Women’s Health in Orthopedics

It is now a “well documented fact that there are significant differences between the sexes in every system of the body” notes Board member Dr. Marianne J. Legato, a pioneering leader in gender-specific medicine, in her editorial in the November/December 2008 issue. Authors in this series will address musculoskeletal conditions that are more common in women or that require special considerations when they occur in women, including special considerations when a patient is pregnant or nursing. Some papers will also bring knowledge from other medical specialties to bear on the management of musculoskeletal problems in women. Publication of the 2008 issues of Women’s Health in Orthopedics was graciously sponsored by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and Quadrant HealthCom extends appreciation to them.

November/December 2008 Issue

What is the Real Value of Gender-Specific Medicine? (Does It Really Matter Whether the Patient Is Male or Female?) Dr. Marianne J. Legato’s bracing and informative editorial details some of the important findings on the “gender-specific characteristics of bone, bone growth, and the experience of bone disease.” The Female Anterior Cruciate Ligament: A Ticking Time Bomb? Drs. Christopher E. Baker and Constance R. Chu review the current knowledge of ACL injury in female athletes. Efforts to understand the reasons behind the disparity in ACL injury rates between males and females will be critical both to promoting continued emphasis on physical activity in girls and to reducing the burden of early osteoarthritis in women. Also: Interview. Dr. Kathleen Weber is interviewed on her experience with the launch of the Women’s Sports Medicine program at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush University. When Patients Won’t Comply With Sound Advice. Addressing the considerable liability risk that ensues, writer Mark Crane shares the advice of risk management experts and attorneys. >> Click here to download this issue

July/August 2008 Issue

This issue focuses on musculoskeletal problems common in active women. Knee Osteoarthritis in the Active Woman: Incidence, Etiology, and Treatment. Drs. Amy P. Powell, Michelle J. Rowe, and David G. Liddle discuss osteoarthritis in this group, focusing particularly on the nonsurgical management of knee OA. Stress Fractures in Women: Prevention, Early Recognition, and Management. Dr. William A. Grana discusses stress fractures incurred by athletic women, emphasizing the types of stress fractures that carry extra risk and require special care. Also: Erosive Osteoarthritis: Differentiating It From Other Commonly Occurring Arthropathies. Radiologist Paul D. Clifford, MD, reviews features of the clinical presentation and the radiographic views that differentiate erosive OA of the hand from OA, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. E-mail Do’s and Don’ts. Advice gathered by writer Mark Crane from practice management consultants, attorneys, and physicians can help you avoid many potential pitfalls. >> Click here to download this issue