There is nothing new about sports medicine. In fact, it has been around for a long time. But, these days, the demand for specialists in this field is growing like never before. You might be tempted to think that this is because of the introduction of newer forms of sport. Far from it.

The single reason for the prominence of sports medicine is that a generation of baby boomers is growing old but refusing to slow down. As a result, these weekend warriors are clamoring for – and getting – the very best in medical care.

In the 1920s, when sports medicine was born, treatment methods were reserved for serious sportspeople. But, in the early 1970′s, there was a sudden spurt in the desire for complete physical fitness. A large number of people began to pursue tough physical fitness programs seriously. More sportspeople led to more injuries, which in turn led to developments in sports medicine.

These days, there are a large number of sports activities for the recreational sportsperson. Marathons, trialthons, and adventure sports have led to an amazing increase in the number of recreational sportsmen and women. These people are more likely to get injured, particularly after they cross the age of 40. According to doctors, the bulk of their business comes from the neo-sportspeople, not from seasoned, high-profile athletes. These sports enthusiasts who may have torn a ligament running a weekend marathon or playing volleyball at the beach are willing to pay any amount of money so long as the injury is treated.

Luckily for doctors, sports medicine is undergoing exciting changes as new technologies make it possible to get to the roots of the most complicated problems and heal them. Procedures that were once deemed impossible are now common. Many treatment procedures that were available to world class athletes are now available to the recreational athlete.

Most sports injuries are due to overwork. Many weekend warriors forget that their bodies have a limit. They go out one day in the week and test the limits of their body. “Probably more than half the soccer teams out there have ligament tears or even disc problems that restricts their movement”, says Dr Bankson who works at an Orthopedic Clinic in the US.

The most common injuries include stress fractures, shoulder injuries, ACL tears, foot and ankle problems, hand and wrist pain, cartilage and spine problems. So far, the speed with which these recurring injuries are treated and their effectiveness have been nothing short of impressive.

Sports medicine is a boon for many, regardless of whether they are a soccer mom or a serious Olympic contender. In the past, a torn ligament could well be the end of the line for a sportsperson. But, with the advent of new technologies, sportspeople only need to take a short break after which they can continue to play for the rest of their lives. Even the recreational sportsperson can demand treatment that allows them to enjoy their chosen sport well into their old age.

Adjustable gastric banding is a method of restrictive weight loss surgery (bariatric) designed for obese patients who generally have a body mass index (BMI) of between 35 to 40.

The gastric band itself is an inflatable silicone prosthetic device which is placed around the top portion of the stomach via keyhole laparoscopic surgery. The placement of the band creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach which holds approximately 50mls. This pouch ‘fills’ with food quickly and the passage of food from the top to the bottom of the stomach is slowed. Once the Banding is applied to the patients stomach that part of the stomach thereafter sends a message to the brain that the stomach is full, this sensation then helps the person to eat smaller portions, eat less and therefore lose weight over time.

There have recently been several new versions of the gastric band made available which are much more reliable than those the previous which ones. The newer versions are easier for the surgeons to fit and maintain and also tend to be more comfortable for the Patients. but the main improvement is that slippage of the bands has been reduced thus preventing many re-fits of the gastric band.

The band is inflated /adjusted via a small access port placed just under the skin of the patient. Radio opaque isotonic solution or saline is introduced into the band via this port. A specialized needle is used to avoid damage to the port membrane. There are several port designs and they may be placed in varying positions based on the surgeons preference. The port is generally sutured in place to maintain stability of the port access point. When fluid is introduced into the band, it then expands placing pressure around the outside of the stomach. This decreases the size of the passage in the stomach and restricts the movement of food. Over a period of time, restriction is increased until the patients feel they have reached a point where optimal weight loss can be reached with the minimal fluid required. This is an individual experience and timing cannot be predicted which means that several visits and consultations may be required to fine tune the tightening the amount of fluid and total content required for each individual patient

Gastric Banding Surgery does not cut, mutilate, or remove any part of the digestive system. Subsequent Removal of the Band would require a keyhole procedure and the stomach usually returns to its normal pre-banded state.

COMMON GASTRIC BANDING PROBLEMS

It is unusual for gastric band patients to experience any nutritional deficiencies or malabsorbtion of micronutrients. Gastric dumping syndrome issues also do not commonly occur with gastric band surgery since no intestines are removed or re-routed.

Weight regain is possible with ANY weight loss procedures including the more radical procedures that initially result in rapid weight loss. World Health Organisation recommendation for monthly weight loss is

Low vision is a term commonly used among eye care professionals to mean partial sight, or sight that isn’t fully correctable with surgery, pharmaceuticals, contact lenses or glasses. Low vision can result from a variety of diseases, disorders, and injuries that affect the eye. Low vision can also be caused by heredity. Many people with low vision have age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy. Age-related macular degeneration accounts for almost 45 percent of all cases of low vision.

Following are some of the most common causes of low vision: Albinism. Albinism results from a lack of pigment. Some forms of albinism affect only the eyes (ocular) while other forms affect skin and hair color as well as the eyes (oculocutaneous). Albinism is hereditary. Aniridia. Aniridia is the partial or total absence of the iris of the eye. The lack of an iris results in acuity loss, light sensitivity and visual field loss. Aphakia. Aphakia is the absence of the lens of the eye which prevents the ability to adjust focus between objects at different distances. Cataracts. Cataracts result from the lens of the eye becoming cloudy or opaque. The clouding can occur over the entire lens or over a small area over the lens. Surgical removal of the cataract can result in aphakia. Coloboma. Coloboma is a birth defect occurring during the development of the fetus resulting in an underdevelopment, such as a cleft in the pupil, iris, ciliary body, lens, retina, choroid or optic nerve. Glaucoma. Glaucoma is a condition resulting from an increase of pressure inside the eye, often from improper drainage of fluids, which can cause damage to eye structures such as the optic nerve. Macular degeneration. Macular degeneration involves the gradual loss of sensitivity of the central portion of the retina. Since this is the area of the retina responsible for detail vision, macular degeneration is often associated with the loss of central vision and the ability to see fine detail. Nystagmus. Nystagmus is the involuntary movement of the eyes resulting in the inability to maintain a steady fixation. The movement can be horizontal, vertical, circular, or mixed. Optic atrophy. Optic atrophy is the degeneration of the optic nerve. Loss of function of the optic nerve results in a decreased ability to transmit electrical signals to the visual center of the brain. Optic nerve hypoplasia. This is a condition in which the number of nerves within the optic nerve bundle is reduced. Retinitis pigmentosa. This is a progressive degeneration of the retina resulting in night blindness and peripheral field loss. Retinopathy of prematurity. This is a condition in which the normal growth of blood vessels in the retina is disturbed during fetal development, often due to circumstances surrounding premature birth. This condition can lead to an increased risk of retinal tears or retinal detachment.