Health Topics by Susan

The plantar fascia has many functions. It provides support and structure to the longitudinal arch of the foot. It provides an attachment for the intrinsic foot musculature. It integrates skin and toe mobility into the gait cycle. And, it protects the distal neurovascular bundle, tendons and muscles from the metatarsal heads during gait.

Inflammation of the [...]

The plantar fascia is a strong, thick sheet of connective tissue in the sole of the foot. It incorporates itself into the muscles of the plantar aspect of the foot. Plantar fascia has superficial and deep components. The superficial fascia is thick, it contains significant amounts of fat which helps it to provide padding for [...]

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Published: August 22, 2009
As you pack for college, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign told all its students in a recent e-mail message, don’t forget a thermometer, some over-the-counter cold remedies and a week’s worth of food.

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Sally Ryan for The New York Times
A poster [...]

By Georgiann Caruso
CNN Medical Producer

(CNN) — Matthew Sanchez had rarely seen his father cry. But when Rudjard Hayes looked at the X-rays of his son’s spine after a high school football accident, he held his wife close and broke down, not knowing that his son could see him.

Matthew Sanchez, now 20, [...]

A review of the literature demonstrates the effectiveness of various treatment options. Oztas, Turan, Bora and Karakaya (1998) studied the effectiveness of continuous ultrasound. It was discovered that there was no improvement in subjective symptoms, but there was a negative effect on motor nerve velocity, implying that ultrasound has a deleterious effect on carpal tunnel [...]

By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Pentagon health experts are urging Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ban the use of tobacco by troops and end its sale on military property, a change that could dramatically alter a culture intertwined with smoking.
Jack Smith, head of the Pentagon’s office of clinical and program policy, says he will [...]

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care in Germany is warning mothers that rushing off to shed pregnancy pounds while trying to copy celebrities is a dangerous incident.
Ideally it must take at least six months or up to one year for women to shed the weight they put on in pregnancy. Trying to [...]

By Robert Preidt
Thursday, July 2, 2009
THURSDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) — Middle-aged adults who live alone are twice as likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease later in life compared to those who are married or live with a partner. And the risk is three times higher among those who are divorced or [...]

Sun damage never goes away so protect kids from the start, expert says
FRIDAY, June 5 (HealthDay News) — Most people, especially children, love to be out in the summer sun, but parents should remember that no tan is a good tan.
“Remember that if you form a tan, you will have ultraviolet radiation damage,” Dr. Alfred [...]

How to improve your flexibility with stretching exercises
By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com
Updated: April 03, 2009
About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Stretching is a fundamental way to improve your overall health and fitness. By incorporating a regular flexibility program into your exercise routine you will:

improve circulation
improve range of motion
[...]