Osteoarthritis, being a debilitating and painful disease, can turn athletes into couch potatoes. We all understand that exercise is important to stay healthy and live longer, but it’s tough for those with osteoarthritis to do the bare minimum of exercise. The catch 22 of osteoarthritis is that exercise is an important way to reduce pain in the joints and prevent the pain from getting worse in the future. EverydayHealth.com showcases a few low impact exercises that allow patients with osteoarthritis to maintain their health and keep their joint pain from worsening:

1. Tai Chi

2. Yoga

3. Qigong

4. Water Aerobics

I was featured in an article from SOMA Orthopedics a while ago. It’s still relevant, so I wanted to share it with you!

Ashley is an avid cyclist who started noticing increased pain earlier and earlier in her exercise routine after she turned 42. When she learned she had an early form of arthritis, she asked her physician if there were any safe, non-invasive treatments for the condition. Her physician told her about the BioniCare Knee Device, an exciting alternative to the use of medications or surgery for knee pain due to joint wear and tear.

“Ashley’s case is somewhat unique,” said Dr. Moshe Lewis, a Physical Medicine and rehabilitation physician at California Pacific Medical Center, St. Luke’s Campus. “Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in males before the age of 45. Women are more prone to the disease after age 55.”

Osteoarthritis is the breakdown and eventual loss of the articular cartilage in one or more joints and occurs more frequently as we age. This process destroys the cushion-like qualities of cartilage, which is a natural shock absorber. About 50 million Americans suffer from some form of osteoarthritis and is sometimes found in multiple members of the same family, implying a genetic basis for the condition.

With aging, the water content of the cartilage in the knee increases and the protein makeup degenerates. Repetitive use of the joints over the years irritates and inflames the cartilage, causing joint pain and swelling. Eventually, cartilage begins to degenerate by flaking or forming tiny cracks. In advanced cases of osteoarthritis, there is a complete loss of the cartilage cushion between the bones of the joints. The result is friction, leading to pain and reduced joint mobility.

Dr. Lewis specializes in non-surgical treatments for conditions that cause chronic pain, such as arthritis and degenerative disc disease. In the past two years, he has placed the Bionicare Knee Device on more than 100 patients.

“The device has reduced the use of pain medications and, in some cases, postponed the need for surgery in these patients,” Lewis said. “Active people want to stay healthy and perform at peak levels longer without pain. As a result, there is a growing interest in treatment options that have few side effects and the BioniCare device is a great example of that technology.”

The Knee Device was cleared for home use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 and requires a physician prescription. It transmits pulsed electrical stimulation to the knee and may help rejuvenate of cartilage. During therapy, a wrap is applied and worn for 8-10 hours, typically while the patient sleeps. Patient’s who accumulate more than 750 hours of cumulative wearing time demonstrate the best results.

“This product has proven itself to be a great alternative for people like Ashley, who are in the early stages of osteoarthritis and wish to remain active without being dependent on pain medications or invasive procedures,” Lewis said. “It’s really represents good news.”

Gaining good posture is one of the most underrated ways to instantly change your appearance.

Standing straight and square makes you look fitter and taller, and it improves your alertness and vitality to boot. But the effects aren’t just skin deep: over time, maintaining good posture will help keep your back strong, reducing back pain and injury. By staying active and being mindful of your form, you can convince your body that it is years younger and your appearance will follow suit.

Here are five tips that will straighten you out:

Stand Up

How’s your posture right now? Are you slouching because you feel tired at the moment? You can perk up by standing up.

Your blood vessels constrict during periods of inactivity, making you look and feel tired. An active, dynamic standing posture will reinvigorate you within minutes. Try lengthening your back while you stand, as if it were being lifted by a balloon tied to the back of your neck.

If you want to maximize the age-defying effects of your new stance, those Louboutins have got to go–heels throw off your center of gravity, cause bunions, and lead to back problems down the road.

Try Out

If standing for a few minutes puts a spring back in your step, imagine how good an hour of activity might make you feel. Trying a new physical activity, especially one that requires attention to posture, will do wonders for your bearing and give you a renewed, youthful vigor as well.

Some sure bets for posture improvement are figure skating, ballroom dancing, rowing, tai chi, martial arts and, of course, yoga. With time and practice, that good posture you learned for the tango will bloom into a body awareness that will keep you looking sharp outside the studio.

Tone Up

Planks, sit-ups and your gym’s weight circuit can do more than just give you a killer six-pack–strengthening your core muscles will help you stay straight all day.

Think of it as posture cross-training. Even fitness novices can get great results from wall push-ups, pelvic tilts, hamstring stretching, and bridging. If your back is too sore to sustain a set of crunches, let a physical therapist be your personal trainer. As part of your treatment, your physical therapist can recommend a regimen of gentle but effective exercises that can be done at home, taking years off of your spine and giving you a bold new bearing.

Roll Out

Professional massages can peel off years of pent-up muscle soreness, and foam rollers are like masseuses in a convenient cylindrical form. Daily foam roller use takes stress off of overused muscles, strengthens complementary muscles and helps dissipate knots and tenderness.

You can promote healthy back elongation by lying on your back with the roller cushioning your spine and your arms to your sides. Flatten your spine against the roller as you exhale. You can also reduce upper spine hunching by lying with the roller across the farthest protruding part of your upper back (between your neck and the bottom of your shoulder blades) so that tension on the neck is relieved.

Sit Up

Given all of the sitting, slouching, and slumping that is endemic to most office jobs, work is a great place to undo all of your posture karma.

Don’t let technology take its toll on you. Be aware of your seated posture. Your spine should be in contact with the backrest from your tailbone right up to your upper back. Make sure the center of your computer monitor is six inches below your gaze. If you frequently read from papers, tablets or smartphones, bring the media up to you rather than craning to it. Not only will this save your back, it’ll make you look about ten pounds lighter!

Correcting your posture is faster, cheaper, and healthier than any beauty treatment and it revitalizes you from the inside out. Best of all, it becomes easier and more natural with practice. Make good posture part of your daily health practice, and you can look years younger for years to come.

This article was originally featured in SFGate.

In the following press release, I offer a personal testimonial for VQ OrthoCare’s BioniCare Knee System, a utility and alternative treatment for reducing osteoarthritis-induced knee pain and enabling increased functionality.

Ashley is an avid cyclist who started noticing pain earlier in her exercise routine after she turned 42. When she learned that she had an early form of arthritis, she asked her physician if there were any safe, non-invasive treatments available for the condition. Her physician told her about the BioniCare Knee System, an exciting alternative to the use of medications or surgery for knee pain due to joint wear and tear.

“Ashley’s case is somewhat unique,” said Dr. Moshe Lewis, a Physical Medicine and rehabilitation physician at California Pacific Medical Center, St. Luke’s Campus. “Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in males before the age of 45. Women are more prone to the disease after age 55.”

Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of the knee joints and occurs more frequently as we age. This process destroys the cushion-like qualities of the knee joint, which performs as a natural shock absorber. About 50 million Americans suffer from some form of osteoarthritis and it is sometimes found in multiple members of the same family, implying a genetic basis for the condition.

With aging, the water content within the knee increases and the protein makeup degenerates. Repetitive use of the joints over the years irritates and inflames the knee joint, causing pain and swelling. In advanced cases of osteoarthritis, there is a complete loss of the cushion between the bones of the joints. The result of this is friction, leading to pain and reduced joint mobility.

Dr. Lewis specializes in non-surgical treatments for conditions that cause chronic pain, such as arthritis and degenerative disc disease. In the past four years, he has placed the BioniCare Knee System on more than 100 patients.

“The device has reduced the use of pain medications and, in some cases, postponed the need for surgery in these patients,” Lewis said. “Active people want to stay healthy and perform at peak levels longer without pain. As a result, there is a growing interest in treatment options that have few side effects and the BioniCare device is a great example of that technology.”

The BioniCare Knee System was cleared for home use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 and requires a physician prescription. The system transmits pulsed electrical stimulation to the knee to reduce pain and improve overall function. During therapy, a wrap is applied, and worn for 8–10 hours, typically while the patient sleeps. Patients who accumulate more than 250 hours of cumulative wearing time demonstrate results (roughly one month), with full results at 2,250 hours (roughly 9 months).

“This product has proven itself to be a great alternative for people like Ashley, who are in the early stages of osteoarthritis, looking for long term results and wish to remain active without being dependent on pain medications or invasive procedures,” Lewis said. “It really represents good news in Osteoarthritis treatment.”

Dr. Moshe Lewis specializes in the non-surgical management of musculoskeletal and neurological injuries and diseases. He has devoted his professional career to providing compassionate care to people who suffer with chronic pain. He can be reached through his website www.mosheleiwsmd.com. For more information on VQ OrthoCare’s BioniCare® Knee System or the OActive™ Knee Brace, please visit, www.bionicare.com or call (800) 444–1456.

While cyclists tend to be very fit due to their love of the sport, there are some risks involved. In a recent article Nina Patterson, PT, explains that many injuries are inflicted on areas of existing weakness, with the compounding effect of additional stress or under-use in certain areas of the body. In each case, she says, the injury occurred due to “cumulative trauma.” So what can be done about these injuries?

Active Release Techniques® (A.R.T.*) is a soft tissue management system that breaks up adhesions in and between tissues. Using A.R.T., normal length and tension of tissues is restored. For those of you who have tried stretching and general massage with no avail, A.R.T. is for you.

She specifically tackles widespread issues such as neck pain, low back pain, hamstring strains, and Achilles tendon strains, and discusses how active release techniques can help with a problem that other therapeutic activities couldn’t solve. Read the article at the Sports + Orthopedic Leaders Physical Therapy blog and start living a more pain free life.

I was recently interviewed for an article about foot drop on AdvancedWeb.com. Foot drop is when the front of one’s foot hangs lower than it should due to a weakened or damaged nerve or muscle in the lower part of the leg. Individuals with foot drop will drag their toes along the group or will bend their knees in order to not drag their feet. In this article Danielle Bullen discusses how doctors and hospitals use exercises, as well as convectional and alternative treatments to ensure those with foot drop walk safely again.

Foot Drop Conditions

From exercise to medications to modalities, clinicians have a lot of tools at their disposal to treat foot drop. Just as its causes are many, so are the treatments. While the same approach may not work for each patient, trial and error can help doctors and physical therapists figure out the best possible outcomes.

Foot drop is not a disease itself, but rather a symptom that develops as a result of various neurological, muscular or anatomical problems. Patients who suffer have difficulty lifting the front part of their foot due to muscle weakness or paralysis. Sometimes they drag their toes along the floor as they walk.

Finding the Cause

Some of the common reasons patients present with foot drop include stroke, spinal cord injury or injury to the peroneal nerve on the outside of the fibula, below the knee. ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis can also lead to foot drop. Patients who have had a total knee replacement can also present with foot drop, although that is less likely. Moshe Lewis, MD, MPH, chief of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, described one unique case where a surfing accident lacerated someone’s peroneal nerve, causing foot drop.

The Old and The New

Other than exercise, clinicians have other options to treat foot drop. “We’re seeing a blend of the old and the new,” said Dr. Moshe regarding treatment.  He cited vitamin therapy, particularly B6, as helpful. Nerve medications, which are relatively new on the scene, decrease pain and improve nerve function without peripheral swelling. Topical pain medications are another new development but Dr. Moshe advised his fellow physicians to use them wisely.

Read the entire article on AdvanceWeb.com.

Ashley is an avid cyclist who started noticing pain earlier in her exercise routine after she turned 42. When she learned that she had an early form of arthritis, she asked her physician if there were any safe, non-invasive treatments available for the condition. Her physician told her about the BioniCare Knee System, an exciting alternative to the use of medications or surgery for knee pain due to joint wear and tear.

“Ashley’s case is somewhat unique,” said Dr. Moshe Lewis, a Physical Medicine and rehabilitation physician at California Pacific Medical Center, St. Luke’s Campus. “Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in males before the age of 45. Women are more prone to the disease after age 55.”

Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of the knee joints and occurs more frequently as we age. This process destroys the cushion-like qualities of the knee joint, which performs as a natural shock absorber. About 50 million Americans suffer from some form of osteoarthritis and it is sometimes found in multiple members of the same family, implying a genetic basis for the condition.

With aging, the water content within the knee increases and the protein makeup degenerates. Repetitive use of the joints over the years irritates and inflames the knee joint, causing pain and swelling. In advanced cases of osteoarthritis, there is a complete loss of the cushion between the bones of the joints. The result of this is friction, leading to pain and reduced joint mobility.

Dr. Lewis specializes in non-surgical treatments for conditions that cause chronic pain, such as arthritis and degenerative disc disease. In the past four years, he has placed the BioniCare Knee System on more than 100 patients.

“The device has reduced the use of pain medications and, in some cases, postponed the need for surgery in these patients,” Lewis said. “Active people want to stay healthy and perform at peak levels longer without pain. As a result, there is a growing interest in treatment options that have few side effects and the BioniCare device is a great example of that technology.”

The BioniCare Knee System was cleared for home use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 and requires a physician prescription. The system transmits pulsed electrical stimulation to the knee to reduce pain and improve overall function. During therapy, a wrap is applied, and worn for 8-10 hours, typically while the patient sleeps. Patient’s who accumulate more than 250 hours of cumulative wearing time demonstrate results (roughly one month), with full results at 2,250 hours (roughly 9 months).

“This product has proven itself to be a great alternative for people like Ashley, who are in the early stages of osteoarthritis, looking for long term results and wish to remain active without being dependent on pain medications or invasive procedures,” Lewis said. “It really represents good news in Osteoarthritis treatment.”

For more information on VQ OrthoCare’s BioniCare® Knee System or the OActive™ Knee Brace, please visit, BioniCare.com or call (800) 444-1456.

This article was part of Moshe’s Summer Newsletter. Click here to download it (PDF).