As an orthopedic surgeon, I recognize that the knees often take a beating. Golf, tennis, exercise such as running, and even squats can cause problems. One of the more common conditions I see is overuse injuries. Weekend warriors and professional athletes alike should know about overuse injuries and how to prevent them. An overuse injury… Read more »
Orthopedics
Tennis is a fantastic sport. As an orthopedic surgeon, I routinely prescribe exercise to my patients to improve their wellbeing, and I often recommend tennis. Once learned, it is a sport that can be played well into our golden years. However, there are sports injuries that can accompany the game. Whether you aspire to be… Read more »
Hip fractures send more than 300,000 Americans age 65 and older to the hospital each year. While hip fractures can be treated, the injury can lead to severe health problems and reduced quality of life. Most hip fractures occur because of a fall, especially among adults over the age of 65 with osteoporosis, a condition… Read more »
Neck pain is a frequently encountered problem in society. It is associated with a significant decrease in quality of life and a significant increase in time off work, which is associated with a decrease in national economic productivity. Patients typically present to either their primary care doctor or the emergency room with complaints of moderate-to-severe… Read more »
Dr. Jones, a busy local surgeon, presented with a six-week history of knee pain, which was not improved with aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. A knee MRI showed moderate to severe osteoarthritis without a definitive surgical indication. Dr. Jones was offered an image-guided cortisone injection directly into the knee joint, and 48 hours after the… Read more »
There are many things you need to do before going on a trip. You need to know what you will be doing, how long you’re going to be there, how you will get there, where you will be staying, and when you will be coming home. Getting ready for joint surgery is like that –… Read more »
Low back pain is a significant health issue and one of the most common reasons for a doctor’s visit. Over 80% of the population has experienced at least one memorable episode of significant back pain in their lifetime, and it is the leading cause of disability and days lost from work. The spine is a… Read more »
After playing 18 holes of golf requiring a forward bending position, you might be uncomfortable at the end of the round – especially if you start the round with tight muscles. Many trainers spend countless hours teaching their golf clients hamstring stretches when they complain of being tight. For many, the tightness will most likely… Read more »
Hip replacements are becoming more common these days as baby boomers begin to age. The everyday wear and tear on our joints catches up with us at some point, so when medicine, physical therapy and/or exercise don’t work and the pain interferes with our lives, it is time to fix it. Normally, the first few… Read more »
Do you stiffen up even at the mention of the word “arthritis”? May is National Arthritis Awareness Month, and according to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 50 million Americans are living with the condition. Despite how common arthritis is, there are a lot of misconceptions about this disease – namely, that it’s just a fact… Read more »
Low back pain is a very common health problem for 60 to 70 percent of people, according to the World Health Organization. Studies suggest the highest incidence of low back pain starts when patients are in their 30s and increases until the age of 60-65. The 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study estimated that low… Read more »
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) takes a holistic approach to health and regards illness as a sign that the body is out of balance. Unlike western biomedical science, TCM does not make a distinction between the physical, mental, and emotional components of life. Acupuncture indirectly stimulates the central nervous system (CNS). When an acupuncture needle is… Read more »
Over the last year approximately 20% of my patients came in with a primary complaint of low back pain. The patient can often pinpoint a moment when he lifted an object or moved a certain way, and all of a sudden had onset of pain that ultimately sent him to our clinic. Alternatively, other patients… Read more »
Bending forward to put on shoes, a quick reach to catch a falling pencil, or even simply rolling over in bed. Typically, the onset of new low back pain is initiated by a seemingly harmless activity; all of a sudden you go from high functioning to debilitating pain. As you begin to contemplate skipping work… Read more »
When it comes to back surgery, you often hear stories of those who successfully recover and then others who never do. Certainly the type of surgery is a consideration; however, post-surgery rehabilitation is a key factor to regaining maximum potential after any type of back surgery. I’d like to share an inspiring case study. Roberta… Read more »
An estimated 27 million Americans have some form of osteoarthritis. Joint replacement surgery is considered the most effective option for reducing disability and restoring function of those suffering, and 95% of patients report that they are satisfied with their procedure. That is probably why there are more than 4.5 million Americans currently living with at… Read more »
Osteomyelitis is a serious bacterial infection of the bone which may unexpectedly occur from something as simple as a dental procedure or bone fracture. It is often due to a staphylococci (staph) bacteria that begins in soft tissue and spreads to outer layers of bone, and sometimes the inner bone marrow, by way of the… Read more »
Whiplash describes a range of injuries as a result of a sudden distortion of the neck from hyperflexion and hyperextension.1 It is one of the most common non-fatal car crash injuries with approximately one million whiplash incidents on our roads each year, and many more which are unreported.2 It is also estimated that 6.2% of… Read more »
In this modern “hi tech” world, chiropractic is decidedly “low-tech” in nature. Based on manual manipulations and founded over 100 years ago, studies to support its effectiveness have been slow to surface. Fortunately, numerous scientific studies over the past 25 years have established chiropractic to be an evidence-based modality. These studies have found the practice… Read more »
There aren’t too many golfers in the world that can say they haven’t experienced some sort of soft tissue injury as a result of playing golf. It comes with the territory, and even the pros routinely go out with soreness, sprains and tears. The number one golf-related injury is the back, followed by the wrist… Read more »
