Plantar fasciitis (fashee-EYE-tiss) is the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heel. Approximately 2 million patients are treated for this condition every year. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the strong band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot becomes irritated and inflamed. The plantar fascia is designed to absorb the high stresses and strains we place on our feet. But, sometimes, too much pressure damages or tears the tissues. The body’s natural response to injury is inflammation, which results in the heel pain and stiffness of plantar fasciitis. More than 90% of patients with plantar fasciitis will improve within 10 months of starting simple treatment methods such as rest, ice, NSAIDs, exercises, corticosteroid injections, supportive shoes and orthotics, night splints and physical therapy.
Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries. Athletes, particularly those who play contact sports, are at risk for meniscus tears. However, anyone at any age can tear a meniscus. When people talk about torn cartilage in the knee, they are usually referring to a torn meniscus. Sports-related meniscus tears often occur along with other knee injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament tears. Sudden meniscus tears often happen during sports. Players may squat and twist the knee, causing a tear. Direct contact, like a tackle, is sometimes involved. Older people are more likely to have degenerative meniscus tears. Cartilage weakens and wears thin over time. Aged, worn tissue is more prone to tears. Just an awkward twist when getting up from a chair may be enough to cause a tear, if the menisci have weakened with age. You might feel a “pop” when you tear a meniscus. Most people can still walk on their injured knee. Many athletes keep playing with a tear. Over 2 to 3 days, your knee will gradually become more stiff and swollen. The most common symptoms of meniscus tear are: pain, stiffness and swelling, catching or locking of your knee, the sensation of your knee “giving way,” and you are not able to move your knee through its full range of motion. How your orthopedic surgeon treats your
Football is the leading cause of school sports injuries. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2012, approximately 466,492 people were treated for football-related injuries in hospital emergency rooms. How do we go about preventing football related injuries? Through maintaining fitness, pre-season physicals, warm up and stretching, cool down and stretching, and HYDRATION! We also want to ensure proper equipment. Protective equipment is one of the most important factors in reducing the risk of injury in football. We also want to prepare for injuries and emergencies. Coaches should be knowledgeable about first aid and be able to administer it for minor injuries, such as facial cuts, bruises, or minor strains and sprains. When is it safe to return to play? An injured player’s symptoms must be completely gone before returning to play. For example: In case of a joint problem, the player must have no pain, no swelling, full range of motion, and normal strength. In case of concussion, the player must have no symptoms at rest or with exercise and should be cleared by the appropriate medical provider. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Neurology have established guidelines recommending that athletes with concussions be evaluated and cleared by a doctor trained in managing concussions befo
About every 1 out of 100 female high-school athletes playing high-risk sports such as soccer, basketball, handball, and tennis will injure an ACL before she graduates. In college-level players, the risk rises to 1 in 10 – a much higher rate than among male athletes. Although the ACL can be repaired, and the knee can be stabilized enough to get athletes back on the field within 6 months, 20 percent of those who continue to play sports for 3 years will reinjure the same knee or tear the ACL in their other knee. Although studies are limited, the most successful approach thus far has been to train girls to mimic movements that male athletes seem to do naturally. When boys play sports, they instinctively keep their knees and hips flexed and their upper bodies equally balanced over their lower extremities—positions that help protect them against ACL injury. Female athletes tend to maintain a more upright position and extend their legs farther while playing. When they jump, they often land in an upright position and are less likely to land on both feet—actions that make them more vulnerable to ACL injuries. Therefore, many orthopedists are lobbying schools across the country to adopt injury prevention programs. Coaches, trainers, and parents who know firsthand how devastating an ACL injury can be are most responsive to these efforts, but get
Although blood is mainly a liquid (called plasma), it also contains small solid components (red cells, white cells, and platelets.) The platelets are best known for their importance in clotting blood. However, platelets also contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors which are very important in the healing of injuries. PRP is plasma with many more platelets than what is typically found in blood. The concentration of platelets — and, thereby, the concentration of growth factors — can be 5 to 10 times greater (or richer) than usual. To develop a PRP preparation, blood must first be drawn from a patient. The platelets are separated from other blood cells and their concentration is increased during a process called centrifugation. Then the increased concentration of platelets is combined with the remaining blood. Studies have shown that the increased concentration of growth factors in PRP can potentially speed up the healing process of an injury site! Conditions commonly treated with PRP include chronic tendon injuries (tennis elbow) and acute ligament and muscle injuries. Ask your surgeon today if PRP is right for you!
- Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Did you know that patients who smoke and have a joint replacement surgery are 10X more likely to need a joint revision (meaning that the surgeries had to be redone)! Smokers also have a significantly higher rate of complications including infection, poor wound healing, blood clots, abnormal heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, urinary tract infection, and kidney failure. So why does this happen? Nicotine constructs blood vessels so wounds get less oxygen and healing nutrients! With less blood flow, the wound also receives fewer protective white blood cells resulting in increased risks of infection. Don’t be surprised if your surgeon requests that you quit smoking prior to your surgery! credit Dorothy Foltz-Gray
Did you know that after your mid-20s, bone thinning is a natural process and cannot be completely stopped! Bone mass acquired during youth is an important determinant of the risk of osteoporosis related fractures during later life. During childhood and the beginning of adulthood, bone formation is more important than bone resorption. Later in life, however, the rate of bone resorption is greater than the rate of bone formation and results in a new bone loss – a thinning of your bones! Nutritional and lifestyle advice for building strong bones in youth is just as acceptable to adults! Adults should: ensure a nutritious diet and adequate calcium intake; maintain an adequate supply of vitamin D, participate in regular weight-bearing activity, avoid smoking and second-hand smoke, and avoid heavy drinking.
- International Osteoporosis Foundation
Yes, vitamin D is made by sunshine; however, in the northern latitudes, the sun is only strong enough to stimulate vitamin D production in your skin 3 to 4 months a year, typically from May through August. Your skin will make enough vitamin D to support good blood levels if you are outside for at least 10-20 minutes a day, without sunscreen, typically between 10:00am and 2:00pm in shorts and a tank top. Do most people get this amount of sun exposure? No. While I am not advocating NO sunscreen, I do think it would be OK to spend 10-20 minutes without it if you are trying to get your vitamin D. Then, go and slather up with a broad-spectrum SPF. If your vitamin D levels were low before the summer, or if you aren’t outside much without sunscreen during the middle of the day, you should continue your supplement. Susan Blum, M.D.
Because joints carry the weight of our bodies, the more weight you are required to carry, the harder it is for your joints to work properly! It has been found through numerous studies that the chance of developing arthritis is strongly associated with body weight. As the population ages and becomes heavier, arthritis, especially osteoarthritis has become one of the leading causes of disability worldwide! While getting down to a normal body weight is a good idea for people who are overweight, starting with reasonable goals like losing 10-20 pounds can help with joint pain! Do you already have joint pain? The key to exercising when you have joint problems is to find low-impact activities, including cycling, swimming, and aerobics! Harvard Health Publishing
Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) received the 2018 Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics. This evidence-based designation is the only orthopedics award that identifies the country’s best healthcare institutions based on a robust criteria that considers patient satisfaction, clinical excellence and women’s expectations from their best hospital. “We are overwhelmed to hear that our patients, especially females whoa are the primary healthcare decision makers for their families recognize the comprehensive and innovative care our sports medicine and orthopedics services strive so hard to deliver,” said Phyllis Peoples, President & CEO. “With our highly skilled physicians and the dedication of our staff, our team is able to provide the most comprehensive services in southeast Louisiana and are honored to receive the Women’s Choice Award for the third year in a row.” TGMC’s orthopedic and sports medicine services include the state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Caring MR Suite Imaging Area which enhance the patient experience of receiving an MRI by providing clearer images, more patient comfort and noise reduction, to name a few. The Community Sports Institute is an active community member providing athletic training resources to schools, concussion screenings and more. The 2018 America’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics are