Women are more likely to experience osteoarthritis than men, and the most common causes include age, repetitive joint movement, and trauma. Genetics can also play a factor in the development of osteoarthritis. Arthritis in the hands may also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis or post-traumatic arthritis. The hand and wrist have multiple small joints that…
What is a Muscle Spasm? Muscle Spasm of skeletal muscles are most common and are often due to overuse and muscle fatigue, dehydration, and electrolyte abnormalities. The spasm occurs abruptly, is painful, and is usually short-lived. It may be relieved by gently stretching the muscle. Muscle spasms can occur at any time to anyone. Whether…
List of Orthopedic Conditions
What is Ankylosing Spondylitis? Ankylosing spondylitis (pronounced ank-kih-low-sing spon-dill-eye-tiss), or AS, is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, although other joints can become involved. It causes inflammation of the spinal joints. this inflammation can lead to ankylosis — new bone formation in the spine — causing sections of the spine to fuse…
Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. In scoliosis, the spine curves to the side when viewed from the front, and each involved vertebra also twists on the next one in a corkscrew fashion. This twisting is known as rotoscoliosis. This may cause one shoulder to be higher than…
What is Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction? Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a condition where the sacroiliac joint, which connects the sacrum to the ilium, becomes tender and swollen. This can cause pain in the lower back and buttocks that may radiate down into the legs. Treatment for this condition typically involves resting, over-the-counter painkillers, muscle relaxants, and…
What is Sciatica Pain? Sciatica is a condition that can lead to pain in the low back and legs. It occurs when pain travels along the path of the sciatic nerve. This nerve starts in your lower spine, and travels through your hip and buttock and down the back of your leg to your foot….
What is Lumbar Spondylolisthesis? Lumbar Spondylolisthesis occurs when one of the lumbar vertebrae in the spine moves forward relative to the vertebrae below it, causing pain or weakness. The most common area for spondylolisthesis to occur is within the bottom level of the lumbar spine between L5-S1. This slippage can lead to pressure on the…
What is a Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease? Lumbar degenerative disc disease is a chronic condition that affects the spine. It is most commonly found in older individuals and is characterized by changes in the intervertebral discs, which are the shock absorbers of the spine. The discs become less elastic with age, and are subject to…
Introduction Types of arthritis The goal of knee replacement surgery is to resurface the parts of the knee joint that have been damaged and to relieve knee pain that cannot be controlled by other treatments. Types of Knee replacement There are four main types of knee replacement surgery: Total knee replacement Partial knee replacement Knee…
