Juvenile Arthritis
New ligament found in the human knee
A previously unknown ligament in the human knee has been discovered by two Belgian knee surgeons, with implications particularly for those who have anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.
Some people who have successful ACL repair surgery and rehabilitation continue to experience episodes where the knee gives way during activity and now we know why.
Dr Steven Claes and Prof Johan Bellemans have identified the anterolateral ligament (ALL), which is present in 97% of all human knees. Pivot shift (the giving way of the knee in people with an ACL tear), is caused by an injury in the ALL ligament. Continue reading
Device makes Kindles easier to use for people with poor dexterity
Many people, particularly those with poor dexterity, are much happier to use Kindles to read from as they don’t have to hold open a book, but many find the buttons awkward. Older people also enjoy the larger print available in Kindles but again find the ‘fiddly’ buttons a challenge.
A new device is being developed by Monmouth-based design company, E2L. The Kindle e-reader page turner allows push-button Kindles to be enjoyed by everyone, by adding large ‘paddles’ to either side of the eBook and a much larger on/off switch. Continue reading
Children with arthritis have better outcomes today than ever before
Children with juvenile arthritis have a much higher quality of life today than 25 years ago, scientists outlined at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in San Diego.
A team from the University of Genoa in Italy looked at the records of 1,079 children who were treated for juvenile arthritis between 1987 and 2012 and assessed changes in disease activity and physical disability.
They found a progressive decline in the levels of disease activity and disability in children with juvenile arthritis over the 25-year study period, explained by the advances in the management of the disease. Continue reading
Discovery of the trigger of inflammation leads to hope for longer, healthier lives
Inflammation is behind many age-related diseases such as arthritis, gout, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. Even when it doesn’t cause disease it can still lead to loss of function and reduces healthspan (the portion of our lives spent relatively free of serious illness).
But a team from the Yale School of Medicine has discovered a vital trigger of inflammation: sensor Nlrp3 inflammasome. It means that instead of tackling each age-dependent disease separately, experts could umbrella them together, says the team in Cell Metabolism. Continue reading
Flat feet can cause lower back pain in women
The shape of women’s feet may contribute to their risk of lower back pain, says research published in Rheumatology.
A large US study of 1,930 women and men found that women who walk with flat feet were 50% more likely than those with normal or high arches to experience lower back pain. But the same relationship didn’t exist for men. Continue reading
