Scientists have discovered a gene mutation is responsible for causing psoriasis -- a chronic inflammatory skin disease that causes patients to develop red, scaly and itchy patches across their body. According to researchers, if two copies of this mutated gene (known as IKBKB) are present, patients with psoriasis may go on to develop psoriatic arthritis, leaving them with joint pain, stiffness and swelling. It's hoped the findings will lead to improved diagnosis and treatment for patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis -- conditions that patients say carry stigma in the community ..read more

A drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis could also prevent the disease in individuals deemed to be at risk ..read more

A novel PET imaging technique can noninvasively detect active inflammation in the body before clinical symptoms arise, according to new research. Using a PET tracer that binds to proteins present on activated immune cells, the technique produces images of ongoing inflammation throughout the body, such as rheumatoid arthritis. This makes it easier for physicians to correctly diagnose and treat patients ..read more

A team of researchers has shed light on why some patients with specific joint deformities, such as discoid lateral meniscus (DLM), are symptomatic while others are not. The researchers analyzed 61 symptomatic knees with DLM surgery and 35 asymptomatic knees but with DLM detected on MRI and discovered that symptomatic patients have thicker menisci than asymptomatic patients ..read more

An innovative study explores the use of robotic-assisted joint replacement in revision knee scenarios, comparing the pre- and post-revision implant positions in a series of revision total knee arthroplasties (TKA) using a state-of-the-art robotic arm system ..read more

Researchers have identified a drug target that may alleviate joint degeneration associated with osteoarthritis, a debilitating condition that afflicts as many as 30 million people in the United States alone. Pain relievers and lifestyle changes, such as exercise and reduced excess weight, have long been the therapies most commonly used to treat the joint stiffness and pain caused by degenerative disease, but there is a pressing need for therapies that can prevent joint breakdown that occurs in osteoarthritis ..read more

Youth baseball players are prone to elbow pain and injuries, including repetitive overuse changes and fractures, based on the maturity of their bones, according to a new study ..read more

Stronger quadriceps muscles, relative to the hamstrings, may lower the risk of total knee replacement, according to new research. Researchers said the findings could inform strength-training programs for people with advanced arthritis in the knee ..read more

A category of musculoskeletal disorders of our joints, muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and spine are on the rise and a new forecast is as many as 1060 million people -- up from 464 million -- will be living with related disabilities by 2050, placing even greater pressure on stretched healthcare systems ..read more

Anti-rheumatic drugs used for rheumatoid arthritis might prevent the development of autoimmune thyroid disease, according to a new observational study ..read more