Researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center randomly assigned 43 women receiving an aromatase inhibitor for early breast cancer to receive either true acupuncture or sham acupuncture twice a week for six weeks. All had also reported musculoskeletal pain.

They found that the participants being treated with true acupuncture experienced a significant improvement in joint pain and stiffness over the course of the study. In addition, 20 percent of the patients who had reported taking pain relief medications reported that they no longer needed to take these medications following acupuncture treatment.
Participants who received the sham acupuncture did not report improvements in their pain.

"This study suggests that acupuncture may help women manage the joint pain and stiffness that can accompany aromatase inhibitor treatment," said the study’s lead author, Dr. Katherine Crew.

Aromatase inhibitor therapy is a common and effective treatment for early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Previous studies have found that about half of women undergoing the treatment report joint pain and stiffness.

Researchers analyzed results from the Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health (JCUSH) conducted in cooperation by Statistics Canada and the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics during 2002-2003. Data were obtained for 3,505 Canadians and 5,183 Americans.

The results, published in the medical journal Arthritis Care and Research, found that the prevalence of arthritis was 18.7 percent and AAL was 9.6 percent in the U.S., while equivalent estimates in Canada were 16.8 percent and 7.7 percent.

In addition, arthritis prevalence (23.3 percent versus 19.6 percent) and AAL (13 percent versus 9.2 percent) were both higher in American women than in Canadian women.

"Our study results suggest that the higher prevalence of arthritis and AAL in the U.S. may be a consequence of greater obesity and physical inactivity in that country, particularly in women," said the report’s Dr. Elizabeth Badley. "Public health initiatives that promote healthy weight and physical activity may benefit from including arthritis concerns to its message, and could potentially reduce the incidence of arthritis and AAL."

Among the natural treatments for arthritis and other joint pain are nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin as well as acupuncture, tai chi and yoga.

At Boston University, scientists used MRIs to determine risk factors for osteoarthritis, which can cause increasing joint pain as the connective tissue fails to keep bones from moving properly.

They found that in study participants who were considered obese, cartilage deterioration progressed more rapidly than in those with a lower body mass index (BMI).

According to the data collated by the study team, every one unit increase in BMI corresponded to an 11 percent increase in the chances of rapid connective tissue loss.

Families who are looking to reach healthier body weights and minimize the effects of obesity may turn to supplements, or they could turn to a children’s video game system.

Compared to sitting on the coach, video games that incorporate motion detection and engage players to move to complete activities burned three times the calories of simply being sedentary, according to a University of Oklahoma study cited by USA Today.

Researchers say massage can help reduce pain, muscle soreness and swelling. It can also improve circulation, joint flexibility and range of motion. Massage has been shown to help those with chronic back pain, migraines, knee osteoarthritis and cancer.

Spinal manipulation or adjustment practitioners apply a controlled force or thrust to a joint of the spine to restore spinal movement, improve function and relieve pain. In addition to its pain-relieving benefits, this therapy may help boost psychological well-being as well as decrease headache symptoms and neck pain.

Rolfing, which manipulates the protective tissue around muscles, aims to improve posture and realign the body. Although it is similar to massage, it may be painful. There is little research on this method, but it is believed to help with flexibility and to relieve stress and anxiety.

Both the Alexander technique and Feldenkrais method aim to help patients become more aware of their habitual or everyday movements. The theory is that changing movement can help with pain and other health problems. It is believed that a combination of these techniques may help manage long-term chronic pain.

Researchers studied 68 healthy female runners with an average age of 37 years old. They provided each of them with a typical running shoe and collected data on their joints using a motion analysis system while they ran on a treadmill with the sneakers and barefoot.

They observed increased joint torques at the hip, knee and ankle with running shoes compared with running barefoot.

Researchers say that while the typical construction of modern-day running shoes provides good support and protection for the foot itself, one negative effect is the increased stress on each of the three lower extremity joints. These increases are likely caused in large part by an elevated heel and increased material under the medial arch, both characteristic of today’s running shoes.

Running is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise. It is also believed to help fight stress and depression and boost immunity. Among the most common injuries associated with running are shin splints, muscle sprains and joint pain.

According to RunnersWorld.com, nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin can help reduce joint pain.

Researchers say middle-aged men and women who engage in high levels of physical activity may be putting themselves at an increased risk for developing osteoarthritis.

The team from the University of California at San Francisco evaluated the activity levels of 236 asymptomatic men and women aged 45 to 55. Subsequent MRIs indicated a link between increased activity levels and frequency and severity of knee damage.

The study also found that certain activities, like jogging or jumping, are worse for joint health. "Low-impact activities, such as swimming and cycling, may protect diseased cartilage and prevent healthy cartilage from developing disease," said study author Dr Christoph Stehling.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes pain, swelling and stiffness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that it is the most common form of arthritis in the U.S., affecting an estimated 27 million American adults.

According to the Mayo Clinic, among some of the natural treatments for joint pain are nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin, acupuncture, tai chi and yoga.

Researchers in Boston say people over 70 years old with chronic pain have an increased risk of suffering from falls.

"Our findings showed that older adults who reported chronic musculoskeletal pain in two or more locations – mainly in the joints of the arms and legs – as well as individuals who reported more severe pain or pain that interfered with daily activities were more likely to experience a fall than other individuals," said the study’s lead author Dr Suzanne Leveille.

Leveille and her colleagues followed 749 adults over the age of 70 for 18 months for the study. Participants reported a total of 1,029 falls overall, with those with pain in two or more joints having a 50 percent greater chance of falling than those without pain.

Chronic pain is believed to affect as many as two out of three older adults. According to the Mayo Clinic, among some of the natural treatments for joint pain are nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin, acupuncture, tai chi and yoga.

Research done at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and published in the November issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that there are several causes of the condition formally known as patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Scientists say the pain associated with the condition can be explained by a number of different factors coming together to create a focal point of pressure between the kneecap and the underlying bone. These factors include weaker hamstring and quadricep muscles, a smaller knee flexion angle and a larger navicular drop in the arch of the foot.

The study is believed to be the first long-term research looking at issues of strength and biomechanics that could affect the condition before it occurs.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome affects about one out of every four athletes. "It can be devastating. The pain can severely curtail a person’s ability to exercise and the symptoms commonly reoccur," said the study’s co-author Dr Darin Padua.

He also says the good news is that the study appears to confirm that if people can change the way they move and improve their leg strength, they can prevent or correct the problem.

Other common treatments for runner’s knee include icing the knee after activity and wearing proper, supportive footwear, according to CoolRunning.com.

"Evidence suggests that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can have a positive effect on a patient’s psychosocial, emotional and physical well being," said nurse and assistance dog trainer Julia Havey.

"These data further support these benefits and build the case for expanding the use of pet therapy in recovery," she added.

Facility dogs help patients with surgery recovery in a visitation, education or healthcare facility. They can perform more than 40 commands designed to motivate, rehabilitate or soothe clients.

Other types of assistance dogs include service dogs, skilled companion dogs and hearing dogs.

Havey and her partner FrancesVlasses started Canine Companions for Independence more than a decade ago to train service dogs for people with physical and developmental disabilities free of charge. They believe that animal-assisted therapy will ultimately become a standard of care for healing.

Epidemiologist Judith Gold from the College of Health Professions and Social Work recently presented preliminary research that found texting was linked to back and shoulder pain in college-aged students at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association.

"What we’ve seen so far is very similar to what we see with office workers who’ve spent most of their time at a computer. The way the body is positioned for texting – stationary shoulders and back with rapidly moving fingers – is similar to the position for typing on a computer," said Gold.

She said that findings from research on computer overuse may be applicable to people who send a lot of text messages because of the similar body positioning.

Some alternative treatments for overuse injuries that can cause joint pain, like carpal tunnel syndrome, include taking vitamin B6 supplements, yoga, relaxation techniques, acupuncture and chiropractic therapy, according to the Mayo Clinic.