Orthopedics/Sports - August 2013 Archives

  Our Labor Day weekend program (8/31) will feature a rebroadcast of a previous show with Mark Christopherson, M.D., during which we discussed spinal cord injuries.  ...

"The problem wasn't in Juan Martin's head ... it was in his wrist." The 2009 U.S. Open tennis champ Juan Martin del Potro is making another run for the championship ... seeded sixth in this year's U.S. Open. Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon Richard Berger, M.D., Ph.D., helped the Argentinian tennis star overcome a debilitating wrist injury suffered after del Potro won the 2009 U.S. Open. Read more in Reeves Wiedeman's article in Grantland.  Journalists: For interviews with Dr. Berger contact Lee Aase at aase.lee@mayo.edu or call 507-266-2442.

The 2009 U.S. Open tennis champ Juan Martin del Potro is making another run for ...

  There will be a new face at Northern Arizona University (NAU) football games this fall – only the face of this new "team member" is a robot on wheels. Mayo Clinic researchers are working with NAU to test the feasibility of using a telemedicine robot to assess athletes with suspected concussions during football games. With sophisticated robotic technology, use of a specialized remote-controlled camera system allows patients to be "seen" by the neurology specialist, miles away, in real time. The robot is equipped with a specialized camera system and remotely operated by a neurologist from the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix campus who has the ability to assess a player for symptoms and signs of a concussion, and to consult with sideline medical personnel. The first time the robot will be used in a game is this Friday, Aug. 30, when NAU kicks off its season against the University of Arizona in Tucson at 7 p.m. MDT. Click here for news release. Journalists: B-roll of the robot is available in the downloads.  

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and a top cause of disability. Also, many people who injure their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), are at higher risk of developing arthritis.  In an attempt to learn more about osteoarthritis prevention and treatment, Mayo Clinic is joining an Arthritis Foundation-funded study to analyze damaged cartilage before osteoarthritis sets in. Researchers will use biomarkers and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the joint surface cartilage of patients who have just torn their ACL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x_zGpHtD0Y&hd=1 Study co-investigator Michael Stuart, M.D., vice-chair of orthopedic surgery and co-director of the Sports Medicine Center, says, “Many patients, maybe up to one-half, who tear their anterior cruciate ligament are at risk for developing post-traumatic or after-injury arthritis over time. This group of patients affords an opportunity for us to study injured articular cartilage using biomarkers and MRI, then hopefully apply new treatment strategies that can prevent arthritis in the future.” Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Stuart are available in the downloads.

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Sleep tips: 7 steps to better sleep Better sleep can be yours! Consider sleep tips for the weary. Slide show: 10 great health foods Add these nutritious foods to the menu and give your diet a healthy boost. EXPERT ANSWERS Ozone air purifiers: Can they improve asthma symptoms? Ozone air purifiers don't reduce asthma symptoms. In fact, they can make asthma worse HEALTHY RECIPES Grilled chicken breasts with roasted yellow tomato sauce Green smoothie Grilled flank steak salad with roasted corn vinaigrette Barley and roasted tomato risotto HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK Top 5 foods to lower your cholesterol A few tweaks to your diet may be enough to lower your cholesterol to a healthy level and help you stay off medications. Consider adding these cholesterol-lowering foods to your diet: 1. Oatmeal and oat bran. 2. Walnuts, almonds and other nuts. 3. Fish - mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. 4. Olive oil. 5. Foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols, such as margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks.  

  On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program (8/24), the studio will be full with three orthopedics experts. Mark Morrey, M.D., will join your host Tom ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N-4JnfNmLg The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports up to 170,000 young athletes go to the emergency department every year for possible traumatic ...

Mayo Clinic is now offering chronic pain sufferers a new, implantable pain-blocking device approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — that is safe for full-body MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanners. The device is an advancement on neurostimulation technology that's been is use for decades, but has been denied many patients who would likely need ongoing MRI scans. Also called spinal cord stimulation, the small, battery-powered transmitters deliver signals through electrical leads implanted along the spinal cord. The signals interfere with pain messages traveling from nerves to the brain. Mayo Clinic pain medicine specialist, Halena Gazelka, M.D., says the devices work extremely well for the majority of people with intractable back, arm and leg pain. But, until now, she's had to tell numerous patients they couldn't use one because MRI scans were more important for managing their medical conditions. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Halena (hah-LEE-nah) Gazelka (gah-ZEL-kah) and b-roll of the device, x-rays and a spinal model are available in the downloads. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpVLb4RCG_0

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Psoriasis risk factors Anyone can develop psoriasis, but certain factors can increase your risk of developing the disease. Slide show: Common skin rashes See pictures of common skin rashes that may be of concern. EXPERT ANSWERS Psoriasis treatment: Can fish oil supplements reduce symptoms? Fish oil supplements may be helpful in psoriasis treatment, but use caution. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection? For many women, menopause and high blood pressure seem to go hand in hand. HEALTHY RECIPES Hawaiian calzone Hot ham and cheese sandwiches with mushrooms Tuna salad sandwiches Chicken quesadillas  HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK Are your beverage calories adding up? When it comes to weight loss, all calories count. If you're drinking too many calories, look for easy ways to scale back: 1. Switch to low-fat or fat-free milk. 2. Choose water instead of juices and sodas. 3. Perk up plain water with a splash of juice or a twist of lemon or lime. 4. Trade alcoholic drinks for sparkling water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw8HG1kVKMI The recent suspensions of high-profile major league baseball players has raised a lot of questions about performance enhancing drugs. HGH, or human growth hormone, is one substance that's found its way into the headlines. Mayo Clinic physiology researcher, Michael Joyner, M.D., says HGH is produced naturally in the body. Dr. Joyner says it's there primarily to help children grow, but diminishes in the blood stream as we age. Some have even tried to slow the aging process with synthetic HGH injections. Dr. Joyner says because the hormone can temporarily increase muscle mass and help muscles recover more quickly after intense use, it's become a tempting way for professional athletes to try to gain an edge. Major League Baseball started testing for HGH last year, but Dr. Joyner says it's still one of the easiest performance enhancing drugs to abuse. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Joyner are available in the downloads.

On Saturday, August 10, a handful of Mayo experts will join us to discuss sending kids of all ages back to school.  From preschool to college-aged kids, we ...