IL-7 is known foremost for its immunostimulatory capacities, including potent T cell-dependent catabolic effects on bone. In joint diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, IL-7, via immune activation, can induce joint destruction. Now it has been demonstrated that increased IL-7 levels are produced by human articular chondrocytes of older individuals and osteoarthritis patients. I...

It has been speculated that joint instability resulting from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture could be exacerbated by changes in vasomotor activity in the remaining supporting structures. In this study, the effect of ACL transection on medial collateral ligament (MCL) basal perfusion and its responsiveness to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and sympathetic adrenergic influences w...

Degenerative Hip Joint Pain (DHJP) is a major cause of functional limitation in both young active and old sedentary patients. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most successful surgical procedures performed in orthopaedics. Sir John Charnley introduced the concept of low friction arthroplasty for end stage hip arthritis. The rewarding result of this procedure makes THA the gold standard...

BACKGROUND Amputees walk with an asymmetrical gait, which may lead to future musculoskeletal degenerative changes. The purpose of this study was to compare the gait asymmetry of active transfemoral amputees while using a passive mechanical knee joint or a microprocessor-controlled knee joint. METHODS Objective 3D gait measurements were obtained in 15 subjects (12 men and 3 women; age 42, rang...

joints. Conditions as different as fibromyalgia, scleroderma and gout have often been included with the classic arthritic conditions: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis is now our nation’s leading cause of disability and is projected by the CDC to effect nearly 60 million Americans (20% of U.S. population) by the year 2020. By far the most prevalent type is osteoarthritis, accou...

We report here on a new arthroscopic direct repair technique for a radial tear of the posterior root of the medial meniscus (PRMM) using a posterior trans-septal portal. Radial tears of the PRMM are commonly observed in the elderly population of Korea and Japan, and the life style of these people requires squatting and kneeling down in daily life. A radial tear of the PRMM results in the loss o...

PURPOSE assessment of the clinical efficacy of isolated arthroscopic mini-Mumford surgery, associated with shoulder surgery in patients with degenerative disease of the acromioclavicular joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS 52 patients (group A) underwent isolated arthroscopic mini-Mumford and 84 (group B) additional arthroscopic surgery of rotator cuff and/or long head of biceps. They were evaluated...

Background. Arthrosis has become a very common medical problem. In the literature there is little information about the conservative treatment of degenerative changes in the joint. The goal of our research was to assess the efficiency of selected physical agents (diadynamic electrical current, magnetic field, and ultrasound therapy) commonly used for pain management in the conservative treatmen...

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the mandible to the skull. TMJ disorders induce degenerative tissue changes in TMJ disc that are largely the result of maladaption to abnormal joint loading. Histopathological studies have documented an association between TMJ arthropathy and loss of tissue cellularity, via apoptosis-related processes, that result in diminished extracellular matrix gen...

Joint involvement occurs in thirds of SSc patients during the course of the disease, but may be the onset manifestation. Arthralgias, stiffness and tendon sheath involvement constitute the most common clinical findings affecting all joints, but predominantly the fingers, wrists and ankles. The most common radiographic abnormalities in SSc patients are subcutaneous calcinosis and digital tuft re...