Are you at risk of a running injury? Running is one of the most popular, and easiest, ways to get fit. Consequently, a running injury can occur commonly, at any level of fitness or athletic ability. With many factors involved in the causes of injuries, there are a few ways to reduce the risk of [...]
Imagine a life where you only had one hand - and that despite all the promises that modern science has made, your prosthetic replacement still wouldn't allow you to pick up delicate objects, or that you had to remove the prosthetic to wash your hand.
One problem facing future space travellers is the consequence of living for an extended time in zero gravity. Even in the relative weightlessness of the International Space Station astronauts experience both short and long term medical problems. (I write relative weightlessness, for at 350km above the earth, the pull of gravity on the ISS is [...]
Bone is a Truly Remarkable Part of the Body Despite having dealt with bones for so long, I still find it a truly remarkable material. Here are a few facts and figures... Despite being 30% water, bones are, weight for weight, four times as strong as concrete. This makes them stronger than some types of [...]
Fractures can be life changing as you age. Falls are serious at any stage in life, and breaking a bone after a fall becomes more likely as a person ages. Hip and vertebrae fractures have significant effects on both mobility and well-being. Hip fractures increase exponentially with age, and in the elderly are often the [...]
With collaboration from Sydney University and Allegra Orthopaedics, Dr Hartnell is the Chief Medical Advisor for the latest technology in bone graft substitution.
Back in the day when I was a junior doctor, one of the delights was making a cast from Plaster of Paris (POP). Although now been largely replaced by fibreglass, there was always something satisfying about feeling the warmth spread through the plaster once it was wet, then moulding it to fit a patient’s limb. [...]
I speak French to my ambassadors, English to my accountants, Italian to my mistress, Latin to my God and German to my horse. Frederick the Great of Prussia Orthopaedic Many medical terms are neologisms, combing Greek or Latin roots – or both – to describe medical conditions or symptoms. Sometimes the result is [...]
Illnesses have long featured in literary works, many being described by authors long before they were recognised as medical entity. Shakespeare’s works are peppered with disease, many with delightfully archaic names such as dropsy or ague.
“What will I be able to do after my knee surgery?” is a question I’m commonly asked. “Will I be able to kneel?” is another. The knee joint is a complex hinge; it not only bends back and forth, it also rotates and glides. The knee supports the weight of the body, and copes [...]
