A client has hereditary hemochromatosis, which has affected their hip and toes. It is bad enough that they are considering joint replacement. In the meantime, they would like to receive massage for hip pain. Oh, and there’s this tiny little issue about having recent strokes.
What is going on? How can iron overload cause joint damage, and is it involved in strokes too? Is bodywork even possible in this situation?
Resources:
IHACW Episode 317, available here
Agarwal, A.R. et al. (2022) ‘Postoperative Complications in Patients With Hereditary Hemochromatosis Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Matched Cohort Analysis’, The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 30(1), pp. e99–e107. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5435/JAAOS-D-21-00105.
Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (no date). Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/arteriovenous-malformations-avms (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
Arthropathy and joint pain (2020) Haemochromatosis UK. Available at: https://www.haemochromatosis.org.uk/arthropathy (Accessed: 29 August 2024).
Brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation) - Symptoms and causes (no date) Mayo Clinic. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brain-avm/symptoms-causes/syc-20350260 (Accessed: 30 August 2024).
Carroll, G.J., Breidahl, W.H. and Olynyk, J.K. (2012) ‘Characteristics of the arthropathy described in hereditary hemochromatosis’, Arthritis Care & Research, 64(1), pp. 9–14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.20501.
Hemochromatosis | Arthritis Foundation (no date). Available at: https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/hemochromatosis (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
Hemochromatosis (Iron Overload): Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diet & More (no date). Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14971-hemochromatosis-iron-overload (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
McCurdie, I. and Perry, J.D. (1999) ‘Haemochromatosis and exercise related joint pains’, BMJ : British Medical Journal, 318(7181), pp. 449–451.
Porter, J.L. and Rawla, P. (2024) ‘Hemochromatosis’, in StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430862/ (Accessed: 30 August 2024).
Sahinbegovic, E. et al. (2010) ‘Hereditary hemochromatosis as a risk factor for joint replacement surgery’, The American Journal of Medicine, 123(7), pp. 659–662. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2010.01.024.
Walling, A.D. (1999) ‘The Differential Diagnosis of Joint Pain: Hemochromatosis’, American Family Physician, 59(9), pp. 2587–2588.
Host:
Ruth Werner is a former massage therapist, a writer, and an NCBTMB-approved continuing education provider. She wrote A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, now in its seventh edition, which is used in massage schools worldwide. Werner is also a long-time Massage & Bodywork columnist, most notably of the Pathology Perspectives column. Werner is also ABMP’s partner on Pocket Pathology, a web-based app and quick reference program that puts key information for nearly 200 common pathologies at your fingertips. Werner’s books are available at www.booksofdiscovery.com. And more information about her is available at www.ruthwerner.com.
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