Emerald in the Green Gate

VIOLA NICHOLLS is a picture of what anyone who reaches a century should be like.

However, she has bypassed that particular milestone by six years as she celebrated her 106th anniversary among family and friends in her Providence, Christ Church home yesterday.

Born in 1904, Nicholls has six surviving children and more than 20 great-grandchildren with a similar number of great-great-grandchildren.

Her daughter-in-law Grace Nicholls said Viola was blessed to be at that age with only arthritis in her knees and bad eyesight due to cataract. She said Viola could still hear well and had an excellent memory, as well as appetite.

McDonald Nicholls, Violas son, said he was thankful for the guidance she gave him and felt blessed to see his mother reach that age.

Viola, still a member of the Providence Methodist Church, although she has to be visited these days, said she felt good, adding that her secret to longevity was good food. (CA)

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More information at Information About Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treating Arthritis and Related Conditions

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Posted on 31st July 2010 by Nina Adelson in General

Arthritis, Conditions, Related, Treating

Treating Arthritis and Related Conditions

According to medical records, the first ever case of arthritis was recorded during 4500 BC. Arthritis can be defined as the condition wherein the joints of the human body get damaged, which is often related to the natural aging process.

The word Arthritis is believed to have been derived from the Greek language. Arthritis literally means joint inflammation: Arth refers to the joints and itis refers to inflammation. Arthritis is not a single disease.

There are several different types of Arthritis, each of which has a specific cause. Of these Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis are considered to be autoimmune diseases wherein the human body is self attacked. Joint contamination leads to Septic Arthritis while Gouty Arthritis is often caused due to accretion of crystals of uric acid within the joints, followed by inflammation. Osteoarthritis is believed to be the most common type of Arthritis which is generally caused following injury of the joints due to some infection or the natural aging process.

In terms of seriousness and physical effect, the medical sciences have identified Arthritis as a disease which is second only to heart disease and associated diseases. Self-diagnosis of Arthritis is often problematic, owing to the fact that there are over a hundred different types of Arthritis. This disorder can also be found in juveniles under the age of 15 years.

Whilst Arthritis mainly affects the joints, in some cases it has also been found to affect certain other body parts. These affected body parts develop often intense pain and inflammation and will often leave the suffer incapacitated. It has been observed that women are more prone to Arthritis than men.

One of the causes of Arthritis is insufficient lubrication of the joints which in turn may lead to heightened levels of stress on the body part. The initial symptoms of arthritis include severe pain and stiffness around the joint which happens gradually within a period of time. Arthritis symptoms could easily be avoided or prevented through various physical exercises or activities. Obesity is supposed to be one of the major causes of the Arthritis complaints due to intensive stress generated on the limbs and joints. Heavier body weights damage muscles and joints more over a period of time than lighter body parts. Arthritis is usually more painful during winter or damp weather conditions. Hence during these periods, the affected body parts should be covered with some woolen cloth or kept warm this would reduce the discomfort significantly.

In some cases of Arthritis the patients may become completely physically disabled and be forced to remain bed-ridden for an extended period of time., though thankfully these cases are much less frequent than other effects of Arthritis

There are several remedial medications approved by the FDA for various Arthritis disorders which do help relieving the problem to varying degrees of success. It is essential that you consult a physician for proper diagnosis of the precise type of Arthritis before undertaking any treatment plan. Such treatment will often involve some physical and occupational therapy, with arthroplasty being offered as the preferred option for medicinal therapy.

In some extreme cases doctors also recommend artificial joint replacement therapy as an option which is considered to be highly effective and successful. Just over 90% of the patients who are severely affected by arthritis symptoms, will report relief with these types of treatments.

Keith Tennent has over 10 years experience in the healthcare industry and now provides free online information,http://www.arthritiskneepain.co.uk advice and guidance. www.arthritiskneepain.co.uk was developed in response to an ever growing interest that arthritis knee pain sufferers have in researching their own conditions and taking a more proactive approach to health care.

Control Arthritis Leg Pain And Arthritis Finger Problems

Arthritis leg pain is a result of metabolic or degenerative arthropathy that occurs in or in the vicinity of ankles, knees, feet and hips joints. Those who suffer from degenerative joint pains experience pain in their joints when actively using them. On the other hand those suffering from psoriatic joint pain, gout and rheumatoid joint pain undergo bout of pain even when the joints are at rest.

Arthritis in general affects the body joints and musculoskeletal system. Arthritis leg pain can be because of leg problem arising due to rheumatoid joint pain condition. Another form of joint pain condition that is concentrated in leg to produce same type of joint pain is osteoarthritis. The general symptoms of arthritis leg pain are

Swelling The possible joints pain condition produce a swelling around the joint. With a simple glance inflammation may either be seen or not seen but can be felt. Anti-inflammatory medications are used to ease the swelling from joint pain conditions.

Pain The joint condition in leg that is deteriorated will produce pain. The intensity of pain will depend on the damage done to the joints in leg. The relief to this type of pain can be achieved by stretching.

Problems walking the cartilages in the joints of the leg can be damaged, which makes moving around more difficult. Pain in the knee joints is often the reason why a person may not be in a condition to walk.

Stiffness Stiffness in the leg is all because of deterioration of joint, pain and swelling. Usually stiffness is felt in early morning when getting out of the bed or when standing or sitting for long duration of time.

When you have painful joint condition two major things happen. First the joint tissue or cartilage is deteriorating that produces change in the complete structure of the joint. This further affects rest of the skeletal system as everything is connected. Second in order to accommodate the pain in the body you may start sleeping or walking in different way.

Arthritis finger in your body is one more painful joint condition. Each hand has 27 bones and subsequently number of finger joints. In addition to that daily work involves fingers in a big way thereby resulting into painful joint condition. The two types of conditions involving painful joints and hence the alarming signs of arthritis finger are almost identical as stated above for the leg.

With cause and signs of arthritis finger and painful joint condition in legs same, their treatment in general follows the same course. The treatment for both consists of anti-inflammatory medications, diet adjustment to suit joints in the body, ice and heat treatment, supplements, light exercises and maintaining balanced weight of the body.

Dealing with arthritis leg pain and painful joint condition in finger requires you to combine therapies and food that reduces inflammation. Reduction in inflammation will bring down the pain.

An estimated 25 to 30 million people worldwide have a condition called Peripheral Arterial Disease. It develops when cholesterol or scar tissue builds up and restricts the flow of blood through the arteries. It often goes undiagnosed. PAD frequently leads to pain or weakness in the legs and feet. But as VOAs Melinda Smith reports, a recent study shows that simple exercise such as walking and leg strengthening can help relieve the symptoms.
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Drinking alcohol may reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis according to new research published today. It is the first time that this effect has been shown in humans. The study also finds that alcohol consumption reduces the risk of developing the disease, confirming the results of previous studies.

The study which is published online today in the journal Rheumatology (Wednesday 28 July), looked at 873 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and compared them with 1004 people without RA (the control group). The researchers, led by Gerry Wilson, Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Sheffield (Sheffield, UK), asked the two groups how frequently they had drunk alcohol in the month preceding their inclusion in the study. The study participants completed a detailed questionnaire, had x-rays and blood tests, and an experienced research nurse examined their joints.

The first author of the study, Dr James Maxwell, a consultant rheumatologist at the Rotherham Foundation NHS Trust and an honorary senior clinical lecturer in the Academic Rheumatology Group at the University of Sheffield, said: ‘We found that patients who had drunk alcohol most frequently had symptoms that were less severe than those who had never drunk alcohol or only drunk it infrequently. X-rays showed there was less damage to joints, blood tests showed lower levels of inflammation, and there was less joint pain, swelling and disability. This is the first time that a dose dependent inverse association between frequency of alcohol consumption and severity of RA has been shown in humans.’

Dr Maxwell and his colleagues also found that non-drinkers were four times more likely to develop RA than people who drank alcohol on more than ten days a month. The risk of developing RA decreased according to the frequency of alcohol consumption. ‘This finding agrees with the results from previous studies that have shown a decreased susceptibility to developing RA among alcohol drinkers,’ said Dr Maxwell.

The researchers found that their findings applied regardless of gender and in both the anti cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) positive and negative forms of RA. ‘Anti-CCP antibodies are not present in most ‘normal’ people without arthritis,’ explained Dr Maxwell. ‘We know that these antibodies develop prior to the onset of RA, and are probably directly linked to the process which causes RA. Some patients have RA without having anti-CCP antibodies, but we know that the disease is much more severe in patients who do.’

It is not fully understood why drinking alcohol should reduce the severity of RA and people’s susceptibility to developing it. ‘There is some evidence to show that alcohol suppresses the activity of the immune system, and that this may influence the pathways by which RA develops. We do know that the changes in the immune system that lead to RA happen months and maybe even years before the arthritis actually develops,’ said Dr Maxwell. ‘Once someone has developed RA, it’s possible that the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of alcohol may play a role in reducing the severity of symptoms.

‘Further research is needed to confirm the results of our study and to investigate the mechanisms by which alcohol influences people’s susceptibility to RA and the severity of symptoms. It is also possible that different types of alcoholic drinks may have different effects on RA.’

The authors point out that there are some limitations to their study. These include the fact that they only recorded the frequency rather than the amount of alcohol consumption in the month before people joined the study; there might be bias due to people recalling inaccurately how often they drank alcohol and also the information represents a snapshot of drinking behaviour at one point in time, rather than giving information about fluctuating alcohol consumption over a longer period; and, finally, there were marked differences in age and gender between the RA and the control groups, although the researchers did adjust their results for these factors.

Writing in their paper, the study authors conclude: ‘While there are a number of limitations to the methodology of this study, the results do suggest that the consumption of alcohol may modify RA, influencing both risk and severity.’

Wilma the Bald Eagle was humanely put to sleep this weekend
after a battle with arthritis and declining health.

Wilma had recently been showing signs of
getting older and her bad arthritis was taking a physical toll on her body causing her to lie down
frequently.

Wilma was at least 34 years old. She came to Grandfather Mountain in 1981 after
sustaining a gunshot wound in the Western United States.

Of the animals currently at Grandfather
Mountain, Wilma had called the Animal Habitats “home” the longest. Her habitat neighbor, Morely the
Golden Eagle, came to Grandfather in 1984.

The Grandfather Mountain Habitat staff remembers
Wilma as an independent and outspoken animal.

“Wilma wasn’t able to fly because of her injury,”
said Grandfather Mountain animal habitat manager Christie Tipton. “She’s in a better place now where
she’ll always be able to fly.”

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers announced Friday that Kobe Bryant recently had arthroscopic surgery performed on his right knee. The surgery was performed last week and deemed to be a success. Bryant is in the midst of rehab, and a full recovery is expected in time for the Lakers’ training camp, which is set to begin on Sept. 25.

It is the third time Bryant has had the knee surgically repaired. It was first done in the summer of 2003, and then in the summer of 2006, causing him to miss the FIBA World Championships in Japan as a member of USA Basketball.

Bryant sat out of four of the Lakers’ final five regular-season games last season because of the knee. He struggled mightily at the start of the playoffs before having the knee drained prior to Game 5 of the first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Bryant averaged 24 points on 38.3 percent shooting in Games 1-4 against the Thunder and improved dramatically through the rest of the Lakers’ title run, averaging 30.3 points on 47.3 percent shooting, after having, as he later described it, “that nasty stuff sucked out of my knee.”

Bryant dismissed the possibility that the injury could be career-threatening after the Lakers’ NBA Finals Game 7 win against the Boston Celtics.

“It’s just an injury, and that’s what drove me nuts and made this even sweeter was everybody kept talking about, he’s old, he’s old,” Bryant said. “I was hurt. I drained my knee, and all of a sudden reeling off 30-point games like they’re 10-point games and everybody said how young I looked. I was hurt.”

More on the Lakers

For more news and notes on the Lakers, check out the Land O’ Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky brothers. Blog

Nearly a week later, following his exit interview with the Lakers front office, Bryant again downplayed the knee as being an issue he would have to address in the offseason. Instead Bryant pointed to his right index finger, which he fractured in December and had developed arthritis in the knuckles, as something that could merit surgical correction.

“The finger [was the problem],” Bryant said. “The knee was fine. Once we drained the knee it was fine or fine enough. The finger, though, was a constant problem. It was always around. I had to take the wrap around my entire finger and the hard splint underneath it so feeling the basketball was really tough. It was always a constant battle to adjust to it.”

The Lakers haven’t indicated if Bryant will have surgery on the finger.

Bryant is finally starting to show signs of slowing down after playing more than 1,200 games and 45,000 minutes in the regular season and postseason combined in his 14-year career. Bryant sat out nine games last season because of his knee, finger and left ankle injuries, ending his consecutive games played streak at 235 in February, which was the fifth-longest streak among current NBA players at the time.

Knee surgery is causing Bryant to miss out on international competition again, as USA Basketball held tryouts this week in preparation for the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey without him.

“Kobe needs to rest,” said Lakers teammate Lamar Odom, who is expected to make the USA team.

Bryant was appreciative of USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo’s understanding of his situation when speaking at his summer basketball camp in Santa Barbara, Calif., two weeks ago.

“Having the summer off from USA Basketball, Mr. Colangelo was very understanding about my situation and I greatly appreciate that, that gives me more time to make sure I’m completely ready to go [next season],” Bryant said.

Bryant isn’t the only Lakers player to go under the knife this offseason. Starting center Andrew Bynum is scheduled to have surgery on his right knee on July 28 in New York.

When your dog is suffering from pain after surgery or has joints damaged by arthritis, the pain is similar to that his owner might encounter. Providing canine pain relief is necessary just as human pain relief may be needed at time. Dogs suffer pain after surgery and from traumatic injuries.

When your dog is adversity from affliction afterwards anaplasty or has joints damaged by arthritis, the affliction is agnate to that his buyer adeptness encounter. Accouterment basset affliction abatement is all-important, pet, just as beastly affliction abatement may be bare at time.Dogs ache affliction afterwards anaplasty and from alarming injuries. Added altitude acute affliction abatement for dogs are hip dysplasia and the arthritis so accepted to chief dogs. Studies accept apparent that pets accept the aforementioned capricious degrees of affliction altruism as bodies do.

That may explain why one dog doesnt assume to apperception a anesthetic attempt while addition reacts as if you are acid off his paw.Pain abatement for dogs was abandoned for abounding years by veterinary medicine. Dogs adeptness castrate or alter anaplasty were commonly beatific home with no accouterment for affliction relief. Veterinary advances in compassionate beastly behavior and analysis led to a added accommodating appearance of basset affliction relief.When you accommodate affliction abatement afore the affliction becomes astringent or chronic, lower doses of the pet meds can be used.

This is abnormally important if accouterment dog arthritis treatment. The ache is accelerating for abounding earlier dogs and for dog breeds frequently afflicted with hip dysplasia.By anecdotic arthritis during the aboriginal stages, pet owners can action low dosage affliction meds with the adeptness to admission the dosage as bare over time. In acute cases area affliction is acquired by abrasion or above surgery, your vet may use analgesic affliction meds for a bound time. This has become exceptional due to the paperwork appropriate of vets to admission controlled substances and the abundant admonition appropriate to certificate use of narcotics.

Codeine and hydrocodone are acclimated in veterinary anesthetic and may be accumulated with an NSAID such as as Deramaxx. Vicodin is a admixture of hydrocodone and acetaminophen and can be acclimated cautiously for dog affliction relief. Never administrate Vicoden or added accepted meds except on the admonition of your veterinarian. Addiction to narcotics is not a evidence generally begin to aftereffect from basset pet meds conceivably because dogs cannot admission the medications for themselves.

Cosequin, Arthogen and Glucosamine for dogs accept provided affliction abatement for bags of crumbling or afflicted pets. The accident of arthritis affliction increases with age but arthritis can affect the joints of adolescent animals, too. Ample brand dogs are decumbent to developing hip dysplasia and collective problems. For some dogs, it is a brand specific medical botheration while for others it is the aftereffect of joints artificial by accustomed the ample dogs weight or joints afflicted by too abundant activity.

Lameness is a accepted evidence of collective affliction and is accompanied by acerbity in canines adversity from dog arthritis symptoms. Cosequin and Arthogen accommodate lubrication to the animals collective which reduces the pain-causing abrasion in joints area cartilage has been damaged.Your vet may admonish use of babyish aspirin to affluence acting affliction and deepening for your pet. Aspirin and acetaminophen are generally acceptable affliction relievers but should be accustomed alone on the admonition of your veterinarian as they can could cause abdomen affliction in some animals.

Corticosteroids do not accommodate affliction abatement but the abridgement of deepening in a damaged collective eases pain. There are ancillary furnishings with corticosteroid treatments which can cover abrasion of collective cartilage.In the case of an earlier dog that has absent superior of activity due to avant-garde arthritis affliction and stiffness, use of corticosteroids may be the answer. Long appellation ancillary furnishings are not a application if alleviative an beastly abreast the end of his life.

Providing basset abatement for your pet is accessible if you appraise the options accessible with your vet and accept a affliction ascendancy that apparel your dogs action and age. Glucosamine for dogs is frequently acclimated to abate arthritis affliction and is generally included with added capacity in branded dog arthritis medicine.There is no catechism that dogs ache affliction just as their owners do. Advances in veterinary anesthetic accept provided solutions for basset affliction abatement that are safe for your pet if acclimated as prescribed.

Affliction abatement anesthetic for dogs is now affordable as able-bodied and can be purchased online at veterinarian endemic websites at discounted prices.

When your vet recommends canine pain relief for your dog, get the best pet meds at discount prices. Buy online from a practicing veterinarian at http://www.petscriptsdirect.com.

A report recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 300,000 children in the U.S. suffer from some form of arthritis. Some 50,000 to 100,000 of that estimate suffer from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that can lead to permanent joint damage. This report says that 1 in 250 children under the age of 18 have been diagnosed with arthritis of another rheumatologic condition.

The study was lead by Dr. Jeffrey Sacks, an epidemiologist with the CDRC. His team studied information from doctors offices and emergency rooms across the U.S. One of the findings was that arthritis in children led to 744,000 doctor visits and 83,000 emergency room visits annually.

This is the first comprehensive national estimate of kids with arthritis and it includes a state-by-state estimate of kids diagnosed with arthritis or other rheumatologic conditions.

Here are some key points to the findings:

The incidence ranges from a low of 500 kids in Wyoming to a high of 38,000 in California. Many of these children must travel long distances to receive specialized care. 15,000 children with arthritis are residents of 11 states which have no pediatric rheumatologist and on average they travel 57 miles to see a specialist. Those states are Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Some doctors worry that due to the lack of availability of pediatric rheumatologists many children with inflammatory forms of arthritis are not diagnosed early enough to prevent disability. They say kids might bounce from one doctor to another before someone familiar with the disease makes an accurate diagnosis. In addition, Pediatricians and emergency room doctors might miss the signs of the more serious forms of arthritis and could send kids home without the proper treatment.

According to Arthritis Blogger Timothy Spaulding, a provision of the proposed Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act introduced in 2004 called for a better determination of the size of the childhood arthritis problem. Passage of the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act is necessary as it would encourage more physicians to enter the field and also would highlight the research needs for children with arthritis.

Flexcin is helping kids around the nation find relief in a safe and all-natural solution. The primary component of Flexcin is CM8 (cetyl myristoleate). Of all the ingredients in Flexcin, CM8 is the most powerful. CM8 functions in three different ways. First, it acts as a highly effective lubricant in the joints, muscles and other tissues, allowing them to move smoothly. Decrease or loss of morning stiffness is commonly noted shortly after commencing treatment. Next, CM8 functions as an anti-inflammatory. Relief from swollen joints is often seen after the 4th or 5th week of treatment. Third, it is also an immune system modulator, which can be effectual against autoimmune diseases, such as arthritic conditions. CM8 relieves joint pain at its source, reducing inflammation and irritation of the joints and tissues. It also has been helpful for many sufferers of muscle tension and fibromyalgia. All of these characteristics make CM8 the most important ingredient in Flexcin.

For more articles like this one, check out Timothy Spauldings Current Arthritis News and Research Blog.

Many people suffer from different types of arthritis pain. Most suffer from osteoarthritis and others suffer from rheumatoid arthritis also known as R.A. There are over 100 types of arthritis that people suffer from each and every day. All of these types of arthritis are different but all have one thing in common and that is they all can be very painful.Anyone can experience any type of arthritis whether they are a young child or an elderly person. Arthritis pain can affect a muscle and joint of the human body. Arthritis pain at times can be unbearable. How does arthritis pain become so painful? Arthritis is the inflammation or swelling of the joints. Arthritis over time can restrict the movement of the effected joint. The joints swell because the cartilage around the joint wears down.

Once this cartilage wears down there is no more cushion or padding the help the joint move without any friction. Without the cartilage the bones rub together causing friction which in turn causes the joints and muscles around the joint to become irritated. This can happen from applying stress or trauma on the joints and over a period of time is it will get worse. This can even be the effect from a past sports related injury.The joints that are more susceptible to get arthritis are the knees, wrists, ankles, elbows and even hip joints. There are many different types of treatment for arthritis.Some types of arthritis can be treated naturally and some cases will have to get a prescription from their doctor for arthritis pain medication.Exercise is one of the best natural arthritis treatments a person can do in order to prevent arthritis in the future. Many people who suffer from arthritis believe that exercise can not only prevent arthritis but also can be a natural form of relief from arthritis pain. Exercise is critical to a person health and well being when it comes to dealing and or preventing arthritis.

There is also new natural arthritis healing products that can help provide relief from arthritis pain. Most of these can be purchased without a prescription and can help take away that annoying pain. Did you know that certain foods help lower the inflammation of arthritis? Some foods that are high in fat and cholesterol can actually cause you to experience more arthritis pain. A good diet can give you more energy through the day and help with the healing process of the joints as well.Aromatherapy is another way to provide relief from arthritis pain. Aromatherapy is when certain aromatic oils are messaged into the inflamed joint. These aromatic oils penetrate deep inside the muscle to provide a soothing sensation and also hasten the healing of the joint. This is not a quick fix so to speak but it will help deal with the arthritis pain.

There are many new natural arthritis healing products for people who experience chronic arthritis such as osteoarthritis. Electric heating pads and moist heat packs are very beneficial in relieving the pain that arthritis causes. Swimming also provides relief from arthritis pain if the body part is used under the water. Swimming provides light resistance that strengthens the muscles, tendons, and joint without putting too much pressure or stress on the body.

More than 43 million people suffer from arthritis each day. Fortunately there are many different forms of treatment for arthritis that will help people fight the pain of arthritis. Before any medication is taken you should see your doctor and have them check to see if you have the symptoms of arthritis. Just like diabetes and cancer, scientists have not found a cure for arthritis yet but are getting closer each and every day.

Looking for the best treatment of joint pain,you must use Flexoplex .It is equally effective on both men as well as women.To get more information about Flexoplex please visit us.

Stem cell therapy is a less invasive treatment than joint replacement

A stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis is to be tested on patients in the UK for the first time.

A year-long trial, funded by Arthritis Research UK, will mix stem cells with cartilage cells in the lab and inject them back into damaged knee joints.

The new treatment could be an alternative to joint replacement surgery, experts hope.

Scientists from Keele University will study up to 70 people from the end of this year.

The trial will be run at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, Shropshire as part of a five-year research programme.

Three treatments are being tested in a randomised trial of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Cell therapy

Using keyhole surgery, a patient’s cartilage cells – also known as chondrocytes – and bone marrow stem cells will be removed and grown in a laboratory for three weeks.

Continue reading the main story

We are using the body’s own cells to repair damaged joints. The hope is that it will be permanent and long-term

Professor Sally Roberts,
Keele University

They will then be re-implanted separately in some patients, and mixed together in other patients, into the area of damaged or worn cartilage.

Scientists will then test the effectiveness of all three types of cell therapy, based on the quality of the new cartilage formed over a period of 12 months.

Chondrocytes – cartilage cells – have been grown in a lab and re-injected into patients’ damaged knees for the last 15 years.

But scientists now want to find out if combining cartilage cells and stem cells in the same process could work better, and specifically if one type of cell stimulates the other.

Less invasive

Prof Richardson from the Orthopaedic Hospital explains how the trial works

Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 8m people in the UK.

The condition is caused by wear and tear to the surface of joints, leading to stiffness and pain.

At present there is little effective treatment for osteoarthritis patients, apart from pain-relieving drugs and joint replacement.

The trial will focus on knee joints, but the results could have implications for other joints, say the scientists.

The advantage of stem cell treatment is that it’s much less invasive than major joint replacement surgery.

Sally Roberts, professor of orthopaedic research at Keele University and lead scientist on the trial, says it’s also a more “biological approach”.

“We are using the body’s own cells to repair damaged joints. The hope is that it will be permanent and long-term repair,” she said.

But, even if successful, the treatment won’t be used on everyone with osteoarthritis.

“Surgeons don’t want to put implants into young patients in their 30s, so we are targeting these people for the use of this cell therapy if we can produce robust new cartilage cells.

“Stem cells certainly have huge potential – we just need to learn how to harness it properly,” she added.

Jane Tadman, spokesperson for Arthritis Research UK, said: “This is just the start of developing this technique, and it could be a few years before such treatment will be in routine use.”