No Bones About it: Men and Women Aren’t Equals in Orthopedics (USAToday)
Whether they're young athletes, middle-aged adults or seniors playing competitive sports, females and males are vulnerable to problems with their bones and joints. Even with similar conditions, treatment and recovery can vary by gender. A new study looks at the Venus-Mars divide in orthopedic conditions, as experts work to raise awareness among men and women, parents and physicians.
Different Risks
If you're a man, watch your fingers and hands – fractures are more common in males. If you're a woman, you're more vulnerable to tearing a key ligament in your knee or spraining an ankle. And you're more likely to have knee osteoarthritis – the 'wear'-and-tear' arthritis that can become more disabling with age.
Women are also at higher risk for osteoporosis and have more hip fractures related to the bone-thinning condition. However, men with the same fracture are more likely to suffer major complications, according to a review article in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The review looked at findings from previous studies, which show men are more likely to develop conditi...
