical errors include:
Leg length differences; Tight, stiff muscles in the leg; Muscle imbalances; Foot structure problems such as flat feet; and Gait, or running style problems such as pronation.
Treatment For Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Firstly, be sure to remove the cause of the problem. Whether is be an overload problem, or a biomechanical problem, make sure steps are taken to remove the cause.
The basic treatment for knee pain that results from ITB Syndrome is no different to most other soft tissue injuries. Immediately following the onset of any knee pain, the R.I.C.E.R. regime should be applied. This involves Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and Referral to an appropriate professional for an accurate diagnosis. It is critical that the R.I.C.E.R. regime be implemented for at least the first 48 to 72 hours. Doing this will give you the best possible chance of a complete and full recovery.
If I Were a Child I Would Choose to Live on a Swing Set
Swings are avidly enjoyed by children, as well as the child inside us all. Children especially love the motion of swings, as it allows them to experience the exhilarating feeling of flying. Truly no other piece of playground equipment can capture such a magical experience.Unfortunately, due to some rare and isolated incidents, some communities have deemed swings either unsafe or an inefficient use of space and have expelled them from playgrounds. While as with anything some risks do exist, the benefits of swinging far outweigh any possibility of injuries, especially with properly supervised use.
The motion of swinging helps to develop balance and body awareness. The term "body awareness" encompasses two sensory systems: the proprioceptive, which gathers information from muscles and joints; and the vestibular, which collects stimuli from the inner ear. Swinging stimulates both of these systems and thus helps children develop balance and coordination. This is why children with sensory integration disorders often have swinging included in their therapy.
The motion of swings is also a natural relaxant, elevating serotonin levels. Low levels of serotonin are often present in anxiety disorders. When serotonin levels are naturally raised, as in swinging, this helps to relax the body and lead to sleep. We are all familiar of the common infant soothing method of "rocking the baby to sleep". In fact, there is science behind why it works.
Learning to swing independently presents an opportunity for gross motor skill development. There is significant limb and body coordination required to set a swing in motion and keep it in motion. Swinging allows children to learn to control their bodies while floating through the air. Such skills also lead to improvements in balance and coordination.
Delight your children!
Low Back Pain – Sciatica & Osteoporosis – How to Treat It
Osteoporosis literally means 'porous bones', resulting in the bones becoming brittle and the potential for fractures to occur. Any bone can be affected by osteoporosis, but the most common site for fractures are the wrist, hip and spine. I have discussed in another article, "Low Back Pain & Sciatica - Is Osteoporosis the Cause?" what osteoporosis is in a little more detail and how it can present if you develop it in the spine. This article is going to look one of the main forms of treatment for those suffering with osteoporosis... exercise.
Exercise.
Exercise is one of the best things you can do to help fight against osteoporosis. I have treated many people suffering with osteoporosis who have mistakingly believed that exercise should be avoided for fear of causing a fracture. This is not true, although you should be sensible and discuss any potential exercise programme you are thinking of starting with a health professional first.
Low Impact Weight Bearing Exercise: This is important for those suffering with osteoporosis as it helps to keep the bones strong. As you perform low impact weight bearing exercise, and this can be something as simple as a nice brisk walk, subtle increased stresses are placed through the bones (primarily the legs, hips & spine) and the body responds to this increased stress by trying to make those same bones stronger.
Stretching & Strengthening Exercises: Strengthening exercises, although not as much as weight bearing exercises, will also place stress across the bones, once again encouraging them to strengthen. By stretching, you will be maintaining / increasing the mobility of your joints and therefore they will be able to fulfill their complete range of motion when required. This will help to prevent them stiffening up which itself can be a cause of pain.
Postural Exercises: One of common signs of osteoporosis is a 'stooped' posture, where the curve in the mid-back region becomes increased and the head / chin tends to 'poke' forwards. It is this posture which can lead to back & neck pain and not necessarily the osteoporosis itself. Therefore exercises which encourage a more upright posture are imperative. These can be performed in conjunction with the stretching & strengthening exercises mentioned above, as it is important to have good stability & mobility in order to maintain a correct posture.
Balance Exercises: This will not necessarily have a direct influence on the osteoporosis itself. However, if you are at all unsteady on your feet you will be at an increased risk of falling. Falls are, understandably, one of the major causes of fractures in those with osteoporosis. Therefore if you can increase your balance reactions, you will be decreasing the risk of falling and therefore the risk of fractures.
NB No exercises should be performed without consulting your Doctor / Health Professional first.
There are obviously other forms of treatment for Osteoporosis, for example prescribed medication (such as Fosamax & Didronel) and Supplements (such as Calcium & Vitamin D). However, I will not be discussing these here and you should consult your Doctor before contemplating taking any medication or supplements.
In summary, not only is exercise good at keeping you generally fit & healthy, but it can also be an important part of your treatment for osteoporosis. Do not miss out on the ability to exercise simply because you feel osteoporosis is stopping you... it is not. Speak to your Doctor or Health Professional and start a gentle exercise programme as soon as possible.
Snoring- Causes and Cures
If you sleep next to someone who snores, you know what it is like. Constantly being awakened in the middle of the night, shoving them over on their side only to waken again when they roll back. The snoring does not seem to bother the sleeper, but can bother their partner so much that there are several attacks a year on snoring sleepers by their sleep mates. Before you decide to hit your snoring partner with large, heavy objects, there are some medical reasons for snoring that you should know about.
Relaxed muscles in the throat caused by alcohol or over the counter sleep medication can cause snoring, large tonsils or adenoids can cause snoring as well. Obstructed nasal passages such as a stuffy nose can cause snoring, so if your snoring sleeper is sensitive during hay fever season, that could be the reason. If the snoring is very loud, raspy, and constant, there are medical doctors and sleep clinics specially designed to help with sleep disturbances, and surgery may be needed.
Snoring followed by the sleeper appearing to stop breathing altogether is called sleep apnea and is a very serious condition. Sleep apnea can cause heart problems, high blood pressure, impotency, weight gain, and headaches. Therefore, you should seek medical advice and attention.
If the snoring is light, you can take some preventative measures. Regular exercise and losing weight can help. In addition, avoid taking medication that makes you sleepy, and try to sleep on your side rather than your back. Propping a pillow behind you can help keep you from rolling over on to your back during the night thus disturbing your sleep mate again.
Snoring Surgery
Ever slept close to a snorer and it left you feeling like you just wanted to shake them hard out of their sleep to stop the snoring? Snoring can be quite irritating and disturbing. It is that involuntary and sometimes unbearable sound produced during sleep and is mostly triggered by the vibration of the soft palate as it hits against the uvula. Excess tissues around the upper throat area are what mostly contribute to these sounds.
One of the remedies that i am going to talk about is the snoring surgery which is an effective cure to snoring and which works very fast. Due to the growing technological knowledge that cuts across the globe, there are many new techniques and machinery that have come up to deal with this simple procedure. There are many types of surgeries for snoring as we shall soon find out.
One of them is the uvulo palatopharyngoplasty which is also popularly known as palatopharyngoplasty. It aims at enlarging the throat at the tonsular level. The tonsils, part of the soft palate and the uvula are removed to create space for the airway hence vibration is done away with. Another snoring surgery is the one that seeks to shorten the palate through vaporization by the use of the laser. One set back of this surgery is that it is only 555 effective.
Last but not least we have the Cautery-assisted uvulo palatoplasty (CAUP) snoring surgery. It uses the method of burning or heating electrode or a wire to get rid of the uvula. It is effective, less painful and quite easy in comparison with the other surgical methods. Stiffening the tissue in the throat and soft palate is also one of the ways to go. It uses the electrocautery equipment, is very cost effective procedure and the success rate for this surgery is round about 77%.
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