Your bones are made up of specialized cells, called osteoblasts, surrounded by an extracellular matrix. Collectively, these components of bone tissue generate hard and strong bones that can renew and repair themselves. Following injury, your body...
Anesthesia and the stress of surgery can cause complications that are sometimes life-threatening. Patients are monitored during and after surgery for early signs of complications related to immobility or to the procedure. Signs of shortness of...
The clavicle, or collarbone, is a long, thin bone that connects the sternum in the chest with the shoulder. While the clavicle bone is a frequent site of bone fracture, surgery is rarely necessary to repair this injury, Johns Hopkins Medicine...
A test for levels of alkaline phosphatase, or ALP, in your blood is performed when your health care provider wants to assess the health of your liver or bone growth. ALP is an enzyme produced by all tissues in the body, but is particularly high in...
Along with calcium and vitamin D, protein is an important nutrient for the formation of bone tissue. Foods such as milk that contain all of these nutrients provide ideal nutrition for bone health. Besides following dietary recommendations for...
Weight bearing exercises are beneficial to preserve bone health and bone density. As you age, the actual size of your bones does not change but the density of your bones does. Weight bearing exercises can help to prevent and minimize this loss of...
The elbow connects the upper and lower arm, bringing the upper arm bone, the humerus and the two lower arm bones, the radius and ulna, together in a hinge joint that allows the arm to move in many different directions. Elbow and arm pain most...
From the age of 40, our bodies begin to naturally decline physically and lose fitness. Regular exercise can slow and even stop this decline, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Keeping fit as you age can help you live a fuller,...
Hip replacement is a surgical technique that involves removal of a diseased hip bone and insertion of a new, artificial hip joint. Patients who have this type of surgery are typically between the ages of 60 to 80 and suffer from an arthritic...
The femur is the largest and strongest bone in the human body located in the thigh. When you suffer from a femur fracture, your diet is critical for optimal healing time. As with any broken bone, surgery and a cast may be necessary. According to...
The skeletal system comprises 206 bones, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine. While the skeleton is durable, a child falling, playing sports, twisting an ankle or wrist, or ending up in a car accident can lead to broken bones....
Healthy bones are essential to the human body. Bones are needed to connect muscles, protect organs, store calcium and most importantly provide structure. Bones naturally remodel, meaning that they are constantly broken down and built back up....
Bone fractures are common injuries. They occur when a sizable external force causes the bone to break. Falls, moving collisions and forceful blows are traumatic causes of bone fractures. Diseases that weaken the bones and overuse can also lead to...
In sports, exercise and daily life, injuries are an unfortunate occurrence. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 39.4 million emergency room visits due to injuries each year in the United States. Bone, joint, and...
A common misconception is that high protein diets can increase urinary calcium loss, which can lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures. In fact, a study published in the April 2002 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"...
Throughout your lifetime, your body constantly breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone. Bone loss occurs when your body does not form enough new bone to replace the old bone that has been reabsorbed by your body. A variety of factors,...
Chiropractors and massage therapists use therapeutic ultrasound massage to stimulate soft tissue beneath the skin's surface. The technique of ultrasonic massage uses high frequency sound waves to penetrate tissues more deeply than can be reached...
When a bone is fractured or damaged it is able to naturally heal itself. At the fracture sight or damaged area of the bone new cells and blood vessels are generated so that the bone can be rebuilt. The body repairs most fractures in less than six...
Your skeletal system, made of up of your bones, joints, tendons and ligaments, provides your body with structure and stability. Sometimes an infection, injury, lack of blood flow or genetic problems may wreak havoc on the skeleton. Osteomyelitis,...
Bone tissue is a mighty knitting machine that shapes and grows your skeleton from gestation to the grave. Bones are designed to heal themselves when broken, but occasionally bone fractures fail to heal completely. When this happens, doctors may...
The ankle uses two separate joints to regulate your foot's movement. The tibia (shinbone), fibula (lower leg bone) and talus (ankle bone) form the upper joint of the ankle, which allows your foot to move up and down. The bottom joint, called the...
You may require orthopedic surgery for several reasons -- including bone fractures, joint replacements and to repair damaged, torn or defective bones, muscles, ligaments, cartilage and tendons. Orthopedic surgery can keep you off your feet and...
A bone fracture occurs when stress or impact separates a bone. It may be a complete fracture, in which the bone breaks all the way through, or an incomplete fracture, in which the bone cracks but does not separate. When a fracture occurs, your...
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure performed by your doctor in which she takes new bone or replacement material and places it into spaces between or around your broken bones, or fractures. You doctor also puts the new bone or replacement...
Eating healthy is not only important regarding the function of your body, but it also plays a vital role in the longevity and quality of your life. Unhealthy eating is the source of many health complications that could be avoided by paying more...
There are many common medical procedures that physicians and surgeons may perform for an individual. These may include anything from major, life-saving surgery for illnesses or to repair damage from injuries, to small, in-office operations for the...
Vitamins D and C play a part in keeping you healthy by promoting strong bones and tissues. However, evidence casts doubt on the idea that they can actually prevent serious diseases in adult life or even minor ailments such as the common cold,...
High-impact activities that require a lot of running and jumping can place excessive stress on the heel bone. Stress fractures, or cracks in the bone, must be properly treated in order to avoid a more serious break or other complications. It is...
Without bones, our body would not be able to stand, sit, run or move. Bones act as levers that move the body as the muscles contract. The more the muscles contract, the stronger the bones become. Despite being a hard material, bone is a living...
Wrist injuries usually occur with an outstretched hand. Learn how to diagnose and treat a wrist fracture in this medical video.