Sprain versus Strain by Jason Patterson, MD
A sprain and a strain, they’re the same thing, right? Although they sound very similar and are often treated similarly, they are in fact different injuries. Before understanding the difference between sprain and strain, it’s important to understand the difference between ligaments, tendons and muscles. What are ligaments, tendons and muscles and how do they work together? A ligament is connective tissue that connects one bone to another. They are found near moving bones (a joint) and primarily provide stability to the joint so that the motion is controlled and smooth. Examples are ankle ligaments between the leg and the …
Total Ankle Replacement by Jason Patterson, MD
What is ankle arthritis? Arthritis is one of the leading causes of disability. It is essentially a degenerative disease affecting the joints causing pain, stiffness, loss of function, and ultimately disability. The ankle is one of the more common joints that can be affected by arthritis. Unlike the hip or knee, ankle arthritis is typically brought on following a trauma or injury. This is referred to as post-traumatic arthritis. However osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis from conditions such as rheumatoid or gout can also affect the ankle. What are the conservative treatment options? Early on, ankle arthritis is typically treated conservatively …
Do Broken Bones Repair Themselves?
Our bones can withstand a lot of physical force and are also very flexible. However, if the force is too great, bones can break. Provided that the conditions are right for the break to heal completely, a broken bone or fracture can actually repair itself. Bone Fracture Healing Process After a fracture, a blood clot forms around the break. Then, bone cells begin to form on the sides of the fracture line, moving towards the center of the break, until the break heals. Once it has completely healed, the clot or callus will be absorbed by new cells. The entire …
Important Baseball Stretches to Minimize Injury
During the game of baseball, players are susceptible to a wide range of injuries. Injuries while running may include acute injuries such as ligament and tendon tears, or injuries while pitching may include rotator cuff tendonitis or elbow tendonitis. It’s essential to maintain a regular stretching program to help keep you limber on the field, correct muscular imbalances, and improve mental alertness to be less likely to injure yourself. Incorporate these three baseball stretches into your pre-game training routine: Cross-Body Stretch: Bring your arm across your body and use your other hand to hold your elbow. Now pull the arm gently …
Working from Home (Wrist Pain)
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant increase in the workforce staying at home and completing their job from a place of comfort. While working from home is nearly always seen as a good thing, it does present its challenges. It’s just a fact that throughout your entire career, a majority of people will experience pain or discomfort in their hands, wrists, and arms. Unfortunately, working from home and completing your normal tasks can increase the likelihood this pain can come sooner rather than later. A lot of us do not have the perfect office desk set up compared to …
Benefits of Custom Foot Bracing
When we think of our feet, it can be easy to downplay just how important a body part is to you. They are one of the few body parts that would significantly change our life if we did not have them. Also, it just so happens to be one of the unique features of our body. Custom foot bracing can be for multiple different instances, whether you are a runner or someone that needs to be fitted for medical reasons. One important fact is that everyone’s feet perform best when it has a certain fit for them. Foot braces are …
Treating “Pump Bumps” On Your Heel
Our feet are unique and complex parts of our body. Everyone’s feet are completely unique to the other person’s feet. Because we have such unique feet, it can create unique problems for us. There are hundreds of different conditions that can come up, but we will be solely focusing on a condition known as Haglund’s Deformity or “Pump Bump”. What is Pump Bump? Pump Bump is a condition that is caused by an enlarged bony prominence on the back of the heel. This condition is very common but can go undiagnosed by people just simply thinking they have foot pain. …
Staying Fit at Home
Covid-19 has changed nearly everyone’s life in the past year. With the pandemic presenting new challenges in our daily lives, you may be wondering how to continue to be a better version of yourself by being more physically fit. Here are a few steps you can take to staying fit at home. Have a Plan Setting aside some time to yourself to create a plan that works best for you is a significant first step. Many people have regular exercise fitting it into their everyday schedule, which can present challenges. By just taking some time and looking at what your …
How to Prevent Common Football Injuries
Football is a sport filled with immense passion and excitement. The speed of the game, size of players, and strategy to create the perfect game play is second to none. Beside the passion which football brings, it’s physical nature can bring injuries from minor sprains, strains, torn ligaments and tendons to more severe fractures, concussions, and spine injuries. It’s estimated that there are 1.2 million football-related injuries per year. Here are some tips to help prevent Football injuries: Pre-Game Warm Up: A surefire way of getting injured is going into the game with stiff joints and cold muscles. Warmup with jumping …
How Do I Know It’s Time for Surgery?
Every year Orthopedic Surgeons help millions of people return to their active lifestyles by alleviating their debilitating injury or pain. Orthopedic surgery applies to any type of operation on the musculoskeletal system for the treatment of painful symptoms or restricted mobility. Surgery can range from arthroscopy (tiny poke-hole incisions) which include simple repair or removal of torn ligaments, tendons, or debris from joints to more complex procedures such as minimally invasive joint replacement surgery. Doctors may also use arthroscopy to diagnostic tool to determine the cause of your joint pain. Sometimes people suffering with painful orthopedic injuries or degenerative joint …