Orthopedics/Sports - January 2014 Archives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwVjAKAjo7w ROCHESTER, Minn. ― Jan. 27, 2014 ― Mayo Clinic has opened the Mayo Clinic Department of Defense (DOD) Medical Research Office. The office, in Rochester, MN., is designed to be an easy to use single point of contact, linking the research needs of the DOD with Mayo Clinic investigators capable of addressing those needs, and to improve access to funding to serve DOD research and development priorities. The office oversees Mayo Clinic's portfolio of DOD-funded research, which has evolved over Mayo’s long and successful partnership with the U.S. government. Today, dozens of Mayo Clinic researchers receive funding for special projects that use new technologies and innovative solutions to support military readiness, functional restoration and rehabilitation after complex injuries, restore health and improve wellness of military populations. “This is a continuation of Mayo Clinic’s 150-year legacy with the DOD,” says Peter Amadio, M.D., director of the office, and an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic. “The office and website are designed to strengthen this long-standing relationship and to not only match DOD research needs with the expertise of Mayo Clinic, but also accelerate the entire process from proposal development to funding to delivery of a completed project.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve had pain in my right shoulder for a few weeks that has been getting worse rather than better, even though I’m letting it rest. I have read the term “frozen shoulder” – could that be what I have? What causes it? Should I see my doctor, or will it eventually heal on its own?   ANSWER: It is possible that you are experiencing a condition known as frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). Although recovery can take several months to a year or more, a variety of treatments may help improve your shoulder joint’s range of motion. Make an appointment to see your doctor. He or she will be able to discuss your symptoms and help determine the cause.  Your shoulder joint is made up of bones, ligaments and tendons. Surrounding the joint is strong connective tissue called the shoulder capsule. Normally, the capsule and joint are lubricated by synovial fluid. Frozen shoulder occurs when the capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint. Stiff tissue bands (adhesions) may develop, and there may be less synovial fluid in the joint. Usually, just one shoulder is affected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYmouQI7PDI ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 13, 2014 — Shoulder arthritis is a common problem for rheumatoid arthritis patients: pain and difficulty moving their arms can grow so severe that daily tasks and sleep become difficult.  If medication and physical therapy aren’t enough, shoulder replacement surgery is a common next step. Despite surgical challenges with some rheumatoid arthritis patients, the procedure improves range of motion and reduces pain in nearly all cases, especially for those with intact rotator cuffs, a Mayo Clinic study shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. “I think it’s quite encouraging,” says senior author John Sperling, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. “What we’ve learned from this study is that if people do develop significant pain in their shoulder due to arthritis associated with rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder arthroplasty really is a predictable and reliable operation to help them improve their function and relieve pain.” Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Sperling are available in the downloads. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, causing joint problems and sometimes affecting other organs. Many patients eventually develop shoulder arthritis; sometimes, bones start wearing away and rotator cuffs tear, making shoulder replacement surgery more complicated.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am 36 years old and have had constant pain in my right hip for two years. Last year I was diagnosed with moderate degenerative hip disease. Medication managed my pain initially but is no longer effective. My doctor says the next step is a steroid shot or a procedure that involves going in and “cleaning the roughness.” What does this mean? ANSWER: In a person your age, several choices are available to treat degenerative hip disease. When medications do not help, one of the options you mention usually is the next step. Lifestyle changes could help relieve some of your symptoms, too. Degenerative joint disease, also known as osteoarthritis, happens when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time. Cartilage is firm, slippery tissue that allows your joints to move smoothly. In osteoarthritis, the surface of the cartilage becomes rough. Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, bone rubs on bone.