Top Health Tips on Recovering from a Broken Bone

Spinach - Know How It Boosts Your Health!

Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS)
Ayurvedic Doctor, Pune
Spinach - Know How It Boosts Your Health!
A recent analysis of spinach s nutritional properties placed it at the top of the nutrient-rich foods list. Spinach is a superlative source of manganese, folate, copper, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and calcium. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100-gram serving of spinach has 28.1 micrograms of vitamin C, which is equivalent to 34 percent of the recommended dietary allowance. Researchers in England found that including 1.15 servings (a little more than a cup) of spinach in your every day diet reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 14 percent.

Spinach is indeed a promising food, which is loaded with health benefits. Let us find out more about the health benefits of spinach with these quick pieces of information.

Prevents cancer: One of the foremost qualities of eating spinach on a regular basis is that it helps in the prevention of cancer. This is due to the fact that the level of chlorophyll that you may find in spinach, is absolutely apt when it comes to blocking the entry and effect of carcinogenic material and elements in your body. These are the elements that may enter your body due to pollution as well as through some of the processed foods that we consume. Therefore, you should eat plenty of spinach, especially in today s day and age of adulterated food and pollution, to mitigate the effect of these elements and to prevent cancer. Spinach is also highly recommended for those who have a history of cancer in their family and are at a higher risk of developing the same.
Helps in managing diabetes: Alpha lipoic acid is one of the most well-known antioxidants that can be found in spinach. This is one of the rare elements that help in lowering the glucose levels in the body even as it increases sensitivity towards insulin. This, in turn, helps in taking care of your diabetes without constant medication.
Brings down blood pressure: Spinach is of great value for patients who have been suffering from problems like hypertension as it brings down the blood pressure levels. This is because spinach manages to negate the effect of sodium, which may be found in the body. This happens due to the high potassium content, which is present in this leafy green vegetable.
Increases the health of bones: Low consumption of vitamin K has been associated with a higher risk of bone fracture. Adequate consumption of vitamin K is important as it acts as a modifier of bone matrix proteins - improves absorption of calcium and reduces excretion of calcium through urinary.
Gives you good skin and hair: With the constant ingestion of spinach, you can also get shinning hair and glowing skin due to Vitamin C and collagen element that is found in abundance in this vegetable.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
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Fracture Pain - How To Deal With It?

MD, FIPP
Pain Management Specialist, Kolkata
Fracture Pain - How To Deal With It?
A fracture is a complete or incomplete crack, which appears on a bone due to application of intense pressure or force. A fracture results in extreme pain, and the bone becomes immobile. Any kind of movement boosts the pain. Fracture pain occurs in three distinct stages. Acute pain is felt immediately after a fracture while sub acute pain occurs over the weeks that follow after a fracture. The third stage or chronic pain occurs when the fracture and soft tissues around it have healed.

Fracture pain is quite intense in nature and proper precautions should be taken while dealing with them:

Development of fracture pain: When a bone undergoes a fracture, the ligaments and tendons are also damaged. While the bone slowly heals, ligaments and tendons fail to heal equally well or completely. Post fracture pain also develops when the outside of the bone does not heal completely. This usually does not appear in an X-ray.
Treatment of fracture pain: Modern medications can be utilized to treat a fracture pain. Steroid injections and prescribed anti-inflammatory medicines help in treating a fracture pain. However, these remedies cause side effects, which are harmful for the body. Cortisone shots are utilized for the same purpose as well.
Prolotherapy: Prolotherapy is an approach where ligament and tendon strengthening is stimulated along with repairing. This technique ensures complete treatment of the fracture, and the risk of long-term complications like arthritis is absent. In cases of fracture pain, which occurs due to the incomplete healing of the outer part of the bone, Prolotherapy helps in strengthening the fibro-osseous junction at the source of the pain. This will stop the nerve endings from firing. Prolotherapy provides speedy recovery and accounts for making the injured bone stronger than before. This process is often undergone by athletes. The procedure is undertaken only after thorough examinations for detection of the root cause of the pain. Prolotherapy is considered to be the best treatment for repairing tendons and ligaments, which commonly cause fracture pain. The body is simply stimulated and the painful areas are repaired. This is done by the introduction of a mild inflammatory reaction to the area of the weak tendons and cartilages. The results obtained after Prolotherapy are permanent and the fracture pain is unlikely to reoccur.
Other measures:

Splints are utilized to stop the movement of fractured bone and braces can be used to support the bone. Plaster cast also supports and immobilizes the fractured bone. Traction and surgical implants are other treatment measures.
Fracture pain occurs not only because of the broken bone, but also because of the weakened ligaments and tendons around the bone. Fracture pain should be handled very carefully, and proper control measures should be applied.
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Calcium tablets - Are They Good or Bad?

MBBS
Pain Management Specialist, Bangalore
Calcium tablets - Are They Good or Bad?
For many people, popping a calcium tablet is something which has benefits, but at the same time does no harm. After all, who does not want to have strong bones and healthy teeth? The unfortunate part is that things are not so simple and a lot of research has debunked this.

Take, for example, the findings that when an old woman has calcium, the fracture rates are not all that different as compared to one who has not had calcium supplements. In addition to this, it was also found as part of a study that there is no positive impact on the mineral density of the hip.

As a matter of fact, calcium tablets and supplements can pose a significant risk, as well. While it is true that calcium does help in the effort of getting heart disease, an amount which is greater than the dietary limit does not. Actually, the excess calcium may increase the risk. This is true when it comes to calcium from supplements and not calcium which is absorbed by the way of food. So, what sort of additional risk is there? A study found that people who receive calcium from a tablet or another similar source have about a 140% greater chance of a heart attack!

How much is too much?

A thousand milligrammes of calcium in excess of the requirement on a daily basis is said to increase the risk of death from CVD or cardiovascular disease by about a fifth. Not a trivial amount, by any measure.

But why does this happen?

The key to answering this question comes from how the calcium is absorbed by the body. When calcium from food is eaten, the rate of it being released is a lot slower as compared to calcium from tablets. Also, when there is excess calcium, it is not absorbed and kept in reserve by the body but is excreted in the form of urine. So, this calcium going through the kidneys can cause some trouble there, as well!

Yes or No?

So, what is to be done in order to make sure one is having a sufficient amount of calcium? Well, there are a lot of sources and consuming things such as dairy products and fish, along with dark leafy vegetables are some great ways to get natural calcium. Only if a person has very low calcium levels should calcium tablets be consumed? It is well worth remembering that too much of a good thing is a bad thing!
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Knee Joint Related Issue

Physiotherapist, Mumbai
Play video
Hello all,

This is Dr. Nilesh Makwana. I am a physiotherapist by profession and I am practicing since 10 years in Mumbai. I have done my specialization in spine and various other certifications from different institute which is regarding spine, sports science and sports physiotherapy. Knee joint is one of the major weight bearing joint in the body. Majority of our weight whether we do stair climbing, going for a walk or some of the activities, knee joint is one of the major joints which is always under the stress. Stress being this is always under the pressure and if you do not have a proper strengthening of your thigh muscle, your calf muscle, your hip region muscles there are high chances that you may get some sort of aches or pains or some sort of injuries as well whether you are a normal individual lifestyle whether you are living in normal individual lifestyle or athletic population.

We have treated many of the knee conditions which are having not exactly the knee problem but the knee problem has occurred due to the hip problems as well. So it s always better to evaluate, examine properly if at all is there any knee issues or knee pain in relation to either hip or ankle. We also have a foot assessment that can also one of the major contributing factor for the knee pain. If at all anybody is runner and having the knee pain after the running or during the run, we try to evaluate the foot as well. Foot basically because there is a ground reaction force it can negatively impact the knee in terms of pressure and as per the ground reaction force as well. So this makes us a completely different holistic approach in terms of treating the knee cases as well. Thank for watching this video. You can contact me on lybrate.com.

Thank you!
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Stress Fracture - How To Avert It?

MBBS Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, MS - Orthopedics, Fellowship, Depuy Joint Replacement
Orthopedic Doctor, Bhubaneswar
Stress Fracture - How To Avert It?
One of the most common injuries in sports is a stress fracture. Overcoming an injury like a stress fracture can be difficult, but it can be done.

A stress fracture is an overuse injury. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock. Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing a tiny crack called a stress fracture.

Causes :

Stress fractures often are the result of increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too rapidly. They also can be caused by the impact of an unfamiliar surface (a tennis player who has switched surfaces from a soft clay court to a hard court); improper equipment (a runner using worn or less flexible shoes); and increased physical stress (a basketball player who has had a substantial increase in playing time).

Common sites:

Most stress fractures occur in the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and the foot. More than 50 percent of all stress fractures occur in the lower leg. The repetitive stress of the foot striking the ground can cause trauma. Without sufficient rest between workouts or competitions, an athlete is at risk for developing a stress fracture.

Stress fractures affect people of all ages who participate in repetitive sporting activities, like running. Medical studies have shown that female athletes seem to experience more stress fractures than their male counterparts. Many orthopaedic surgeons attribute this to a condition referred to as "the female athlete triad", eating disorders (bulimia or anorexia), amenorrhea (infrequent menstrual cycle), and osteoporosis. As a female's bone mass decreases, her chances of getting a stress fracture increases.

Presenting complaints:

Pain with activity is the most common complaint with a stress fracture. This pain subsides with rest.

Diagnosis:

X-rays are commonly used to determine stress fracture. Sometimes, the stress fracture cannot be seen on regular x-rays or will not show up for several weeks after the pain starts. Occasionally, a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be necessary.

Treatment:

The most important treatment is rest. Individuals need to rest from the activity that caused the stress fracture, and engage in a pain-free activity during the six to eight weeks it takes most stress fractures to heal.If the activity that caused the stress fracture is resumed too quickly, larger, harder-to-heal stress fractures can develop. Re-injury also could lead to chronic problems where the stress fracture might never heal properly.In addition to rest, shoe inserts or braces may be used to help these injuries heal.

Prevention:

1. When participating in any new sports activity, set incremental goals. For example, do not immediately set out to run five miles a day; instead, gradually increase distance.

2. Cross-training - Alternating activities that accomplish the same fitness goals -- can help to prevent injuries like stress fractures. Instead of running every day to meet cardiovascular goals, run on even days and bike on odd days. Add some strength training and flexibility exercises to the mix for the most benefit.

3. Maintain a healthy diet. Make sure you incorporate calcium- and Vitamin D-rich foods in your meals.

4. Use the proper equipment. Do not wear old or worn running shoes.

5. If pain or swelling occurs, immediately stop the activity and rest for a few days. If continued pain persists, see an orthopaedic surgeon.

6. It is important to remember that if you recognize the symptoms early and treat them appropriately, you can return to sports at your normal playing level.
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How Long Do You Need Physiotherapy Post-Fractures?

MPT, BPT
Physiotherapist, Noida
How Long Do You Need Physiotherapy Post-Fractures?
A broken bone or a fracture can be painful and it requires medical attention for the fracture to heal properly. Proper healing is necessary for the right alignment of the bone. A doctor chooses to either reduce or set the bone in terms of new alignment. The bone reduction can happen manually or surgically depending on the severity of the injury. A Surgical procedure known as the open reduction internal fixation is performed for serious fractures. It ensures that the all the broken pieces are fixed together and the injury can heal properly.
Post the fracture, the bone need to be immobilised for proper healing. This is generally achieved by imposing a cast. For fractures that are not severe in nature, a doctor might choose to impose a temporary cast so that simple motion can happen around the site of the injury. For serious fractures, a permanent cast is placed around the injury site. In the case of a shoulder injury, a patient is required to wear a sling so that the bones are immobilised.


Time Duration of a Therapy Session:
While the exact duration of physiotherapy can vary from individual to individual, it takes a minimum of 2-8 weeks for the fracture to completely heal. Certain fractures take more time to heal. The rate of healing also depends on the severity of the injury, pain threshold level of the patient, extent of work with the physiotherapist, the robustness of the physiotherapy program, extent of the injury of the soft tissue and certain other factors. Typically shoulder and neck injuries heal quicker than a fracture of the legs. The time duration of fracture healing also depends on the type of bone that has been affected.


Physiotherapy in a Hospital:
If the fracture happens in the ankle or leg, a physiotherapist might have to intervene in the hospital in order to teach patient about using assistive devices such as crutches and cane. Things that are taught during this time include using the device in order to climb stairs, right walking posture, getting into a car, taking the device off while sitting and such other techniques.


Physiotherapy at Home:
Physiotherapy can also happen from home if the doctor specifically instructs to do the same. This is typically done for people where the condition is too serious to go outside and get the physiotherapy done. Certain weight bearing restrictions are imposed around this time. The training remains the same as in the case with a hospital.


In the Clinic:
Once the patient becomes mobile enough, a doctor might suggest a patient go to a clinic to get the physiotherapy done. A physiotherapist evaluates certain things such as pain, range of motion, gait, flexibility etc. of the patient before suggesting a certain exercise plan.


6014 people found this helpful

Musculoskeletal

Internal Medicine Specialist, Delhi
Play video
Hi,

I am Dr. Disha Bansal, radiologist, hum apka diagnosis x-ray, CT scan and ultrasound se krte hain. Hum level 1 and 2 ultrasound krte hain. Color doppler study krte hain. Me puri body ke alag alag parts ka ultrasound bhi krti hun.

Today I will talk about musculoskeletal. X-ray and MRI krne se pehle hmari preference ultrasound hoti hai. Wrist pain ka common cause hai carpal tunnel syndrome. Isme hume numbing and tingling sensation hoti hai. Wrist pain me hmare thumb ke paas swelling aa jati hai.

Hum medications krte hain pain relief ke lia. Agar apko exercise se aram nhi milta hai to hum local injection bhi dete hain. Shoulder pain bhut hi common problem hai especially diabetes me. Frozen shoulder ka problem ho jata hai. Hum apko yhan har problem se related diagnosis dete hain and treatment dete hain.

Thank You.
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Skeleton and Muscular Disorders - Thaila Dhara Is an Ideal Remedy for them!

MD, DYA, PGDCR
Ayurvedic Doctor, Nashik
Skeleton and Muscular Disorders - Thaila Dhara  Is an Ideal Remedy for them!
Are you suffering from skeletal and muscular disorders and are looking for an effective remedy? You can opt for Thaila Dhara or Pizhichil treatment. This is an Ayurvedic therapy which is effective for curing skeletal and muscular disorders. The term Pizhichil refers to squeezing. The procedure involves the squeezing of warm, medicated oil from a cloth. It is followed by a massage of the entire body except for the head. This procedure is performed by three or more Ayurvedic therapists and it requires more than three liters of medicated oil.

Indications for Pizhichil or Thaila Dhara
Other than muscular and skeletal disorders, this Ayurvedic therapy is also used for getting relief from several other health conditions. These include rheumatic diseases, vata dosha disorders, paralysis, arthritis, sexual weakness, insomnia, high blood pressure, depression, nervous weakness, neurological disorders, muscular aches and dislocated or stiff joints.

Procedure
The procedure of Thaila Dhara involves several steps. First, the Ayurvedic therapist evaluates your prakruti, vikruti and dosha imbalance before prescribing the type of medicated oil to be used. Pizhichil is performed in seven standard body positions and no area is left out. First a light massage is given and then lukewarm medicated oil is squeezed on the patient s body using a cloth. From time to time, the cloth is dipped in a vessel which contains the medicated oil. It takes one hour for the procedure to get completed. Based on your requirements, the frequency of the therapy is prescribed by your Ayurvedic physician.

Benefits of Thaila Dhara
There are several benefits of Thaila Dhara. They are as follows:

It is an ideal therapy for treating vata imbalance.
It helps in relieving body pains, inflammations and stiffness.
The body gets detoxified and rejuvenated.
The mind, body and soul gets soothed.
It is great for stress and anxiety relief.
Blood circulation is improved drastically.
Overall physical and mental health is improved.
Muscular tone is enhanced.
The entire nervous system is re-tuned and the nerves are strengthened.
Fractured bones are healed and overall body immunity gets enhanced.
Medicines used
The different Ayurvedic medicated oils used in the procedure of Thaila Dhara include Sahacharadi thailam, Narayana thailam, Dhanwantharam thailam, Bala thailam and Prbhanjanavimardana thailam among others. In many cases, the medicated oils are combined together. The selection of oils should be done by your Ayurvedic physician. The course of Thaila Dhara treatment may be of 7 days, 14 days or more. This depends on your condition and requirements. You should strictly consult an Ayurvedic practitioner before thinking of undergoing Thaila Dhara treatment.
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Sports Injuries - An Insight!

Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS), Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS), MBBS, Fellow of Academy of General Education (FAGE)
Orthopedic Doctor, Hyderabad
Sports Injuries - An Insight!
Sports Injuries are very common and often results from using improper gear or poor training practices and refers to all those injuries that are faced by an individual while playing a sport. It is essential to understand the preventive measures as well as the therapeutic methods at a basic level.

Types of Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can be categorized as an Acute Injury and a Chronic Injury. Acute Sports Injury occurs suddenly during playing or exercising. Sudden pain, fracture, and strained back are some examples of acute injury. Acute injuries don t possess any serious threats to one s life and can be easily healed over a period of time, depending on the injury and the physical conditions of the individual. Chronic Sports Injuries, on the other hand, are those injuries which occur for a long time and is also termed as an overuse injury. Examples include Achilles tendinitis, runner's knee, and swimmer's shoulder.

Steps to follow after an injury
If you have encountered a sports injury, then it is advisable to follow four simple steps.

The first step involves taking adequate rest. One should reduce their regular activities and take as much rest as possible to regain normal condition.
The second step comprises of using ice packs on the affected area for 15-20 minutes. This should be followed at least three times a day. But don t exceed the limit of 20 minutes, as over application might result in worsening the situation.
The third step involves compression, i.e., exerting even pressure on the affected area, which might help in reducing swelling.
The last step comprises of elevation. Always try to have the affected area at an elevated level to stimulate speedy recovery. Suppose you have hurt your foot badly, then always place your foot on a pillow and then take rest.
If you follow these steps, then you can expect to heal your injuries gradually. But make sure, that in the case of chronic sports injury, you immediately visit a doctor and follow his prescribed medication and measures. The stated steps can help in case of minor acute sports injuries only.

Precautionary measures for sports injuries
If you want to reduce the risk of sports injuries, then include warm up as a mandatory activity before starting off with any sport or exercise. It is believed that proper warm up can reduce the chances of injuries that can occur during playing sports or exercising. Apart from warm up, you can keep few points in mind to avoid sports injuries like never twist your knees while stretching, don t do overstretching, know your body limits and act accordingly.

Adhering to established standard best practices while involved in sports can minimize the occurrence of an injury to a great extent.
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Anterior Cruciate Ligament Or Ligament Injury Of The Knee

MBBS Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, MS - Orthopaedics, Fellowship In Joint Replacement, Fellowship In Minimal Invasive Subvastus Knee Replacement
Orthopedic Doctor, Navi Mumbai
Play video
Hello,

My name is Dr. Kunal Makhija. I'm a practicing orthopedic and joint replacement surgeon, specializing in knee surgeries. Today we will talk about the very common ailment, the anterior cruciate ligament injury or ligament injury of the knee as the common people know. What happens exactly where is the ligament situated? What is the function of the ligament and what will happen if it is torn partially or it is torn fully and what are the treatment options available with us? That we will discuss in today's talk.

First of all, we have to understand that knee is made up of two bones the thigh bone and the leg bone, the femur and the tibia, these two bones are attached with each other with the help of cord-like structures known as ligament. The four most common ligament injuries are either lateral ligament, the medial ligament, the Posterior ligament or the most common which is anterior cruciate ligament or ACL.

Usually, in sports injuries like football, badminton or bike injuries or when you miss a step and fall down, the ligament which is injured is the anterior cruciate ligament because of the rotary motion of the upper bone on the lower bone, whenever this is torn, the ligament. The function of this ligament is mainly balancing the knee so after the ligament is torn, if it is torn partially the balance won't be hampered but if it is torn fully the balance of the knee would be hampered, in which case you won't be able to run fast, you won't be able to climb down staircase quickly, you won't be able to jump, you won't be able to do hops or in case you won't be able to do langri.

So these are the things which will determine whether you have an anterior cruciate ligament injury or not so if it is partially torn, the treatment protocol is painkillers, icing and physiotherapy at least for four to six weeks and avoiding sports for next three to six months and if it is fully torn, the ligament and you are not able to run fast, you miss a step or there is feeling of giving away at the knee, at that time you need to consult an orthopedic surgeon and mostly the treatment in these cases is an arthroscopic ligament surgery in which we take the ligament from the body itself and arthroscopically by the means of small cameras we fix the ligament over here and it is as good as the original one.

It is a lifetime procedure you need not go revision surgery and you can get back to sports as soon as three to six months but we have to take care that when the ligament injury has happened we consult a doctor as soon as possible because if it is a full tear and we ignore it, it will further deteriorate the knee condition and may cause arthritis, may cause meniscus tear and again, and again fall may lead to a major fall and you might end up having a fracture. So any ligament injury should be seen by an orthopedic surgeon as soon as possible.

Thank you
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