Health
Experimental treatment eases knee arthritis pain without surgery or pills
Ozempic used to help cure arthritis pain: Report
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News medical contributor, joined ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss his take on Ozempic being used to cure arthritis pain and why some doctors are warning some medications can affect heat sensitivity.
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Researchers are testing low-dose radiation to treat the painful symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee.
The study, published by researchers in Korea and presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting in September, suggests that a single course of radiation can be a “safe and effective” treatment option.
Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease causing pain, swelling and stiffness in the knees that worsens over time.
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The randomized clinical trial enrolled 114 patients with moderate-to-mild knee osteoarthritis who were each assigned a very low dose of radiation, a low dose or a placebo. The only other pain relief used during the study was acetaminophen.
Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease causing pain, swelling and stiffness in the knees that worsens over time. (iStock)
The participants went through six sessions as researchers assessed “meaningful improvement” in at least two of the following markers — pain, physical function and overall assessment of condition.
The patients also completed a questionnaire to report pain, stiffness and function. None of them recorded any treatment-related side effects.
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After four months of treatment, 70% of the low-dose participants met the criteria, compared to 42% in the placebo. Those in the very low-dose group saw a 58.3% improvement.
These findings suggest the low-dose regimen “drove relief beyond placebo effects,” experts noted in a press release.
A researcher suggested that radiation therapy could delay the need for joint replacement. (iStock)
In the low-dose group, 56.8% recorded meaningful improvements in pain, stiffness and physical function scores, compared to 30.6% in placebo.
The study concluded that low-dose radiation led to significant reductions in pain and improved function after four months, a “small fraction” of what is typically used to treat cancer.
“For people with mild to moderate disease, this approach could delay the need for joint replacement.”
Dr. Byoung Hyuck Kim, principal investigator on the trial and an assistant professor of radiation oncology at Seoul National University College of Medicine, Boramae Medical Center, noted that people with painful knee osteoarthritis “often face a difficult choice” between the risk of side effects from pain medications and the risks of joint replacement surgery.
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“There’s a clinical need for moderate interventions between weak pain medications and aggressive surgery, and we think radiation may be a suitable option for those patients, especially when drugs and injections are poorly tolerated,” he said in a statement.
Other lifestyle factors, such as weight loss, should be factored into the consideration of low-dose radiation as treatment, according to the researchers. (iStock)
Radiation therapy may be a better fit for patients with underlying inflammation and preserved joint structure, Kim added.
“For severe osteoarthritis, where the joint is physically destroyed and cartilage is already gone, radiation will not regenerate tissue,” he said. “But for people with mild to moderate disease, this approach could delay the need for joint replacement.”
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This treatment should also be considered alongside other lifestyle factors, including weight loss, physiotherapy and medications because responses could be “even stronger when radiation is properly combined with other treatments,” Kim said.
“And patient satisfaction may be higher than with current options alone.”
The study did have some limitations, the researchers confirmed, including the relatively short follow-up period.
The researchers are planning for larger trials to evaluate the outcomes in specific groups of people, comparing low-dose radiation injections with medication regimens.
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Just four minutes of daily strength exercises can dramatically improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, per new research from the Penn State College of Medicine.
Standard public health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. However, the study suggests that fewer than one in five older adults meet the recommended muscle-strengthening guidelines.
The research team designed a home-based program called Functional Activity Strength Training, or FAST-2. They evaluated 97 sedentary participants 65 and older, with an average age of 74.
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Before entering the study, these individuals were averaging just 18 minutes of total physical activity each week.
The older adults were randomly split into two groups, with one group performing the daily exercise routine and the other serving as a control group that received no intervention, according to the study’s press release.
Just four minutes of daily home strength training can significantly improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, according to a Penn State College of Medicine study. (iStock)
Participants performed four basic movements for 30 seconds each, separated by 30-second rest intervals. The entire routine lasted exactly four minutes. The circuit consisted of push-ups, chair stands, two-arm resistance-band rows and stair stepping.
To keep the routine accessible, researchers provided written explanations and simple modifications. For example, participants could perform push-ups against a kitchen counter or wall, or use their hands on their knees for support during chair stands.
Participants were also given four elastic resistance bands and an adjustable step platform.
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“Exercise is actually really complicated, because you have to decide how many repetitions, how far, how many sets, how much rest and how many times per week,” co-author Smita Dandekar, associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, said in the press release.
“It’s hard work … so if we can make it short, we’re part [of the] way there.”
The program consisted of four basic movements: push-ups, chair stands, resistance-band rows and stair stepping. (iStock)
As the participants grew stronger, they were encouraged to progress to higher levels of difficulty, such as transitioning away from modifications or increasing the height of the stepper.
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After 12 weeks, the results suggested that a tiny dose of regular exercise could yield noticeable physical benefits. In a 30-second chair-stand test, the exercise group performed an average of 4.2 more repetitions than the control group.
“These indicators … give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
The adults doing the exercises also shaved 2.3 seconds off their time during a test measuring how they could stand up and sit down five times consecutively. Furthermore, they extended their one-legged balance time by an average of 3.6 seconds.
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The researchers emphasized that these specific measurements are critical medical indicators of an older adult’s future health.
By keeping the routine ultra-short, researchers eliminated common barriers like time constraints and exhaustion, resulting in an exceptionally high 81% workout completion rate. (iStock)
“These indicators predict your future ability to go into a nursing home, your future likelihood of falling and of developing difficulty walking,” noted lead author Christopher Sciamanna, professor of medicine and of public health at Penn State College of Medicine, in the press release.
“They give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
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While traditional home exercise programs generally see low engagement, the participants in this study successfully completed their workouts on 81% of the tracked days, according to the researchers.
After 12 weeks, exercising seniors gained the ability to complete an average of four more chair-stand repetitions than those who did not exercise. (iStock)
The study had several noted limitations. As it tracked a relatively small sample size of fewer than 100 individuals over a brief 12-week time frame, it is unknown whether these mobility gains can be sustained long-term.
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Additionally, the researchers did not specify the exact dropout rates or detail how the routine might affect seniors who already relied on assistive devices like walkers or canes.
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Because the final trial results reflected a specific group of participants who met the entry criteria, further investigation is required to determine whether the short routine can safely benefit older adults facing more severe physical limitations or cognitive decline.
The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
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Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy, has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
The popular “mommy blogger” had been fighting the disease for the past two years, according to an announcement posted on ScaryMommy.com on Monday.
The stay-at-home mother of three launched the blog in 2008 as a place to share the “joys and pitfalls” of parenting, according to the article.
As Scary Mommy expanded from a personal blog into a major parenting brand, Smokler built a following with her honest, often self-deprecating take on motherhood. She went on to speak at blogging conferences, author bestselling books, appear on national television programs and earn three Webby Awards, her biography states.
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“Jill spent her life telling the truth about motherhood — that it could be wonderful and impossible in the very same breath — and in doing so, she gave millions of women permission to stop pretending and feel a little less alone,” her family shared in a statement following her passing.
Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy (pictured in 2018), has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock)
“She was funny, fearless, generous and entirely herself. More than anything she built, Jill was proudest of her three children, Lily, Ben and Evan. We are heartbroken to lose her, and endlessly proud of the mark she left on the world.”
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Smokler’s first sign of the disease was in April 2024, when she experienced a sudden seizure. She then underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, after which she didn’t recognize her own children, she previously shared with Today.
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“I am definitely grateful that I don’t remember the looks on their faces when I didn’t recognize them,” she said. “That must have been gutting.”
Smokler was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults and one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. There is currently no cure.
About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. (iStock)
Following surgery, the blogger underwent radiation and chemotherapy, during which she was open about her treatment side effects, including fatigue and hair loss. Additional surgeries and clinical trials followed, according to previous interviews.
“Thank you, Jill, for everything. May you rest in peace,” the Scary Mommy post concluded.
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About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. More than 12,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
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Median survival is approximately 12 to 18 months after diagnosis, even with treatment. Only about 5% to 7% of patients survive five years after diagnosis, data shows.
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