Larger and softer than a traditional baseball, softballs come in a variety of sizes and models. The exact softball used will depend on not only the individual league but also the style of pitching, whether slow pitch or fast pitch. Manufacturers...
Especially in older patients, complications can be life-threatening. Hospitalization and surgery are usually required. Without surgery, patients cannot walk or even sit. As a result, they become prone to developing blood clots, bed sores,...
The rounded top of the thighbone, or femur, fits into a concave socket in the pelvis at the hip bone, allowing for full range of movement. A hip fracture occurs when some part of the upper portion of the thighbone breaks, causing pain and...
The neck consists of seven cervical vertebrae that connect the skull to the torso. With trauma, the neck is more susceptible to injury than other regions of the spine because of its relative lack of protection, and because the head often acts as a...
Hip fractures are very serious orthopedic injuries, especially in the elderly. They can lead to higher mortality rates in this age group, and can require lengthy and costly hospitalization and rehabilitation. There are several different types of...
A mammogram is a screening test for breast cancer that basically provides an x-ray of the breast. The breast is compressed between two plates to spread the tissue and allow better detection of possible tumors. Densely packed areas of breast...
Neatly manicured hands make a positive first impression. Fingernails that are filed and shaped convey a sense of neatness and professionalism. When your nail breaks and ruins an otherwise perfect manicure, it is tempting to search for products to...
Breast cancer arises from rapidly dividing abnormal cells within the breast tissue and can affect both women and men. According to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization, 85 percent of non-invasive breast cancer occurs in the mammary ducts...
Hip fractures can result in life-threatening complications, such as blood clots that originate in the deep veins of the legs. These blockages can then travel to the heart or to the lungs, where they can cause strokes or pulmonary embolisms....
A mammogram compresses the breasts between two plates, while an X-ray machine takes images of the tissue to look for abnormalities. Doctors use mammograms for screening purposes, which means a woman can benefit from the test even when she has no...
OPLL, or Ossified Posterior Longitudinal Ligament, describes a general disease where the spine is compressed due to ossifications of the ligaments that run parallel to the cervical spine. These ossifications can take the shape of bone spurs or a...
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes a torus fracture, also known as a buckle fracture, as an incomplete break where one side of the bone is compressed against the other, bending the bone away from the growth plate. Growth plates...
Most humeral shaft fractures occur due to a fall or from a direct trauma. Typically, when we fall, we reach out our hands to brace ourselves. The force can be transmitted anywhere up the arm. Many of these scenarios result in wrist or forearm...
Fingernails and toenails are living skin cells. Nails protect and support tips of the fingers and toes, and they help humans scratch an itch, tie a knot and pick up small objects. Nail growth is affected by illness or poor health.
Youth sports are more competitive today than ever, with parents looking for any way to give their child a head start in the race for playing time and scholarships. Weight training is among the many tools recruited by parents and coaches in search...
