In my last blog entry I focused on certain differences between men and women in terms of musculoskeletal health, disease and injury. Here's more to ponder and comment on:

• Women are more likely to develop bunions (that bump on the inner side of the foot near the big toe - where the big toe also shifts and starts pointing outward rather than straight ahead, resulting in a deformed looking forefoot and difficulty finding comfortable shoes- or ones that fit). Genetics are an issue with bunion development, but the bigger factor is related to women's shoewear - especially when they are ill-fitting in the toe box. Women bring much of this upon themselves - or do we blame the fashion/shoewear industry?
• Men's and women's muscles are identical! Pound for pound, men and women are equally strong. However, because men have more muscle tissue (due to their size and also the hormone testosterone) they will usually be "stronger." Strength training is probably even more important for women (to protect their bones and prevent osteoporosis). Men and women will both get stronger with weight training (at any age), but men (especially when younger) will grow more muscle because of the hormone testosterone. It is impossible for most women to get "muscle-bound" with weight training - so ladies, please don't be afraid to start lifting - and do it regularly!
• Women are more likely to develop arthritis (although it is also very common in men) and be more likely to need knee joint replacement surgery. More on that later.

How do women fare (compared to men) after joint replacement surgery? Do they enjoy the same high success rates? Do they have more complications?

Do women need a different design in their joint replacement? In my next blog entry I'll explore this very area of controversy in the world of joint replacement and orthopedic surgery.