2015

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions.
Effects are usually temporary but can include headaches and problems with concentration, memory, balance and coordination.
Although concussions usually are caused by a blow to the head, they can also occur when the head and upper body are violently shaken.
These injuries can cause a loss of consciousness, but most concussions do not. Because of this, some people have concussions and don't realize it.
Concussions are common, particularly if you play a contact sport, such as football. But every concussion injures your brain to some extent. This injury needs time and rest to heal properly.

Most concussive traumatic brain injuries are mild, and people usually recover fully.

For example, a broken bone may damage the joint surface and lead to arthritis years after the injury.

Meniscal tears and ligament injuries can cause instability and additional wear on the knee joint, which over time can result in arthritis.

Source: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00212

Overuse injuries can affect muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, and growth plates. For example, overhand pitching in baseball can be associated with injuries to the elbow. Swimming is often associated with injuries to the shoulder. Gymnastics and cheerleading are two common activities associated with injuries to the wrist and elbow.

Stress fractures are another common overuse injury in young athletes. Bone is in a constant state of turnover—a process called remodeling. New bone develops and replaces older bone. If an athlete's activity is too great, the breakdown of older bone occurs rapidly, and the body cannot make new bone fast enough to replace it. As a result, the bone is weakened and stress fractures can occur—most often in the shinbone and bones of the feet.

Source: Dr. Thomas M. Mitchell DC, CCSP - Chicago Institute for Health and Wellness

Although osteoporosis will occur in all persons as they age, the rate of progression and the effects can be modified with proper early diagnosis and treatment.

During growth and young adulthood, adequate calcium nutrition and Vitamin D and regular weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and dancing, three to four hours a week, build strong bones and are investments in future bone health.

Smoking and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol should be avoided because they increase bone loss. As people age, appropriate intake of calcium and Vitamin D and regular exercise, as well as avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol use, are necessary to reduce loss of bone mass.

Source: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00315

• Aging
• Physical inactivity
• Reduced levels of estrogen
• Heredity
• Excessive cortisone or thyroid hormone
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol intake

The loss of bone tends to occur most in the spine, lower forearm above the wrist, and upper femur or thigh-the site of hip fractures. Spine fractures, wrist fractures, and hip fractures are common injuries in older persons.

A gradual loss of bone mass, generally beginning about age 35, is a fact of life for everyone. After growth is complete, women ultimately lose 30% to 50% of their bone density, and men lose 20% to 30%.

Women lose bone calcium at an accelerated pace once they go through menopause. Menstrual periods cease because a woman's body produces less estrogen hormone, which is important for the maintenance of bone mass or bone strength. Your family doctor or gynecologist may evaluate and recommend a treatment program of estrogen replacement therapy, calcitonin or other medications. To be most effective, the treatment program should begin at menopause.

Source: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00315

A number of studies have linked the Mediterranean diet (high in fish oils, nuts, and grains and including maybe a little red wine) with advantageous effects on neurologic and mental health.

Dr. Deans, assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City cited recent work reporting that adults who followed the Mediterranean dietary pattern the closest over 4.4 years had a significantly reduced risk of developing depression (40%-60%).

Also, a 2014 meta-analysis by Felice Jacka, PhD, of Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues found that 47% of the randomized controlled trials included reported improved depression outcomes with dietary interventions, levels comparable to those of drug trials. These data are doubly promising given that dietary interventions are relatively low-risk.

Source: Bret S. Stetka, MD, July 07, 2015 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/847304