Knee Arthritis|Knock Knees|Virtual Knee Surgery

If you are like me, you will have reached the age where you now suffer from a few pain issues. Therefore you will more than likely be interested in a simple way of decreasing inflammation, RSI, muscle, tendon, and medial nerve pain particularly in your hands, wrists and other joints.

For over 10 years now I have suffered from these problems particularly in my hands, wrists and right knee joint, which all become more inflamed when I play my favorite sport -- golf once a week.

Some years ago I came up with what I believe to be a pretty ingenious solution that enables me to cope with the pain when I play. There are about 14 points where I experience pain in my hands and wrists when I grip the club and take a swing. Sometimes it hurts so much I can barely grip the club at all.

My simple method is to place small circles of BluTack held in place by rigid tape at the points of pain, commonly where the finger joints form a V on top of your hand and sides of your wrists. This is then covered with an elastic pressure bandage. I guess you could possibly relate this method to some type of acupuncture, where you are applying pressure to a certain point. I don't really care about the theory -- all I know and care about is it works and I can continue playing golf.

10 years ago I could only play three painful holes of golf before the inside of my right knee would swell to the size of a tennis ball with inflammation, I either had to waddle on in severe pain or give up.

An old football friend of mine showed me how to do a kind of figure 8 bandage around my knee using rigid tape, which stabilized the joint and supported my kneecap. Walking up to 36 holes pain free became possible after mastering this simple taping technique.

Three years ago I started taking a cheap brand of fish oil capsules and noticed some minor improvements in my joints. However 18 months ago I stumbled across a superior brand of fish oil on the Internet with a high concentration of DHA omega-3 fatty acid in particular. There has been a marked improvement in reducing joint pain in my hands.

Think about trying natural alternative methods to control your joint, muscular, tendon and nerve pain, including stretching exercises. Taking painkilling pills or rubbing on these types of chemical ointments is not necessarily the most effective, safest or best long term solution.

Pool is a difficult sport, one requiring mental concentration, proper form and stance and a lot of practice. Being a whiz at geometry and knowing the right angles to pot a ball are no guarantees of success. Indeed, you need to make sure you have work on your fundamentals before you play and as you play.

One of the best ways to learn to play pool better is by watching excellent players. Attend a professional tournament if you can and just view a person playing. You'll learn a lot about her concentration skills, the way she approaches each shot and the way she executes it with precision. This will give you a working basis for playing like a pro.

Another good thing to do is to practice with another person who's at least equal in skill, if not better. He can watch your stance, your stroke and your approach and give you advice and guidance. You should also, if possible, make a video of your practice session. This is what pro football, golf and baseball players do, and it's an excellent learning tool. Be careful - you might cringe when you see your sloppy mechanics. If you have a partner or video to view, you can also find out why you missed a certain shot -- was it your approach, your form, your angle? Honestly, these two approaches are excellent at helping you master the fundamentals you need to be a hustler!

Perfecting your stance is of the utmost importance. It doesn't matter where you place your head in relation to the cue. Some people, especially older ones, like to keep it one to two feet above the cue, others, like me, like to have it almost on the cue. Whatever works for you is fine. When you stand, no one should be able to knock your shoulders around; rather, they should stay square and in place. This way you will stay planted in your stance. Then find out where you like to place your legs. Pretend you have a tripod and place your feet comfortably in that area somewhere. Keep your knees bent a little and maintain relaxation in your legs.

Then play a game of pool and focus on your stance with every shot. You'll then notice little things each time you shoot, such as your legs being askew or your head uncomfortable. Ask the person which whom you play to watch you, too, and offer constructive criticism with each shot. Soon, you'll be able to stand correctly with each shot you make. And your game will improve exponentially.

I cannot stress how important your stance is. Practice, practice, practice! You'll need it!

With Tiger Woods' recent announcement that he will not compete in the US Open in 2011, many golfers, professional or amateurs, can relate to his physical woes. Woods is currently dealing with left knee and Achilles' tendon injuries, having undergone surgery on both injuries in April. Are you feeling his pain too?

As the popularity of golf has exploded in recent years, so has the incidences of knee injury, causing, among injuries to the body, severe and chronic knee joint pain. For the recreational golfer, the most common knee injuries are caused by overuse and repetitive trauma stemming from too much play or practice, improper swing mechanics and stress on the knees, and generally poor physical conditioning. Over 50% of golf injuries occur during mid-season play, after putting continuous, unrelenting pressure on the same areas of the knees for days and weeks on end. An amateur golfer loses many weeks per year of playing time when dealing with a chronic golf injury.

Preventing Injuries While Golfing
It would be best to be aware of the following tips for how to avoid injury while golfing:

First, warming up for ten minutes or more, and stretching before beginning your golf game, will significantly reduce your chances of injury.

Next, try to work on your technical errors. Working with the local pro at the golf course to identify and address technical errors in your game can help you eliminate the errors in your stance, your swing, etc., which may cause undue stress on your body.

Last, make sure your clubs fit you properly so that you can play at your best. How are your clubs being maintained? Perhaps you need a different grip, or perhaps your clubs need to be made of a lighter, or heavier, material. Believe it or not, these small details can mean a lot when it comes to frequent use and play.

The Meniscus Tear
Although by no means exclusive to golf, a meniscus tear can be one of the injuries you will encounter from playing a lot of golf. The meniscus is a "C" shaped cartilage cushion, something like a wedge within the knee. Each knee has two of them; they cushion, support, and aid movement. Injury to the meniscus is very common and can occur from wear and tear over time or from a sudden twist or turn, hence it is a common area of complaint for many golfers.

Signs and symptoms of a meniscus tear may include: knee joint pain, swelling and stiffness, or fluid build-up inside on the top part of the knee. you may also experience the sensation that the knee is getting stuck or locking, preventing smooth motion.

As always, it is wise to seek professional or medical advice before starting treatment for knee joint pain or any other kind of physical issue. A doctor may recommend resting, icing, elevating, and putting compression on the injured knee, prescription or over the counter anti-inflammatory medication. Physical therapy might be suggested as well to strengthen and add flexibility to the knee area. Arthroscopic surgery might be a last resort to trim or remove any damaged cartilage from the meniscus.

If your symptoms are not overly severe and you feel that medical attention is not immediately necessary, then check my website for the countless effective and practical solutions you can find to alleviate your knee joint pain issues. There are a multitude of products available online, such as knee braces, crutches, or other technologically advanced support products that can immediately help the cartilage in the knee begin to heal. It would be a great idea to have some of these on hand, even before you need them, so that you will be ready in the event of a meniscus tear, or any other golfing injury to the knee.

"Always ready" is a great motto for all athletes, especially for golf enthusiasts who just can't bring themselves to put away the golf clubs even if they have to hobble a bit on the golf course.

Is it tee time yet? You betcha!

When you were a kid did you like to play with boxes? Not shoe boxes or crummy fruit boxes, but big fridge boxes or stove boxes, washing machine or tumble dryer boxes. Boxes you could really climb in and knock around in, boxes that echoed if you went, "Ooohh, ooga ooga ooga." Good boxes in other words. You had to play very carefully though; you weren't allowed to break them. Because we had to hoard boxes in those days, just in case we had to move and we needed something to pack the china ware in.

These days collecting boxes is so passé. Now we rent crates. And if you have not heard of this little phenomenon then darling, where have you been? Everyone is doing it. It's the ultimate in moving chic.

Ok, so that might be a slight exaggeration, it might still be directed more at commercial businesses than at private property or home owners right now but it's only a matter of time before the trend reaches us. Business can't have all the fun, besides I'm sure that the crate companies would like to cash in on the relatively lucrative private market. A lot of people move home you know. That's a lot of cardboard out there that needs to be replaced.

The advantages of crates over cardboard boxes are enormous. First, crates are solid. They will not bend or break thus providing better security and safety to your treasured possessions. No more worrying about your beloved books being bent all out of shape, no more worrying about the side splitting or the bottom ripping and losing granny's priceless vases. Second, the crates seal, the rain and the damp cannot get in, so again your books are safe from curling and discolouring, your curtains, blankets and bedding are safe from mildew and funky smells. Third, because they are solid and sealed they are easily movable. Fourth, because they are rented you don't have to deal with them after the move. You don't have to find space for them for the next move or throw away those that are broken beyond repair. They just get taken away. And you don't have sticky masking tape left lying around for unsuspecting bare feet to stand on. Which is always a bonus.

There is of course another advantage; because the crates can be used over and over and over again, we can all take our cardboard boxes (once kiddies have played in them to their hearts content and maybe even broken them) and have them recycled. There is no reason why we can't be more environmentally conscious while our lives are made just that little bit easier. Our homes are therefore less cluttered, we feel better about ourselves in general and we set a good example for our children. Where is the bad in that?

Crates as you can see are the bees knees, the cat's pajamas, the dog's ... well you get the point. They're very useful that's all. The time of the cardboard box is up, a new era is born, one with structure and a seal-able lid. These are exciting times. Now we just hope that that crating industry hurries up and allows us private folks to take advantage of its high quality product. Or else mild mannered suburbia might just become not so mild mannered after all.

As runners it's easy to look back after we're hurt but sometimes we forget the basics of injury prevention. Here are some suggestions to jog your memory and keep you running.

• Remember this golden rule for injury prevention: Listen to Your Body. If you have sharp pain, soreness that won't go away or you're feeling very tired and grumpy think twice about running. Use your women's intuition. Be wise, take a day or two off and rest. A few days now could save you weeks/months on the sidelines and many dollars in treatment.



• It's easy to over train. We all want to get faster and stronger, yesterday. The key is to gradually increase your mileage, no more than 10% a week and not every week. Ease into speed and hill work after you've built a good base of running.



• Invest in good running shoes for injury prevention. Compared to other sports running is inexpensive. Trying to save a few dollars by not replacing your shoes (every 300-500 miles) is not worth it. Buy your first pair of shoes from a specialty running store from someone that runs and knows how to fit you properly.



• Run on level grass fields, dirt trails or medium-hard paths. Avoid doing most of your running on hard asphalt or concrete to save your legs from excessive pounding. Look out for ruts, rocks, tree roots, holes, uneven turf, banked roads, sand, water, snow and ice when you're running.



• Include stretching as part of your workouts, especially after you run. Tight and shortened muscles are more at risk for injury. If you're short on time try stretching while reading, talking on the phone or watching TV.



• Improper or over stretching can also cause sports injuries. As a runner you'll probably never be as flexible as a yogi. However, you can easily learn proper stretching techniques. Remember stretching should never be painful.



• The buttocks, hamstrings and calf muscles can become overdeveloped with running. To prevent imbalance of the opposing muscles include strengthening exercises for your abdominals, shins and quadriceps.



• Structural (physical) problems such as weak feet, short leg, knock knees, bow legs and postural faults put extra strain on muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. Visit a sports medicine expert for a checkup, treatment and injury prevention.



• Good technique can prevent running injuries. We all have our own unique style but try to avoid leaning too far forward or back, swaying from side to side and over striding.



• Always warm-up and cool-down. You might be pressed for time but it's not worth skipping these. Ease into running, don't pick up the pace or begin speed work without 10 minutes of easy jogging. When you finish your workout jog slowly or walk for 10 minutes to cool down.



• Remember the hard/easy rule. When you train hard, think speed work, racing or long run, make the next day an easy running day. Perhaps take the day off or try a low-impact cross training workout for injury prevention.



• It's tempting to keep running while injured as you don't want to lose fitness. However, you may favor the injured area and cause stresses on other parts of your body. This may lead to more injuries.



• Take extra time when returning from injury. Reassess your training and goals. Scar tissue and stiffness in old running injuries can cause them to recur or give you new ones. Pay special attention to those areas, strengthen and stretch.



• Keep a running log for injury prevention, to track your training and habits. Rarely do running injuries occur by accident, usually there will be a sign. Reading your running journal helps you pin point where it started and you can (hopefully) learn from this.

Recently an overweight, middle-aged man came into my office suffering with aching knees. It seems that his favorite exercise of running was playing havoc on his body and he was considering giving up this sport for good. I explained the possible causes for his pain could be any of these conditions: tendinitis (inflamed tendons), bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs around the joint) or perhaps even cartilage damage. The fact he was over fifty led me to believe that is was most likely osteoarthritis.

If you sense that your joints or bones are hurting from a strenuous activity it too might be osteoarthritis. This medical condition could develop in any of your joints, but the knee's complex design and its position in the body as a weight-bearing joint, make it more susceptible.

As you get older, gravity and the everyday wear and tear on your joints gradually wear away the
protective cartilage that cushions the knee. The bone in the joint gets exposed, and you begin to have pain, stiffness, maybe even buckling or swelling of the knee. Arthritis can also develop as a result of trauma, such as ligament damage or bone fracture.

So what can you do to help those aching knees?

Make A Few Easy Changes In Your Lifestyle

Your first step is to lose excess body weight. Taking the extra stress off your joints may relieve a great deal of pain and discomfort.

Middle aged people often try to stay in shape with running, tennis or other high impact exercise, never realizing that these activities tend to hasten the wear and tear process. But don't let aging knees become an excuse for lack of exercise. You can benefit just as much from low-impact activities such as Pilates, water aerobics, walking, cycling or swimming.

I highly recommend you stretch before any exercising. It is also beneficial to warm up the muscles slightly with light walking before you do stretching exercises. Always stretch slowly. It's also wise to continue stretching after you are done with your workout!

Many arthritis patients can find benefit from physical therapy. A professional therapist will teach you the proper methods of exercise in order to improve flexibility, range of motion, and strength. If you'd had an injury to the knee, therapy can speed recovery and may reduce the chances of developing arthritis later on.
When you've got troublesome knees, it's not always convenient to stay off of them. You may find that a brace, splint, cane or elastic bandage can help you stay active.

Treat Immediate Pain

When pain flares, stay off the knee. Keeping weight and pressure off the joint allows inflammation to subside more quickly. Use crutches if needed. For immediate relief, try an ice or gel pack, especially right after physical activity, to help control swelling. Try alternating the ice with a heating pad. You might also try heat just before athletic activity to loosen the joint. Don't leave either ice or heat on the joint for more than 20 minutes at a time. A hot bath may be comforting, as well, and a hot shower upon arising in the morning can soothe stiffness.

Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often recommended for arthritis pain, but keep in mind that, if taken too frequently, these drugs can cause stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding-even kidney or liver damage. For natural pain relief, try a soothing ginger tea. Brew 3 - 4 slices of fresh ginger in 1 cup of boiling water. In a Danish study, ginger relieved pain for 55% of osteoarthritis sufferers.

Start Early With Supplements and Diet

Don't ignore pain. If you take action right away with appropriate supplements and diet, you can often reverse the effects of arthritis.

-Glucosamine, a natural chemical, helps to rebuild cartilage and fluid around the joints. Always get the sulfate form, an additional cartilage builder.

-Chondroitin, found naturally in cartilage, may reduce pain and slow breakdown of cartilage.

-Bromelain is an enzyme which helps reduce inflammation. Take a supplement, or get it from eating lots of fresh pineapple.

-Omega-3 fatty acids, especially those from fish oils, lubricate the joints and control pain.

-MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a sulfur compound essential for joint and tissue repair.

-Boswellia, an Ayurvedic herb, reduces inflammation and restores blood vessels around tissues.

-Borage seed oil contains a fatty acid (GLA) which eases pain.

Eat plenty of foods high in vitamin C (such as oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries, and peppers), or take a supplement. Boston University School of Medicine researchers studied people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Those who took over 200 mg a day of vitamin C were three times less likely to experience unfavorable symptoms than those who took less than 120 mg a day. Try eating more garlic, onions and eggs. These foods contain sulfur, which aids in repair of bone, cartilage and connective tissue.

If your knees hurt either from arthritis that comes from aging or from a previous trauma to the knee, don't think you have to live with it the rest of your life. There's plenty you can do-without living on pain relievers! And if you start soon enough, you'll most likely be able to avoid knee replacement surgery, as well.

Over the past 25 years in the martial arts I've seen many people and fads come and go. However, one thing that seems to stay the same is the romantic notion of what a "real fight" will be like. Women seem to have their heads on fairly straight when it comes to self defense but I'm sorry to say that generally I can't say the same for they guys, especially the young guys. I've asked many women why they're studying self defense and their answers seem quite realistic. Generally women talk about a guy getting too "touchy feely" and having to stop them, a guy following them home and trying to rape them, or being car jacked. Where it starts getting interesting is when you start talking to the guys.

I place a certain amount of the blame on TV and the UFC personally, but when it comes to guys nine times out of ten they almost always envision a bar fight. Women picture some drug addict kicking in their front door and coming in to rape them, but guys picture some macho scene in a bar where they go outside, put up their hands, and square off with some other guy and having some big fight like in the UFC. It takes a lot of work to break these guy's romantic notion of squaring off in a bar and trading blows with another guy while their girl cheers in the background.

The truth is that people actually squaring off and assuming fighting stances rarely, if ever, happens during a real violent encounter and if you look at statistics you'll see that they show this. After spending 5 years as a bouncer I've seen all kinds of things and hundreds of fights but never once have I seen two guys model the "sparring scenario" which is to put their hands up, get into fighting stances, and then fight. Even in a bar or nightclub there is no "stepping outside" or putting your hands up; if a guy gets pissed off and wants to get you they'll walk right up to you with a smile on their face and when they're standing right next to you they'll sucker punch you with an ashtray and then start kicking you when you're down and helpless.

The point I'm trying to make is that the notion of putting your hands up and getting in a fighting stance is really just romantic B.S. Sure if you're just messing around or in a competition you have the luxury of "getting ready" but when someone really wants to hurt you it's not a luxury you will have. If someone wants to punch you they won't put their hands up first so you can see it coming, they will walk up to you and sucker punch you. A common tactic that I've seen used time and time again, and is also commonly used to mug people on the street, is for the "bad guy" to pretend to ignore someone and walk up to them like they're going to walk right past them, and then when they get right next to them they suddenly turn and punch, grab, shoot or stab them. Another popular tactic is to maneuver behind them and punch them or jab an object in their kidney which can completely incapacitate them.

The threat that people face isn't some big guy in a bar, its violent crime which is aggravated assault, forcible rape, robbery, and murder. It would be great if someone that wanted to rob or rape you would walk up to you and announce their intentions so you both could get into fighting stances and use your best sparring techniques, but statistically the encounter will actually start with you being blindsided and punched, stabbed, bludgeoned, or shot. Statistically, when you actually become aware that its time to start defending yourself its far more likely that you'll be laying on the ground and bleeding with one or more people standing over you, then dancing around in your sparring stance.

Luckily there is a silver lining and that lining is that since the person that actually wants to hurt you isn't going to bother with putting their hands up, getting in a sparring stance, dancing around with fancy footwork, worrying about kicking and punching ranges, setting up combinations, and pretty much everything else that is a part of sparring, you don't have to worry about that either. When a real criminal attacks you they won't be in a fancy stance or using fancy footwork, if they attack you they will just walk right up to you and attack leaving themselves wide open and completely vulnerable the entire time. If they throw a right hook, which is how most assaults and fights start, they'll just walk right up to you and throw it which means that every single target on their body will be exposed and unprotected.

If you're walking down the street and someone surprises you by coming out of nowhere and punching you in the face, as long as they haven't knocked you out or incapacitated you then you can defend yourself. You don't have to worry about all that fancy sparring b.s. because your attacker will be standing right next to you completely exposed. At this point he will probably be grabbing you with one hand and punching you with the other, but as long as you're still conscious you can turn the tables. All you have to do is locate one vulnerable area on his body and hit it as hard as you can.

Let's say you're bent over and he's repeatedly punching you in the back. While he's doing this you look up and see his eye so you simply step into him and jam your finger into his eye as hard as you can and push as aggressively as possible. You've just collapsed the dome of his eyeball and now his optic fluid is running down your arm as he drops to the ground, grabs his eye, and begins screaming, giving you a chance to run away.

He may have broken your nose and nearly ruptured your kidney from the repeated punches but he didn't knock you out or incapacitate you; while all you did was look at someone who was completely open, pick a vulnerable area, step in and hit that area, and then follow through. As long as he didn't knock you out you can defend yourself and you have a completely open and vulnerable person right there.

Since criminals like to surprise you and sucker punch you its very unlikely that most people will ever see the attack coming unless they've received the proper training and are using it. Even then you can be surprised which is why a lot of situations start with someone bent over covering their head, or on the ground, with someone standing right there hitting or kicking them repeatedly.

Here's a quick technique that has saved several people. You're walking down the street minding your own business when you notice that just up ahead there is a man leaning against a building looking at you. As you get closer he comes off the wall and walks towards you. He's now just about 6 feet away and he says, "Hey, do you have the time?" You instinctively look down at your watch and just as you're focusing in on the dial you feel like a bomb exploded in your head. The stranger managed to distract you for just a second and as soon as you looked down at your watch he came forwards and punched you in the face with this right hand. Now your head is ringing, you're seeing double, and your knees are starting to buckle. You've just been knocked nearly unconscious and you never saw it coming.

You're a little dizzy and off balance as you instinctively bend forward and cover your head with your arms. Your attacker grabs your left shoulder with his left hand and begins to repeatedly punch you in the back of your head with his right hand. You begin to curl into the fetal position as you open your eyes and see the ground... and his knees. You stare right at his nearest knee as you take a small step into him with your nearest leg, drop shoulder first right into his knee, and roll towards him. Your entire body weight has just crashed through his knee tearing his joint as he falls to the ground. As soon as you hit the ground you roll into him and grab his head with both your hands and you push it to the ground and use it to help you come up to a knee. Once you're on your knee you strike his head into the ground once, twice, or as many times as you wish and then run away.

Most people like this technique, especially after they practice it, but often ask, "what if you miss the knee?" Since you're entire body weight is falling down onto his leg you can pretty much guarantee that you'll knock him down with your weight. If you don't think so then just practice is a few times and you'll see how easy it is. Since you're entire body weight is crashing into his leg, even if you don't fall directly on his knee there is a good chance that you will still tear his ACL (the ligament that connects the front of the knee joint) on the way down.

But what if you don't tear it? Well you will still knock him down which means that he can sustain other injuries from the fall (broken wrists, broken arms, head trauma, etc.) but even if he doesn't you'll catch him by surprise and when you roll into him and hold his head down as you get up you ensure he stays on the ground because it is impossible to get up if someone holds your head on the ground. After that you strike his head into the ground which will most likely knock him out right away and could very well kill him.

I've taught this technique for years and more than one person has said that it had perhaps saved their lives. Many people have adapted it to use it before they get hit. The way this works is when someone confronts you, you go submissive, put your hands up, tuck your chin, and curl your back. Then once get right next to you, you just drop onto their knee and do the technique. Either way it is very effective.

Unfortunately few martial artists or martial arts schools realize that real violence doesn't start with two guys squaring off in fighting stances and everyone seems to be only preparing for the one-on-one sparring style fight, and that would be fine in criminal wanted to "fight", but statistically they don't and they seem quite content with leaving fighting stances out of it.

Arthritis knee pain is something that many of us want to deny is a problem but the truth is if nothing is done to correct the affliction then it can become a bigger problems later on.

We never imagined having to deal with arthritis as we get older. We might have thought we would have to deal with getting more rest to maintain our endurance or watching our diets because our metabolism has slowed down but having to manage arthritis pain, who knew.

The fact is arthritis affects over 50 million American over the age of 50. So needless to say, it is something we must address if we want to to live a healthy pain free life. There are many arthritis pain remedies on the market. You can find everything from prescription medication to natural supplements.

I am a strong advocate of natural supplements because they work from the inside out. Meaning natural remedies usually start to work at the root cause of arthritis. Prescription medications only address symptoms and never tackle the real cause of the problem leading to arthritis pain. So many have lost faith in conventional medicine ever finding a real cure for arthritis.

If you go the natural route, there are three ingredients that must be included in a natural arthritis remedy. They are Glucosomine, Chondroitin Sulfate, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). These ingredients help to rebuild damage cartilage in the knee joints. Other herbs like ginger and white willow bark address the pain associated with arthritis without the side effects of prescription pain killers.

Arthritis knee pain can be debilitating symptom but there are natural products that can help you heal from the inside out. Remember - Natural supplements can't work for you if you don't give it a try. You must take an active roll in protecting your health.

Hyaluronic acid has received much press lately as a natural source of health and beauty. In fact, there are so many uses and benefits of hyaluronic acid, it is instructive to clarify and organize them.

The three main categories of uses for hyaluronic acid are: anti-aging treatments, nutritional supplements, and medical treatments.

Anti-Aging Supplements and Creams

As we age, hyaluronic content in the skin changes due to two separate clinically proven factors, decrease in HA synthesis and shift from concentration from the epidermis to the dermis. These changes can leave the epidermis depleted in hyaluronic acid resulting in thinning, aging, and decreased moisture in the skin. Nutritional supplement and beauty products such as Episilk ® contain ultra-high concentrations of hyaluronic acid in order to provide intensive moisture for aged skin that suffers from the dryness and wrinkles. When applied to the skin, HA can penetrate the skin surface and replenish the natural levels already present. Like hyaluronic acid produced in the body, hyaluronic acid used in this form moisturizes from the dermis to the epidermis - from deeper layers of the skin to the outer layer.

Nutritional Supplements

Hyaluronic acid extracted from rooster combs cannot be absorbed by the intestinal tract. But, Japanese scientists have developed a proprietary enzyme-cleaving technique to lower the molecular weight of hyaluronic acid without altering its chemical nature. This allows hyaluronic acid to be taken orally as a nutritional supplement, many varieties of which are readily available for commercial use.

Facial Injections

Hyaluronic acid based gel injections are a new option for the on-spot treatment of facial wrinkles. These shots must be administered by a dermatologist and last up to 4 to 6 weeks.

Medical Treatments

Products containing hyaluronic acid are in use or are being researched to aid in the prevention and treatment of symptoms related to connective tissue disorders such as: fractures, hernias, glaucoma, keratoconus, detached retinas, osteoarthritis, TMJ, prevention of scarring, vocal chord repair insufficiency, wrinkled skin, cartilage damage, and wound and ligament healing. Of these, osteoarthritis has recently become a particularly popular area for HA treatment. Physicians have injected hyaluronic acid directly into the synovial fluid in the knee as a treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee for the past 20 years. There is, however, an ongoing debate as to the efficacy of this treatment.

When you have trouble with your knees and traditional medical treatments and therapy aren't being very effective in resolving the condition and providing you with much relief, you should consider getting knee surgery. Since there are several different types of knee surgery available, it is best that you learn about the pros and cons of each one so you'll know what to expect when a specific type is recommended.

Chances are if you have injured your limb before, you may have sustained some damage to the ligaments or tendons. If you didn't have that part of your body properly diagnosed or treated, you may still have some residual injury remaining. As you may be aware, it can be pretty uncomfortable and downright painful walking around with an injury. Even if you receive therapy, trying to do some of the most natural activities can be extremely uncomfortable and painful. Medications may offer you little to no relief and the best option for successful treatment that you have is knee surgery. Having an operation done where the damaged tissues, ligaments, and tendons are repaired can bring an end to the pain and discomfort you have had to live with.

One type of knee surgery that is used to fix severe injuries is the total replacement. In this procedure, any joints, tendons, and bones that have been previously compromised and caused the joint to not heal properly is taken out. Basically, the joint is being completely replaced. The removed part is replaced with an artificial prosthetic that works and performs in the same manner as the removed component functioned. By using an artificial replacement, the joint can now function and move as it is supposed to without any pain or discomfort. This procedure is performed on older people more than it is on patients that are younger. The replacements tend to last longer in older patients and wear out much faster in younger ones.

Another type of surgery is called a partial. During this procedure, the surgeon only needs to replace a portion of the damaged joint. This is considered to be a less invasive operation compared to the total replacement. The goal is essentially the same; however, the results may not be as extensive as those that are received from having a total replacement operation.

Arthroplasty is a procedure where the joint is rebuilt. The offending components of the joint such as damaged bone, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons are realigned and resurfaced. This can include the excision of a portion of the bone so that it can be put back in properly to restore the full and normal function to the joint.

Keep in mind that there are many reasons why an individual may need some form of knee surgery. Before you commit to any particular procedure, it is important that you educate yourself on what happens during each type of surgery and how it can improve your condition.