Get Moving! Orthopedic Insights

Girls and Sports is a Win-Win

Schoolgirl baseball team in a team huddle with their coach Girls participating in sports is a win-win that stretches far beyond known physical aerobic benefits. Being part of a team encourages cooperation, self-reliance, confidence/self-esteem, friendships, adventure, fun, health benefits and the joy of movement and teamwork that carries into adult life. Are there obstacles? Yes! There are fewer obstacles because of Title IX, but disincentives such as cost, access, and “throws like a girl” comments still exist. Even so, the benefits certainly outweigh them.

10 Tips for Managing Knee Pain When You Travel

Close up of woman leg with pain - long driving on the way. Knee pain while traveling is common, but if you’re prepared you don’t have to be sidelined. Sitting in tight, no-room-to-stretch airline seats, bouncing trains or buses, and sitting in one position in a car for too long can exacerbate pre-existing knee conditions or create knee stiffness and muscular cramping. Whether it’s arthritis, runner’s knee, kneecap, meniscus, ligament, or other knee conditions causing you discomfort, employing these helpful strategies can reduce or eliminate knee pain while traveling.

Today’s Youth Sports Injuries and How to Keep Up

By Dr. Joshua B. Frank, OrthoConnecticut

Lacross-girls Over the years we have learned a tremendous amount about sports, physiology, bio-mechanics, and technique. This advancement in knowledge has allowed athletes to become faster, stronger, quicker, and more efficient. Sports medicine has advanced concurrently, and there has been a particular focus on youth athletes. Sports injures can be thought of in two categories: acute and sub-acute, or chronic injuries.

ski injury Preparing for injuries can help prevent or minimize common snow skiing-related injuries and help you to avoid hospital, doctor's offices and emergency room visits and costs.

By Michael G. Soojian, M.D., Hand & Upper Extremity Surgeon

IF YOU ARE experiencing a shooting pain from your wrist into your thumb, you may be suffering from a common form of tendonitis called de Quervain’s tendonitis. This condition gets its name from Dr Fritz de Quervain who first described it in 1895, and is often referred to by other names such as texting thumb, gamer’s thumb, and mother’s wrist. Anatomically, two separate tendons start in the forearm and pass through a small sheath or tunnel as they cross the wrist, before they attach to the thumb. Repetitive movements can cause these tendons to experience friction and lead to a build-up of inflammation within this sheath, which manifests as pain, swelling and a feeling of weakness with routine daily activities.

By Lisa M. Cyr, OTD, OTR/L, CHT - Occupational Therapist / Hand Therapist, OrthoConnecticut

OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) is one of the most common joint disorders and is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. It affects as many as 12% of the American population over 25. One in 4 women and at least 1 in 12 men will suffer from the pain and loss of function caused by osteoarthritis (OA) of the carpometacarpal joint (CMC) of the thumb during their lifetimes. When the smooth cartilage covering the ends of the bones in the thumb wears away, the bones rub against each other, causing friction and damage to the bones and the CMC joint. This can cause severe pain, swelling, and decreased strength and range of motion, making it difficult to do simple daily tasks. This may lead to loss of function, depression and decreased quality of life, causing many people to ultimately seek surgical intervention for relief.

Keeping You Moving: Foot & Ankle Fractures

Story by Randolph Sealey, M.D., Foot & Ankle Surgeon, OrthoConnecticut

One of the injuries that I see increase in frequency during the winter months are foot and ankle fractures. The slippery conditions can trigger a fall, which is the usual cause of these injuries. Not only do falls occur during snowstorms or ice storms, but the snow or ice that gets left behind on sidewalks and parking lots will often result in twisting injuries around the foot and ankle that can lead to fractures. Winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating also predispose patients to foot and ankle fractures. In fact, something called a "snowboarder’s fracture" is a specific injury that happens because of the position of the foot and ankle on a snowboard.

Many of the patients I see with shoulder pain have injured themselves as the result of strenuous, weight-bearing exercise. As high impact, strength-related exercise programs have increased in popularity, many people are putting too much weight on their shoulder joints. While the benefits of exercise are indisputable, it is important to understand how the shoulder works and how best to avoid injuring this delicate joint.

By Paul D. Protomastro, M.D. Hand & Upper Extremity Surgeon, OrthoConnecticut

TENNIS AND GOLFER’S elbow are common orthopaedic conditions that lead to pain, weakness and disfunction of the elbow. Both conditions actually represent tears of the forearm tendons off of the humerus bone at the elbow. A tear on the outside (lateral) part of the elbow is known as Tennis elbow. A tear on the inside is known as golfer’s elbow. The muscles involved in this condition help to extend (tennis) and flex (golfer’s) the wrist. With both disorders there is degeneration of the tendon attachment usually following repetitive grasp or lifting activities and subsequent weakening of the anchor site leading to tendon detachment. Patients usually experience the insidious onset of elbow pain associated with activities in which this muscle is active, such as lifting, gripping, and/or grasping. Sports such as tennis, golf and weight training are common causes. The problem can occur with many different types of activities such as home renovation and gardening.

Today’s Hip Replacements Have Shorter Recovery Times and Longer-Lasting Results

If you suffer from persistent hip pain due to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, an injury, or joint deterioration, a hip replacement could both relieve pain and improve mobility. During the procedure, your damaged hip joint is replaced with implants that recreate the ball and socket of a healthy hip. Most patients can return to an active lifestyle after hip replacement, often becoming more mobile than they had been for years while suffering from hip pain.

How Do You Prevent Winter Sports Injuries? The Pros at Danbury Orthopedics Give Tips

man skiing Winter is the time some sports enthusiasts look forward to enjoying skiing, ice skating, snowboarding and more. However, winter is also when orthopedists see many injuries related to those very sports.

Recent patients point to an attentive staff and immediate return to home as major advantages

WCOSC Surgical Center Staff DANBURY, CT – For decades, word of mouth advice has been important in the health care field, where people advise family and friends on their personal experiences, both good and bad, about practitioners, procedures, and results. That communication has been a key influence for many years on how people choose their care. So when the Western Connecticut Orthopedic Surgical Center’s (WCOSC) Total Joint patients stepped forward to talk about WCOSC, their voices were especially audible and noteworthy.

Running Right – to Avoid Common Injuries

Story by Ross Henshaw, MD, Sports Medicine Specialist, Danbury Orthopedics

family runners DANBURY, CT – As any runner will tell you, this simple sport is one of the most rewarding and convenient exercise activities. It’s a wonderfully efficient way to improve your health, except when it produces chronic, nagging injuries. So what’s the best way to safely enjoy a running program? Start smart, with a progressive training schedule that gradually builds the intensity and duration of your workouts.