Patients with meniscal tear experience similar levels of reduced pain and improved physical function when treated with either arthroscopic partial meniscectomy or physical therapy, according to a recent study. The study also found these improvements were long term—lasting through the five-year follow up…... [Read More]
When a young patient arrives at a clinic complaining of knee pain with clicking or popping, a meniscal tear is often the culprit. “In young [people], there’s a pretty classic presentation of meniscal tear, with clicking and other mechanical symptoms, because the tear rubs up against different tissues,” says Jeffrey Katz, MD, MSc, a rheumatologist… [Read More]
(Reuters Health)—Young adults who have had knee injuries are much more likely than uninjured peers to develop knee osteoarthritis (OA) by middle age, especially if they have broken bones or torn connective tissue, a recent study suggests. Cruciate ligament injuries were associated with a 19.6% greater risk of knee osteoarthritis, the study found. Meniscal tears… [Read More]
A recent review examined the effectiveness of arthroscopic mensical surgery in treating meniscal injuries. Researchers determined that little evidence exists to support the use of arthroscopic meniscal surgery and more studies that directly compare it with nonoperative treatments are needed…... [Read More]
I have been tongue-tied, of late. When I was a medical student, I was told not to turn the physical examination into an aerobic workout. This sage piece of advice was imparted by my physical examination preceptor, who had watched me perform a complete examination on a hapless volunteer. At the time, I thought of… [Read More]
Late-night gatherings; long hours of avid discussion weighing the merits of resolution quality, light, hues and tones; and camaraderie among members forged through a shared interest in maintaining the highest fidelity to their craft and profession—these are among the vivid memories of those who participated in the early years of building what is today known… [Read More]
(Reuters Health)—Patients with a degenerative meniscus tear who get arthroscopic partial meniscectomy have similar five-year outcomes and increased risk of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) as without surgery, a small study suggests. Researchers in Finland randomly assigned 146 adults with degenerative meniscus tear confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to receive either arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM)… [Read More]
A 56-year-old automobile mechanic was referred to our rheumatology service by his orthopedist to evaluate left posterior knee pain and swelling that had been present for three months. The patient had undergone bilateral total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) for sports-related osteoarthritis three years before. In addition to the knee pain, the patient described several years of… [Read More]
A 52-year-old man living in greater Boston with a history of hypertension presented at our rheumatology clinic with bilateral knee pain and swelling. He had been in his usual state of health until four months earlier when he developed right knee pain and swelling without an incipient trauma, which did not improve with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory… [Read More]
CHICAGO—Joint trauma is one of many potential drivers of osteoarthritis disease activity and structural progression. In Post-Traumatic OA: Pathogenesis, Clinical Evolution and Management, a session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, experts discussed the effects of sports and other injuries on even young patients’ joints. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA) may account for 12% of hip, knee… [Read More]