Interactive Player Available: Baseball legend Hank Aaron Walks in Atlanta for Arthritis Awareness

NEW YORK, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Knee osteoarthritis (OA) can happen to anyone, including baseball legend Hank Aaron.  Until now, Hank's battle with osteoarthritis of the knee has been kept on the sidelines.  Yet, in hopes of helping the 10 million Americans with the condition, Hank has teamed with Genzyme, the maker of Synvisc-One® (hylan G-F 20) and orthopedic surgeon and author Dr. Nick DiNubile to launch "Get Back in the Game."  The program encourages the millions of people suffering with OA knee pain to take action now and to talk to their doctor about treatment options.

Interestingly, the man who won legions of fans by breaking countless records while never being on the disabled list found himself dealing with knee pain once he retired. He was diagnosed with knee OA and over the years his knee pain increased to the point that he even had trouble walking short distances. As someone who had been physically fit his whole life, Hank was determined to find a way to relieve the pain. Hank tried many treatments including physical therapy and cortisone injections, but these didn't give him the relief he wanted.  Hank's doctor treated him with Synvisc-One and now Hank wants to help motivate the millions of patients still suffering from OA knee pain to talk with their doctors.

Hank led the fight against arthritis this past weekend in Atlanta where he participated in the Arthritis Walk. Team Hank walked together to raise awareness for osteoarthritis and to encourage sufferers to talk to their doctor about treatment options. If you missed Hank this past weekend in Atlanta, you can join Team Hank and support Hank's fight against osteoarthritis by visiting www.teamHank.com. For every person that joins Team Hank, Genzyme will make a donation to the Arthritis Foundation.  Team Hank already has over 1,600 members, but each additional person will make a difference in the fight against arthritis.

"The reason I'm involved in the Get Back in the Game campaign is because I don't want people to give up.  I want them to understand that there is still hope out there for them, and to go to their doctor for advice," said Hank Aaron.

Synvisc-One® (hylan G-F 20) is indicated for the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conservative non-pharmacologic therapy and simple analgesics, e.g., acetaminophen.

Important Safety Information

Before trying Synvisc-One, tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to SYNVISC or any hyaluronan-based products; or if you have an infected knee joint, skin disease or infection around the area where the injection will be given, or circulatory problems in the legs. Synvisc-One is only for injection into the knee, performed by a doctor or other qualified health care professional. Synvisc-One has not been tested to show pain relief in joints other than the knee. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to products from birds - such as feathers, eggs or poultry - or if your leg is swollen or infected. Synvisc-One has not been tested in children, pregnant women or women who are nursing. You should tell your doctor if you think you are pregnant or if you are nursing a child. Talk to your doctor before resuming strenuous weight-bearing activities after treatment.

The side effects (also called reactions) sometimes seen after any injection into the knee, including Synvisc-One, include (<2% each): pain, swelling, heat, redness, and/or fluid build-up in or around the knee. These reactions were generally mild and did not last long, but in rare occasions these side effects were more severe. The most commonly occurring adverse events outside of the injected knee were headache, back pain, sore throat, the flu and faintness.  Allergic reactions such as rash and hives have been reported rarely in association with SYNVISC.

What: Baseball legend Hank Aaron Walks in Atlanta for Arthritis Awareness

When: Tuesday, May 25

Where: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/player/42460-team-hank/

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SOURCE Genzyme