Article featured on Brigham Health Hub
While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives dramatically, back and neck problems are still as common as ever. In fact, some people are experiencing pain and other discomforts for the first time due to changes in their work locations and equipment as they moved from the office to home. The good news is that most spine conditions improve with time, physical exercise and getting back to your normal activities.
During the pandemic, Michael W. Groff, MD, a neurosurgeon and the director of the Neurosurgical Spine Service at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, had a virtual visit with a patient who was having neck pain along with tingling and weakness in an arm. The patient had undergone a previous surgery with Dr. Groff and feared he might need another.
While an MRI showed more wear and tear in the man’s neck, Dr. Groff reassured his patient that the condition would likely improve without surgery. The best course of action included physical therapy and performing exercises at home.
“I’m not one hundred percent certain that this patient won’t need surgery again,” says Dr. Groff. “But I reassured him that the path to recovery was to get moving and return to his normal routine. And neither of these things would further hurt his neck.”
Dr. Groff is co-chair for the editorial board of Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. In this role, he and others have been distributing timely information about providing safe care for spine patients during the pandemic.
Keep your back and neck strong with an exercise routine
To keep your back and neck healthy, Dr. Groff urges his patients to perform any physical activity that helps maintain fitness, strengthens the core muscles and includes stretching. If you have back issues, the best way to stay healthy is to stretch often and keep your core strong.
Many people have found virtual exercise classes or routines that include Pilates, yoga or cardio workouts. To stay in shape, you can also use elastic bands, hand weights and/or perform isometric exercises, like planks or squats at home.
“It’s especially important to avoid being sedentary for long periods of time,” says Dr. Groff. “Being inactive can cause muscles that support the spine to weaken. This can sometimes lead to back or neck pain or exacerbate an existing spine condition.”
Getting regular exercise can have other benefits, too. It can give your day structure and help break up the monotony of staying at home for an extended time. Physical exercise can also help you maintain a positive outlook while navigating this challenging period.
When to seek care for back or neck problems
If you have an acute injury, like a pulled back or neck muscle, your pain will likely only last a few days. However, if your symptoms last 2 to 3 weeks and you have weakness or tingling in an arm or leg, contact your doctor.
For pain relief, Dr. Groff recommends ice for the first 48 hours and then alternating between heat and ice for several days after. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can also help reduce pain and lower inflammation.
For flare-ups of back or neck pain, most spine care providers recommend only staying in bed for about 3 days. In the past, doctors used to recommend a few weeks of bedrest for flare-ups until a pivotal 2016 study showed that 3 days of bed rest is all patients need before they should return to normal activity.
“Staying in bed any longer than 3 days may lead to muscle weakening that can actually worsen a pain episode,” says Dr. Groff. “If you’re having pain, I usually recommend that patients rest and recover over a long weekend and then resume their normal activities.”
Back or neck pain usually doesn’t cause physical damage
If you have back or neck pain, how you interpret it can often impact how disabling it can become. Many patients ask Dr. Groff whether their pain is “all in their heads.” It is, he says, because all pain is experienced in our minds.
“If you’re in pain, most patients find it helpful to know that their pain is most likely not causing physical damage to their spines,” says Dr. Groff. “If you know you aren’t hurting yourself, you can feel better about exercising and returning to your routines.”
Dr. Groff hopes to help patients understand their pain from this new perspective. Doing so often removes the fear of physical activity, because getting back to normal life is a common pathway out of pain for many patients.
“The experience I’ve gained during the COVID-19 pandemic gives me the confidence to say that the Brigham is providing care that’s compassionate, technically excellent and safe for you and your family,” says Dr. Groff.
Dr. Groff can see patients both in person and through virtual visits, which allow him to stay in contact with patients who prefer to connect from home.
“I can still meet with patients and discuss their symptoms during virtual visits,” says Dr. Groff. “I can review imaging and develop a care plan that’s tailored to their unique circumstances. I can also follow up with patients to see how they’re progressing.”
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
How to Avoid Pain Flares During the Holidays: 5 Tips From a Doctor
in Holiday Health, Holiday TipsArticle featured on WebMD
1. Have a Communication Strategy:
Holiday get-togethers with friends and family, or even meeting new people at parties, can sometimes lead to stressful social interactions. Whether it be awkward conversations about your health or heated arguments about politics, holiday chatter has the potential to escalate your anxiety and anger and tense up those already sore body parts. When you hear somebody start to press your buttons, try not to fire back; instead, take some slow deep breaths and transition the conversation topic or smile and move on to a different group. If you know you are going into a stressful situation, have a partner with you, where the two of you agree ahead of time to work together to unwind from toxic conversations. Keep in mind that you can’t control what others say or do, but you can control how you react to it!
2. Eat Plants First:
It’s no secret that many Americans put on a few pounds around the holidays. All of the yummy baked goods, along with social gatherings that involve eating, can take its toll. First, foods with added sugar or a lot of carbohydrates (cookies, cakes, etc.) create blood glucose spikes which promotes inflammation at a cellular level. Processed foods are likely high in salt and artificial ingredients which further increases swelling and bloating. And gaining just a few extra pounds can put added stress on painful joints and spines. To avoid missing out on all of the goodies, start off by eating the healthy choices first, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and lean protein. Then when you move on to more decadent choices, you will be less likely to over-indulge.
3. Pace Yourself:
Try not to schedule too many activities in one day and avoid putting yourself in situations that are too physically taxing. Set aside some time in your day to relax, meditate, exercise, or just go for a nice walk to avoid burnout. If you are traveling, check your bags at the curb and avoid the stress of lugging them on the plane or train and hoisting them into the overhead bin. Make a point to avoid prolonged sitting or driving if that bothers your back, and set a timer to take breaks when doing physical tasks like shoveling snow or hanging lights.
4. Watch Your Mood:
For a variety of reasons, I see a lot of my patients struggle with extra levels of depression, anxiety, and stress this time of year. If you can relate, then consider doing some preventive work to avoid excessive mood swings. Spend a few minutes each day engaging in activities that calm your nervous system. That could mean pulling out an adult coloring book, listening to relaxing music, or trying some therapeutic breathing exercises. Avoid the winter blues by making a point of getting outdoors in the middle of the day, or try some phototherapy with a light box for 20 minutes. Be sure to unplug from your smartphone and social media, and try boosting your mood with 30 minutes of an activity you enjoy. Don’t hesitate to seek help from a counselor or trusted resource as opposed to fighting it alone.
5. Stay on Top of Your Sleep:
Poor sleep directly correlates with more pain, so burning the candle at both ends won’t do you any favors. Engage in healthy sleep hygiene habits during the holidays as much as possible and try to stick to your normal sleep cycle whenever possible. So, avoid shopping online at all hours of the night and don’t be the last one to leave a party. Alcohol consumption can interfere with high-quality REM sleep, so look for healthy alternatives like sparkling water. Poor sleep or too much alcohol can also set you up for a bad headache the next day.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Lactic Acid Build Up: What It Means and How to Get Rid of It
in RecoveryArticle featured on Verywell fit
Lactic acid is created when the body turns glucose into energy. The production of lactic acid occurs when oxygen levels are low, generally during high-intensity exercise. Lactic acid build-up can hinder your exercise routine, so it’s important to understand why it happens and how to prevent it.
What Lactic Acid Is
Lactic acid is produced in muscle cells and red blood cells. It forms when the body breaks down carbohydrates for glucose during exercise in certain conditions. “Lactic acid is a result of glycolysis (or the breakdown of glucose), an energy system that creates ATP energy in the absence of oxygen in muscle cells,” says Jenna Braddock, MSH, RD, CSSD, ACSM-CPT, owner of MakeHealthyEasy.com and OffSeasonAthlete.com.
Braddock also notes that there is a difference between lactic acid and lactate. Although the two words are used interchangeably, they are not technically the same.
Lactic acid has a hydrogen ion that is available to donate, while lactate is the molecule left after that hydrogen ion is cleaved from the molecule.
“This distinction helps us understand what is happening in the body; lactate is a fuel source for the body and has many important functions,” adds Braddock. During exercise, the working muscle cells can continue anaerobic energy production for one to three minutes, during which you can perform at high levels.
Why Lactic Acid Builds Up
During high-intensity exercise, muscles require more oxygen than the body can take in, causing anaerobic respiration and lactic acid build-up. When lactic acid develops depends on a person’s fitness level. The body clears lactic acid when it develops, but it may not be able to keep up when the levels start to increase rapidly.
“This is often termed “lactate threshold” for high-intensity aerobic activities (like running), but keep in mind lactate accumulation can also occur with strength training,” says Chrissy Carroll, RRCA Running Coach at Snacking in Sneakers.
When this increased acid builds, the muscles get tired and may not be able to contract as effectively. Some people may notice a burning sensation in the muscle during exercise.
“Interestingly, some experts believe the production of lactate actually helps the muscles delay fatigue during intense exercise,” says Carroll. She also notes that contrary to popular belief, the lactic acid buildup is not what’s responsible for delayed onset muscle soreness that occurs in the 24-48 hours after a workout.
How to Get Rid of It
“Decreasing the exercise intensity, resting from the activity, and taking deep breaths may all be helpful ways to clear lactic acid during an exercise session,” says Carroll.
Another proven method for clearing lactic acid is engaging in active recovery after exercise. Low-intensity movements, like yoga, walking, biking, or foam rolling, may clear lactic acid from the body.
A study compared active and passive recovery in 14 downhill skiers and found that active recovery caused a greater decrease in lactic acid. Skiers who performed the active recovery were able to move faster and complete more runs.
Ways to Get Rid of Lactic Acid
How to Prevent Lactic Acid Build-Up
“The feeling of burning and fatigue that is associated with lactic acid can be improved most significantly through training,” says Braddock. She recommends increasing volume, intensity, and duration of training gradually to prevent lactic acid buildup.
But, “you do not have to avoid lactic acid build-up completely,” according to Carroll. “It’s normal for certain training regimens to include high-intensity intervals that are completed above the lactate threshold, couched between easier training days and/or rest days, to allow for proper training adaptations and recovery,” Carroll adds.
Braddock also notes that fueling properly for a workout can positively affect lactic acid levels. “Beta-alanine3 is a supplement that can be used to delay the impacts of lactate accumulation, but it may negatively impact other areas of performance,” says Braddock.
She also urges athletes to work with an experienced sports dietitian to develop a fueling and supplement plan that’s right for them.
How to Prevent Lactic Acid Build-Up
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Tips for Describing Your Joint Pain to Your Orthopedic Surgeon
in Joint PainArticle featured on Arkansas Surgical Hospital
Joint pain can be debilitating, limiting daily activities and draining you both physically and emotionally. In many instances, joint discomfort is the result of some type of arthritis. There are various treatment options, including medications, physical therapy, injections, alternative therapies, and surgical solutions, depending on the severity of your joint pain and the damage to the joints.
Is It Joint Pain or Bone Pain?
Accurately describing your joint pain to your orthopedic surgeon can help them determine what treatment is best for you. Joint pain is different from bone pain and can vary in sensation and severity. Clearly explaining the feeling is crucial to appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Bone pain is typically sharp and localized to a specific area, while joint pain tends to be more of an ache and occurs only in the affect joints, not all along a bone. However, if the joint damage is severe, it may feel quite intense due to missing or damaged cartilage leading to bones grinding against each other. Joint pain often increases with overactivity or too much weight on the joint.
Be Accurate When Describing Joint Pain
Saying that your joints are stiff isn’t helpful to your doctor or surgeon because it is too vague. Pinpointing how much pain you’re in, what kind of pain you’re feeling, and how it impacts your ability to use the joints are all part of describing pain accurately. Osteoarthritis pain tends to feel different from rheumatoid arthritis and other sources of joint pain, so be precise and thorough. The more detailed your description is, the easier it is for your surgeon to determine the root of the problem.
Where is the Pain Located?
If you have joint pain in your knees, explain whether you feel it in the kneecap area, the back of the joint, or on the sides. The knee’s complex ligaments and bone structure mean there is more than one kind of knee joint pain. If you have joint pain in the hands, tell your doctor which joints are affected. For instance, osteoarthritis is more common in the joints at the end of the fingers, while rheumatoid arthritis isn’t as likely in these joints. Narrow down the area as much as possible.
What Kind of Pain Is It?
There are many kinds of pain, and the form it takes is critical when diagnosing and treating joint issues. Descriptive words are helpful, as are comparisons such as, “It feels like something is caught in the joint.” Here are some excellent descriptions you can use:
The When and Why of Joint Pain
Joint pain isn’t always constant. It can come and go depending on what you’re doing and the time of day. Make sure your surgeon knows if your pain seems to flare when you participate in in certain activities or gets worse during specific times. If your pain is more significant when you wake up in the morning or is aggravated after activities, tell your doctor. Some forms of arthritis may cause greater pain after you’ve been moving around a lot, while others may be worse after you’ve been inactive for too long. If your joints lock up, give way, or feel weak or unstable, your doctor needs to know this, particularly if increased pain results.
The duration of your pain is another element of the “when” of joint pain. While your knees or hips may hurt a lot when you first wake up in the morning, how long it lasts can indicate whether you have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. It can also help define the severity of the problem. Does the discomfort after exercising last 30 minutes or several hours? Is the pain worse when walking up a hill or a flight of stairs? Details like this can aid your surgeon in a correct arthritis diagnosis.
Finally, be sure to inform your doctor of any other elements that affect your joint pain. Pain that flares during certain types of weather, when you’re under stress, or when you are tired may help pinpoint an arthritis diagnosis or indicate other underlying issues.
The Severity of Joint Pain
Many physicians use a pain scale of 1 to 10, with 1 meaning little to no pain and 10 meaning unbearable pain. No one experiences pain the same way others do, but the pain scale helps doctors get an idea of how severe your discomfort is and how much it impacts your life.
Successfully Treating Arthritis Pain
The two most common forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, generally require different approaches, making the proper diagnosis critical when you’re suffering from joint pain. Arthritis surgery is one of many options available to minimize discomfort and increase range of motion. Still, your surgeon will usually recommend it only after you’ve tried other treatments such as medications and physical therapy.
Arthritis pain may be the result of a variety of triggers, including:
With so many potential causes of joint pain and a wide range of treatment options, accurately describing your pain to your surgeon is the first step in finding the best treatment for you and getting you back to doing the activities you enjoy.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Keeping Your Spine Healthy
in SpineArticle featured on Brigham Health Hub
While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives dramatically, back and neck problems are still as common as ever. In fact, some people are experiencing pain and other discomforts for the first time due to changes in their work locations and equipment as they moved from the office to home. The good news is that most spine conditions improve with time, physical exercise and getting back to your normal activities.
During the pandemic, Michael W. Groff, MD, a neurosurgeon and the director of the Neurosurgical Spine Service at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, had a virtual visit with a patient who was having neck pain along with tingling and weakness in an arm. The patient had undergone a previous surgery with Dr. Groff and feared he might need another.
While an MRI showed more wear and tear in the man’s neck, Dr. Groff reassured his patient that the condition would likely improve without surgery. The best course of action included physical therapy and performing exercises at home.
“I’m not one hundred percent certain that this patient won’t need surgery again,” says Dr. Groff. “But I reassured him that the path to recovery was to get moving and return to his normal routine. And neither of these things would further hurt his neck.”
Dr. Groff is co-chair for the editorial board of Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. In this role, he and others have been distributing timely information about providing safe care for spine patients during the pandemic.
Keep your back and neck strong with an exercise routine
To keep your back and neck healthy, Dr. Groff urges his patients to perform any physical activity that helps maintain fitness, strengthens the core muscles and includes stretching. If you have back issues, the best way to stay healthy is to stretch often and keep your core strong.
Many people have found virtual exercise classes or routines that include Pilates, yoga or cardio workouts. To stay in shape, you can also use elastic bands, hand weights and/or perform isometric exercises, like planks or squats at home.
“It’s especially important to avoid being sedentary for long periods of time,” says Dr. Groff. “Being inactive can cause muscles that support the spine to weaken. This can sometimes lead to back or neck pain or exacerbate an existing spine condition.”
Getting regular exercise can have other benefits, too. It can give your day structure and help break up the monotony of staying at home for an extended time. Physical exercise can also help you maintain a positive outlook while navigating this challenging period.
When to seek care for back or neck problems
If you have an acute injury, like a pulled back or neck muscle, your pain will likely only last a few days. However, if your symptoms last 2 to 3 weeks and you have weakness or tingling in an arm or leg, contact your doctor.
For pain relief, Dr. Groff recommends ice for the first 48 hours and then alternating between heat and ice for several days after. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can also help reduce pain and lower inflammation.
For flare-ups of back or neck pain, most spine care providers recommend only staying in bed for about 3 days. In the past, doctors used to recommend a few weeks of bedrest for flare-ups until a pivotal 2016 study showed that 3 days of bed rest is all patients need before they should return to normal activity.
“Staying in bed any longer than 3 days may lead to muscle weakening that can actually worsen a pain episode,” says Dr. Groff. “If you’re having pain, I usually recommend that patients rest and recover over a long weekend and then resume their normal activities.”
Back or neck pain usually doesn’t cause physical damage
If you have back or neck pain, how you interpret it can often impact how disabling it can become. Many patients ask Dr. Groff whether their pain is “all in their heads.” It is, he says, because all pain is experienced in our minds.
“If you’re in pain, most patients find it helpful to know that their pain is most likely not causing physical damage to their spines,” says Dr. Groff. “If you know you aren’t hurting yourself, you can feel better about exercising and returning to your routines.”
Dr. Groff hopes to help patients understand their pain from this new perspective. Doing so often removes the fear of physical activity, because getting back to normal life is a common pathway out of pain for many patients.
“The experience I’ve gained during the COVID-19 pandemic gives me the confidence to say that the Brigham is providing care that’s compassionate, technically excellent and safe for you and your family,” says Dr. Groff.
Dr. Groff can see patients both in person and through virtual visits, which allow him to stay in contact with patients who prefer to connect from home.
“I can still meet with patients and discuss their symptoms during virtual visits,” says Dr. Groff. “I can review imaging and develop a care plan that’s tailored to their unique circumstances. I can also follow up with patients to see how they’re progressing.”
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Orthopedic Soft Tissue Repair Market Projected to have a Stable Growth for the Next Few Years
in General OrthopedicsArticle featured on Orthogate
North America had the largest share in global orthopedic soft tissue repair market in 2014, attributed to the increase in sports injury cases due to high share of sports activity in this region.
A soft tissue injury is the damage of ligaments, muscles and tendons of hip, knee, shoulder and elbow joint. A soft tissue injury usually occurs from a strain, sprain and continuous use of a particular part of the body and it can result in swelling, pain, bruising and loss of function. To cure soft tissue injury, the soft tissue repair procedure is used. On any soft tissue injury, Protection Rest Ice Compression Elevation (PRICE) principle should be immediately applied to minimize the soft tissue damage and to reduce inflammation caused by it. One of the methods to diagnose soft tissue damage is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
On the basis of surgeries, the global orthopedic soft tissue repair market can be broadly segmented as vaginal prolapse, achilles tendinosis repair, lateral epicondylitis, rotator cuff repair, anterior cruciate ligament and gluteal tendon. On the basis of applications, the global orthopedic soft tissue repair market can be broadly bifurcated as hernia repair, dental, dural repair, skin repair, vaginal sling procedures and breast reconstruction repair.
The rising trend towards safe and simple persistent surgeries and growth in number active lifestyle opting patients are driving the demand of the orthopedic soft tissue repair market. Moreover, with the increase in popularity of rough and energetic sports such as football, soccer and basketball, there had been a considerable increase in the number of soft tissue damages. Some of the factors driving the growth of orthopedic soft tissue repair market are rising geriatric population, increasing obesity rate, advanced medicinal technological advancements, and lack of substitutes.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Understanding Bone Fractures: The Basics
in FracturesWhat Are Fractures?
A fracture is the medical term for a broken bone.
Fractures are common; the average person has two during a lifetime. They occur when the physical force exerted on the bone is stronger than the bone itself.
Your risk of fracture depends, in part, on your age. Broken bones are very common in childhood, although children’s fractures are generally less complicated than fractures in adults. As you age, your bones become more brittle and you are more likely to suffer fractures from falls that would not occur when you were young.
There are many types of fractures, but the main categories are displaced, non-displaced, open, and closed. Displaced and non-displaced fractures refer to the alignment of the fractured bone.
In a displaced fracture, the bone snaps into two or more parts and moves so that the two ends are not lined up straight. If the bone is in many pieces, it is called a comminuted fracture. In a non-displaced fracture, the bone cracks either part or all of the way through, but does move and maintains its proper alignment.
These fracture subtypes can present in children and adults:
The severity of a fracture depends upon the fracture subtype and location. Serious fractures can have dangerous complications if not treated promptly; possible complications include damage to blood vessels or nerves and infection of the bone (osteomyelitis) or surrounding tissue. Recuperation time varies depending on the age and health of the patient and the type of fracture. A minor fracture in a child may heal within a few weeks; a serious fracture in an older person may take months to heal.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Is My Hand Pain from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Something Else?
in Carpal Tunnel, Hand InjuriesArticle featured on Spine-Health.
We all wake up sometimes with a numb and tingly hand. But ongoing hand pain and numbness can be a disabling problem that requires diagnosis and treatment.
Here are 3 of the main causes of hand pain and numbness—and tips for how you can tell them apart.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
When hand pain is experienced, it’s common to first suspect carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition is caused by the narrowing of a bony passageway in your wrist, which irritates or compresses the median nerve that runs through it.
Symptoms tend to be in the thumb, index finger, or middle finger, along the path of the median nerve. The pain may wake you up at night or be worse in the morning. In the early stages, shaking your hand may bring relief.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Another possible cause of hand pain and numbness is rheumatoid arthritis.
Hand pain from rheumatoid arthritis tends to be different from carpal tunnel syndrome in 2 main ways:
Cervical radiculopathy caused by spine conditions
While it may not seem obvious, your hand pain and/or tingling may actually be caused by a problem in your neck.
The nerves that give sensation to your hands originate in your cervical spine. When one or more of the 8 nerve roots that exit the cervical spine become irritated, it causes pain and other neurological symptoms down the nerve path. This is known as cervical radiculopathy.
The most common conditions that can trigger radiculopathy include:
Cervical radiculopathy pain can be mildly achy or sharp and stabbing. It can also cause numbness and/or pins-and-needles tingling sensations. Symptoms can affect different sections of the hand depending on what level of the spine is the source of the irritated nerve.
Since carpal tunnel syndrome and cervical radiculopathy can both affect the median nerve, it’s important to note one key difference: Carpal tunnel syndrome pain will only affect the hand and wrist. Cervical radiculopathy from the C6 spine level (where the median nerve originates) will often cause pain and symptoms along the arm and in the bicep, as well as in the hand.
Aside from these 3 causes, hand pain can also be caused by a variety of other conditions, including diabetes and nutritional issues.
The best way to tackle hand pain that doesn’t resolve is to see your doctor, who can diagnose the correct cause and start a treatment plan. Many conditions that cause hand pain are more easily treated if they’re caught early.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Growing Pains – Are They Real?
in PreventionArticle featured on Nationwide Children’s.
It’s the middle of the night and your child wakes up complaining of leg pain for the third time this week. As a parent, you worry that it might not just be the result of sports practice earlier that day. Is it something much, much worse that you could be overlooking?
“Relax,” says Elise Berlan, MD. The discomfort may simply be from “growing pains.” Medically, growing pains aren’t a big deal, but they can prompt tears, sleeplessness and concerns for all involved.
Here are some common questions about growing pains, how to help your child through them, and when it may be time to see your pediatrician.
What Are Growing Pains?
Children, from preschoolers to preteens, typically experience growing pains as a dull, throbbing ache in both of their legs or calf muscles. The pains come and go, can occur in the day or evening, and can even wake a child up from sleep.
Many people assume that growing pains start in the bones – but there isn’t any scientific evidence that the discomfort is related to bone growth. Some experts think what we know as “growing pains” could be because of a lower pain threshold to muscle strains that are caused by normal play.
Who Gets Growing Pains?
Twenty-five to forty percent of children will experience growing pains at some point in their lives, and are slightly more common in girls than boys. Growing pains seem to happen during the preschool years and again during preteen years, with most cases reported between the ages of three to five and the ages of eight to 12.
What Helps Relieve the Pain?
When Should My Child See a Doctor?
Growing pains never affect a child’s joints, and the pain typically only lasts a few hours at a time. If your child is complaining of long-lasting joint pain or joint pain in the morning, or if the joints look red or swollen, then go see your pediatrician. Also make a doctor’s appointment if the pain is accompanied by limping, fever, rash, changes in appetite, weakness or tiredness.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
What Is Degenerative Arthritis?
in ArthritisArticle featured on MedicalNewsToday
Arthritis is an umbrella term for diseases that affect a person’s joints. Degenerative arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis, is a form of arthritis that develops due to aging or overuse.
Degenerative arthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the United States, where more than 32.5 million adults are living with the condition.
It is sometimes known as the “wear and tear” form of arthritis, as it often occurs due to the natural aging process. It can also develop as a result of an injury or the overuse of a particular joint.
In this article, we look at the causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of degenerative arthritis.
Symptoms of degenerative arthritis
The symptoms of degenerative arthritis vary depending on where in the body a person develops the disease. They usually get worse over time rather than occurring suddenly, except in the case of injuries.
Regardless of which parts of the body the condition affects, common symptoms may include:
Typically, joint stiffness will present early in the morning or after periods of rest, and it will last for up to 30 minutes before loosening up again. The joint pain can either be predictable and low level, lasting for long periods, or take the form of intense unpredictable bursts of pain.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the parts of the body that OA most often affects include the:
As the condition progresses, people may find themselves unable to complete activities such as holding a coffee pot, going up steps, or walking long distances.
Causes of degenerative arthritis
People develop degenerative arthritis when the joint cartilage between bones becomes damaged or breaks down.
Often, the body activates a repair mechanism to attempt to remedy this damage. As part of this, bone spurs, or osteophytes, may grow within the joint at the end of the bone. These can then cause friction within the joint and lead to pain when the person uses it.
Risk factors
Certain factors may increase a person’s chance of developing degenerative arthritis. These include:
Some of these risk factors, such as weight, are modifiable, whereas a person cannot change others, such as age and genetics.
Diagnosis of degenerative arthritis
There is no single test to confirm the diagnosis of degenerative arthritis.
Instead, doctors will ask a series of questions about the person’s medical history, such as when the pain began and whether they have sustained any injuries to the affected joint or joints. They may also want to know when the pain occurs and what, if anything, makes it worse.
In addition, the doctor can use X-rays to check for bone spurs or other types of bone damage. They may also take samples of fluid from the joints to rule out infection or gout and run blood tests to exclude other possible causes.
Treatment for degenerative arthritis
Healthcare professionals may treat degenerative arthritis in various ways. Some people with the condition may receive a combination of treatments.
The main aims of treatment include:
Medications
Doctors prescribe medications to help reduce the pain and inflammation associated with degenerative arthritis.
Medications may include:
Physical therapy
Combining physical therapy with increased activity levels can help a person manage degenerative arthritis symptoms. People should ensure that they only participate in low impact activities to prevent further damage to the joints.
Maintaining an active lifestyle may help by:
It can also help a person maintain a moderate weight, which experts advise people with OA to try to do.
Surgery
Some people may need surgery if other treatments prove ineffective or the damage to the joint is extensive.
This surgery could be in the form of an osteotomy, during which a surgeon removes or reshapes part of the damaged bone.
Alternatively, a person may have a partial or total joint replacement, which involves a surgeon partially or entirely removing the joint and replacing it with a synthetic one.
Nonmedical options
Maintaining a moderate weight can help remove the added stress that excess body weight can put on the joints. People can do this by following a nutritious, well-balanced diet and engaging in regular, low impact physical activity.
Hot and cold therapies may also help relieve pain and stiffness in the joints. People should alternate the application of hot and cold compresses to the areas over the affected joints.
However, a person should always wrap an ice pack in a cloth first so that they are not applying it directly to their skin.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
Why Does My Elbow Hurt?
in Elbow InjuriesArticle featured on WebMD
One-time Injuries
Some injuries, hopefully, are one-off events, like when you fall or get hit hard while playing a sport.
Wear-and-Tear Injuries
Other injuries occur over time, as you repeat certain actions and put wear and tear on your elbow. You can injure yourself playing sports or in any number of work settings, from a factory to an office.
Diseases
Several diseases can also cause elbow pain, though it’s usually not the main symptom.
When to Call Your Doctor
If you think you’ve fractured or dislocated your elbow — it hurts and doesn’t look right — go to the emergency room.
Call your doctor if you have:
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday