Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the United States. It can range from a dull, constant ache to sudden, sharp pain that makes it hard to move.Bone Health and Osteoporosis
Why does bone health matter? Learn more about what you can do to help keep your bones strong and healthy, what the risk factors are for osteoporosis, and how to live well if you have osteoporosis.Fibromyalgia
Doctors don't yet know the exact causes of fibromyalgia. Find out more about this muscle-pain & fatigue causing chronic disorder.Fibrous Dysplasia
What is fibrous dysplasia? It happens when healthy bone is replaced with other types of tissue. Bones may become weak or oddly shaped, or they may even break.Growth Plate Injuries
Injuries to the growth plate happen when a break or fracture develops near or at the end of a long bone.Hip Replacement Surgery
Hip replacement surgery removes damaged or diseased parts of a hip joint and replaces them with new, artificial parts.Marfan Syndrome
What is Marfan syndrome? It is a disorder that affects connective tissue, which supports many parts of your body. Marfan syndrome is often a genetic disease.Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic disease, also called brittle bone disease, that causes bones to be weak and break easily.Osteonecrosis
What is osteonecrosis? Osteonecrosis is a bone disease in which the bone begins to die and collapse. Find out the symptoms and goals of treatment.Osteopetrosis
What is osteopetrosis? It is a rare disorder that causes bones to grow abnormally and become too dense. When this happens, bones can break easily.Paget’s Disease of Bone
What is Paget’s disease? It is a disorder that causes bones to grow too large and weaken. You can have Paget’s disease in any bones in your body.Scoliosis in Children and Teens
What is scoliosis? It is a disorder causing a sideways curve of the spine. Curves are often S- or C-shaped. In most people, there is no known cause for this curve.Spinal Stenosis
What is spinal stenosis? It is the narrowing of the spine. This narrowing puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves and can cause pain.Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are injuries that happen when playing sports or exercising. There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic.Selected Research Areas
Clinical and Investigative Orthopedics Surgery Unit
Led by Dr. Timothy Bhattacharyya, the unit investigates orthopedic conditions, including femur fractures and hip infections, and related treatments.
Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation
Led by Dr. Vittorio Sartorelli, the lab studies mechanisms that regulate specification, differentiation, and regeneration of skeletal muscle cells.
Muscle Disease Section
Led by Dr. Andrew Mammen, the unit researches human muscle diseases, as well the basic biology of skeletal muscle regeneration.Scientific Publications
Muscle and Bone Disease News
Press Release |
Higher Income and Longer Working Years are Linked to Better Mobility
A new study on the relationship between mobility and income has shown that better mobility was strongly associated with higher income and longer working years in adults.
Spotlight on Research |
Conquering Low Back Pain: Finding the Best Treatment for Individual Patients
The HEAL-funded Biomarkers for Evaluating Spine Treatments (BEST) clinical trial is taking an innovative approach. This large collaborative study – developed by the Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Research Program – aims to learn what back pain treatment or sequence of treatments are most effective for people based on their unique traits.
Announcement |
BACPAC Research Program Publishes Papers in Pain Medicine Journal
BACPAC is designed to take a comprehensive approach to understanding and treating back pain. This issue of Pain Medicine contains important information on these efforts.
Spotlight on Research |
Discussing Bone, Muscle, Skin, & Autoimmune Diseases: Info for American Indians, Alaska Natives - audio
A conversation between Dr. David R. Wilson, director of the NIH Tribal Health Research Office, and Dr. Lindsey A. Criswell, director of NIAMS, about information and resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives related to bone, muscle, skin, and autoimmune diseases.
Press Release |
Fewer hip fractures may be associated with reductions in smoking, heavy drinking
A new study, which analyzed 40 years of Framingham Heart Study data, found an association between lowered rates of hip fractures and decreases in smoking and heavy drinking.The rates of hip fractures in the United States have been declining over the past few decades.
Press Release |
NIH researchers discover gene for rare disease of excess bone tissue growth
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a second gene that causes melorheostosis, a rare group of conditions involving an often painful and disfiguring overgrowth of bone tissue. The gene, SMAD3, is part of a pathway that regulates cell development and growth. The researchers are now working to develop an animal model with a mutant version of SMAD3 to test potential treatments for the condition. The study appears in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.