Category Archives: medical

Thirty percent increase in risk of fracture after gastric bypass

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A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research shows that the risk of fractures increases by about 30 percent after a gastric bypass operation. It was also discovered that falls increase after these operations.

“Gastric bypass is a well-established method that has proven effective in reducing obesity, diabetes and mortality, so naturally our findings do not mean that you should stop providing these types of operations,” says Mattias Lorentzon, professor of geriatrics at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Chief Physician at the University Hospital.

The study is based on the records of 38,971 patients who underwent gastric bypass operations, of which 7,758 had diabetes and 31,213 did not. Those who had had the operation were compared with an equally large group of individuals who had not been operated on and who had the equivalent morbidity and background data.

Full story at Science Daily

Eight exercises for tennis elbow

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Tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. It occurs when a person strains the tendons in their forearm. People can usually treat tennis elbow at home with rest and over-the-counter medication. Doing specific exercises can also help ease the pain and prevent reoccurrence.

We describe eight exercises to help strengthen muscles in the forearm and prevent tennis elbow from coming back. We also cover causes and symptoms, home treatment, prevention, and when to see a doctor.

Before trying these exercises, wait for any swelling to go down. It is also a good idea to check with a doctor or a physical or occupational therapist first.

Full story at Medical News Today

FLEX CEUs: New CEU Courses

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MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND PAIN CONDITIONS

Pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) is a very common symptom.  The goals of this CEU course is to examine the occurrence of pain in MS patients, to identify the pain conditions and the relationship to important demographic variables, and to determine its impact on quality of life.  Also discussed in this course is the occurrence of central pain (CP) and its characteristics.

DANCER INJURIES AND WELLNESS

Dance participation, through its athletic nature can introduce risk of injury, but unlike sports, is not always recognized that specialist medicinal provision will assist in the mitigation of that risk.  This CEU course examines the extent of injury in dance participation and the impact that specialist dance medicine provision has on overall dance injury incidence, determines the effects of a ballet class on the levels of inflammation markers, and reviews the development and evaluation of a dancer wellness program.

Free Continuing Education for Life!

Did you know that we have a program available that gives you free continuing education for life? If this sounds like something you’re interested in, just visit https://www.flextherapistceus.com/account-refer.php to get all the details.

Prosthetic limbs represented like hands in brain

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The human brain can take advantage of brain resources originally devoted to the hand to represent a prosthetic limb, a new UCL-led study concludes.

Among people with only one hand, the brain area that enables us to recognise hands can also recognise a prosthetic hand, particularly among those who use a prosthesis regularly, according to the new Brain paper.

The study provides the first account of how artificial limbs are represented in the brains of amputees.

“While the use of a prosthesis can be very beneficial to people with one hand, most people with one hand prefer not to use one regularly, so understanding how they can be more user-friendly could be very valuable,” said the study’s lead author, Dr Tamar Makin (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience).

Full story at Medical Xpress

How does exercise preserve the aging brain?

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Further evidence that doing aerobic exercise can preserve brain health and function — and thereby reduce the risk of dementia — is revealed in a study of older individuals with slight but noticeable declines in memory and thinking.

The researchers — from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas — think that their study is the first to use an objective measure of aerobic capacity to assess the relationship between white matter integrity, cognitive performance, and cardiorespiratory fitness in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

“This research,” explains first study author Kan Ding, an assistant professor of neurology and neurotherapeutics, “supports the hypothesis that improving people’s fitness may improve their brain health and slow down the aging process.”

Full story at Medical News Today

What is iliotibial band syndrome and how is it treated?

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People who exercise regularly, particularly runners, are prone to experience pain in the outer part of the knee. When this occurs, iliotibial band syndrome may be the cause.

Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome is often caused by repetitively bending the knee during physical activities, such as running, cycling, swimming, and climbing.

The IT band is a group of fibers that run the length of the upper leg, from the hip to the top of the shin.

Full story at Medical New Today

APTA Physical Therapy Outcomes Registry Again Receives CMS Designation for MIPS Reporting

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APTA’s Physical Therapy Outcomes Registry (Registry) has been approved again by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a qualified clinical data registry (QCDR). The designation for 2018 means that physical therapists (PTs) who participate in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program can submit their data directly from the Registry, but the CMS approval is also an acknowledgment that APTA offers a robust, reliable system for tracking and benchmarking patient outcomes.

Although voluntary for now, PT participation in MIPS could be mandatory as early as 2019, making it important to become familiar with the system (APTA encourages eligible PTs to voluntarily participate in MIPS now).The Registry’s QCDR status will be particularly helpful for practices whose electronic health records (EHRs) do not have the capability to report directly to MIPS.

According to Heather Smith, PT, MPH, APTA’s director of quality, the value of the Registry goes well beyond MIPS data submission.

Full story at APTA

From PTJ: Office Work Doesn’t Have To Be a Pain in the Neck

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Office workers with neck pain may benefit from workplace-based strengthening exercises, especially those focused on the neck and shoulder, say authors of a recent systematic review.

Among all occupations, office workers are at the highest risk for neck pain, with approximately half of all office workers experiencing neck pain each year. “Workplace-based interventions are becoming important to reduce the burden of neck pain,” researchers write, “due to the increasing responsibility of companies toward employee health, and the potential cost-savings and productivity gains associated with a healthy workforce.”

Full story at APTA

What causes muscle soreness and stiffness?

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Muscle stiffness is when the muscles feel tight and difficult to move, particularly after resting.

Muscles stiffness can also be accompanied by pain, cramping, and discomfort.

It is usually not a cause for concern and can be treated with home remedies and stretching.

In this article, we look at some causes of muscle stiffness, as well as home remedies and when to see a doctor.

Full story at Medical News Today

CDC: 40% of Patients With Arthritis Don’t Receive Exercise Counseling From Providers

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Better, but still plenty of room for improvement—that’s the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) take on a recent analysis of the rate at which health care providers are counseling patients with arthritis to engage in physical activity (PA). The good news: the percentage of individuals with arthritis who received provider counseling for exercise grew by 17.6% between 2002 and 2014. The bad news: even after that growth, nearly 4 in 10 patients with arthritis still aren’t receiving any information from their providers on the benefits of PA.

The CDC analysis, which appeared in a recent edition of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, uses data from the National Health Interview Survey gathered in 2002 and 2014. In those years, the survey included a question on whether respondents had been told they have “arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia,” as well as a question asking whether “a doctor or other health professional [has] ever suggested physical activity or exercise to help your arthritis or joint symptoms?”

Full story at APTA