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Are you keeping up with your home exercise program? There is new incentive to keep osteoarthritis patients up and moving!

A new study shows that patients with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA) who kept up with their self-directed, home exercise program demonstrated greater improvement in the areas of pain control and physical function than patients who did not maintain their prescribed home exercise plan.

The study, reported in the August issue of Arthritis Care & Research, involved 150 patients receiving exercise therapy for osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 15, and 60 months of follow-up.

All of these outcomes were significantly better in patients who kept up with the recommended home exercises and who were more physically active.

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit http://www.bone-fix.com/.

Shoulder injuries are frequently caused by athletic activities that involve excessive, repetitive, overhead motion such as swimming, tennis, pitching and weightlifting. Injuries also can occur during everyday activities such washing walls, hanging curtains and gardening.

While shoulder pain can often result from injury, the most common cause of shoulder and other joint pain is osteoarthritis, which involves the wearing down of cartilage in the joints. As the cartilage wears away, the bones rub directly against each other, resulting in pain and stiffness. 

If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder, ask yourself these questions:

• Is your shoulder stiff? Can you rotate your arm in all the normal positions?
• Does it feel like your shoulder could pop out or slide out of the socket?
• Do you lack the strength in your shoulder to carry out your daily activities?

If you answered “yes” to any one of these questions, share your comments below. Be sure to consult an orthopaedic surgeon for help in determining the severity of the problem. Early detection is the key to preventing and treating osteoarthritis and shoulder injuries.

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit http://www.bone-fix.com/.

In 2006, approximately 7.5 million people went to the doctor’s office for a shoulder problem, including shoulder and upper arm sprains and strains. More than 4.1 million of these visits were for rotator cuff problems.

Shoulder injuries are frequently caused by athletic activities that involve excessive, repetitive, overhead motion such as swimming, tennis, pitching and weightlifting. Injuries also can occur during everyday activities such washing walls, hanging curtains and gardening.

While shoulder pain can often result from injury, the most common cause of shoulder and other joint pain is osteoarthritis, which involves the wearing down of cartilage in the joints. As the cartilage wears away, the bones rub directly against each other, resulting in pain and stiffness. 

If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder, ask yourself these questions:

• Is your shoulder stiff? Can you rotate your arm in all the normal positions?
• Does it feel like your shoulder could pop out or slide out of the socket?
• Do you lack the strength in your shoulder to carry out your daily activities?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you should consult an orthopaedic surgeon for help in determining the severity of the problem. Early detection is the key to preventing and treating osteoarthritis and shoulder injuries.

Treatment may include exercises to strengthen the shoulder muscles, anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling or in some cases, joint replacement shoulder surgery may be necessary. This may be either arthroscopic or open surgery. During arthroscopic surgery, the orthopaedic surgeon inserts a pencil-thin device with a small lens and lighting system into tiny incisions to look inside the joint. The images inside the joint are relayed to a TV monitor, allowing the doctor to make a diagnosis. Your physician will provide you guidance on the best treatment options for you.

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit http://www.bone-fix.com/.

Join me for a free seminar on the anterior approach to hip replacement, an innovative, less invasive alternative to traditional surgery allowing patients to return to their normal, active lifestyles more quickly.

The seminar is May 20 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Gulf Coast Medical Center, 13681 Doctors Way in Fort Myers.  The topics to be addressed will include:

• Osteoarthritis and causes of hip pain
• Treatment options including the anterior approach to hip replacement
• How hip replacement works, what to expect and recovery

For reservations, call 239-368-8277, ext. 2302. Refreshments will be served. Space is limited.

In 2006, approximately 7.5 million people went to the doctor’s office for a shoulder problem, including shoulder and upper arm sprains and strains. More than 4.1 million of these visits were for rotator cuff problems.

Shoulder injuries are frequently caused by athletic activities that involve excessive, repetitive, overhead motion such as swimming, tennis, pitching and weightlifting. Injuries also can occur during everyday activities such washing walls, hanging curtains and gardening.

Warning Signs of a Shoulder Injury

If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder, ask yourself these questions:

• Is your shoulder stiff? Can you rotate your arm in all the normal positions?
• Does it feel like your shoulder could pop out or slide out of the socket?
• Do you lack the strength in your shoulder to carry out your daily activities?

If you answered “yes” to any one of these questions, you should consult an orthopaedic surgeon for help in determining the severity of the problem. Early detection is the key to preventing and treating shoulder injuries.

Treatment may include exercises to strengthen the shoulder muscles, anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling or in some cases, surgery.

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit www.bone-fix.com.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common source of hand numbness and pain. Although it is often associated with repetitive hand movements, such as typing, carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by many things.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common in women than men

Many things contribute to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Heredity
• Repetitive hand use over time
• Hormonal changes related to pregnancy
• Age – more common in older adults
• Medical conditions including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid gland imbalance

Treatment options:

If diagnosed and treated early, carpal tunnel syndrome can be relieved without surgery through the following:

• Bracing or splinting
• Medications
• Activity changes
• Steroid injections

Surgical Treatment

Surgery may be considered if you do not gain relief from nonsurgical treatments. The decision whether to have surgery is based mostly on the severity of your symptoms. In most cases, carpal tunnel surgery is done on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia.

Right after surgery, you will be instructed to frequently elevate your hand above your heart and move your fingers. This reduces swelling and prevents stiffness. Some pain, swelling and stiffness can be expected after surgery. You may be required to wear a wrist brace for up to three weeks. You may use your hand normally, taking care to avoid significant discomfort. Minor soreness in the palm is common for several months after surgery. Weakness of pinch and grip may persist for up to six months. Complete recovery may take up to a year. If significant pain and weakness continue for more than two months, your physician may instruct you to work with a hand therapist.

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit http://www.bone-fix.com/.

If you’re suffering from knee pain, you’re not alone. Almost one in three Americans older than age 45 reports some type of knee pain, and it’s a common reason that people visit their doctors or the emergency room.

Knee pain may be the result of an injury, such as a ruptured ligament or torn cartilage. Or, certain medical conditions, including arthritis. There are three basic types of arthritis that may affect the knee joint. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of knee arthritis. OA is usually a slowly progressive degenerative disease in which the joint cartilage gradually wears away. It most often affects middle-aged and older people. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory type of arthritis that can destroy the joint cartilage. RA can occur at any age and generally affects both knees. Post-traumatic arthritis can develop after an injury to the knee. This type of arthritis is similar to osteoarthritis and may develop years after a fracture, ligament injury or meniscus tear.

Treatment options
Treatment of arthritis and other causes of knee pain depend upon the diagnosis and severity of the condition. When medications and other non-surgical treatments are not successful, surgery may be recommended.

Advances in knee surgery include custom knee replacement. Using this new technique, surgeons can match the fit and placement of the total knee implant to the patient’s unique anatomy. The custom knee replacement affords surgeons the ability to preserve more of the patient’s own bone and ligaments resulting in a better fit and alignment.

With custom knee replacement, an MRI or CAT scan of the patient’s knee is performed a few weeks before surgery and sent to the implant manufacturer. A computer program then generates custom cutting guides that are manufactured and shipped to the surgeon for use during surgery. During traditional knee replacement, any custom fitting occurs during surgery.

Rather than creating the implant to custom fit the patient during surgery, the implants are made in advance. For surgeons, this means increased focus on making the placement as accurate and stable as possible. For patients, the potential benefits include less time under anesthesia, shorter hospital stay, a more natural fit and a quicker recovery.

Keep in Mind
More than 540,000 total knee replacements are performed in the U.S. each year, and this number is expected to grow to 3.4 million by 2030. This growth is fueled by several trends including increasing obesity rates and a growing baby boomer generation that wants to stay active later in life.

For athletes, avid sports fans and anyone else who maintains an active lifestyle, treatment for sports-related injuries is more specialized and sophisticated than ever before. Recent advances in minimally invasive techniques for both diagnosis and treatment of various sports injuries is giving hope to people living in pain and considering options.

Sports medicine specialists are experts in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of common injuries that occur during sports or exercise. Overuse injuries occur over time from repetitive trauma to the tendons, bones and joints. Acute injuries usually result from a single traumatic event, like wrist fractures, ankle sprains, shoulder dislocations and hamstring muscle strains.

The practice of sports medicine is now a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on expertise from athletic trainers, coaches, bioengineers, physical therapists, chiropractic specialists and exercise physiologists. Some examples of sports-related conditions include:

•        Traumatic injury to the bone and soft tissues
•        Cartilage, ligament and tendon injuries and disorders
•        Common overuse injuries
•        Carpal tunnel syndrome
•        Vertebral stress fracture and slippage

For more information, visit http://www.bone-fix.com/ or call 239-368-8277 to make an appointment.

Before moving forward with hip replacement surgery, you and your orthopaedic surgeon should discuss the following key points:

- Assess your pain and ability to function

• Do you have difficulty sleeping or performing basic functions (shopping or walking up the stairs)?
• Does medication no longer provide relief?

- Consult your physician

- Early diagnosis and treatment are important

• Delaying may lower your quality of life

- Osteoarthritis is degenerative—it won’t get better and may get worse

In general, medications such as analgesics, narcotics and steroid injections may be the first course of treatment, depending on your condition. In addition, water therapy, exercise and physical therapy may be recommended.

When non-surgical options fail to relieve pain and symptoms, surgery may be recommended. More than 260,000 hip replacement surgeries are performed in the U.S. each year to help relieve pain and restore mobility.

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit www.bone-fix.com.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition of the elbow caused by overuse. Not surprisingly, playing tennis or other racquet sports can cause this condition. But several other sports and activities can also put you at risk.

Tennis elbow is an inflammation of the tendons that join the forearm muscles on the outside of the elbow. The forearm muscles and tendons become damaged from overuse — repeating the same motions again and again. This leads to pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow and symptoms may include pain or burning on the outer part of the elbow and weak grip strength.

There are many treatment options for tennis elbow. In most cases, treatment involves a team approach. Primary doctors, physical therapists, and, in some cases, surgeons work together to provide the most effective care. In most cases, tennis elbow can be treated without surgery. If your symptoms do not respond after 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatments, your doctor may recommend surgery.

If you or someone you know is suffering from tennis elbow, visit http://www.bone-fix.com/ or call 239-368-8277 for more information.