Young pitchers should heed pitch count guidelines if they want their elbows to stay healthy, new research suggests. The Japanese study included 149 pitchers, aged 7 to 11, with no prior elbow pain who were assessed at the start and end of a baseball season. At the end of the season, the development of elbow… read on >
All Health and Wellness:
A-C-T to Prevent Hot Car Tragedies
Every nine days, a child dies in a hot car in the United States, but a safety expert says such tragedies can easily be prevented. “Three letters can help drivers remember to take proper safety precautions with children when traveling in the car: A, C, T,” said Susan Katz, coordinator of the pediatric injury prevention… read on >
Anti-seizure Meds Won’t Ease Low Back Pain
Doctors and pain specialists have been turning to anticonvulsive drugs for treatment of lower back pain more often over the past decade. There’s just one problem — these drugs don’t really help. A series of clinical trials have shown that anticonvulsants are no good at easing either lower back pain or nerve pain shooting down… read on >
Fatigue Fuels Knee Injuries in Young Athletes
When a teen athlete is tired, their risk of suffering a common knee injury rises, a new study suggests. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the thighbone to the shinbone, at the knee. When the ACL is overstretched or torn, it can cause swelling, instability and pain. It can also lead to high treatment costs… read on >
Sports Safety: It’s Not Just Child’s Play
Playing sports offers plenty of fitness and other developmental benefits for kids, but injuries are common. Every year, more than 2.6 million U.S. children aged 19 and under are treated in the ER for sports- and recreation-related injuries. If your child plays team sports, start by vetting the qualifications of the coaches. A questionnaire-based study… read on >
Fireworks Are Hard on Your Hearing
Your hearing can take a beating during Fourth of July fireworks. So don’t forget hearing protection when you go to fireworks displays this holiday, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) says. Noise from fireworks can reach up to 155 decibels, which is louder than a jet plane taking off (150 decibels) or a jackhammer. Noise… read on >
Don’t Get Burned by Fireworks on the 4th
Backyard fireworks and sparklers are a Fourth of July staple. They can be fun, but also dangerous, health experts warn. Knowing how to set them off safely can prevent a celebration from becoming a tragedy. And the National Safety Council advises everyone to steer clear from all consumer fireworks, and only enjoy fireworks at a… read on >
July 4 Fireworks Nearly Cost This Fireman His Life
Fire Capt. Jay Northup lit the fuse for the intended climax of his backyard fireworks display, a pricey 12-mortar box that would create a wondrous shower of glittering lights over his neighborhood. Three of the 12 tubes went off, and then silence. A dud. “I spent $600 on that, it’s going to work,” recalled Northup,… read on >
Docs’ Tattoos No Longer Taboo
Doctors need not fear that sporting a tattoo might drive patients away. That’s the finding of a small, new study that included seven doctors in the emergency department of a trauma center in a large Pennsylvania city who wore either fake body piercings or tattoos, or both, or no body art. The researchers surveyed nearly… read on >
Could Flea Fighters Stem Spread of Diseases Like Zika?
Medicines that protect pets from fleas and ticks may help lower people’s risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, researchers report. “Insect-borne infectious diseases remain primary causes of severe illnesses and fatalities worldwide, and new approaches to preventing outbreaks of these diseases are critically needed,” said researcher Peter Schultz, chief executive officer of Calibr and… read on >