Hip girdle pain is defined as pain in the buttock that radiates into the thigh. It is a common problem, particularly in the older person. Although there are many possible causes of this condition, most are found to be degenerative disease of the hip joint (osteoarthritis), the lumbar spine (facet arthritis, lumbar stenosis) or the [...]
SHOULDER PAIN – The Big Three “My shoulder hurts, Doc”. This is a common complaint heard by the orthopedist. The history is remarkably consistent: gradual onset of increasing shoulder and upper arm pain, with or without a preceding, usually minor, injury. The diagnosis is most often one of three conditions we`ll call “the Big Three”: [...]
This is an update on Osteoporosis (OP) and Fragility Fractures (FFs), conditions initially introduced in our October and December 2010 columns. I recommend a review of those earlier columns. A brief summary is as follows: OP is defined as “thin bones “and is due to inadequate calcification of the skeleton FFs are fractures through [...]
We all know that to be successful in a sport we must get in shape. Did you know the same principle applies to surgery? Just as running a marathon takes its toll on the body, so does surgery. Recovering optimally from both requires planning and preparation. Stop Smoking Even a few weeks of not smoking [...]
This is a common question in an orthopedic practice. The answer lies at the end of an algorithm of treatment options based on science and physician experience. Orthopaedic problems can be divided into those that are “surgical” and those that are not. The surgical group can be further subdivided into those with absolute (definite) indications [...]
It is well known that smoking is bad for the heart and lungs, but did you know it’s very harmful to the bones and their soft tissues? The ingredients in cigarette smoke impair the body’s ability to deliver oxygen, immune cells, and bone and soft tissue repair cells to fractures and surgical wounds. Smokers have [...]
The title of this month`s column is a line spoken by Marty Feldman in the classic movie Young Frankenstein. I borrowed it to introduce a way of exercise walking that I highly recommend. It`s called a two point reciprocal gait and it involves using 2 canes, (or hiking poles, walking sticks, etc) while ambulating. Each [...]
“Doc, I have a tendinitis that keeps coming back.” This is a common complaint heard in the orthopedic office, but the term “tendinitis” is misused in this context. Tendinitis is an acute condition that typically resolves with proper treatment and does not recur. What this patient has is a tendinopathy. The patient`s use of this [...]
Muscle and ligament strains are common orthopedic complaints. The pain from these injuries can be disabling, and proper rehabilitation is essential to ensure a full recovery. Resting a sprain is natural and appropriate, but it comes at a cost. When muscles are not used they become weak and lose bulk (atrophy) in response to their [...]
“Scratch an orthopedist and you`ll find a carpenter”. There is truth in this old saying, as both occupations use mechanical principles in their daily work. Pain, stiffness, weakness, and instability are common symptoms that prompt people to seek orthopedic advice. We search for the diagnosis, medical or surgical, but our focus is on an orthopedic [...]
Why it is Common for Female Athletes to Tear their Knee Ligaments,or “Move your Feet, Not your Hands” Female athletes tear their anterior cruciate ligaments as much as eight times more than male athletes. This is due in part to anatomic and physiologic factors, but much is due to what we call “neuromuscular deficits or [...]
A bursa is a thin sack positioned between two anatomic structures that rub together. Bursae are filled with a slippery fluid which facilitates motion by reducing friction. Typically, bursae are located between a prominent boney eminence (often with a tendon attached to it) and skin, bone or another tendon. When bursae become inflamed or irritated, [...]
We all know that to be successful in a sport we must get in shape. Did you know the same principle applies to surgery? Just as running a marathon takes its toll on the body, so does surgery. Recovering optimally from both requires planning and preparation. Stop Smoking Even a few weeks of not smoking [...]
A bursa is a thin sack positioned between two anatomic structures that rub together. Bursae are filled with a slippery fluid which facilitates motion by reducing friction. Typically, bursae are located between a prominent boney eminence (often with a tendon attached to it) and skin, bone or another tendon. When bursae become inflamed or irritated, [...]
This is not the ranting of a crazy man, it’s a mnemonic. A mnemonic is a catchy phrase whose letters stand for categories that by themselves are hard to remember. I love mnemonics and use them liberally to help me organize the vast amount of data in orthopedics. They are particularly useful in confusing cases [...]
Last month we talked about osteoporosis and its risk for fragility fractures. In addition to calcium, Vitamin D, and exercise, a class of drugs called bisphosphonates is often used to treat this common condition. Bisphosphonates are anti-resorptive drugs that inhibit osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone and release calcium. By slowing osteoclastic activity, osteoblasts, [...]
Osteoporosis is a condition of bone weakness due to suboptimal calcification of the skeleton. When the carpenter builds a house, he uses an optimal number of nails to achieve maximum strength in the resulting structure. It is the same with our skeleton. If our skeleton is optimally calcified, then it also will achieve maximal strength. [...]
Orthopedic emergencies are those conditions that should be seen by a physician that day to prevent potential harm to the patient. In today’s column we will not be talking about major trauma with deep lacerations, loss of consciousness, and fractures that obviously demand an immediate visit to the hospital ER. We will focus on [...]
It’s common knowledge that obesity is a medical risk for heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Did you know it directly impacts your orthopedic health as well? One third of Americans are obese, with obesity defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 (see nhlbisupport.com to calculate yours). Carrying this extra weight contributes significantly [...]
You’re at the doctors’ office and you’ve just been told “you have arthritis”. You nod your head knowingly, maybe repeating the term to yourself. But do you actually know what the word means? How about bursitis, or tendinitis? What’s the difference? Let’s look at these terms in some detail. First of all, none of these [...]
Did you know that bone is the only tissue in the body that heals with itself? If you cut your skin, it heals with scar tissue. If you lacerate your liver, brain, kidney, lung, it heals with scar tissue. If you fracture a bone, it heals with bone. It makes sense, doesn`t it? If the [...]
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