Fall is a busy time for school sports, home improvement projects�and emergency room visits.  Each year, more than two million kids under the age of 20 are treated for team sports injuries and almost half a million people fall off ladders.  Injuries to bones, muscles, joints and tendons are the number one reason for doctors� visits.   Dr. Bruce D. Browne, orthopaedic surgeon and Steering Committee Representative of The Bone and Joint Decade, a global initiative to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people�s quality of life:    

�Worldwide, musculoskeletal conditions and injuries are the most common causes of physical disability.  In the U.S. one in three adults has arthritis or chronic joint symptoms, and one in very two women will have an osteoporosis related fracture in her lifetime.  Because people are living longer, conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis have a great impact on costs of care and quality of life.�

For reliable information on prevention and treatment options for hundreds of conditions, visit the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons at orthoinfo-dot-org, or call 800-824-bones.