We always talk about treatment of problems, and often forget about prevention. But isn't prevention the best treatment of all? We know to stop smoking and eat right, but what can be done to prevent orthopedic conditions?

If you really want to avoid the problems associated with an orthopedic injury, try to put your efforts in preventing the problem altogether. Here are five conditions that cause problems, but can be avoided. It takes some effort, and maybe some choices that you don't like, but you can avoid these problems.

Broken bones in kids are not the same as broken bones in adults. The approach to treating a child is very different to treating an adult with a fracture. The reason for the difference in treatment is the fact that the bone are different in children and adults.

Understanding how a child's bone is different from an adults can help explain the difference in treatment. Learn about what makes your kid's bones different!

Related: Growth Plate Injuries | Treatment of Growth Plate Injuries

When deciding to have ACL reconstructive surgery, the type of graft used to reconstruct the ACL can be one of the most difficult questions for patients do answer.  Different surgeons have preferences, and patients sometimes have preferences.  So what does the research show?

A recent study found similar results when comparing long-term (8 year) results in patients having either hamstrings or patellar tendon grafts.  The study did not look at donor (cadaver) grafts, only ACL grafts that came from the patient having the reconstruction.  The research shows that both grafts work exceptionally well, will little difference between the graft types.

The only major difference was that patients with patellar tendon grafts had more complaints when kneeling.  Interestingly, there was no difference in kneecap pain, only differences when actually kneeling.

This research confirms the notion that patellar tendon and hamstring grafts are equally effective.

What type of ACL graft did you choose, and why?

Sources: Barenius B, et al. "Quality of Life and Clinical Outcome After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Patellar Tendon Graft or Quadrupled Semitendinosus Graft" Amer Journal Sports Medicine vol. 38 no. 8 1533-1541

Tight fitting shoes are thought to be the cause of bunions in about 90% of patients. Shoes such as high heels are particularly damaging to the toes. These shoes have a sloping foot piece and a narrow toe box. The slope causes the front of the foot to be pushed with force into the narrow toe box.

Don't believe me? Consider the following:

• The average woman in the U.S. wears a dress shoe that is 2 1/2 sizes too small.

  
  

• Bunions occur in about 3% of the population in countries where people wear non-Western style shoes. They occur in about 33% of the population in Western countries.

If you have a bunion, try the following:

• Step 1: Get your nicest dress shoes
• Step 2: Set your shoe on the floor and stand next to it

  
  

• Step 3: Decide which is bigger--odds are the shoe is smaller than the foot

If the picture here looks at all like your feet and shoes, you may have found the source of your problem.

Related: More About Bunions | Other Toe Problems

Image © Jonathan Cluett, MD