Gout is caused by increased production of uric acid. Uric acid crystals travel and accumulate in the joints, especially in the feet and legs, causing great pain and swelling.

A shoulder dislocation usually occurs as a result of force to a joint. The bone is pushed out of the socket, which may cause damage to the surrounding ligaments, tendons, and nerves.

Bunions are usually caused by prolonged pressure put on the feet that compresses the big toe and pushes it toward the second toe. Over time, the condition may become painful as extra bone grows where the base of the big toe meets the foot.

The disks between the vertebrae are liable to displacement when put under strain. Heavy lifting may produce forces which cause a lumbar intervertebral disk to move out of place ("slipped disk").

Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder resulting from wear and tear and inflammation. Symptoms include loss of flexibility and pain and swelling within joints. The disorder results from injury to the cartilage, which normally absorbs stress and covers the bones so they can move smoothly. Some older people's cartilage is worn away, causing pain from bone spurs that restricts movement.

Many older women and some older men suffer from osteoporosis, a condition in which bone mass loss is greater than normally occurs with aging. Osteoporotic bone is shaped like normal bone but calcium loss causes the inside to be more porous and spongy. Osteoporosis makes bones more likely to fracture during walking, coughing, or bathing. Doctors recommend mild exercise to strengthen bones, a balanced diet with foods high in calcium, and, in some cases,...

Inclusion is essential to anyone's feelings of well-being. In this program, skiing using innovative equipment developed for paraplegics and amputees and playing junior ice hockey competitively with a specially engineered prosthetic arm are shown. In addition, self-esteem is addressed through a boy who decorated his prosthetic leg with a decal of his favorite movie character; disability-friendly etiquette is highlighted; and a victim of rape who has...

Osteoporosis eats away at bones, leaving them dangerously weak-and there is no specific age group, gender, or ethnicity that is immune from it. What causes such debilitating deterioration, and what can be done to resist it? This program describes the symptoms of osteoporosis while providing information on medications such as raloxifene, Fosamax, Actonel, and calcitonin. The importance of good nutrition and regular exercise as preventive measures is...