Current Arthritis News and Research » knee osteoarthritis http://4-arthritis-info.com Regular Updates on the Many Forms of Arthritis Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:30:28 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Half of American Adults Will Get Knee Osteoarthritis http://4-arthritis-info.com/half-american-adults-get-knee-osteoarthritis/ http://4-arthritis-info.com/half-american-adults-get-knee-osteoarthritis/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:46:41 +0000 awesome http://4-arthritis-info.com/wp/?p=169 Recently released research says that nearly half of all adults will develop osteoarthritis of the knee by age 85. People who had previous knee injuries or are obese have an even higher risk.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reviewed data on more that 3,000 people from Johnston County, N.C. All of the participants, who were all over 45 years of age, were interviewed, given physical exams and X-rays. They were then evaluated twice over an average of 6 years. The average age of the group was 61.

At the beginning of the study, approximately 60% of the participants were overweight or obese and 15% already had knee osteoarthritis. In spite of the research group being located within a small geographic area, researchers believe that the results would likely apply to all Americans.

The results of the study showed that the lifetime risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee was 44.7%. Several factors were ruled out as contributors to that risk, those being race, sex and level of education.

Two factors that did contribute were the existence of a prior knee injury and whether or not the patient was obese or overweight.

Those participants with a previous knee injury have a risk of 56.8%, compared to 42.3% for those without a prior knee injury.

Those people with a normal weight have a risk of 30.2% of developing osteoarthritis of the knee. However, those that were overweight increased their risk to 46.9% and those who were obese have an even higher risk of 60.5%. People that were normal weight at age 18, but were obese or overweight by age 45 had the greatest risk.

“These results show how important weight management is for people throughout their lives,” says Joanne Jordan, M.D., in a news release. Dr. Jordan is principal investigator of the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project and a senior study researcher. “Simply put, people who keep their weight within the normal range are much less likely to develop symptomatic knee osteoarthritis as they get older and thus much less likely to face the need for major surgical procedures, such as knee replacement surgery.”

The results of the 13 year study were published in the September 15th issue of Arthritis Care and Research.

Originally posted 2008-09-22 20:44:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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]]> http://4-arthritis-info.com/half-american-adults-get-knee-osteoarthritis/feed/ 0 Frankincense Provides Osteoarthritis Relief http://4-arthritis-info.com/frankincense-provides-osteoarthritis-relief/ http://4-arthritis-info.com/frankincense-provides-osteoarthritis-relief/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:46:16 +0000 awesome http://4-arthritis-info.com/wp/?p=143 Boswellia serrataFrankincense is an aromatic resin that has been used for perfume and incense for thousands of years. The most aromatic is the Arabian Frankincense that is obtained from the Boswellia sacra trees in Oman and Yemen. Indian Frankincense, which is considered to be an inferior aromatic compared to the Arabian form, comes from the Boswellia seratta tree found in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Indian Frankincense has been used for thousands of years in India in the Indian system of traditional medicine known as “Ayurveda”. Recent research has also found that Indian Frankincense can reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

The research which was led by Siba Raychaudhuri, a faculty member at the University of California at Davis, specifically tested an extract which they called AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid) from the Boswellia serrata tree. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study focused on 70 patients that had been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis.

The participants were randomly given one of two doses of an enriched Indian frankincense extract, under the brand name of 5-Loxin, or a placebo on a daily basis. The groups that had been taking the 5-Loxin indicated that they noticed improvement in their symptoms within 7 days. After 3 months, the participants that had been given the frankincense extract reported reductions in pain and stiffness, as well as improvements in their mobility compared to the control group.

According to Raychaudhuri, “The high incidence of adverse affects associated with currently available medications has created great interest in the search for an effective and safe alternative treatment… AKBA has anti-inflammatory properties, and we have shown that B. serrata enriched with AKBA can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee… In this study, the compound was shown to have no major adverse effects in our osteoarthritis patients. It is safe for human consumption and even for long-term use”.

The team’s findings were published in the July 31st edition of the online journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.

Originally posted 2008-09-05 21:45:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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]]> http://4-arthritis-info.com/frankincense-provides-osteoarthritis-relief/feed/ 2 Researchers Link Appetite Hormone, Osteoarthritis http://4-arthritis-info.com/researchers-link-appetite-hormone/ http://4-arthritis-info.com/researchers-link-appetite-hormone/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:45:11 +0000 awesome http://4-arthritis-info.com/?p=607 Physicians have long held that being overweight significantly increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA). A recent study, however, suggests that obesity by itself does not predictably lead to OA.

Some researchers believe that extra weight exerts mechanical force on joints that they weren’t designed to handle, eventually destroying cartilage, while others blame the [...] No related posts.]]> Physicians have long held that being overweight significantly increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA). A recent study, however, suggests that obesity by itself does not predictably lead to OA.

Some researchers believe that extra weight exerts mechanical force on joints that they weren’t designed to handle, eventually destroying cartilage, while others blame the breakdown on inflammatory chemicals, including the appetite controlling hormone leptin.

A research team from the Duke University Medical Center, in Durham, N.C., studied mice that did not produce leptin. The mice were given unlimited food and water, and without the leptin they quickly gained weight, eventually becoming three times the weight of normal mice and with 10 times as much body fat.

The knee bones of the leptin-free, obese mice did change, but without forming osteoarthritis. The inflammation levels which are used to measure arthritis were essentially unchanged in these mice. The results suggested that leptin may have a dual role in the development of osteoarthritis by regulating both the skeletal and immune systems.

“To our surprise, they didn’t get arthritis. That tells us that obesity in and of itself may not be the cause of osteoarthritis.” – Farshid Guilak, PhD, director of Duke’s Orthopaedic Bioengineering Laboratory.

Researchers also note that the joints from the obese mice looked better than those of the normal control mice.

On the other hand, another study found that mice that processed leptin normally gained only half as much weight when put on a high-fat diet but showed significant knee osteoarthritis.

The researchers state that the study has several limitations. The obese, leptin-deficient mice didn’t develop osteoarthritis but they didn’t move around as much as the normal mice. This may have prevented their joints from being excessively stressed by their body weight, as human bodies are.

The results of the study are published in the October 2009 issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism

Originally posted 2009-10-02 13:01:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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]]> http://4-arthritis-info.com/researchers-link-appetite-hormone/feed/ 0 Tai Chi Improves Knee Osteoarthritis http://4-arthritis-info.com/tai-chi-improves-knee-osteoarthritis/ http://4-arthritis-info.com/tai-chi-improves-knee-osteoarthritis/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:10:07 +0000 awesome http://4-arthritis-info.com/wp/?p=431 Researchers from the Tufts Medical Center in Boston reported that the traditional form of Chinese exercise called Tai Chi can help reduce pain and physical impairment in people who have knee arthritis.

Developed centuries ago in China, Tai Chi combines deep breathing and relaxation with many fundamental slow, gentle, graceful movements that flow imperceptibly [...] No related posts.]]> Researchers from the Tufts Medical Center in Boston reported that the traditional form of Chinese exercise called Tai Chi can help reduce pain and physical impairment in people who have knee arthritis.

Developed centuries ago in China, Tai Chi combines deep breathing and relaxation with many fundamental slow, gentle, graceful movements that flow imperceptibly and smoothly from one to the other. These movements are low impact and put minimal stress on the joints and muscles. It can bring improvement to balance, flexibility and muscle function.

Five previous trials were conducted to study the benefits of Tai Chi on knee osteoarthritis. Three found significant improvements in pain and physical function. However the other two found no significant improvements.

The researchers studied a group of twenty people in over 55 with severe knee osteoarthritis. This group did 10 modified forms from classical Yang style Tai Chi for an hour twice a week for 12 weeks. A second, similar group of patients did the same amount of conventional stretching exercises during the same time period. The participants averaged ten years since their osteoarthritis diagnosis.

The group that performed tai chi reported greater pain reduction, less depression and improvements in physical function and overall health.

According to lead researcher Dr. Chenchen Wang, “Tai Chi mind-body exercise appears to provide an important approach for self-care and self-management for knee (osteoarthritis).”

The study provided the latest evidence that Tai Chi may offer benefits for people with arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation advocacy group recommends it for improving the quality of life of people with arthritis.

The results of this study were presented at a meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in San Francisco.

Originally posted 2009-02-05 12:00:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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]]> http://4-arthritis-info.com/tai-chi-improves-knee-osteoarthritis/feed/ 0 Finger Length May Identify Osteoarthritis Risk http://4-arthritis-info.com/finger-length-may-identify-osteoarthritis-risk/ http://4-arthritis-info.com/finger-length-may-identify-osteoarthritis-risk/#comments Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:46:11 +0000 awesome http://4-arthritis-info.com/wp/2008/01/09/finger-length-may-identify-osteoarthritis-risk/ The ratio of the length of the index finger to the ring finger (referred to as 2D:4D) is a trait that is identified with difference between men and women. Men tend to have shorter index than ring fingers while in women they tend to be about the same length. Smaller 2D:4D ratios have interesting [...] No related posts.]]> The ratio of the length of the index finger to the ring finger (referred to as 2D:4D) is a trait that is identified with difference between men and women. Men tend to have shorter index than ring fingers while in women they tend to be about the same length. Smaller 2D:4D ratios have interesting hormonal relationships such as higher prenatal testosterone levels, higher sperm counts and lower estrogen concentrations. Smaller ratios have also been linked to athletic and sexual prowess.

Now there has been a study to determine the relationship between the 2D:4D ratio and the risk of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee or hip.

Researchers and the University of Nottingham performed a case-controlled study of over 2,000 subjects, with an average age of 67, which were recruited from hospital surgery patients and a rheumatology clinic in Nottingham. All of the participants had osteoarthritis of the hip or knee to the extent that they were considering joint replacement surgery.

Data from these participants were compared to over 1,000 people, with an average age of 63, who did not have any radiographic evidence of OA.

All of the study subjects had radiographs taken of their knees and hips, as well as their left and right hands. The 2D:4D ratios were determined by the measurements of the radiographs of their hands.

Three different methods were used to determine the finger length ratios: visual comparison of the 2 finger ends; the measurement of the fingers from the base to the tip of the upper finger joints; and measurement of the metacarpal bones.

The 2D:4D ratios were classified as type 1, where the index finger was longer than the ring finger; type 2, where the fingers were equal length; or type 3, where the index finger was shorter than the ring finger. As was expected, men were more likely than women to have a type 3 ratio, by 2.5 to 1.

When comparing the finger ratio types and the incidence of hip or knee OA the researchers found that type 3 was associated with an increased risk of OA. In addition, they found that participants with the type 3 ratio showed double the risk of those with type 1 or 2. Women with type 1 fingers had a greater risk of osteoarthritis of the knee than men.

Another trend that was uncovered was the smaller the upper finger joint ratio, the greater the risk of knee OA, even after adjusting for normal OA risk factors.

The team concluded that the 2D:4D ratio appears to be a new risk factor for osteoarthritis and that women with the “male” type 3 2D:4D pattern are at higher risk to develop knee osteoarthritis. The underlying mechanism for this risk is unclear and the team called for more research.

Originally posted 2008-01-09 23:29:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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