Rookie Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasberg is facing a difficult year (or longer) ahead. The fastball pitcher has apparently sustained a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament to his throwing elbow and no is likely in need of surgical repair.

Baseball pitchers are especially prone to injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament, and important stabilizing ligament of the elbow joint.  Pitching places tremendous force on the inner side of the elbow, and by throwing at such a high velocity, over and over, the ligament can sustain damage.  It is because of this that baseball managers pay very careful attention to pitch counts and early signs of a problem.

The usual treatment of ulnar collateral ligament tears in a professional baseball pitcher is with reconstructive surgery, better known as Tommy John surgery.  The surgery has become alarmingly common in baseball pitchers, but is frequently successful.  However, the rehab following surgery lasts more than a year, and not all pitchers get all the way back to their pre-injury level of performance.  Do you think Strasberg can achieve the expectations of his fans?  Leave your comments below...

Greg Fiume/Getty Images

Many people  choose to proceed with joint replacement surgery in an effort to help them exercise and lose weight.  However, most studies have shown that joint replacement surgery has little effect on your ability to lose weight.  In fact, some studies have found that patients are more likely to gain weight after undergoing joint replacement surgery.

Good news for those of you trying to lose weight out there!  A recent study has found that patients were more likely to lose weight after their joint replacement.  In addition, the authors of the study recommend formal nutritional counseling and exercise goals be incorporated into the post-operative care plan of joint replacement patients.  Since many patients undergo this surgery to help with weight loss, it makes sense to do everything possible to help achieve this goal.

Glucosamine has been used for the treatment of joint pain symptoms.  Designed to treated arthritis, glucoasmine is an over-the-counter supplement that contains some of the building blocks of normal cartilage.  The hope is, that by consuming the glucosamine, cartilage health may improve.

Glucosamine has shown mixed results, but is often used because it seems to be safe and has few side-effects.  Some people feel it helps more than others, but most agree the potential downside of this supplement is small.  This recent study has investigated the use of glucoasmine for the treatment of chronic low back pain.

In this study, patients who consumed glucosamine were no better off than those that took a placebo, or sugar pill.  Patients were followed for 6 months and 1 year,so there was certainly ample time for improvement.  According to this research, glucosamine is not an effective treatment for relief of back pain.

Sources: Wilkens P, et al. "Effect of Glucosamine on Pain-Related Disability in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain and Degenerative Lumbar Osteoarthritis" JAMA Vol. 304 No. 1, July 7, 2010.

One of the most popular and fastest-growing types of footwear are so-called 'toning shoes.'  These shoes come with claims they will help you slim your waistline, all while walking through your normal daily activities.  Costing over $100, the question is are they worth it?  Or could they be causing more harm than good?

Toning shoes claim to help exercise the muscles of your lower extremities by incorporating the function of muscles not normally exercised during the gait cycle.  What this means is that the small muscles that control balance are working harder, thus giving you a more shapely thigh and butt.

Most medical professionals are skeptical. The idea that wearing a different shoe will lead to a different body shape is, well, unlikely at best. It is possible that muscle exertion may differ with footwear changes, but this difference is subtle, and unlikely to change appearance.

Some people may find these toning shoes more comfortable, and therefore they may certainly have a role in footwear options. Toning shoes are similar to rocker-bottom shoes often used for medical treatment of specific foot conditions. If these shoes make walking easier or more comfortable, then it could benefit your body shape by allowing you to exercise more. But claims that wearing a different shoe without changing your activity level will somehow change your appearance are far-fetched.

Have you used toning shoes? Do you think they work? Leave your comments below...

_{"Shoes' toning claims draw experts' doubts" CNN.com. August 2009.}

_{Image © www.PriceGrabber.com}