What is psoriatic arthritis? Psoriatic arthritis can occur in people who have psoriasis (scaly red and white skin patches). It affects the joints and areas where tissues attach to bone. The joints most often affected are: The outer joints of the fingers or toes. Wrists. Knees. Ankles. Lower back.

What is cicatricial alopecia? Cicatricial alopecia is a group of conditions that destroy hair follicles. Hair follicles are the part of the skin where the hair grows. The follicles are replaced with scar tissue. This means the hair will fall out and not grow back.

What is giant cell arteritis? Giant cell arteritis causes the arteries of the scalp and neck to become red, hot, swollen, or painful. The arteries most affected are those in the temples on either side of the head. These arteries narrow, so not enough blood can pass through. It is important that you get treatment right away. Otherwise, the arteries could be permanently damaged. There is also a risk of blindness or stroke. If you have giant cell arteritis, your doctor should also look for signs of another disorder, polymyalgia rheumatica. These conditions often occur together.

What are growth plate injuries? The growth plate is the area of tissue near the ends of long bones in children and teens that determines what length and shape the bone will be once it is done growing. Each long bone— the thigh bone, the bones in the forearm, and the bones in the hands and fingers—has at least two growth plates, one at each end. Once your child has finished growing, the growth plates close and are replaced by solid bone. The growth plates are weak areas of your child’s growing skeleton, making it easier to injure them. Injuries

What is osteonecrosis? Osteonecrosis is a bone disease. It results from the loss of blood supply to the bone. Without blood, the bone tissue dies. This causes the bone to collapse. It may also cause the joints that surround the bone to collapse. If you have osteonecrosis, you may have pain or be limited in your physical activity. Osteonecrosis can develop in any bone, most often in the: Thigh bone (femur). Upper arm bone (humerus). Knees. Shoulders. Ankles. It is also called: Avascular necrosis. Aseptic necrosis. Ischemic necrosis.

What is osteopetrosis? Osteopetrosis is a rare disorder that causes bones to grow abnormally and become too dense. When this happens, bones can break easily. In addition, bones may be misshapen and large, causing other problems in the body, such as problems with: Seeing and hearing. Fighting infection. Controlling bleeding. Osteopetrosis is a genetic disease that a child inherits from their parents. The disorder may be mild to severe, and symptoms may show up early after birth or later in adulthood.

What are sports injuries? Sports injuries are injuries that happen when playing sports or exercising. There are two kinds of sports injuries: Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. For example: Sprained ankles. Strained backs. Broken bones. Chronic injuries happen after you play a sport or exercise for a long time.

What is Paget’s disease? Paget’s disease of bone is a chronic (long-lasting) disorder that causes bones to grow larger and become weaker than normal. Usually only one or a few bones have the disease. Many people with Paget’s disease do not have symptoms. However, the bone changes can cause: Bone pain. Misshapen bones. Broken bones (fractures). Problems in the joints near the bones with the disease. With treatment, many people can: Manage their symptoms. Improve pain. Control the effects of the disease.

What are sprains and strains? A sprain is an injury to a ligament (tissue that connects two or more bones at a joint). When a sprain happens, one or more ligaments is stretched or torn. A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon (fibrous cords of tissue that connect muscle to bone). In a strain, a muscle or tendon is stretched or torn.

What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle. This increases your risk of broken bones (fractures). Osteoporosis is a “silent” disease because you may not have symptoms. You may not even know you have the disease until you break a bone. Breaks can occur in any bone but happen most often in: Hip bones. Vertebrae in the spine. Wrist. You can take steps to help prevent osteoporosis and broken bones by: Doing weight-bearing exercises, such as walking or dancing, and lifting weights. Not drinking too much alcohol. Quitting smoking, or not starting if