Back pain: a problem of evolution

Man is a vertebrate ie. he has a backbone. Most animals, which are classed as vertebrates walk on four legs, or like the apes, support their movement using their arms and legs.

In the course of standing erect, the spine once functioning as a beam ( horizontal plane), now had to adapt itself to the disadvantages of becoming a pillar ( vertical plane), in which the spinal discs were now detrim…

Yoga should heal, not hurt

Yoga should heal, not hurt, according to Roger Cole, Ph.D. In his presentation at the ninth-annual American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition, Cole reviewed the injuries most often suffered by yoga practitioners and recommended ways to avoid them.

“Many injuries such as those to the knees, back, neck, shoulders, wrists and ankles occur when practi…

New therapeutic hope for degenerative disc disease

Study Suggests Possible Role of Embryonic Cells from the Notochord of Dogs to Regenerate Disc Cartilage.

Degenerative disc disease is one of today’s most common and costly medical conditions. Marked by the gradual erosion of cartilage between the vertebrae, this destructive disease of the spine routinely provokes low back pain, the leading cause of disability in people under age 45 in the Un…

New insights into impact of injury on cartilage cells

Documented in extensive studies, backed by the anecdotal evidence of professional athletes, impact injury to joints causes degeneration of cartilage.

In most cases, the eventual result is the pain, stiffness, and compromised mobility of osteoarthritis (OA). Yet, questions remain surrounding the role of the inflammatory system in the cartilage destruction following mechanical trauma.

Tissu…

Australian-European research collaboration

Under an Australian Government research grant, Australian and European scientists will join forces to try to develop new treatments for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, type1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and prostate cancer.

Two Victorian researchers will receive almost $1.2 million over five years through the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The Australian-European Uni…

Anti-inflamm proteins may contribute to chronic pain

Chronic widespread pain, a common medical condition, can be difficult to treat and is often associated with fatigue, poor sleep and depression.

A connection between fibromayalgia (FM) and cytokines (proteins that act as messengers between cells) was suspected after cancer patients treated with the cytokine interleukin -2 developed FM-like symptoms. Since then, other studies have shown contra…

Evidence of new hereditary joint disorder

A family history uncovers a syndrome marked by cartilage prone to ‘Bubbling’ and peeling away from the bone.

While characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease that affects millions of people worldwide, cartilage erosion and bone abnormalities are also associated with many rare hereditary conditions.

In the October 2005 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism researcher…

Researchers offer first direct proof of how arthritis destroys cartilage

A team of orthopaedic researchers has found definitive, genetic proof of how the most common form of arthritis destroys joint cartilage in nearly 21 million aging Americans, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The findings serve as an important foundation for the design of new treatments for Osteoarthritis (OA), researchers said.

OA gradually destroys …

Link between arthritis and heart attack

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have found that women with rheumatoid arthritis may significantly increase their risk of heart attack by approximately two-fold over an extended period of time. The findings appear in the March 11th issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“We examined the rates of heart attack and rheumatoid arthritis in more than 114…

New hope for tissue regeneration and joint repair

Recent study indicates therapeutic promise of adult human multi-potent Stem Cells derived from the thick membrane covering the surface of bones.

Inflammation, cartilage and bone erosions, joint destruction that’s the typical progression of arthritis and most rheumatic diseases.

While inflammation may be controlled, and perhaps even eliminated, with early aggressive treatment, few therapeu…