Water-based exercise training effects on systemic blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension: a pilot study

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Stone Hearth News

Blood Press Monit. 2013 Dec;18(6):342-5. doi: 10.1097/MBP.0000000000000000.
Guimarães GV, Cruz LG, Tavares AC, Dorea EL, Fernandes-Silva MM, Bocchi EA.
Effects of short-term heated water-based exercise training on systemic blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension: a pilot study.
Source: Heart Institute (InCor), Clinics Hospital; University Hospital, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.


Abstract

High blood pressure (BP) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and its control is a clinical challenge.


Regular exercise lowers BP in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.
No data are available on the effects of heated water-based exercise in hypertensive patients.
Our objective was to evaluate the effects of heated water-based exercise on BP in patients with resistant hypertension.


We tested the effects of 60-min heated water-based exercise training three times per week in 16 patients with resistant hypertension (age 55±6 years).


The protocol included walking and callisthenic exercises.


All patients underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) before and after a 2-week exercise program in a heated pool.


Systolic office BP was reduced from 162 to 144 mmHg (P<0.004) after heated-water training.
After the heated-water exercise training during 24-h ABPM, systolic BP decreased from 135 to 123 mmHg (P=0.02), diastolic BP decreased from 83 to 74 mmHg (P=0.001), daytime systolic BP decreased from 141 to 125 mmHg (P=0.02), diastolic BP decreased from 87 to 77 mmHg (P=0.009), night-time systolic BP decreased from 128 to 118 mmHg (P=0.06), and diastolic BP decreased from 77 to 69 mmHg (P=0.01).


In addition, BP cardiovascular load was reduced significantly during the 24-h daytime and night-time period after the heated water-based exercise.


Heated water-based exercise reduced office BP and 24-h daytime and night-time ABPM levels.
These effects suggest that heated water-based exercise may have a potential as a new therapeutic approach to resistant hypertensive patients.

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Chocolate lowers body fat: new research

 

 

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Stone Hearth News

University of Granada researchers from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences have scientifically disproven the old belief that eating chocolate is fattening. In an article published this week in the journal Nutrition, the authors have shown that higher consumption of chocolate is associated with lower levels of total fat (fat deposited all over the body) and central fat (abdominal), independently of whether or not the individual participates in regular physical activity and of diet, among other factors.
The researchers determined whether greater chocolate consumption associated with higher body mass index and other indicators of total and central body fat in adolescents participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study. This project, financed by the European Union, studies eating habits and lifestyle in young people in 9 European countries, including Spain.
Independent of diet and physical activity
The study involved 1458 adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years and results showed that a higher level of chocolate consumption associated with lower levels of total and central fat when these were estimated through body mass index, body fat percentage—measured by both skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance analysis—and waist circumference. These results were independent of the participant’s sex, age, sexual maturation, total energy intake, intake of saturated fats, fruit and vegetables, consumption of tea and coffee, and physical activity.
As the principle author Magdalena Cuenca-García explains, although chocolate is considered a high energy content food—it is rich in sugars and saturated fats—”recent studies in adults suggest chocolate consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic disorders”.

  

In fact, chocolate is rich in flavonoids—especially catechins—which have many healthy properties: “they have important antioxidant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects and can help prevent ischemic heart disease”.
Recently, another cross-sectional study in adults conducted by University of California researchers found that more frequent chocolate consumption also associated with a lower body mass index. What’s more, these results were confirmed in a longitudinal study in women who followed a catechin-rich diet.
The effect could be partly due to the influence of catechins on cortisol production and on insulin sensitivity, both of which are related with overweight and obesity.
Calorie impact is not the only thing that matters
The University of Granada researchers have sought to go further and analyse the effect of chocolate consumption at a critical age like adolescence by also controlling other factors that could influence the accumulation of fat. The research, which is both novel and, perhaps, the largest and best-controlled study to date, is the first to focus on the adolescent population. It includes a large number of body measures, objective measurement of physical activity, detailed dietary recall with 2 non-consecutive 24-hour registers using image-based software, and controls for the possible effect of a group of key variables.
In Nutrition, the authors stress that the biological impact of foods should not be evaluated solely in terms of calories. “The most recent epidemiologic research focuses on studying the relation between specific foods—both for their calorie content and for their components—and the risk factors for developing chronic illnesses, including overweight and obesity”.
Despite their results, the authors insist that chocolate consumption should always be moderate. “In moderate quantities, chocolate can be good for you, as our study has shown. But, undoubtedly, excessive consumption is prejudicial. As they say: you can have too much of a good thing”.

###

The University of Granada researchers stress that their findings “are also important from a clinical perspective since they contribute to our understanding of the factors underlying the control and maintenance of optimal weight”.
Reference:
Association between chocolate consumption and fatness in European adolescents
Magdalena Cuenca-García, Jonatan R. Ruiz, Francisco B. Ortega, Manuel J. Castillo
Nutrition (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2013.07.011
Corresponding author:
Magdalena Cuenca-García
Department of Physiology Faculty of Medicine University of Granada
Telephone: +34 958 24 3540
E-mail address: mmcuenca@ugr.es

 

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For obese teen girls, aerobic exercise may trump resistance training in health benefits

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Stone Hearth News

Bethesda, Md. (Nov. 7, 2013)—

Obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the United States in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The growing rate of childhood obesity is a major health concern since overweight and obese youth are at increased risk of developing several diseases once considered reserved for adults. These new pediatric diseases include type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which fat builds up in the liver, potentially impairing its function over time. Although both diet and exercise have been considered as first lines to treat childhood obesity, SoJung Lee of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and her colleagues recently showed that when obese adolescent boys increased physical activity alone, they improved several markers of health. These include reducing total fat, fat packed around organs in the abdomen (known as visceral fat, a risk factor for diabetes), and liver fat, and improving fitness of their heart and lungs.

 To see if physical activity might work in the same way for obese adolescent girls, Lee and her colleagues performed a new study that compared the health effects of two different types of exercise—aerobic exercise and weight lifting—over three months to remaining sedentary. Although their results show beneficial effects for both types of exercise, the researchers found that girls who performed aerobic exercise, but not weight lifting, had significant reductions in visceral fat and liver fat, as well as improvements in insulin sensitivity, another risk factor for diabetes that’s linked with obesity.

 The article is entitled “Aerobic Exercise But Not Resistance Exercise Reduces Intrahepatic Lipid Content and Visceral Fat and Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Adolescent Girls“. It appears in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, published by the American Physiological Society.

Methodology

 The researchers recruited 44 obese girls between 12 and 18 years old. They separated these volunteers into three groups. One group was assigned to perform 60 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week for three months, either running on a treadmill or using an elliptical trainer. A second group was assigned to perform the same amount of resistance exercise, but instead participated in aerobic exercise program, doing 10 whole body resistance exercises using weight machines over the course of each hour-long session. A third group was asked not to participate in any structured physical activity program over the course of the study. Before the exercise programs began, all the study participants had a detailed physical exam, which included measuring their total fat, visceral fat, liver fat, and fat embedded in their muscles through various noninvasive means. The researchers also measured the volunteers’ insulin sensitivity, a risk factor for diabetes, as well as basic health measures including weight and physical fitness.

Results

The researchers found that those in both exercise groups had less total fat and intramuscular fat by the end of the three-month study period compared to the sedentary group. However, the two exercise groups differed significantly in other measures. Overall, those in the aerobic exercise group lost visceral and liver fat and improved their insulin sensitivity, but those in the other groups didn’t.

Importance of the Findings

These findings suggest that for teen girls, aerobic exercise might be superior to resistance exercise for cutting health risks associated with obesity. They also note that, anecdotally, girls in the aerobic exercise group seemed to enjoy their workouts more than those in the resistance exercise group, an opposite sentiment from the obese boys in their previous study.

 “Therefore, given the superior improvements in metabolic health with aerobic exercise and the enjoyment factor, we propose that aerobic exercise may be a better mode of exercise for adolescent girls of this age group,” they write.

 ###

Study Team

In addition to SoJung Lee, the study team also includes Anthony R. Deldin, David White, Ingrid Libman, Michelle Rivera-Vega, Sandra Sandoval, and Silva Arslanian of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, YoonMyung Kim of Yonsei University, Jennifer L. Kuk of York University, and Chris Boesch of the University of Bern.

Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues, and organs function in health and disease. Established in 1887, the American Physiological Society (APS) was the first US society in the biomedical sciences field. The Society represents more than 11,000 members and publishes 14 peer-reviewed journals with a worldwide readership.

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Yuri Foreman continues on comeback trail

For Immediate Release Yuri Foreman continues on comeback trail  Fighting in 'Knockout Night at Hard Rock Live' co-feature November 12 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida Yuri Foreman (L) is on comeback trail (photo by Ed Diller)   MIAMI (November 6, 2013) - The comeback of former World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman continues Tuesday night, November 12, 2013 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.   Foreman (31-2, 8 KOs), rated No. 14 by the World Boxing Council (WBC), takes on Mexican invader Javier "Pelon' Gomez (14-11, 10 KOs) in the eight-round co-feature on "Knockout Night at the Hard Rock Live," presented by Mo Productions.   The 10-round main event showcases Michael "The Brazilian" Rocky" Oliveira (21-1, 16 KOs), rated No. 7 by the WBC and No. 11 by the WBA, against former Mexican welterweight champion Noberto "Demonio" Gonzalez (19-2, 13 KOs).     JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ ATTENDING "KNOCKOUT NIGHT AT THE HARD ROCK LIVE"   Hall of Famer Julio Cesar Chavez has confirmed that he will be attending "Knockout Night at the Hard Rock Live" to closely watch Michael Oliveira in action.  The retired six-time, three-division world champion is the father of professional boxers Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. and Omar Chavez, who is a potential opponent for Oliveira in 2014.     "Knockout Night at the Hard Rock Live," presented by MO Productions, will air live on SporTV, a Brazilian Sports television broadcaster affiliate to TV Globo Network, and TNC in Argentina.   Nearly four years ago to the day (Nov. 14, 2009) of his upcoming fight, the 33-year-old Foreman dropped Daniel Santos (32-3-1) twice en route to a win by unanimous 12-round decision (117-109 twice, 116-110), to capture the WBA 154-pound title and become one of the few modern-day Jewish world champions.   In 2010, Foreman lost his first title defense to the great Miguel Cotto by ninth-round technical knockout at Yankee Stadium, followed nine-months later by a loss in Las Vegas to New York City rival Pawel Wolak, when Foreman was unable to continue fighting after six rounds.    A consummate boxer whose leg strength is critical, Foreman suffered a knee injury that eventually required surgery, which contributed to his only two losses as a professional.  Foreman was out of the ring for nearly two years, returning to win three consecutive decisions over Brandon Baue (DE6), Gundrick King (DEC6) and Jamaal Davis (DEC8) this past July.   "After two years of inactivity," Foreman explained, "I decided not to rush, taking my time to gradually build myself up to be better than I was before.  November 12th is an eight-round fight and, God willing, it will be very successful.  Then, it'll be a 10-rounder and after that, hopefully, I will be positioned once again for a world title fight."    An aspiring rabbi, Foreman was born in Belarus, moved to Israel, and resides in Brooklyn, New York.  He has taken an obvious liking to South Florida.   "This fight is a great opportunity for me in terms of the location," Foreman said.  "South Florida has one of the largest Jewish communities in the US, so it's important for me to fight there and win impressively.  I recently visited South Florida to promote my November 12th fight and, I must say, the Jewish community was very supportive.  I want to put on a great fight for them."   Undefeated light heavyweight Yunieski "The Diamond" Gonzalez (12-0, 8 KOs), a former member of the Cuban National Boxing Team, faces former WBC FECARBOX champion Jinner Guerrero (7-1, 6 KOs), of Ecuador, in a 10-round bout.   In scheduled six-round bouts are unbeaten Cuban featherweight Hairon "El Maja" Socarras (7-0, 5 KOs) vs. former world title challenger Jhon Alberto Molina (32-26-3, 20 KOs) and Bahamian lightweight Valentino Knowles (1-0) vs. TBA (opponent to be announced).  Knowles was a silver medalist in the 2011 Pan-American Games.   Also fighting on the undercard in four-round matches are Cuban super middleweight Vilier Quinones (5-0, 3 KOs), a former World Junior Championships gold medalist, vs. Mrcus Brooks (7-15-1, 3 KOs), heavyweight prospect and 2008 Cuban Olympian Robert Alfonso (2-0) vs. Jamal "Knockout" Woods (3-8-1, 3 KOs), Egyptian light heavyweight Ahmed Elbiali (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Borngod Washington (3-13, 1 KO), and West Palm Beach cruiserweight Steve Geffard (0-2) vs. Lamont Capers (1-2).  Oliveira, Gonzalez, Socarras, Knowles, Quinines, Alfonso and Elbiali are all fighting out of Miami.  All fights and fighters are subject to change.   Tickets cost $79, $29 and $19*, all seats are reserved and available to purchase at Ticketmaster outlets online at www.myhrl.com, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone:  1-800-745-3000.  *Additional fees may apply.  Tickets are also available to purchase at the Brizilian Rocky Fight Club in Miami (7500 NW 25th St., Unit 4 - 305-436-0210).   Doors open at 6 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. / ET.   For more information about the November 12 "Knockout Night at Hard Rock Live" event please visit www.MichaelOliveira.com.  You may friend Oliveira on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MichaelOliveriaboxing), or follow him on Twitter @RockyOliveira and Instagram @rockyoliveira.   -30-     CONTACTS: Bob Trieger, MO Productions, 978.664.4482, bobtfcp@hotmail.com, @FightPublicist Maria Fulfaro, Team Oliveira, mariafulfaro@hotmail.com Yaffa Mizrachi, Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, 954.327.7504, yaffa.mizrachi@seminolehardrock.com About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino invites you to PLAYHARD!  Play, stay, dine, and shop at South Florida's ultimate entertainment destination. Over 90 tables offer Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold'em Bonus Poker, Casino War and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Additionally, over 2,500 slots include the Native-American Casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room, are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player's Club members also have access to the exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and VIP Chef's Table show kitchen. The Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock hosts various games and tournaments of Limit and No Limit Texas Hold 'em, 7-Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. Located inside the casino is Hard Rock Cafe -Hollywood, part of Hard Rock's 138 globally recognized rock 'n' roll restaurants. The Green Lodging Certified by the State of Florida, AAA Four Diamond-rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 40,000 square feet of meeting room space, Rock Spa, award-winning restaurants, high-energy nightclubs, lounges and bars, boutique retail shops, the 350-seat Paradise Live theater and the 5,500-seat Hard Rock Live concert arena. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com,facebook.com/seminolehardrockhollywood, twitter.com/SHRHollywood, instagram.com/semhardrockhollywood and youtube.com/semhardrockhollywood.   About Hard Rock Live Hard Rock Live, a spectacular state-of-the-art facility, further expands the ultimate entertainment experience at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. This 5,500-seat indoor arena has attracted more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 2005, and has regularly hosted South Florida's greatest variety of musical acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Marc Anthony, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Tim McGraw and Carlos Santana; top comedians including Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Kathy Griffin and George Lopez; as well as major sporting events and events of major sports stars, from UFC matches to charity galas for Jason Taylor, Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade and more. For additional information, please visit www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com orwww.myhrl.com, facebook.com/MyHRL and twitter.com/hard_rock_live.

Peter 'Kid Chocolate' Quillin

Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin     NEW YORK CITY (November 6, 2013) - Held prisoner because of the boxing network war,  undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin (30-0, 22 KOs) is still searching for his career defining fight.   The 30-year-old Quillin, fighting out of Brooklyn, is the only top-rated 160-pounder aligned with Showtime.  The marquee-name middleweights, Sergio Martinez (WBC/Ring Magazine champion) and Gennady Golovkin (WBA), fight exclusively on rival HBO.   Quillin relishes the opportunity to fight any of the top rated middleweights, but he also understands the politics of boxing and the situation it has presently placed him in.  "It's not up to me who I fight," Quillin said.  "If the money is right, I'm up for fighting any of the top names, especially Martinez and Golovkin, but everybody's aware of what's going on behind the scenes (Showtime vs. HBO).  My job is to work hard and be ready.  I have the most powerful team in boxing (Golden Boy Promotions, adviser Al Haymon, co-managers John Seip and Jim McDevitt) and they get me the best available deals.  I'm not worried about who I'm fighting.  They come to me with my fights."   Here's how Quillin breaks down the top middleweights in the world, not listed in any particular order:   Sergio Martinez:  "He is the one everybody has as No. 1 in the middleweight division.  Martinez has fought some very exciting fights.  He's a showman in the ring."   Gennady Golovkin:  "A power puncher.  Golovkin brings power into the ring and gets a lot of knockouts."   Darren Barker (IBF champion):  "He always puts his best foot forward and always tries as hard as possible.  Barker and I would bring a lot of fireworks into the ring."   Daniel Geale:  "Another exciting fighter who bangs with the best.  It worked for a while against Barker."   Felix Sturm:  "I haven't seen too much of him.  I hope Sturm pursues more fights to make the middleweight division even tougher than it is right now."   Martin Murray:  "He is determined and exciting.  I can't take anything away from Murray."   Peter Quillin:  "A very exciting guy always looking for new ways to win.  He has power, showmanship and a lot of smarts in the ring."   Quillin recently overcame personal heartache in his second title defense victory, by 10th round technical knockout over a game Gabriel Rosado, who suffered a serious cut over his eye that resulted in the fight being halted on the advice of the ring doctor.  While he was in the middle of training camp in Los Angeles, Quillin's wife, Allison, suffered a miscarriage five months into her pregnancy.  She was home in New York City.   "I struggled with it," Quillin admitted.  "I was obligated to camp, 3000 miles away, and she had to go through it without me being there to comfort her.  We're praying together and I'm working on being more compassionate."   Quillin is already back in the gym, going through light workouts and yoga.  "I took a week off and bought my dream car (red Corvette Stingray)," he added.  "I get depressed when I'm not working out.  My wife goes to work and I'm all alone.  I need to be active to be productive, so I went right back into the gym.  My dad taught me how to clear my head. I'm staying ready and in shape, just in case the opportunity for my career defining fight comes along."   For more information about Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin go online to www.TheKidChocolate.com (Team Kid Chocolate T-shirts on sale here) or follow him on Twitter @KidChocolate and Instagram@KidChocolate.

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Exercise Program in Senior Centers Helps Decrease Pain and Improve Mobility of Participants

 

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Stone Hearth News

     

Newswise — Experts say it’s never too late to reap the benefits of exercise, and a program offered in New York City senior centers is improving quality of life for many older adults.
The exercise program, offered by Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in senior centers in New York City’s Chinatown and Flushing, Queens communities, has helped decrease pain, improve mobility and enhance the overall health of many participants, according to a study by HSS.
The research, titled “Impact of an Asian Community Bone Health Initiative: A Community-Based Exercise Program in New York City,” was presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting on November 5 in Boston.
The Asian older adult population in New York City grew by 64 percent from 2000 to 2010, and one in four seniors lived in poverty in 2010. “This population is at risk for osteoarthritis and osteoporosis,” said Laura Robbins, DSW, senior vice president of Education and Academic Affairs at HSS. “They are more than twice as likely to have no health insurance coverage compared to other major race and ethnic groups. Cultural and linguistic barriers limit access to healthcare services.”
To address these issues, Hospital for Special Surgery developed the Asian Community Bone Health Initiative, which is comprised of culturally-relevant, bilingual education and exercise classes. The initiative plays an important role in enabling the hospital to meet the musculoskeletal health needs of Asian older adults living in New York City, according to Sandra Goldsmith, MA, MS, RD, director of Public and Patient Education.

  

Six eight-week sessions of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (AFEP) and three eight-week yoga exercise classes were conducted by bilingual instructors at four senior centers in Chinatown and Flushing, New York. The programs promote self-management of arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions through exercise.
“Getting seniors to be active in any way will generally improve their quality of life and help them function better in their everyday activities,” said Linda Russell, MD, a rheumatologist and chair of the Public and Patient Education Advisory Committee at Hospital for Special Surgery. “People believe that if you have arthritis you shouldn’t exercise, but appropriate exercises actually help decrease pain.”
The AFEP sessions offered by HSS instructors consisted mainly of chair-based exercises. The yoga sessions featured beginner yoga classes.
The goal was to help Asian seniors decrease musculoskeletal pain, stiffness and fatigue; improve balance; reduce falls; and increase physical activity.
The program was offered between November 2011 and September 2013, with a total of 199 participants. A survey was distributed before and after the exercise classes to evaluate pain, function and other health indicators, and 119 participants responded.
Nearly all respondents were female and age 65 or older. In the survey, many participants reported that their pain intensity dropped and interfered less with their quality of life. The following statistically significant results are noteworthy:
• 48% fewer participants had pain on a daily basis after completing the program
• 69% more participants could climb several flights of stairs after the program
• 83% more participants could bend, kneel, or stoop
• 50% more participants could lift/carry groceries
• 39% of participants felt the program reduced their fatigue
• 30% participants felt that the program reduced their stiffness
“The study results indicate that the hospital’s Bone Health Initiative has a positive impact on the musculoskeletal health of the Asian senior population,” said Huijuan Huang, MPA, program coordinator. “While further research is needed, HSS will continue to offer culturally-sensitive programs to this community to help seniors stay active, decrease pain and improve their overall health.”
About Hospital for Special Surgery
Founded in 1863, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation. HSS is nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics, No. 4 in rheumatology, and No. 5 in geriatrics by U.S.News & World Report (2013-14), and is the first hospital in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center three consecutive times. HSS has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. From 2007 to 2012, HSS has been a recipient of the HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award. HSS is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College and as such all Hospital for Special Surgery medical staff are faculty of Weill Cornell. The hospital’s research division is internationally recognized as a leader in the investigation of musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases. Hospital for Special Surgery is located in New York City and online at www.hss.edu.

 

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New ligament discovered in the human knee

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Stone Hearth News

Two knee surgeons at University Hospitals Leuven have discovered a previously unknown ligament in the human knee. This ligament appears to play an important role in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. ‪

Despite a successful ACL repair surgery and rehabilitation, some patients with ACL-repaired knees continue to experience so-called ‘pivot shift’, or episodes where the knee ‘gives way’ during activity.

For the last four years, orthopaedic surgeons Dr Steven Claes and Professor Dr Johan Bellemans have been conducting research into serious ACL injuries in an effort to find out why. Their starting point: an 1879 article by a French surgeon that postulated the existence of an additional ligament located on the anterior of the human knee.

That postulation turned out to be correct: the Belgian doctors are the first to identify the previously unknown ligament after a broad cadaver study using macroscopic dissection techniques.

 Their research shows that the ligament, which was given the name anterolateral ligament (ALL), is present in 97 per cent of all human knees. Subsequent research shows that pivot shift, the giving way of the knee in patients with an ACL tear, is caused by an injury in the ALL ligament.
‪

Some of the conclusions were recently published in the Journal of Anatomy. The Anatomical Society praised the research as “very refreshing” and commended the researchers for reminding the medical world that, despite the emergence of advanced technology, our knowledge of the basic anatomy of the human body is not yet exhaustive. ‪

The research questions current medical thinking about serious ACL injuries and could signal a breakthrough in the treatment of patients with serious ACL injuries. Dr Claes and Professor Bellemans are currently working on a surgical technique to correct ALL injuries. Those results will be ready in several years.

 ‪ACL tears are common among athletes in pivot-heavy sports such as soccer, basketball, skiing and football.

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