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Date Submitted:
12/12/07
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Swelling After Knee Injury May Hinder Healing
Description:
The swelling that normally occurs when a joint is injured may interfere with healing after knee injuries, researchers say.
Publishing in the September issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, Duke University researchers identified two immune system proteins -- interleuken-1 and tumor necrosis factor -- produced by the body during swelling that blocked the healing of a damaged pig meniscus. The meniscus is a type of cartilage inside the knee joint that acts as a shock absorber between the thigh bone and lower leg bone. Almost 15 percent of all athletic injuries to the knee involve the meniscus. Over time, wear and tear on this cartilage contributes to osteoarthritis. Medical treatments could be used to block interleuken-1 and tumor necrosis factor and help heal knee injuries and osteoarthritis, the researchers said. "There already is a drug that blocks the effects of tumor necrosis factor that is used widely and effectively in patients with rheumatoi Read the Complete Article Similar content: Health Tip: Treating a Sports Injury, in Arthritis Physical Activity Cuts Risk of Repetitive Strain Injury, in Arthritis Marilyn Spivack Talks about Brain Injury: The Beginning of a Family Journey, in Epilepsy Mineralocorticoid Blockade Reduces Vascular Injury in Stroke-Prone Hypertensive Rats, in Hypertension Hip and Knee Replacements on the Rise, in Arthritis |
