 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
||||||
Don't Get Down on Your Knees All I have to do is look around at my health club to know that knee problems are a major concern for many guys-especially those trying to maintain their athletic ways into their middle years. The strain of tennis, pickup basketball, skiing, or a host of other sports can begin to add up when we hit our forties. But I was still surprised when I read recently just how common knee problems really are. The American Academy of Orthopaedics reports that it is far and away the major reason why men see bone specialists. Knee problems account for 26 percent of their visits-4.1 million of them every year. The back and hip take back seats, at 17.6 and 14.8 percent, respectively. Most knee problems involve either injury to the ligaments that support the bones of the knee or breakdown of the cartilage that cushions the contacts between the bones. Downhill skiers, for example, are prone to injure the anterior cruciate ligament, which keeps the upper and lower leg aligned. Cartilage deterioration is more often the result of osteoarthritis, a condition that affects about 16 million Americans. Orthopaedic doctors have many more treatment options to offer than they did in the past. Knee pain can sometimes be relieved by changes in activity, medications, cortisone injections, or careful work with a physical therapist. More severe problems may require surgical repair, but even that isn't what it used to be. Most of the time, the orthopaedic surgeon can use a technique called arthroscopy, wherein a flexible tool is inserted through a quarter-inch incision. With the arthroscope, the surgeon can inspect the inside of the knee and perform a variety of repairs. The end of the line for knee problems is total knee replacement. About 165,000 of these are done each year, on patients ranging from 16 years old to 90. An artificial knee won't return you to the Dallas Cowboys backfield, but it will allow you to get back to most normal activities. If you've got healthy knees now, please take care of them. Many injuries occur when middle-aged guys who've put on 20 pounds or so and haven't really kept in shape try to pretend that they're still 20 years old. By all means, do exercise. But get back in shape slowly, building strength in the muscles that support your knees and shedding the extra weight than puts strain on them. You'll feel better, and your knees will thank you.
About us | Contact us | Referring physicians | Topics | Prevention | Male Health Quiz | Resources | For Women | Home
|
