Most bone fractures mend very easily with proper medical treatment and rest. However, in rare cases, a fracture caused by trauma may not mend even after adequate treatment. When a broken bone fails to heal, it is known as non-union. There are two major reasons for non-union:

  Bone lacks adequate stability

All broken bones require stability to heal. In case of a fracture, doctors place the dislocated bone in its original place and use an external device to hold the broken part in place. Usually, this stability is provided by a splint or cast, but can also be offered by frames and rods as well. However, if the broken bone lacks the required support, it may not set or heal properly, leading to the non-union.

  Fracture lacks proper blood supply

Even with proper stability, a broken bone requires a proper blood supply to start the healing process. The blood carries oxygen and other chemicals that aid in the repair of the bone and makes it crucial during the recovery stage. However, if the blood supply is disrupted, the bone cannot heal and leads to non-union.



Risk factors of non-union:

You are more likely to suffer from non-union if one or more of the following is true in your case-

  People who engage in cigarette smoking and any other form of nicotine addiction have a higher risk of non-unions after a fracture
  Older people can often face non-union, which is why fractures may take longer to heal in these people
  Severe anaemia can often restrict proper blood flow to the broken bone, thus inhibiting the healing procedure
  Similarly, people suffering from diabetes face a greater risk of non-unions
  Lack of proper nutrition may also be blamed for the non-union
  Non-union risks may increase because of side effects from certain medication, such as prednisone, ibuprofen, and aspirin. Consult your doctor in such a case, so that proper precautions can be taken accordingly.

Non-surgical treatment can be used for treating the non-union. Electromagnetic and ultrasound waves are passed through the skin and into the affected bone, in order to treat the non-union. In most cases, this treatment is very effective in curing the fracture. However, if the non-surgical treatment proves ineffective, surgical procedures, such as bone grafts and allograft can be utilized.

Trauma And Nonunion - The Various Risks Involved With It!

4 exercises to strengthen your knees

Knee pains and pains in the joints are not restricted to a certain age group anymore. Younger people of today face this problem too. To stay active all your life and escape the severe aches associated with weakening of muscles, joint pains or arthritis, you must start now. The only way to keep your knees fine and working is to exercise. 
4 moves that help you strengthen your knees.
1. Leg lifts (inner thigh) - lie on any one side, lay your head on the arm of the side below you. Make sure this hand is straight above your head, touching the ground. Keep your legs straight, one above the other. Lift the leg on top a few inches above, hold for few seconds and bring it back. Do this for 10 times and then with the other leg, on the other side. This exercise strengthens your inner thighs, eventually strengthening the knees.
2. Hip raises: lie flat on your back, your shoulders touching the ground. Bend your legs comfortable, your feet resting firmly on the ground. Raise your hips and thighs so that from your head to feet, you form an angle. Wait in this position for about 10 seconds, lower your hip until it touches the ground. Repeat for ten counts.
3. Lunges: stand straight. Take a step ahead with your right leg. Left leg remains in its place. With your back straight, bend your knees so that both are at 90 degrees. Go back to standing position; take your right leg back to where it was. Do the same step with your left leg. Repeat both sides ten times.
4. Bent leg extensions: this is pretty easy and all that you need to do it sit on a chair comfortably, with your back straight first. Your feet firmly flat on the ground in front of you, lift the right leg straight extending to the front. Make sure your thighs stay on the chair. Bring your leg back to the original position, firmly planted on the ground. Do the same with your left leg. Repeat 10 times on both sides.
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The Only 4 Moves That Strengthen Your KNEES

Calcium is known for its role in maintaining the bone health, from keeping your teeth stronger to normal functioning of the cells.  But there are various factors, which lead to a deficiency of calcium in the human body and paves the way for several complications.

Here are the top three signs that indicate you are suffering from calcium deficiency.

Difficulty in sleeping: Sleep is essential for your bone health and calcium is directly associated with your sleep cycle. The level of calcium in your bones rises and falls when you are asleep and it reaches its peak when you are in deep slumber. This indicates that when you are unable to sleep properly, it is a warning sign of calcium deficiency. There are various researches that have confirmed, that by increasing the level of calcium, it is possible to restore the normal sleep cycle of an individual. This is also related to the role that calcium plays in the production of a sleep hormone called melatonin. When the calcium content in the body is really low, this hormone is not produced, thus, making it difficult for a person to sleep.
Difficulty in losing extra pounds: Yet another frustrating aspect of any individual s life is the inability to shed off excess pounds. This issue is also linked with the lack of calcium supply in the body. The calcium that s stored in the cells assists in the processing and storage of fat. So the fat cells with high calcium content burn faster, making you lose weight. Thus, if you have trouble losing weight in spite of having a well-regulated diet and regular workout, it s a sign that you are suffering from low calcium.
Paresthesia: Though this ailment is not much heard of, it could be a sign of calcium deficiency. Paresthesia is a nervous disorder, which causes tingling sensation, tremors, numbness and loss of sensitivity. It could also lead to poor concentration, amnesia, confusion, hearing impairment, twitches and other physical as well as neurological impairment. This is because low calcium in the blood is connected with the health of your nerves.
The deficiency of calcium can manifest itself in different intensity, ranging from the non-existent to minimal to severe levels. Chronic calcium deficiency can lead to life-threatening diseases like rickets, osteopenia, and even osteoporosis. Therefore, you shouldn t ignore these signs and consult an expert without delay.

Calcium Deficiency - 3 Signs You are Suffering from it

Bone loss is a silent condition that occurs over the years as you age. It is a condition when the bones become weak and fragile. Many people may not even know that that they are suffering bone loss until it leads to serious conditions such as Osteoporosis. Bone loss resulting in osteoporosis is more in women than men. It is estimated that one of every three women above 50 years suffers from osteoporosis related fracture.

What causes bone loss?
Bones are made of minerals, calcium, and phosphate. Bones are being constantly destroyed and refoemed within the body. As long as your body balances the process, your bones stay strong and healthy. However when the bone decay out grows the bone formation process, bone loss and a host of other problems occur. Some of the common causes bone loss are:

With growing age, the body starts to reabsorb phosphate and calcium instead of keeping it in the bones. This makes the bones weak. When the process continues for a long time, it leads to osteoporosis.
If your diet doesnot contain high calcium foods, then your bones donot get enough calcium.
Smoking and drinking can make your bones weak.
Medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease can cause bone loss.
Sometimes medicines can also result in bone loss.
What are the symptoms of bone loss?

Receding gums: Our teeth are connected to the jaw bone and if the jaw starts losing bone then it causes receding of gums. Loss of jaw bone is linked to lower bone mineral density.
Decreased grip strength: Hand grips strength decreases due to low bone density.
Weak and brittle fingernails: You may find your fingernails have become weak and brittle.
Cramps,muscle pain, and joint ache: Pain in muscles and joints are an important indicator of vitamin D deficiency, which is a vital component for healthy bones. Cramps in legs and foot at night are an indicator of deficiency of potassium and calcium in the bones.
Height loss: This is a common problem that comes with age. But there are other factors that lead to height loss such as poor posture and fractured vertebra. Poor posture can cause bone loss.
Overall low fitness: If you notice that your overall fitness has declined which includes your balance, muscle strength then you may be suffering from bone loss.
Can homeopathy treat osteoporosis?
Homeopathy has the most effective and holistic approach to treat osteoporosis. Homeopathy doesn t intend to cure bone loss, instead, it tries to treat the underlying health condition that leads to osteoporosis. Some of the important homeopathy remedies are:

Calcaria Phos: It is a very effective remedy for osteoporosis It helps in increasing the absorption of calcium from the food. It is a bone builder and creates new cells.
Calcaria Iod: This is a great remedy to treat loss of bones as well as loss of muscles and fat.
Alendronate: Alendronate is given to patients suffering from osteoporosis which is caused by steroid treatment. It reduces the release of calcium from the bones to the blood.
Calcitonin - Salmon: Calcitonin-Salmon is a man-made hormone used to treat osteoporosis.

Bone Loss - Can Homeopathy Help Treating it

Causes and symptoms of knee pain

Knee pain is characterized by a feeling of pain in the knee joint caused by injury or overuse. The knee joint consists of small bone structures, the kneecap, supporting ligaments and cartilage of the knee. This joint bears the full weight of the body, which makes it very vulnerable to injury.

Causes of knee pain

Knee pain is usually caused by injuries to the knee such as exposure to a direct force on the knee, abnormal twisting of the knee or falling on your knees. Some causes of knee pain are -

Knee strains and sprains - Overworking the knee joints can damage the tissues of the knee joint resulting in knee sprains and strains

Osteoarthritis - it is condition where the protective cartilage around the kneecap is damaged, resulting in knee pain

Bursitis - Excessive movement of the knee or kneeling down for extended periods can irritate the bursa (a fluid sac below the skin above the knee joint) that causes swelling and pain, thereby giving rise to this condition

Gout - This condition is characterized by the accumulation of uric acid in crystal form around the knee joint, causing inflammation and pain

Tendon disorders - Tendons connect the muscles to the bones, and overworking the knee can cause the tendons around the knee to become sore and painful

Kneecap dislocation - Injuries may cause the kneecap to shift out of its position, this causes swelling and pain in the knee joint

Symptoms of knee pain

Severe knee pain can restrict movements such as walking or standing. The symptoms vary according to the extent of the damage suffered by the knee. Most common symptoms of knee pain are problems in climbing stairs, inability to extend the knees, limping and swelling of the knee joint. In some cases, knee pain may also cause fever.

Causes and Symptoms of Knee Pain

The shoulder is a complex joint consisting of a number of bones, ball, socket, and cartilage. For people suffering from arthritis of the shoulder joint, a total replacement of the shoulder joint is often a successful procedure. It significantly improves pain and range of motion. However, in case the patient is suffering from a special type of arthritis of the joint known as  cuff tear arthropathy , a total shoulder replacement often does not produce the desired result. These people suffer from large rotator cuff tear as well as arthritis. For such patients, a reverse shoulder arthroplasty often show better results. 

Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty 

In traditional total shoulder replacement, the device put into the joint consists of a plastic cup fitted into the glenoid bone, also known as the socket, and a metal ball attached to the top of the humerus, the upper arm bone. In a way, it mimics the configuration of the original shoulder joint. However, in case of reverse shoulder arthroplasty, the positions of the metal ball and the socket are interchanged. The plastic cup is attached to the humeral head whereas the metal ball is attached to the glenoid bone. 

Benefits of the Procedure 

A reverse shoulder arthroplasty works better for patients who have a large rotator cuff tear along with arthritis. There are a number of rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder and they help to hold the arm in position as well as provide power to the arm during extreme movements. In case of people with large rotator cuff tear and arthropathy, the upper arm has to rely on different muscles for movement because the rotator cuff muscles don t function. Hence, the arm has to depend on other muscles such as the deltoid muscles, to position and power the arm. This is why a reverse arthroplasty is carried out.

Who Can Undergo This Surgery?

Every patient with cuff tear arthropathy is not a candidate for reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Surgeons recommend this surgery when the patient is suffering from: 

  A total tear of the rotator cuff which cannot be repaired 

  A special type of shoulder arthritis known as cuff tear arthropathy 

  An unsuccessful shoulder replacement surgery 

  Extreme shoulder pain along with difficulty in lifting the arm over the head or away from the body 

  A complex type of fracture in shoulder joint 

  A chronic dislocation of the shoulder 

  A tumor in shoulder joint 

Doctors can also suggest this procedure if the patient had previously tried other remedial measures such as medications, rest, physical therapy, injections, etc., but was not successful in alleviating the pain and improving the range of motion of the shoulder. 

Conclusion 

There are some medications that you need to stop before the surgery since they may cause excessive bleeding after the surgery. Some of these medicines are blood-thinning medicines and Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines.

Revision Replacement - What Should You Know?

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