New ligament discovered in knee, Belgian surgeons say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The knee joint is surrounded by ligaments to provide stability and support.

knee surgeons in Belgium say they have identified a previously unfamiliar ligament in the human knee.

Writing in the Journal of Anatomy, they suggest the fibrous band could play a part in one of the most common sports injuries worldwide.

Despite glimpses of the ligament in medical history, this is the first time its structure and purpose have been so clearly established, they say.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction “Body Scan”

Eating Cherries can help with Gout

Eating cherries can reduce the risk of gout attacks, a study has suggested.

US researchers found patients with gout who ate cherries over a two-day period had a 35% lower risk of attacks compared to those who did not.

The study in Arthritis & Rheumatism said cherries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants which contain anti-inflammatory properties.

UK experts said the research offered “good evidence” of the benefits of eating cherries for people with gout.

Gout is a common type of Arthritis that can cause sudden and very severe attacks of pain and swelling in the joints, particularly in the feet.

It is caused by too much uric acid in the bloodstream, which causes urate crystals to start to form in and around the joints and under the skin.

‘Nano pit’ technique to extend life of hip replacements

A Scottish team of biologists, nano-engineers and surgeons has come up with a new technique which could mean hip replacements that last a lifetime.

The researchers want to coat key surfaces with a “nano-pattern” pitted plastic to encourage stem cells to form bone in contact with the new joint.

The system aims to combat problems with the body forming soft tissues around hip replacements.

Work is under way to develop prototype devices over the coming years.

It’s the potential solution to a problem which faces everyone who gets a new hip – it won’t stay new.

You’ll be lucky to get 15 years out of it before your hip replacement needs to be replaced.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dominic Meek, from Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital, said the hip replacement procedure had become a victim of its own success.

“One of the problems is that it’s been so successful that we’ve been putting them into a lot more, younger patients – and they’re a lot more active,” he said.

“So because of this they’ve been wearing out these hip joints.”

Michael Mosley on intermittent Fasting

Scientists are uncovering evidence that short periods of fasting, if properly controlled, could achieve a number of health benefits, as well as potentially helping the overweight, as Michael Mosley discovered.

I’d always thought of fasting as something unpleasant, with no obvious long term benefits. So when I was asked to make a documentary that would involve me going without food, I was not keen as I was sure I would not enjoy it.

But the Horizon editor assured me there was great new science and that I might see some dramatic improvements to my body. So, of course, I said, “yes”.

I am not strong-willed enough to diet over the long term, but I am extremely interested in the reasons why eating less might lead to increased life span, particularly as scientists think it may be possible to get the benefits without the pain.

How you age is powerfully shaped by your genes. But there’s not much you can do about that.

Calorie restriction, eating well but not much, is one of the few things that has been shown to extend life expectancy, at least in animals. We’ve known since the 1930s that mice put on a low-calorie, nutrient-rich diet live far longer. There is mounting evidence that the same is true in monkeys.

Green Lipped Mussels help relieve Arthritic Pain

Marine biologists in New Zealand have identified a compound in an extract from the native green-lipped mussel that appears to relieve symptoms of arthritis. The biologists, mainly from the School of Medicine at the University Auckland, hope to develop the compound into a drug for treating the disease.

Capsules containing crude extracts from the green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) have been sold as food supplements under the brand name Seatone for 20 years in 65 countries. The active component turns out to be a glycoprotein which blocks the action of neutrophils, white blood cells that trigger the immune system into action at sites of infection or tissue injury.

Neutrophils anchor themselves to the walls of blood vessels and act as ‘gatekeepers’, allowing chemicals of the immune system to enter and combat infection. Inflammation occurs when neutrophils allow the substances to attack healthy tissue.

‘The glycoprotein occupies the sites on blood vessel walls where neutrophils normally dock,’ says John Croft, who manages a marine farm and hatchery where 800 tonnes of the mussels are grown and harvested each year. If the neutrophils cannot dock, they cannot trigger inflammation.

Arthritis of the Hip.

Arthritis of the Hip.

Patient: Man 66 years
Occupation: Retired Accountant
Pain: 3/10

Complaint: This Gentleman is a keen Golfer, he has minor O.A. of the left Hip . Walking any distance causes pain in the groin and knee. The condition is not bad enough to need an Hip replacement operation. The pain is negligible at rest.

Treatment: Deep Massage and Mobilisation of the Hip & Low Back. Acupuncture of Trigger Points around the groin and inner thigh really eased the condition, and allows the Gentleman to play Golf.

Prognosis: The hip joint may deteriorate over time and need a hip replacement operation. I see this Gentleman at monthly intervals, and things have been stable for 2 years.