What is piriformis syndrome?

Piriformis syndrome is a rare condition characterized by pain, instability, tingling and numbness in the lower back, buttocks, lower thighs and the calves. It arises due to the irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle during running or sitting. The longest and widest nerve of the body, the sciatic nerve is prone to a number of conditions that can lead to pain, numbness and tingling along its path.

Piriformis syndrome is just one of these conditions that affects the sciatic nerve along its pat to the lower leg. The symptoms may be experienced along the entire course of the the sciatic nerve or in specific areas supplied by this nerve like the skin of the leg, the muscles of the thigh, leg and foot on the back side.

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What is osteoma cutis?

Osteoma cutis refers to the presence of bone within the skin. It is considered to be a type of cutaneous ossification, which means formation of bone tissue in the skin. However, osteoma cutis can easily be differentiated from other types of cutaneous ossification. Sometimes calcium deposits within the skin may also be mistaken for osteoma cutis. However, the lesions of osteoma cutis represent abnormal bone formation within the skin, whereas calcium salt deposition in the skin (calcinosis cutis) does not include formation of bone.

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What is an ankle sprain?

Ankle sprain results from twisting of the foot and causes pain and swelling. While painful, ankle sprain is not debilitating. People with an ankle sprain can walk on the foot, although carefully and with pain. Ankle sprain may result from taking part in sports and physical fitness activities, and by stepping on uneven surfaces, or stepping down at an angle.

Ankle sprain involves injuries to the ligaments of the ankle, which hold the ankle bones and joint in position. Ligaments are elastic in nature and they stretch to protect the ankle joint from abnormal and excessive movements (like turning, twisting, and rolling of the foot). If during a movement, the ligament is stretched beyond its normal range, it gets sprained. A severe sprain can tear the elastic fibers of the ligament.

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What is shoulder arthritis?

Shoulder arthritis is a condition where the joints of the shoulder are inflamed and/or eroded. The term ‘shoulder arthritis’ is broad since it does not clearly indicate which of the two shoulder joints are affected or what type of arthritis afflicts the joint. It is often incorrectly used to describe other conditions affecting the shoulder like bursitis or adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).

Joints of the Shoulder

The shoulder joint is not a single joint. There are actually two joints at the shoulder.

• Acromioclavicular (AC) joint is the smaller of the two. It is the point where the collarbone (clavicle) articulates with the acromion of the scapula (shoulder blade).
• Glenohumeral joint is the larger joint where the arm bone (humerus) articulates with the glenoid portion of the scapula (shoulder blade).

One or both joints may be affected in shoulder arthritis and the symptoms can vary slightly due to the differences in location.

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What is wrist arthritis?

Wrist arthritis is a condition where multiple joints that are collectively known as the wrist becomes inflamed. This leads to pain, stiffness and swelling of the wrist. It is one of the most commonly affected sites with regards to arthritis. The term arthritis literally means joint inflammation while arthralgia refers to joint pain. Sometimes there is pain in the wrist (arthralgia) but this does not mean that the joint is inflamed (arthritis). The more common type of arthritis that affects the wrist is osteoarthritis (OA) but the wrist is also a likely site for rheumatoid arthritis.

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