Chronic Arthritis of Childhood
One of the most frequent chronic diseases of children and the most common rheumatological condition in this group is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This is not one disorder but a group of interrelated disorders which all exhibit inflammatory changes in the joints. The triggering factors for these diseases have not been uncovered and it has proven hard to delineate one particular type of condition from another due to the complex genetic factors. While it is often called JRA, there is a move to standardise the naming of these diseases into juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis or MS is a disease of the central nervous system characterised by inflammation and demyelination, the gradual loss of the insulation material around the nerves known as myelin. Sclerosis is the term given to describe the thickened and scarred small lesions which occur in the nerve tracts. The disease is continually active and forms new lesions regularly leading to gradually increasing levels of disability. The most common form of MS is the relapsing and remitting kind, meaning there are periods of worsening followed by at least partial recoveries.
Hamstring Injury Physiotherapy Management
The first and vital issue is the correct diagnosis of the injury and its severity as this will dictate the whole course of the treatment and indicate the speed of progression to be expected and the length of time taken until the injury is recovered. Physiotherapy is the main treatment course and the physiotherapist will judge the programme depending on the severity of the injury and how long it is since it has occurred. There are no reliable scientific guidelines for this kind of injury management and rehabilitation so the programme will need to be individually set and adjusted to suit the changing needs of the patient.
Chronic Arthritis of Childhood – Part Two
When a smaller number of joints are affected (the oligoarticular type) there are four or fewer joints exhibiting arthritic symptoms with the larger joints being preferentially affected. Such children do not present as unwell although they may limp when asked to walk. Arthritis may be confined to one hip but if the symptoms are limited to this joint then an alternative diagnosis should be sought as this is much more common, with Perthes disease a typical outcome. Arthritis over some time develops weakness and loss of bulk in the main knee muscles and a knee bend contracture partly due to tightening of the hamstrings. A discrepancy in length of legs can develop if arthritis affects only one leg.
Management Of Hip Replacement By Physiotherapists
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the commonest joint degeneration condition in the world, resulting in huge amounts of pain and suffering, work loss, expense and disability. Ageing of western developed populations, soon to be followed by some developing countries such as China, will place an increasing burden on medical services as the occurrence of OA rises steadily with age. There will be an increasing need to provide medical and physiotherapy treatment for OA over the next 50 years and for many thousands of people this will involve joint replacement.