Bones, Joints and Muscles Health

After age 40, the average person loses about 1/2" of their height per decade. It happens because of gravity and wear and tear on bones, muscles and joints. Think of your skeleton as being made up of your ankles... continue reading  about  Why do some people lose height as they age? How much loss is too much?

Many women experience joint and muscle pain and stiffness around the time of menopause that they hadn't experienced before. Because there are estrogen receptors all over the body, including the joints, declinin... continue reading  about  How does menopause affect the joints and muscles in your body?

Ankle sprains can take a long time to heal. Three weeks is very early in the process, and being careful with your ankle for up to six weeks is realistic. Avoid running and jumping activities for the next three ... continue reading  about  I sprained my foot/ankle about three weeks ago. The x-rays showed that there were no breaks. The swelling has gone down but it's still there, and my ankle is somewhat painful at times. Is swelling for this long normal?

Pain on the ball of the foot has many possible causes. It's important to find the underlying cause. Is it a musculoskeletal problem (muscle, tendon, ligament, bone or local nerve entrapment)? Or is it a neurolo... continue reading  about  For the past five to six years, the balls of my feet hurt and burn all the time. I've tried inserts, Dansko shoes, foot soaks, as well as pain and nerve medications. Any suggestions?

This type of pain is usually caused by repetitive use, so called repetitive stress. We don't have a physiologic explanation for it. The location of pain is usually normal on imaging studies. The pain is related... continue reading  about  I sit hunched up at a computer all day, and my shoulders and elbows are really starting to ache. Is there anything I can do, other than just taking a break, to help prevent this pain?

The only treatment option for flat feet for a 7-year-old is to consider foot orthotics. Orthotics are a type of a shoe insert that is made from taking an impression cast of the foot. The idea behind using ortho... continue reading  about  My 7-year-old daughter was diagnosed with flat feet by our regular doctor. She sometimes complains of pain in her legs. Our doctor said that she will probably outgrow it. If not, what are her treatment options? Is there anything I can do for her now?

I suggest you get treatment for your impingement. Impingement is a fairly simple thing to treat, and most patients recover well and are able to resume activities like push-ups. If you have had treatment but did... continue reading  about  I've been diagnosed with impingement in both of my shoulders. I don't want surgery, but I need a workout routine that does not rely on shoulders/pushups, as I can't support my body weight that way without having significant pain. Any suggestions?

Those symptoms are most commonly associated with a pinched nerve in the neck, a condition called a "cervical radiculopathy." The specific treatment you might need depends upon several factors such as how long y... continue reading  about  I'm having extreme pain in my shoulder near my shoulder blade down to my fingers, with tingling in my hand and fingers. What is causing this and what should I do?

A shoulder dislocation can create long term problems due to recurrent instability, either in the form of recurrent dislocations or recurrent subluxations. It sounds like your problem is more one of pain, howeve... continue reading  about  I dislocated my shoulder last year. I kept it in a sling for a few weeks, and then went through physical therapy. It has started to hurt again. I exercise regularly, but try to be careful of not reinjuring it. Anything I can do to prevent this pain?