Better Sports Medicine for Better Health

Welcome to The Better Sports Medicine for Better Health Blog

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:29 AM

As the leading provider of sports medicine products on the internet BetterBraces.com is proud to officially launch our "Better Sports Medicine for Better Health" Blog.

We are exicted to have a forum in which we can review products, provide helpful athletic training tips, injury rehabilitation information, videos and much much more.

Be sure to tag this blog as a place to find out anything and everthing related to sports medicine.

David Beckham Spotted Wearing DonJoy Knee Brace and DonJoy Ankle Brace

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:46 PM

We all know that world famous Soccer Player David Beckham has garnered a lot of attention with his arrival into the US. His sports injuries woes have slowed down his presence on the field.

Here he is sporting the DonJoy Deluxe Hinged Knee Sleeve a few days after he sprained his medial collateral ligament a knee injury that will keep out of the LA Galaxy's Soccer line up for at least six weeks.

In addition the Knee Brace he's also wearing the DonJoy Stabilizing Ankle Brace. Great choice especially since as of Summer 2007 DonJoy upgraded this brace to eliminate the stitching inside so there is no more chaffing and also improved the figure 8 strapping system to provide even more support. We should note that this ankle brace is often compared to the ASO Ankle Brace which is a great brace, but with the recent improvements made by DonJoy we give the nod to the DonJoy Stabilizing Ankle Brace for fit, comfort, stability and price.

DonJoy Knee Braces are Worn by Top 25 College Football Teams

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:17 AM

You don't have to look far to find DonJoy products in action in the Fall. Each Saturday and Sunday during NCAA and NFL football games, you'll notice DonJoy's products in action supporting and protecting the knees and ankles of some of the game's most famous athletes. In training rooms, physical therapy clinics and in the offices of top orthopedic surgeons around the world, you're sure to find the DonJoy name.

7 Reasons to Use Knee Braces for Arthritis Pain Relief

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 5:04 PM

Over 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee. Since a few popular pain relief drugs have been taken off the market, many arthritis sufferers are turning to other treatment options such as knee braces to combat their chronic pain.

We read an article published by the Cleveland Clinic’s Arthritis Advisor that was just released and pulled seven reasons why millions are looking to knee braces for pain relief:

1. Bracing options can be simple, such as knee sleeves made of neoprene that decrease pain for people with mild arthritis.

2. More advanced knee braces relieve pain by transferring pressure from one part of the knee to the other.

3. Knee braces increase mobility and reduce pain from cartilage destruction allowing the patient to walk more rapidly and for greater distances.

4. Technology has allowed companies to create easy to use, breathable braces that have a sleek profile.

5. Most braces don’t require a prescription.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Fri, 5 Oct 2007 11:26 AM

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is one of the five leading causes of disability among elderly men and women. The risk for disability from osteoarthritis of the knee is as great as that from cardiovascular disease.

1. What causes osteoarthritis of the knee?

2. What factors increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee?

3. How is osteoarthritis of the knee diagnosed?

4. How is osteoarthritis of the knee treated?

1. What causes osteoarthritis of the knee?

OA of the knee can be caused by a knee injury earlier in life. It can also come from years of repeated strain on the knee. Fractures of the joint surfaces, ligament tears, and meniscal injuries can all cause abnormal movement and alignment, leading to wear and tear on the joint surfaces. Not all cases of knee OA are related to a prior injury, however. Scientists believe genetics makes some people prone to developing degenerative arthritis. Obesity is linked to knee OA. Losing only 10 pounds can reduce the risk of future knee OA by 50 percent.

Scientists believe that problems in the subchondral bone may trigger changes in the articular cartilage. Normally, the articular cartilage protects the subchondral bone. But some medical conditions can make the subchondral bone too hard or too soft, changing how the cartilage normally cushions and absorbs shock in the joint.

2. What factors increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee?

Several factors may increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

Heredity: There is some evidence that genetic mutations may make an individual more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee.
Weight: Weight increases pressure on joints such as the knee.
Age: The ability of cartilage to heal itself decreases as people age.
Gender: Women who are older than 50 years of age are more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee than men.
Trauma: Previous injury to the knee, including sports injuries, can lead to osteoarthritis of the knee.
Repetitive stress injuries: These are usually associated with certain occupations, particularly those that involve kneeling or squatting, walking more than two miles a day, or lifting at least 55 pounds regularly. In addition, occupations such as assembly line worker, computer keyboard operator, performing artist, shipyard or dock worker, miner, and carpet or floor layer have shown higher incidence of osteoarthritis of the knee.
High impact sports: Elite players in soccer, long-distance running and tennis have an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

3 Common Ankle Problems and How You Can Treat Them

Tue, 9 Oct 2007 12:48 PM

Ankle Sprain and Instability

An ankle sprain is an injury to one or more ligaments in the ankle, usually on the outside of the ankle. Ligaments are bands of tissue—like rubber bands—that connect one bone to another and bind the joints together. In the ankle joint, ligaments provide stability by limiting side-to-side movement. Some ankle sprains are much worse than others. The severity of an ankle sprain depends on whether the ligament is stretched, partially torn, or completely torn, as well as on the number of ligaments involved. Ankle sprains are not the same as strains, which affect muscles rather than ligaments. Find Solutions for Ankle Sprains or Learn More About Ankle Sprains

Achilles Tendonitis

The Achilles tendon is fibrous tissue that connects the heel to the calf muscle. Leg muscles are the most powerful muscle group in the body and the Achilles tendon is the thickest and strongest tendon in the body. Contracting the calf muscles pulls the Achilles tendon, which pushes the foot downward. This contraction enables: standing on the toes, walking, running, and jumping. Overuse, misalignment, improper footwear, medication side effects, and/or accidents can all result in Achilles tendonitis. Multiple causes often contribute to the same Achilles tendon injury. Find Solutions for Achilles Tendonitis or Learn More

Ankle Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a condition characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage in one or more joints. Cartilage—the connective tissue found at the end of the bones in the joints—protects and cushions the bones during movement. When cartilage deteriorates or is lost, symptoms develop that can restrict one’s ability to easily perform daily activities. Osteoarthritis appears at various joints throughout the body, including the hands, feet, spine, hips, and knees. In the foot, the disease most frequently occurs in the big toe, although it is also often found in the midfoot and ankle. Find Solutions for Ankle Osteoarthritis or Soccer players who wear protective headgear suffer nearly half as many concussions as those who play without helmets, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Canada's McGill University.

Researchers followed 250 adolescent (ages 12 to 17) soccer players during the 2006 season. They found that 53 percent of those who did not wear protective headgear suffered concussions compared to 27 percent of those who wore safety gear.

The study, published in the July 2007 issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, also found that:

Nearly half of the players (47.8%) experienced symptoms of a concussion during the 2006 season.
Approximately 4 out of 5 athletes did not realize that they had suffered a concussion
Multiple concussions were less frequent among the injured athletes (50.0%) who wore protective headgear than those who did not (69.3%).
Nearly one-quarter (23.9%) of players suffering concussions experienced symptoms for at least one day or longer.
Female soccer players were at increased risk of suffering concussions.
Female soccer players not wearing protective headgear were also at increased risk of suffering other kinds of head injuries, such as abrasions, lacerations or contusions on areas of the head that otherwise would have been covered by the headgear.

Should Soccer Players Wear Headgear?

The McGill study is the first "to say that soft protective headgear for soccer signifi

Knee Brace Undersleeves - Do you need one?

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 5:18 PM

Knee Brace Undersleeves are something to consider when wearing a rigid or hinged knee brace. Many of the knee braces made today fit extremely well and tend not to migrate during activity as they may have done years ago.

With that said, anytime you wear a brace all day or during a your favorite sport it might be good idea to wear an undersleeve to protect your skin. And with winter on the way knee brace undersleeve are an effective way to keep the knee warm and with the compression they provide they can help ease a bit of the pain and help your knee feel more secure.

DonJoy makes undersleeves out of two different materials:

Neoprene - which is thicker to provide a bit more padding, better compression and support, but tends to get more warm so you'll sweat more with it on especially during sports like basketball, football and soccer. The small perforations do help a bit to keep you cool. If you knee like compression around your entire knee and like the warmth this one is a good choice for your knee.

Supplex/Lycra - really effective to at creating a layer of soft material between you and your knee brace. These undersleeves are breathable and will wick moisture away from your leg. Does a great job of preventing chaffing and keeping a bit of compression around the entire leg. If you have sensitive skin and you want to stay cool this is the one for you.

Since both these styles tend to get a sweaty it's a good idea to pick up a few so you can rotate them in the wash if you are using them more than a few times a week.

Sick of Your Sprained Ankle? Spice Up Your RICE

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:22 AM

Ankle sprains happen often in sports, especially to runners and athletes in jumping sports. To treat an ankle sprain, RICE--or rest, ice, compression, and elevation--is just what the doctor ordered. But can anything else be done to get you back on your feet more quickly?

When you sprain your ankle, you lose the ability to fully bend your foot and ankle upward. When this movement, technically known as dorsiflexion, is painful, standing and walking on the injured ankle can hurt. Physical therapists try to improve ankle dorsiflexion using a technique called joint mobilization. With the patient lying down, the physical therapist supports the ankle at about a 90-degree angle with one hand and assists movement of the ankle joint with the other.

In this study, the authors wanted to know whether this technique, in which the therapist adds hands on mobilization, helped patients more than RICE alone. Though patients got better no matter what their treatment, they got better faster when they had joint mobilization in addition to RICE. Patients who had joint mobilization needed fewer treatment sessions. They showed pain-free ankle movement sooner, and they were able to walk more quickly than those who only had RICE.

Fortunately, the body has some natural healing mechanisms. Either on its own or with help, a sprained ankle will heal eventually. Still, this study suggests that a little "laying on of hands" can go a long way toward getting you back on the track or field.

References:
Toni Green, GradDipPhty, GradDipManipTher, MAppSc, et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Passive Accessory Joint Mobilization on Acute Ankle Inversion Sprains. In Physical Therapy. April 2001. Vol. 81. No. 4. Pp. 984-994

The Secret to Aircast Technology in Healing an Ankle Sprain

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:51 AM

Since 1978, the Aircast Air-Stirrup Ankle Brace has been the "standard of care" for the treatment ankle injuries and has been cited in over 100 medical journals for its superior performance in helping to heal ankle injuries.

Did you know Aircast devices have been used by almost one out of every five families?

What make make Aircast Ankle Braces unique is that they feature two air cells on each side of the ankle that produce graduated compression during movement. The compression promotes efficient edema reduction as with aircast aircell milk out the edema to speed healing and reduce inflammation.

Aircast pioneered the functional management of ankle sprains by developing the Air-Stirrup® Ankle Brace— now the standard of treatment for ankle sprains.

More Top NFL Football Players Spotted Wearing DonJoy Knee and Ankle Braces

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 4:29 PM

It's great to see Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles and Joseph Addai of the Indianpolis Colts wearing DonJoy braces.

Here's McNabb wearing the DonJoy Defiance Knee Brace to protect his ACL Knee Injury .

Here's Joseph Addai of the NFL Super Bowl Champion Indianpolis Colts wearing the DonJoy Velocity Ankle Brace. If you ever watched him run and cut from side to side you know puts a lot of strain on his ankles and the Velocity Ankle Brace is the sturdiest Ankle Brace DonJoy has in it's arsenal.

Golf Wrist Pain and Wrist Injuries

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 8:16 AM

Here is a great very complete article on Golfer's Wrist Injuries that appeared in Golf Digest Philippines. Dr. Vince Gomez does an excellent job of covering all aspects of wrist injuries and how they can be very troubling for golfers.

In the Associated Press photo to the left it appears that Phil Mickelson is wearing The DonJoy Performer Wrist Support or something very similar. A lot of golfers use this support to provide support and compression to wrist injuries while still allowing you to grip a golf club comfortably. Made from neoprene it allows you to really crank it down tight while you swing and loosen it up in between strokes.

Golf and Your Wrist

By Dr. Vince Gomez

Recently, the wrist has become the subject of some golf chatter surrounding the pro tour. For those who follow Jennifer Rosales (our own JRo) closely, they know that her wrists were the source of many problems and injuries requiring her to modify her swing to prevent injury and help her game.

Michelle Wie fell while jogging and hurt her wrists. Although she was supposed to have recovered, she still couldn’t play well enough to break 80 and she had to withdraw rather than risk losing her card due to the dreaded “88” rule. And, most significantly, there was Lefty (Phil Mickelson) who hurt his wrists and has been playing dismally since.

Many of you golfers have also had your share of wrist problems. The most common complaint I get in my clinic regarding the wrist is pain after grounding the club or hitting a branch, rock or root. The pain is usually in the leading arm, in the ulnar side of the wrist. The pain is worse when the wrist is rotated or when the wrist is cocked back and carries the club.

This pain can be very disabling and can make playing golf impossible. If you have a back spasm, you can still play with a corset brace. If you have an ankle sprain, you can still take the cart practically up to the ball and play it. If you have golfer’s elbow, you can still swing the club and hit the ball as long as your swing is shorter. But, the wrist? If the wrist hurts, you can’t pick up the club but if you can pick it up to swing it, you are so afraid of hitting the ground that in most cases, you flinch or drop the club. So, you can’t play and this, in many ways, makes the wrist the most important area of the body as far as playing golf is concerned. A study conducted among the top 226 American players in the PGA and the LPGA showed that 93 (24%) had left wrist problems with the right affected in only 3%.

What is interesting to note is that in elite golfers like Tiger and Vijay (and Phil M), the wrists do not uncock. The forearms rotate and this causes the rolling over of the wrists.

So how do you hurt your wrist?

The main injuries when your wrist is hurt playing golf are divided into two types:

1) Tendinitis from overuse. This is from repetitive microtrauma. Due to bad golf mechanics or inadequate strength, too much stress is placed on the collagen fibers of the tendons around the wrist causing a micro-rupture of the fibers. The ten

DonJoy Official Medical Supplier to US Ski & Snowboard Team

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:41 AM

The U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboard Team has selected DonJoy as their official medical supplier and exclusive knee brace provider. According to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, skiers are prone to knee, thumb, hand, and head injuries and snowboarders have a higher potential for foot, ankle, and upper extremity injuries.

HOW DO SKIERS GET HURT?

Many variables affect injury rates in skiers, most commonly ability, age, gender, physical conditioning and snow conditions. Beginners have three times the injury rate of experts, but their injuries are less severe. Experts have less frequent but more severe injuries (head injuries, fractures and high grade ligament sprains). This is probably due to their higher speed on the ski slope. Intermediate skiers fall somewhere in-between. Another key factor is age. The highest injury rate is among 11 to 13 year olds. Their ability is intermediate, but their judgment is not as good as adults. Injures in teenagers (13 to 20 year olds) are slightly less frequent, but more severe. Many have the skill levels of adults with immature judgment. Finally, children younger than 12 years old have twice the injury rate of adults, but fewer than that of adolescents. Females have twice the injury rate of males, which is thought to stem from conditioning. One study looking at female ski racers found that their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rate was six times that of their male counterparts. Physical conditioning may have a significant impact on injury rates — that is, the better shape a skier is in, the less frequent the injuries. Most studies focus on destination ski resorts, where most skiers are vacationers. Injuries are most likely to occur on: • the first day of ski week; • in the early morning when the skier is not warmed up; • in the late morning and late in the day when fatigue sets in; and • at the end of the week when the cumulative effects of the vacation make the skier tired. Snow conditions affect injury patterns, as well. Hard pack snow generally yields high-speed and impact injuries. Powder and heavy snow is associated with more torsional or twisting injuries. Quick changes in snow conditions, such as hitting the line between groomed and ungroomed snow, may cause a fall that leads to an injury.

SNOWBOARDING INJURY TRENDS

Snowboarding has a slightly higher potential for upper extremity injuries, but it may be safer on the knees. There is an increased rate of foot and ankle injuries associated with snowboarding. The lead foot has twice the number of injuries than the back foot. One study showed that the hybrid or “mid-stiff-ness” boots were the safest style of boots. There may be more high-energy injuries such as femur fractures, high-speed injuries and injuries caused by getting “big air".

GENERAL INJURY PREVENTION

• Prepare for the season and get in shape.

• Get your equipment checked at a certified shop.

• Self-release your bindings each day you ski.

Tennis Ankle Injuries - Do I need an Ankle Brace?

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 12:55 PM

We are often asked about the importance of wearing an ankle brace or ankle support for tennis or other court sports. There are usually two groups of people:

1. Those that have never sprained their ankle

2. Those that have sprained their ankle in the past

For those of you in the group that have never sprained your ankle the only reason you'd consider wearing an ankle brace is for prevention. So is worth strapping on an ankle brace just as a precautionary measure? To you I say yes. It only takes one ankle sprain to make you more suceptable to ankle sprains in the future. In other words, the more you sprain your ankle the more you will sprain your ankle.

Need further proof? Watch this video of pro player Tatiana Golovin who is playing Maria Sharapova. Be warned this is a graphic depiction of a professional athlete spraining their ankle.

Now that you've seen the video of an ankle sprain you should be convinced you might want to get a pair of ankle braces. Note we recommend wearing braces on both ankles even if you only have issues in one of them. You want to be balanced and protect your good ankle as well.

So which ankle brace is best for tennis?

All around ankle stability:

Aircast A60 Ankle Brace - Worn by pro Andrew Murray - Lightweight, good stability, slim fit

DonJoy Stabilizing Ankle Brace - Lightweight, good stability, slim fit - very similar to if not a tad better than the popular ASO ankle brace used by a lot of tennis players.

Kallassy Ankle Brace -Worn by a lot of pros including Michael Chang - Made from a sock of neoprene, but very comfortable. Similar feeling to an athletic tape job.

For Extra ankle stability -

DonJoy Velocity Ankle Brace - This brace is truly the sturdiest brace on most comfortable brace on the market. It is a bit bulkier than some fo the softer braces listed above, but slimmer than all the other hard shell ankle braces on the market. If you are suceptable to ankle injuries you need this brace - DonJoy did a great job on this one.

Soccer Head Protection

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 9:36 PM

In soccer we all know we can you can't use your hands, but you obviously you can use your feet and other parts or your body including your head.

If done properly it can be one of the prettiest plays to watch and most effective ways to score.

Aside from shin guards soccer players haven't worn much protection, but now more and more pro players and younger soccer players are wearing the DonJoy Hatrick Soccer Head Guard. If you ever taken one to the noggin or a concussion you might want to take a look at this padded comfortable head gear for soccer players. It's looks pretty much like a head band and works to dampen the shock from head to ball contact and head to head contact or...

even head to foot contact...see video below...

Ouch! He looks a bit dazed and confused. Soccer players obviously are very vulnerable to head injuries.

This seems funny, but concussions from soccer are a serious issue amongst players of all levels.

Tennis Elbow Pain Relief

Sun, 2 Dec 2007 9:49 AM

Tennis Elbow Pain

Tennis Elbow also known as Lateral epicondylitis, is not limited to tennis players. The backhand swing in tennis can strain the muscles and tendons of the elbow in a way that leads to tennis elbow. But many other types of repetitive activities can also lead to tennis elbow: painting with a brush or roller, running a chain saw, and using many types of hand tools. Any activities that repeatedly stress the same forearm muscles can cause symptoms of tennis elbow.

Why did I develop tennis elbow?

Overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm and elbow are the most common reason people develop tennis elbow. Repeating some types of activities over and over again can put too much strain on the elbow tendons. These activities are not necessarily high-level sports competition. Hammering nails, picking up heavy buckets, or pruning shrubs can all cause the pain of tennis elbow.

What does tennis elbow feel like?

The main symptom of tennis elbow is tenderness and pain that starts at the lateral epicondyle of the elbow. The pain may spread down the forearm. It may go as far as the back of the middle and ring fingers. The forearm muscles may also feel tight and sore.

The pain usually gets worse when you bend your wrist backward, turn your palm upward, or hold something with a stiff wrist or straightened elbow. Grasping items also makes the pain worse. Just reaching into the refrigerator to get a carton of milk can cause pain. Sometimes the elbow feels stiff and won't straighten out completely.

What can I do to make my pain go away?

The key to nonsurgical treatment is to keep the collagen from breaking down further. The goal is to help the tendon heal.

A Tennis Elbow Brace that that provides compression and absorbs the shock will often help the conditions subside or and ease a lot of the pain during activity.

Using a Cold Therapy Wrap to reduce the inflammation is also an effective way to treat tennis elbow.

If the problem is caused by acute inflammation, anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen may give you some relief. If inflammation doesn't go away, your doctor may inject the elbow with cortisone. Cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory medication. Its benefits are temporary, but they can last for a period of weeks to several months.

Your doctor may suggest using ultrasound to guide a needle into the sore area. The ultrasound gives a clear picture of areas in the tendon that contain scar tissue. Poking holes in the tendon breaks up scar tissue and gets the tendon to bleed. Bleeding in the tendon helps stimulate the healing response.

Shock wave therapy is a newer form of nonsurgical treatment. It uses a machine to generate shock wave pulses to the sore area. Patients generally receive the treatment once each wee

New DonJoy Tru-Pull Lite Knee Brace - good things come in small packages

Tue, 4 Dec 2007 11:15 PM

The new DonJoy Tru-Pull Lite was recently introduced by DonJoy the worlds largest maker of knee braces. It is perfect for those with mild patella subluxation and patella arthritis and general patellofemoral problems. Those individuals will benefit from this rather slight knee brace. It is a great device to "pull' the patella into proper alignment. It is only 8 1/2 inches tall and features a single pre-bent hinge design.

There is also a patented tacky yet soft buttress pad that gently sticks to the skin to provide a constant corrective pulling force on the patella during activity.

The pull straps are made from Breath-O-Prene material and they apply pressure on the buttress during flexion and extention. It is lightweight and and the material wicks moisture, is breathable, hypoallergenic and antimicrobial. The flexible hinges provide moderal mediolateral support. It is availble in left or right and XS through XXXL.

If you are looking for a relief of patella tracking disorders in a small package with the latest innovative materials and construction be sure to check out the DonJoy Tru-Pull Lite.

Knee Braces Part of Epic Big Wave Ride

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 9:03 AM

DonJoy Knee Braces were part of an epic ride last week. Garrett McNamara one of surfing's top big wave riders caught an amazing ride while wearing custom knee braces made by DonJoy.

Last week a swell hit the west coast that brought some of the biggest waves we have ever had. This picture was taken at Mavericks, which is located in Northern California in Half Moon Bay. The water is somewhere around 49 degrees and patrolled by very large water creatures called Great White Sharks.

If you can zoom in on the picture you will notice Garrett is wearing his Defiance III Knee Braces on both knees. This wave is well over 50 feet and puts him in contention for the biggest wave surfed this year. Wow!

Skiers and Snowboarders are Tuning Up Their Knee Braces for the New Season

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 2:27 PM

Now that the snow is starting to drop across the country many skiers and snowboarders are starting to hit the mountains. Since it’s the start of the season, many are hitting the slopes ill-prepared. They’re realizing the physical workouts they’ve been doing the past few months, if at all, did not prepare them for the rigorous demands of their favorite snow sport. These are the times when there is a rise in ski related injuries. Everything from a broken wrist, sprained elbow, separated shoulder to torn knee ligaments. The tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee is one of the most common skiing injuries and most painful.

One study looking at female skiers found that their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rate was six times that of their male counterparts. Physical conditioning may have a significant impact on injury rates — that is, the better shape a skier is in, the less frequent the injuries.

When injuries most likely occur:

First day of skiing
Early morning when skier or boarder is not warmed up
Late in the day when rider becomes fatigued
At the end of a ski trip
Adverse snow conditions

Before heading out on your next ski or boarding trip, it might be wise to look into ways of preventing injuries such as a conditioning program to strengthen your muscles, cardiovascular workouts to increase your stamina and wear support braces to help minimize the chance of strains and torn knee ligaments. DonJoy ACL Knee Brace is highly recommended for skiing to help reduce the risk of injury and the Aircast A2 Wrist Brace

San Diego Chargers Quarterback Philip Rivers has big win with the aid of DonJoy Knee Brace

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 9:47 PM

A week after spraining his left knee Chargers Quarterback Philip Rivers was able to start against the Detroit Lions wearing a knee brace. It's amazing how quickly these NFL players are able to rebound from knee strains. It's hard to say how much his DonJoy knee brace helped him during the game, but at least he was in there and well protected from further injury.

The image above shows him passing to NFL MVP Ladanian Tomlinson with the DonJoy Knee Brace on.

Image is credited to: http://www.chargers.com/fan_zone/photo-gallery/slideshow_20071216.htm

Adrian Peterson gets back to form quickly with underwater therapy and knee brace

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 8:42 AM

Another example of a top NFL player bouncing back from injury so quickly is Adrian Peterson who tore a ligament several weeks ago. Since that time he apparently been working on an underwater treadmill and then protecting his ligament tear with a DonJoy Knee Brace.

Here are a couple good videos on the therapy and Adrian's thoughts on his Knee Brace. Note this was before he ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries and caught one pass for 17 yards as the Vikings downed the Bears 20-13 on Monday Night Football in Week 15.

Click on this link to watch Adrian Peterson discuss getting used to his DonJoy Knee Brace

Below is video showing the water treadmill therapy Adrian Peterson has used to bounce back from his ACL Injury.

Choosing The Right Knee Brace

Mon, 7 Jan 2008 11:24 AM

Knee Braces, Knee Braces, Knee Braces. Lot's of choices. Which one is right for your knee injury?

There are many choices when in comes to knee braces. Your decision should be based on what type of injury you've had or your are trying to prevent. You also may need to factor in your activity. A brace for walking around the block can be a lot different than what Peyton Manning (he wears the DonJoy Defiance ) needs for his knee during the Super Bowl.

Here is a look at the different choices based on the levels of knee sprains. We'll address some other factors in the coming days and weeks.

First Degree Sprains can usually be self addressed by using cold therapy/ice packs, bracing and light exercises to improve the strength of the hamstring and quadriceps muscles. Braces for a First Degree Sprain will provide only mild support and are not usually sufficient to provide protection to joints where ligament injury has occurred or is a risk. These are usually used for mild support, warmth and compression.

Click here for Products to Treat First Degree Knee Sprains

Second Degree Sprains can heal on their own with self care. Although some ligament instability may still exist , it is important to provide the right treatment. To reduce symptoms, use ice, exercise and a compressive knee brace for 2-3 weeks.

Click here for Products to Treat Second Degree Knee Sprains

Third Degree Sprains usually require surgery when a rupture is diagnosed. Post-surgical care involves efforts to restore natural movement of the knee. Physical therapy to rehabilitate the knee generally follows surgery. Ice packs are applied to reduce swelling and pain and knee braces are worn to help support the knee, provide compression to reduce swelling and hinged braces are necessary to provide more stabilization.

Click here for Products to Treat Third Degree Knee Sprains

How much knee brace is enough for protection?

Mon, 7 Jan 2008 11:43 AM

How much knee brace do you need? This video shows an example of someone who probably should have been wearing a more rigid knee brace, but thankfully she was at least wearing a semi-rigid brace that probably saved her.

At first it looks like the knee brace totally failed, but at the end she is seen walking off without much pain so it must have helped.

Knee Braces Help Painful Knee Osteoarthritis

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 8:22 AM

Knee braces are another way to provide stability, support, and pain relief for patients with knee osteoarthritis. It has been estimated that about 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. Other common treatment options include:

Medications (such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids)
Lifestyle modifications (including weight loss and strengthening exercises)
Joint protection techniques
Assistive devices
Joint surgery is considered a last resort treatment option

Patients should consider trying a knee brace to see if there is noticeable benefit.The knee brace would be a complementary treatment, to go along with any other treatments being used.

The Appropriate Knee Brace for You

There are different kinds of knee braces and it's important for your doctor or a health professional to help decide which knee brace might be appropriate for you. Three knee components to consider are:

medial (on the inside of the knee joint)
lateral (on the outside of the knee joint)
patellofemoral (behind the kneecap)

Usually knee braces are recommended for patients who have cartilage loss in one component of the knee, also known as unicompartmental knee damage. Osteoarthritis most commonly develops in the medial component.

Types of Knee Braces

Single-piece sleeves made of neoprene, an elastic-rubbery material, are the most simple knee braces. The knee brace is pulled on over the foot of the affected leg and is placed over the knee where it provides compression, warmth, and support. This type of knee brace is for mild to moderate osteoarthritis and it is available over the counter in most drug stores. The fit should be snug.

An unloader brace is a semi-rigid knee brace made from molded plastic and foam. Steel struts inserted on the sides limit lateral knee movement and add stability. This brace is custom-fit to each individual patient for whom it is prescribed (usually patients with medial component osteoarthritis). Essentially, it relieves pain by transferring pressure from the inside to the outside part of the knee.

The unloader knee brace can also be designed for patients with cartilage damage in the lateral component of the knee, as well as patients with severe osteoarthritis of the knee who are looking for temporary pain relief while they wait to have knee replacement surgery. .

We suggest that patients allow a week to one month to adjust to how the unloader brace feels. Right from the start, don't expect comfort. It takes a little time. Take it off from time to time so you can exercise and strengthen muscles. It's also important to remember that a knee brace is just one part of a patient's treatment regimen. Don't disregard other aspects of your treatment regimen without first talking to your

2008 New Year’s Resolution - Get in Shape

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 8:25 PM

Now that the New Year is upon us we all make New Year’s resolutions, and the number one resolution on everyone’s list is to “get in shape”. Hear are a few tips to help you stay injury free while you try to get in shape this year.

1) Start slow. Don’t over do it in your first couple of workouts. You didn’t get out of shape in one day, and your body is not going to get back into shape in one day either. Your body needs time adjust to your new work out regimen. Also you don’t want to mentally burn out.

2) Know your going to be sore. Your body will be going though some changes during your process of changing your fitness level. This is natural and don’t get discouraged and think it is always going to be like this after each work out. Be expecting the soreness for about the first month of your new program.

3) Make obtainable goals. Remember your body needs time to make adjustments. So first start with a 2 mile run at a comfortable pace, instead of saying I want to run a marathon under 4 hours in one month.

4) Be sure to warm up before your activities. A brisk walk or some simple calisthenics will do this for you. You should warm up for about 5 minutes before heading into your workout or activity.

5) Be sure to stretch. Keeping your muscles limber will help reduce your chances of injury. When you stretch make sure you are stretching your muscles that you plan on using during your activity.

6) If you do start to feel some muscle or tendon aches. Here are a few simple remedies.

a. Use cold therapy after exercise to reduce pain and swelling

Tips to make sure your knee brace fits correctly

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 8:56 PM

How do you know if your knee brace fits correctly?

This is not a difficult answer. Off the shelf or ready-made knee braces are made for a general population no matter what body part is injured. Braces can help treat many different problems or help support a healthy body part to prevent injury. However the brace cannot do its job unless it fits correctly, meaning it doesn’t fall off or move around.

Here are a few tips to make sure you have your brace on correctly.

1) The knee brace should fit comfortable, but snug. You should be able to move in the allowable range of motion – meaning most knee braces allow some motion but restrict other motion. The motion restricted is usually to support the injured body part (tendon, ligament, muscle, bone etc.)

2) Be sure to follow the directions on how to strap on the straps. (Betterbraces.com offers online directions on each product.) There is usually a fairly logical sequence to follow. The straps should not cut off circulation or be too loose that they don’t stay in place.

3) Have an expert check the knee brace if your still not sure. This is the best way to insure the knee brace is working properly. The last thing you want is to wear a knee brace that isn’t working right and you end up hurting yourself.

The Trials and Tribulations of Heel Pain: The Pros and Cons of Your Treatment Options

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 9:15 PM

It’s easy to find the cause of heel pain. In many cases, our behavior makes it easy to diagnose, whether it stems from the exercise routines we do, or perhaps the repetitive lifting we do on the job. Regardless of what type of activity leads to heel pain, when it comes down to it, the cause is overuse.

With most occurrences of heel pain, symptoms can be helped by an array of treatments, ranging from simple exercises to surgical procedures. The variety gives heel pain sufferers some choices in how they would like to approach treatment, but some treatments certainly would be better than others depending on the severity of symptoms.

At Home Treatments

For mild pain that comes from the initial onset of a case of plantar fasciitis, treatment can begin at home. Keeping the plantar fascia ligament stretched is important to counteract any strain on the tissue. If the plantar fascia stays stretched and “warmed up,” the less risk there is for tearing the fibrous tissue.

One of the easiest ways to keep the fascia stretched is to take a wide belt and place its center under the ball of the foot. Keeping your knees straight, pull the belt upwards until the tissue along the bottom of the foot feels taut, and hold the this position for about ten seconds, then relax the foot and repeat. In addition, you might also want to take a tennis ball and roll it up and down the length of the foot. Rolling a tennis ball can be done at home, or even at the office, helping to keep and fascia stretched and loose throughout the day. It is especially important to do these exercises in the morning, as the fascia is particularly tight when we first get out of bed in the morning, and it also happens to be the time of day when pain can be at its worst.

The value of these simple, easy home treatments is that heel pain sufferers can help curb heel pain before it gets worse, and it helps minimize the risk of needing more severe or cumbersome forms of treatment.

Conservative Treatments That Keep You Moving

Helpful Knee Injury Information Website

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 9:48 AM

One of our favorite informative websites is www.kneeguru.co.uk. Knee Guru has compiled quite a nice database of information pertaining to a variety of knee pain and injury issues.

Some of topics covered by this site include:

General Knee Info

Knee Anatomy

Understanding Knee Arthritis

Dictionary of Knee Issues

Clinical Casebook

In-depth Insights

We highly recommend this site and thank the Knee Guru for compling all this helpful and informative information.

Super Bowl Bound Tom Brady wears Aircast Walking Boot

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 7:53 AM

Tom Brady's right foot was wrapped in an Aircast Walking Boot and under wraps yesterday in New York, but he promises he'll be in full uniform for the Super Bowl. The foot injury was unidentified.

The gossip website TMZ.com posted a 1-minute-18-second video clip featuring Brady and his supermodel girlfriend Gisele Bundchen in New York. On the video, a hooded Brady, who is seen carrying a duffel bag and flowers, is noticeably favoring his right foot.

Brady appeared to be limping Sunday as he left his news conference following the Patriots' 21-12 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship game.

Yesterday, Brady did not directly answer a question about being hurt during his regular appearance on WEEI's "Dennis and Callahan" show. When he was asked about having his leg looked at on the sideline early in the fourth quarter, he replied:

"There are always kind of bumps and bruises. I'll be ready for the Super Bowl. I'm not missing this one. I'd have to be on a stretcher to miss this one. There will just be some treatment this week and, like I said, games like this you get a little nicked up, but it's nothing serious."

Brady was sacked twice Sunday and appeared to be slightly hobbled after Igor Olshansky and Stephen Cooper tackled him for an 8-yard loss on the final drive of the game.

An injury might explain Brady's subpar - by his MVP standards - performance against the Chargers. He was 22 of 32 for 209 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times, including once in the end zone by Antonio Cromartie late in the third quarter, Brady's first red zone pick in two seasons.

Tom Brady's right foot was under wraps yesterday in an Aircast Walking Boot in New York, but he promises he'll be in full uniform for the Super Bowl.

I Just Sprained My Ankle! What Do I Do Next?

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 8:28 AM

Nonsurgical treatment options depend on whether your problem is an ankle sprain or ankle instability.

Ankle Sprain
The best results after an ankle sprain come when treatment is started right away. Treatments are used to stop the swelling, ease pain, and protect how much weight is placed on the injured ankle. A simple way to remember these treatments is by the letters in the word RICE. These stand for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Rest: The injured tissues in the ankle need time to heal. Crutches will prevent too much weight from being placed on the ankle.
Ice: Applying ice or cold packs can help ease pain and may reduce swelling.
Compression: Gentle compression pushes extra swelling away from the ankle. This is usually accomplished by using an elastic wrap or ankle support.
Elevation: Supporting your ankle above the level of your heart helps control swelling.

Mild pain relievers help with the discomfort. Anti-inflammatory medications can help ease pain and swelling and get people back to activity sooner after an ankle sprain. These medications include common over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen.

As treatment progresses, it is helpful to gradually begin putting weight through the joint. Casts have fallen out of favor because soft tissues weaken when they are kept immobile. But ankle braces that can be worn to support the ankle, but still allow weight bearing, are the most popular treatment for helping reduce strain on the healing tissues.

Healing of the ligaments usually takes about six weeks, but swelling may be present for several months. Your doctor may suggest that you work with a physical therapist to help you regain full range of ankle motion, improve balance, and maximize strength.

New Knee Brace can power your cell phone - works like a hybrid car.

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 12:57 PM

Thought we'd seen everything until now. A knee brace that generates enough electricity to power 10 cellphones has recently been developed by scientists recently. The brace collects the energy of a person's knee braking after taking a step, similar to the way a hybrid car brakes collect energy to charge their batteries. The device only weighs 3.5 pounds, and does not need the intense effort that other human-powered energy generators such as hand cranks require. And while the cellphone measurement given by the creators is pretty useless, they do have several practical applications in mind.

Scientists suggest that the brace could be used by campers and soldiers to power GPS locators and satellite phones in areas with limited access to electricity. It could also charge prosthetic knees, eliminating the need for periodic surgery to replace the batteries in the joint.

The current version of the knee brace is just a proof-of-concept; the team plans to make the device less bulky while still retaining its energy harvesting capabilities. We think this is a great idea with lots of potential (even if it was created in part by a University of Michigan professor). Hopefully we can get a working model before CES next year so we'll never need to worry about our laptop running out of juice.
Aside from pain relief and protection from injury knee braces provide this is another way those who wear knee braces can have a leg up on their non-brace counterparts.

Ankle braces proven to prevent ankle sprains in volleyball players

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 8:18 PM
Ankle braces can help protect collegiate female volleyball players from ankle sprains, a new study shows.
After University of Pennsylvania volleyball players were mandated to wear a ankle brace, just one ankle injury occurred in the course of seven seasons.

"From our data, it appears that the use of such a brace is an effective way to decrease the incidence of ankle injuries in this active but vulnerable group of athletes," conclude Dr. Brian J. Sennett of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia and colleagues.

Ankle injuries are common among female volleyball players, accounting for up to 36% of all injuries in these athletes, Sennett and his team note in their report in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Penn players have been wearing Ankle Braces since 1998. To evaluate whether the braces had actually been effective, the researchers compared rates of ankle injuries at their university to data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for female volleyball players.

There were 797 ankle injuries during 811,710 NCAA practices or games from 1988 to 2005, translating to an injury rate of 0.98 for every 1,000 exposures. For the Penn players, there was just a single ankle injury during 13,500 games or practices during those seven seasons, for an injury rate of 0.07 per 1,000 exposures.

Nearly half of the 132 Penn players in the study had suffered ankle injuries before starting to play college volleyball, Sennett and his team note.

"Although our data are statistically significant and may change current thinking about orthosis use in these elite athletes, further investigation is warranted," they write. This research could include comparison of the effectiveness of various types of ankle braces, the researchers add, as well as how they affect performance.

SOURCE: American Journal of Sports Medicine, February 2008.

The best braces for MCL Injuries

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 9:56 PM

For everyone that was watching the NFL playoffs during the AFC Championship between the San Diego Chargers and the New England Patriots, I am sure you heard a lot about Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson LT”s MCL injury (Medial Collateral Ligament).

There was a lot of talk about how Rivers played and how LT didn’t play. Quarterbacks vs. running back MCL injuries are quite different in the sense that each player requires different levels of stability to perform their specific task.

The MCL is the main lateral stability ligament in the knee; it runs down the inside of your knee about 4 inches long and about 1 inch wide. The MCL has to control rotation movements also but to a lesser extent. A quarterback that is a drop back passer, like Philip Rivers that does not run around a lot can get away with a MCL injury because he does not need a lot of lateral stability to throw the ball, just rotational stability. The Playmaker bracehamstrings and calf muscles are examples of this.

When an athlete lifts his leg up such as when he is doing hurdles or sprinting, each time he elevates the leg forward the hamstring is lengthening and it is also contracting. This is called an "eccentric" contraction. In the calf muscle, when you dorsiflex your foot (lift the toes toward your head) and you push off such as in running or going up stairs, the calf muscle is contracting and also lengthening at the same time. Thus eccentric contractions such as those put the muscle at risk for injury.

The key to injury prevention is eccentric strengthening. It is not enough to exercise and practice, it is essential to do strength training where muscles are susceptible to injury.

Some great exercises to strengthen the calf eccentrically is to do toe raising on a step. If this is too easy, add weight to your upper body. An alternative is to use a leg press machine with your heel off of the press platform with your toes on the platform in dorsiflexion.

Some great exercises to strengthen the hamstring eccentrically are to use a flat leg curl hamstring machine and to use a "drop and catch" exercise where you curl the hamstring and flex the knee, then as you start to lower the leg, let the weight fall and "catch" it near the bottom of the motion arc. This simulates an eccentric contaction. An alternative exercise is to do straight legged deadlifts lifting the barbell from the floor to a standing position. Using a similar "drop and catch" method you can catch the weight at the end arc of motion where the hamstrings are tight.

Some of the best athletes in the world do not know about eccentric strengthening. Learning how to strengthen muscles in this fashion will help prevent that season ending hamstring or calf injury.

Why Bracing Helps Osteoarthritis

Mon, 26 May 2008 12:36 PM

Osteoarthritis is the natural wear and tear of the articular cartilage of joints. When we are born we have smooth gliding articulating cartilage at the knee joints. Over time, the surface wears down and the cartilage degenerates. Thus the main causes of osteoarthritis are genetic predisposition to arthritis, obesity, high-impact activity, and trauma. Genetics are an uncontrollable factor in our lives. Some people are more at risk for early arthritis than others no matter what they do. Being obese definitely places undue stresses on a joint. Studies have shown that every 1 pound of weight loss reduce the amount of forces transmitted through the knee joint by 4 times! Thus even a limited weight loss program could reduce that force to make a person asymptomatic.

High impact activities such as running on hard pavement increase the amount of wear on joints. Activity modification to lower impact sports such as bicycling or swimming or even reducing the number of miles jogged per week can improve symptoms. Trauma is another uncontrollable factor for osteoarthritis. If you have a trauma such as a car accident or a fall that affects the joints, the chances of post-traumatic arthritis down the road are increased. Cartilage is relatively avascular and after injury it repairs very poorly. Even a crack in the cartilage will heal with fibrous tissue called fibrocartilage that has no where near the smoothness and gliding capabilities as native articular cartilage.

When the cartilage degenerates significantly, the joint becomes incongruent. What this means is that one side of the knee joint does not exactly match the other side. The joint actually "subluxates" during movement which causes friction in the joint and slight dislocation of the joint. This subluxation exacerbates the inflammation in the knee. Thus bracing helps to stabilize the joint in proper alignment to prevent subluxation. If arthritis affects one side of the knee more than other, special braces can also help unload the affected side to relieve pressure on the knee.

Why You Should Own a Knee Immobilizer If You've Had a Total Hip Replacement

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:24 PM

Much of the audience of this blog are individuals who are looking for ways to improve their health via bracing. Some people are visiting because they are trying to prevent an injury. Others are reading because they were injuried and are trying to recover or they had a surgical repair and they are in rehabilitation. One large segment of the population are those who are aging and needing total joint replacements. It is this segment of readers who should listen up to this post.

Total hip replacement is a procedure that is done more than 200,000 times per year with numbers increasing each year. One complication of a total hip replacement is dislocation. This typically occurs about 1 percent of the time and is highly dependent on two factors. First is the quality of the replacement. Second is the obedience of the patient in avoiding movements that put the hip at risk for dislocation. The quality of a total hip replacement is dependent upon the positioning of components and repair of the soft tissues around the hip joint. Malpositioning of the hardware and failure to repair the soft tissues put the patient at risk for dislocation.

The other main reason for hip dislocation is failure to adhere to hip precautions. Hip precautions are precautions that doctors give to their total hip replacement patients to prevent dislocation. The main precautions are to not bend the hip more than 80 degrees (such as sitting on a low chair or low toilet seat), to not slouch or cross your legs, and to minimize external rotation of the leg with a bent knee. Some patients adhere to these precautions for several months after their surgery. Then they become comfortable with their total joint and they start to become more active and put themselves at risk for dislocation. If this is not the scenario, then perhaps the patient tripped and fell and dislocated.

When a person dislocates, he or she needs to go to the local Emergency Department of a hospital. There they will put the hip back in place. They will also give the patient a knee immobilizer. Putting your knee in an immobilizer prevents bending of the knee which also makes it difficult to bend the hip, which significantly reduces the chance of dislocating. Thus, if you have a knee immobilizer already you can bring it with you to the hospital. If you dislocate at home and spontaneously pop back in, then you should put on your knee immobilizer until you see your doctor. Either way, you don't want to see how much your hospital charges you for a knee immobilizer. So if you have a total hip replacement in, it is a good idea to go out and get a basic knee immobilizer.

What To Do If You Dislocate Your Shoulder

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 2:10 AM

If you saw Dwayne Wade dislocate his shoulder earlier this basketball season you probably heard that collective "Ouch!" from everyone who saw the replay. So what happens if you dislocate your shoulder playing basketball or from some other sport?

The first thing you should do is seek medical attention. If there is an Orthopaedist on site, perhaps he may try and "reduce" or put back in place your shoulder. However, it is best to go to the local emergency department for pain medications and local anesthesia during the reduction. Most typically, "conscious sedation" is given. This is a combination of strong intravenous pain killers with a sedative that basically puts you to sleep very briefly. If a muscle relaxant is also given, it will make the reduction maneuver easier.

If you do dislocate your shoulder, it is important to get it put back in place as soon as possible. Within 6 to 8 hours is ideal because after that period the swelling becomes cumbersome and makes the reduction difficult. If your shoulder is not reducible in the emergency department it will need to be reduced under general anesthesia in the operating room. There are risks associated with general anasthesia so this is not the ideal way to get your shoulder reduced.

Once your shoulder is put back in place, you should keep it in an arm immobilizer or a "sling and swathe". Immobilizing the shoulder for a short duration of time is essential until you can be examined by a physician once the swelling has gone down.

There is some debate about whether a first-time dislocation should be treated conservatively or should be stabilized via shoulder surgery. Recent studies following patients over a 25-year period after their dislocation show that non-operative treatment of a shoulder dislocation in people under 40 years of age provides good long term results. If you are a high-performance athlete or older than 40, perhaps surgery will give you a better return to high function. Either way, it is important for you to seek immediate medical attention, wear an immobilizer after the dislocation, and have proper follow up after initial treatment.

Cryo Cuff - Your Knee Will Love You For It

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 8:31 PM

For the avid ground athlete who often gets a swollen knee, there are relatively few treatments that will help. The first thing that should be done is your typical R-I-C-E regimen. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. These are hard and fast rules for the knee that swells up from overactivity. When your knee swells up, doctors call this an "effusion". Basically your knee is getting angry inside and cannot handle the stress of your activity. In an effort to produce more lubrication into the joint, the knee elutes fluid into the joint. It's also a clear signal that you need to take a load off.

For the expert patient with chronic knee effusions, it can be a real hassle to pack ice in a bag and wrap it around your knee. It melts, it gets messy, and if you don't have an ice machine, it is a pain. Alternatively you can use a freeze gel pad. Some people don't like the gel because it doesn't stay cold long enough. If you really want to take good care of your knee, you should consider getting a Cryo Cuff. The Cryo Cuff is really the best thing since sliced bread came out. It's a cuff that you put around your knee and attach to a small tubing that is connected to an ice cooler. It keeps your knee cold for a long time.

The actual way the cooling system works is that there is a motor in the cooler that circulates fluid into the tubing and through the cuff. By circulating the water in the cooling system the water stays cold for longer and you don't need to get up every 20 or 30 minutes to get a new bag of ice. Many years ago the Cryo Cuff was prohibitively expensive for any regular person to buy. You typically only got to use on in the hospital or at a physical therapists office. Nowadays, prices are very reasonable. The Cryo Cuff is routinely used for people after total knee replacement surgery or ACL reconstruction. For the athletic patient who wants to get rid of knee swelling fast, the Cryo Cuff will do the trick.

If you love your knee, go out and get an Aircast Cyro Cuff.

How Do I Protect My Child's Pitching Arm?

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:08 PM

Repetitive overhead throwing can place signficant stress on the shoulder and elbow joint. Over time this stress can lead to changes in anatomy for the young throwing athlete. The little league pitcher is particularly susceptible to injury as these children often play in multiple leagues, are involved in other youth sports, and often have coaching staff that focus on performance rather than injury prevention.

The key to protecting your child's pitching arm is understanding the mechanics and the tremendous force placed on the shoulder and elbow joint. The throwing motion is actually a kinetic chain of events that channels force from the legs and trunk. The weakest link in this kinetic chain is the growth plate of the shoulder and elbow bones. In boys aged 8 to 15 years, studies have shown over half of these athletes with repetitive overhead throwing show changes in the growth plates of the shoulder. Thus, it is essential to prevent these changes and monitor for injury.

The most essential aspect of preventing shoulder injuries is to limit the number of pitches thrown. Most sports medicine physicians recommend using the USA Baseball Medical and Safety Advisory Committee guidelines for pitch counts. These guidelines have a complicated formula to determine how many pitches your child can throw based on the number of days of complete rest.

The general rule of thumb is this - after one day of rest your child can pitch double the number of pitches equal to his age. For each additional day of rest he can pitch an additional number equal to his age. For example, if your boy is 10 years old and has rested one day, he can pitch 20 pitches. If he has two days of rest he can pitch 30 pitches. Three days of rest 40 pitches. Four days of rest he can pitch 50 pitches. The maximum number of pitches is equal to four days of rest. So in order to protect a 10 year old's arm from injury he should never throw more than 50 pitches.

An additional rule of thumb is that no youth pitcher should pitch more than 2 games per week.