Background/Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and progressive joint disease, leading to functional limitations and significantly impairing the quality of life. Muscle weakness, reduced mobility, and compensatory biomechanical changes are common consequences, further exacerbating functional decline. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of hip osteoarthritis on muscle functionality and to evaluate the effectiveness of hip arthroplasty using the MyotonPro device to measure key biomechanical parameters, i.e., tension, stiffness, and flexibility. Methods: This cohort study included 40 patients (17 women and 23 men; mean age 64.55 ± 10.49 years) with advanced hip OA (Kellgren–Lawrence grade III–IV) undergoing hip arthroplasty. Measurements of muscle tension (F), stiffness (S), and flexibility (D) in the gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris were performed at three time points: before surgery, on postoperative days 8–10, and one month after hospital discharge. Pain (VAS), balance (Tinetti scale), and functional ability (WOMAC index) were also assessed. Results: Hip arthroplasty significantly reduced pain levels (VAS: 6.38 ± 0.28 preoperatively to 1.88 ± 0.22 postoperatively, p < 0.001) and improved functional ability (WOMAC: p < 0.001). Muscle tension and stiffness of the gluteus maximus initially increased after surgery (tension: 11.57 ± 0.32 to 12.15 ± 0.38, p = 0.009), reflecting compensatory stabilization but decreased by the final evaluation. Flexibility improved significantly over time (p = 0.014). The biceps femoris muscle exhibited a significant reduction in tension one month postoperatively (p = 0.015), alongside decreased stiffness (p = 0.015) and enhanced flexibility. The rectus femoris muscle showed minor changes in biomechanical properties, with no statistically significant differences detected. Conclusions: Osteoarthritis significantly impacts muscle function, reducing the gluteus muscle tension and stiffness, which compromises joint stability and triggers compensatory activity in the rectus femoris and biceps femoris muscles. Postoperative rehabilitation is essential for improving flexibility and addressing compensatory muscle tension.

Aim: The aim of this study is to present a case of a patient with stress fractures.Material and methods: Stress fractures, otherwise known as fatigue fractures, result from abnormal and repetitive strain of healthy bone. This leads to micro damages and subsequent fractures. They are most commonly encountered after a sudden and excessive increase in physical activity and most frequently located in the metatarsal, heel, tibia, fibula and femur.Case report: This case presents a twenty-nine year old patient, diagnosed with obesity, not involved in sport ever before. Since the end of the spring, he started to exercise intensively at the gym, particularly lifting weights. Since the end of summer, he developed increasingly frequent feet pain, so he reported to an orthopedist. An ultrasound examination of the ankle joints was performed and it did not show any soft tissue damage. Subsequent MR imaging of both ankle joints showed a fatigue fracture: the talus bone of both feet and in the left cuboid bone.Summary: Excessive physical effort, especially in patients who have not previously participated in sport, can cause fatigue fractures. The diagnostic procedure should include patient’s history, X-ray and ultrasound. Fractures at an early stage may not be visible on X- rays, however an MR examination can reveal bone lesions or a fracture line. In the treatment of stress fractures, modification of activity, use of orthosis, direct cooling, short term use of pain drugs and rehabilitation are usually recommended.

Introduction: Bone tissue is a complex material with remarkable durability, elasticity and resistance to mechanical forces, playing a key role in the musculoskeletal system. Hydroxyapatite, a naturally occurring bone-like mineral, is used in a variety of medical applications due to its compatibility with bone tissue. However, synthetic hydroxyapatite has some limitations, such as fragility and low resistance to mechanical straining. Recent developments in nanotechnology have led to the invention of nanohydroxyapatite, which improves bone regeneration and integration with surrounding tissues. Aims: The aim of the study is to draw attention to the growing potential of nanohydroxyapatite in clinical practice, especially in the treatment of bone defects. Material and methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar based on specific criteria to identify relevant studies on the clinical application of nanohydroxyapatite and evaluate its effectiveness and applicability with other organic and inorganic materials. Results: Nanohydroxyapatite has been extensively studied in vitro, in vivo and in clinical trials, showing enhanced bone regeneration and integration. Studies in animal models show promising results for nanohydroxyapatite in bone healing and infection prevention. Clinical studies also confirm its effectiveness in bone grafts, showing comparable results to autografts and fewer complications than other synthetic materials. Conclusions: Nanohydroxyapatite represents a promising biomaterial in modern medicine. Demonstrating effectiveness comparable to natural bone tissue in clinical applications, it exhibits great promise in bone regeneration, implant integration and tissue healing.

One of the key aspects of new advanced biomaterial development is to understand and design new compositions of selected components. The important idea for bioapatite-based materials is the substitution of Ca by other elements, such as strontium. Here, we evaluated the inorganic part of a network of mouse bone apatite. The effects of administration of Sr into mouse bones do not depend on the form of the supplied compound. Sr addition to mouse bones results in the formation of narrow pipe-like structures including additional sulphates in the periosteum and endosteum and somewhere in the middle of the cortical bone. Sr administration clearly entails meaningful regrouping in the sulphate distribution in bone samples. Supposedly, sulphur is absorbed as the sulphates, and this mechanism resembles the involvement of carbonates. After the consideration of several possible ones, new complicated mechanisms of strontium and sulphate intake into bones were derived, which were not the simple ion-exchanges. Also, an alternate mechanism of attraction of Sr and sulphated glycosaminoglycans was considered. This study is the next step in achieving better knowledge of bioapatite structures and role of additional components, together with their interaction with other elements.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic pain and disability worldwide, affecting approximately 607 million people in 2021, with projections exceeding 1.1 billion by 2050. The knee is the most commonly affected joint and many patients experience inadequate symptom relief with conservative management or are not candidates for total knee arthroplasty. Periarticular arterial embolization, particularly genicular artery embolization (GAE), has emerged as a minimally invasive treatment targeting pathological neovascularization and synovial inflammation in OA pathogenesis. Objective: This review aims to synthesize current evidence on the use of periarticular embolization in the treatment of OA across multiple joints including the knee, hip, shoulder, hand and temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted examining clinical studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating periarticular artery embolization for OA treatment. Conclusion: Periarticular artery embolization represents a promising minimally invasive treatment option for patients with mild-to-moderate OA who have failed conservative therapy. It demonstrates high technical success rates (approaching 100%) with favourable safety profiles for knee OA, with emerging applications in other joints. However, standardized procedural protocols, long-term outcome data and multicenter randomized control trials are needed to definitively establish its role in OA treatment and optimize patient selection criteria.

Introduction: Venous thromboembolism is a common clinical problem. Its diagnosis in patients who have sustained trauma can be difficult due to nonspecific symptoms and the lack of characteristic findings on imaging studies. Thrombosis of the intramuscular veins of the lower leg is an uncommon manifestation of thrombotic disease, and due to its location and difficult diagnosis, it remains an underestimated and overlooked cause of painful lower limb edema. Case description: A 36-year-old man who suffered a knee injury while skiing presented with persistent swelling of the knee and shin lasting three weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound examination revealed no significant pathology, intra-articular damage, cartilaginous structures. An initial assessment of the venous system revealed no significant changes in the popliteal fossa and no signs of thrombosis. Due to increasing pain, tenderness and persistent swelling, the diagnosis was expanded to include a comprehensive ultrasound examination of the lower limb. Examination of the intramuscular veins revealed extensive thrombosis of the soleal and gastrocnemius veins, with preserved patency of the larger superficial and deep venous vessels. Conclusions: The presented case highlights the importance of intramuscular veins as the starting point for thromboembolic disease, which carries a risk of serious complications. Assessment of intramuscular veins is essential in the diagnosis of patients with persistent lower limb edema after trauma. A limited or cursory examination of the venous system may lead to delayed diagnosis and the development of complications. A comprehensive evaluation of the superficial and deep venous system, including intramuscular veins, should be standard practice in trauma patients.