- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Childhood Food Allergies on the Rise
- Obesity May Raise Kids' Allergy Risk
- Keep Asthma, Allergies at Bay for the Holidays
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Bitter Melon Extract May Slow, Stop Breast Cancer
- Many Cancer Patients Turn to Complementary Medicine
- Acupuncture Eases Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects
- ANIMAL CARE
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Animals Respond to Acupuncture's Healing Touch
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- BONES & JOINTS
- Many Americans Fall Short on Their Vitamin D
- Scientists ID New Genes Tied to Crohn's Disease
- Most Women With Osteoporosis Unaware of Raised Fracture Risk
- CANCER
- Seaweed May Help Treat Lymphoma
- Ginger Can Ease Nausea From Chemotherapy Treatments
- Hypnosis Cuts Hot Flashes for Breast Cancer Survivors
- CAREGIVING
- Moms Who Breast-Feed Less Likely to Neglect Child
- Newborn Screenings Now Required Across U.S.
- Simpler Sleep Apnea Treatment Seems Effective, Affordable
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Common Antioxidant Might Slow Parkinson's
- An Apple a Day May Help Keep Heart Disease Away
- Salt Boosts Blood Pressure in High-Risk Patients
- COSMETIC
- Science May Banish Bad Hair Days
- Wrinkle Fillers Need Better Label Warnings: FDA Panel
- What to Do If You Have Unsightly Veins
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Health Tip: At Risk for Gingivitis
- Good Oral Hygiene May Protect Against Heart Infections
- Acupuncture May Ease Anxiety Over Dental Work
- DIABETES
- Saliva Test Could Monitor Type 2 Diabetes
- Fish Twice a Week Cuts Diabetics' Kidney Risks
- Whole Grains Take a Bite Out of Type 2 Diabetes Risk
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Folic Acid Might Offer Allergy Relief
- Want to Stop Cancer? You Can, Experts Say
- Many Cancer Survivors Don't Adopt Healthy Lifestyle
- DISABILITIES
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Plastics Chemical Tied to Aggression in Young Girls
- Staying Slim Is Good for the Environment
- Chemical in Plastics May Cause Fertility Problems
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Green Tea May Ward Off Eye Disease
- Poor Night Vision May Predict Age-Related Eye Disease
- When Gauging Age, the Eyes Have It
- FITNESS
- Mom and Baby Alike May Benefit From Exercise
- Walking Golf Course Affects Swing, Performance
- Exercise May Prevent Prostate Cancer: Study Shows
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive
- Olive Oil May Protect Against Bowel Disease
- Peppermint Oil, Fiber Can Fight Irritable Bowel
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Swine Flu Fatality Rate a 'Little Bit' Higher Than That of Seasonal Flu
- Pay Attention to Signs That Say You're Too Fatigued to Drive
- It Pays to Eat Less as You Age
- HEAD & NECK
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Combating Myths About Seasonal Allergies
- Save Your Aging Brain, Try Surfing The Web
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Years of Heavy Smoking Raises Heart Risks
- Most Fast-Food French Fries Cooked in Unhealthiest Oil
- Heart Disease May Be Prevented By Taking Fish Oils, Study Shows
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Dry Weather Boosts Odds of Flu Outbreaks
- Hand Washing 10 Times a Day May Help Keep Flu Away
- Bacterial Infections May Succumb to Honey
- KID'S HEALTH
- Soothing Imagery May Help Rid Some Kids of Stomach Pain
- Even Young Kids Can Learn CPR
- Time to Remind Teens About Sun Protection
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Low Iron Levels Cut Cancer Risk in Men With PAD
- Sunlight May Help Protect Men From Kidney Cancer
- Physical Activity May Prolong Survival After Colon Cancer
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Consciousness Helps the Mind and Body Work Together
- Mind Exercise Might Help Stroke Patients
- Living Alone Increases Odds of Developing Dementia
- PAIN
- Alleviating Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Are We Exercising Pain Away? Not So Much.
- Tai Chi May Help Ease Fibromyalgia
- PREGNANCY
- Pregnant Women Exposed To Certain Pollutants Could Lower Childs IQ
- Sleeping Could Help Women Lose The Baby Fat
- Exercise Boosts Bone Density in Breast-Feeding Moms
- SENIORS
- High-Impact Activity May Be Good for Old Bones
- Fitness Fades Fast After 45
- Money May Matter, Health-Wise, in Old Age
Exercise Key Player in Knee Replacement Recovery
By eHolistic.com Published: 02/04/2009
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise may play a key role in helping people recover from total knee replacement and knee osteoarthritis (OA), two new studies show.
After receiving a total knee replacement, patients following a six-week progressive strengthening program showed much improvement in strength, function and pain when compared to those following the conventional care of inpatient rehabilitation and home physical therapy, according to a University of Delaware study published in the February issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Those in the exercise program -- which consisted of sessions focused on knee extension, range of motion, kneecap mobility, quadriceps strength, pain control and gait two to three times a week -- also showed much greater strength in their quadriceps and functional performance than the other group a year after the program.
Half of those in the exercise group also received neuromuscular electrical stimulation, but the additional treatment didn't seem to have any further effect on the results.
"Our data suggest that individuals who do not undertake an intensive rehabilitation program following [total knee replacement] are clearly at a disadvantage," the authors concluded. "Failing to obtain adequate functional recovery may accelerate functional decline and predispose these individuals to an early loss of functional independence as they age."
The other study, published in the same issue of Arthritis Care & Research, found that people who engaged in activities with low muscle strength (such as light household work) or high mechanical strain (such as dancing or tennis) had a greater risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.
VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam based its findings on physical activity questionnaires filled out by almost 1,700 seniors throughout a 12-year period. The activities were scored for intensity, mechanical strain, turning action and muscle strength, then evaluated. The findings also took into account demographics, health and physical activity from earlier in life.
The authors noted a particular lack of a link between being overweight and mechanical strain to knee osteoarthritis.
"This finding could indicate that the higher risk of knee OA in obese persons may be explained by factors other than increased mechanical strain, and higher levels of physical activity may not negatively affect knee health in heavier respondents," the authors wrote.
The authors called for more research to determine the optimal amount of daily activity needed for healthy joints for each activity before using their findings to advise exercise routines for older adults.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about osteoarthritis.
-- Kevin McKeever
SOURCE: Wiley-Blackwell, news release, Jan. 29, 2009
Last Updated: Feb. 04, 2009
Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
More articles at www.eholistic.com
