Hospital Kicks off Knee Prevention Campaign for Women in conjunction with the Alsip opening
Alsip Mayor Patrick Kitching will cut the official ribbon at MetroSouth Medical Center’s newly opened Alsip Health Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 10. The center is located at 12246 S. Pulaski in Alsip. The open-to-the-public Grand Opening celebration will include a commemorative toast, appetizers, raffle prizes and a brand new Wii and Wii Fit exercise system as the grand prize. In addition, exercise experts will be on hand to show guests prevention strategies for beating “achy knees.” All attendees will receive exercise bands and cards demonstrating quad strengthening techniques to do at home.
The event is part of MetroSouth Medical Center’s “Knee Pain Loves Women” program, which provides care and prevention tips to area women who suffer from a variety of knee ailments, including osteoarthritis. To stress the importance of healthy knee joints, MetroSouth has developed a program of simple, yet effective, quad strengthening exercises to relieve or ward-off knee pain from arthritis. In addition, board-certified orthopedic surgeons from MetroSouth will educate patients during seminars in the Southland this spring.
“Women tend to have more knee pain than men do, “explains Dr. Miranda Huffman, a MetroSouth family medicine doctor in the Alsip clinic.” In general, women have less cartilage that cushions the knee and after menopause, the loss of estrogen causes cartilage to break down faster.”
Joint MetroSouth at Alsip Health Center to ward off knee pain.
Osteoarthritis is the biggest cause of knee pain for both sexes. Nationwide, 60% of the 27 million Americans with osteoarthritis are women and approximately two-thirds of all knee replacements are performed on women. Experts point to weight loss and strengthening exercises for warding off osteoarthritis-induced knee pain.
A new study by researchers at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics found that thigh muscle strength does predict incidence of painful or stiff knee OA. Women with the strongest quadriceps muscles appeared to be protected against the development of knee OA symptoms.
“Simple but consistent quadriceps conditioning can help a great deal,” says physical therapist Kathy Wcislo. “I’ve had patients who were prime candidates for knee pain completely fend it off by developing strong quad muscles.”
For registration to the Alsip Grand Opening, please call 708.489.7927. For more information on the “Knee Pain Loves Women” campaign, visit MetroSouthMedicalCenter.com.
