People who suffer from chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular disease (jaw pain), or pelvic pain may have more in common than doctors once believed. Recent research has uncovered some new understanding about the way pain develops and is perceived by the affected individual that may link these conditions together. In this review article, pain scientists present the latest information about one condition in particular: fibromyalgia.

Osteoporosis means the bones are less dense than normal. They have less bone mass than they should. That makes them fragile and can put them at
risk for fragility fractures. A fragility fracture means the bone breaks without a traumatic event or unexpected force. Just the stress of movement and everyday activities causes the bone to break.

Reinjuries are common among high school athletes. None of the sports are immune to this problem. Football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, wrestling, baseball, and softball all come with an increased risk of sports injuries.

Chondrolysis is the medical term for rapid destruction of articular cartilage. That's the cartilage that lines the joints and makes smooth motion possible. This is a rare condition that seems to develop following arthroscopic surgery. Eight to 12 months after the procedure, a rapid and complete loss of the articular cartilage affects both sides of the joint. The patient may not experience any symptoms at first but then pain and loss of motion develop.

As parents, we have all watched our children who participate in sports with a bit of fear and worry about injuries. And for parents of athletes who have already injured themselves, there's always a niggling concern that it might happen again. Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Ohio State University have made this area of interest a top priority.

It's a good question and one that may not have a single best answer. First, it should be noted that osteoporosis (brittle bones from loss of bone density) is a common problem in the elderly. Women usually start to lose bone density in their 50s and 60s after menopause.

Elbow, wrist, thumb, and hand problems are fairly common -- and they affect people of all ages from young to old. Many are the result of overuse syndromes. Overuse syndromes refers to pain, tenderness, and dysfunction from tissue damage caused by repetitive, prolonged, or forceful use of the thumb, hand, wrist, or elbow. Additionally, assuming awkward positions repeatedly can also contribute to the problem.

The average baseball pitch takes less than five seconds. To the outside observer, the actions occur so quickly, it's impossible to see much more than a flurry of activity. The leg comes up, the pitcher strides forward as the pitching arm cranks back, the trunk tilts forward, and the ball is released. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Many seniors find the services, design, and setting of assisted living situations works very well to help them get back on their feet. The physical environment is set up to get them moving. It's usually a short walk to the dining hall, recreational area, mail room, etc. Taking short walks many times throughout the day has been shown in many studies to be a very effective form of rehab, therapy, and maintenance exercise all rolled into one.

Physical therapists are often called upon to help determine when an older adult is ready to go home after being in the hospital. Or when it's time to move from an independent living situation to an assisted living or skilled nursing care facility. These judgments are made with the assistance of standardized tests that measure physical performance.