After age 40, the average person loses about 1/2" of their height per decade. It happens because of gravity and wear and tear on bones, muscles and joints. Think of your skeleton as being made up of your ankles... continue reading  about  Why do some people lose height as they age? How much loss is too much?

It is excellent that you are active. In fact, a New England Journal study showed that people who are active actually do better in terms of their arthritis versus people who are not active. This is counter to wh... continue reading  about  I'm 56 and play racquetball two times a week, speed walk 6+ miles at a time, and play volleyball. My knees ache after I play. I ice after activities and have been taking Cellaplex for two months. How do I know if I am damaging my knees?

This is a complicated question, so I'll try to break it down into two issues.First, let's talk about the ACL tear diagnosis. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four main stabilizers of the knee.... continue reading  about  I had an X-ray and MRI on my right knee for severe pain. The radiologist said there was an ACL tear, but my doctor attributed it to arthritis. I don't have swelling and the pain is intermittent. If it were arthritis, wouldn't I have other symptoms?

Thanks for the great question. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of knee pain - it is the "wear and tear" degeneration of the knee's cartilage layer that occurs over time. In basic terms, it is like the brake pa... continue reading  about  I recently heard about a new knee procedure that uses medical separators rather than total knee replacement to relieve pain from osteoarthritis degeneration. Can you tell me about this and where to find out about getting it done?

Current treatments for end stage arthritis (bone touching bone) are very limited to mostly surgical options, i.e. joint replacement. Currently there is no effective way of replacing the cartilage that is damage... continue reading  about  I have knee pain, which I feel all day. I'm seeing an orthopedic doctor. His conclusion is the cartilage is worn out and recommends knee replacement. I've tried injections but this did not help. Are there any alternative procedures you would recommend?

Pain on the ball of the foot has many possible causes. It's important to find the underlying cause. Is it a musculoskeletal problem (muscle, tendon, ligament, bone or local nerve entrapment)? Or is it a neurolo... continue reading  about  For the past five to six years, the balls of my feet hurt and burn all the time. I've tried inserts, Dansko shoes, foot soaks, as well as pain and nerve medications. Any suggestions?

Back pain can generally be divided into two categories: Acute (less than four weeks duration)Chronic (greater than four weeks duration)Acute back pain is very common and is one of the top reasons that patients ... continue reading  about  I've been suffering from lower back pain for two years. I've had an MRI, ultrasounds and x-rays, but they can't find anything wrong. However I still have constant pain. What other tests can be done to find the reason for my pain?

Ankle sprains can take a long time to heal. Three weeks is very early in the process, and being careful with your ankle for up to six weeks is realistic. Avoid running and jumping activities for the next three ... continue reading  about  I sprained my foot/ankle about three weeks ago. The X-rays showed that there were no breaks. The swelling has gone down but it’s still there, and my ankle is somewhat painful at times. Is swelling for this long normal?

This injury described presumably involves the front part of the knee called the pre-patellar bursa. Beneath the skin (and above the bone) the body has a natural cushion called a bursa. These fluid-filled sacs a... continue reading  about  My daughter fell hard on her knee playing volleyball. An x-ray showed no fracture of the patella, but it did indicate pre-patellar bursitis. Is there anything she can do to speed up the healing?