How to Prepare for Orthopaedic Surgery

Having a surgical procedure is never an easy decision. Orthopaedic surgeries can help to alleviate painful injuries and diseases of the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. If your condition does require a surgical procedure, there are several steps to consider as you prepare for the process.  

1. Determine if you really need surgery - Some surgeries are optional and some are not. The decision to have surgery, especially an optional one, should be well thought out. You need to know potential risks, outcomes, and benefits. It is also important to consider other options before you make the final decision to move forward with the procedure.  
2. Find the right doctor - The most important step after deciding that surgery is necessary is finding the right doctor. You want to trust and be comfortable with your surgeon. Ask how often they have performed the surgery to ensure they have a good track record of performing the procedure you need.
3. Understand the procedure -  Don't be afraid to ask questions until you are completely comfortable with what to expect. You should understand the procedure, know any risks, and know what you can do to improve the results.
4. Prepare for Surgery - Many factors can impact the outcome of a procedure. Some things to consider before your surgery include:

• Quit smoking -  Smoking can change blood flow patterns delays healing, and could increase recovery times.
• Eat healthy- Our bodies use food for fuel and to rebuild itself. When you are recovering from surgery, you may feel as though you are laying around all day, but your body is working hard to rebuild and heal. A healthy diet will help your body meet the demands of the recovery process
• Exercise - It will be hard to do your physical therapy after surgery if you are not in shape before. A regular exercise routine of walking, cycling, or swimming a few times a week is often enough to prepare for the upcoming surgery and therapies that follow.

If you are unsure about the need for an orthopaedic surgical procedure, the team at The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics Robinwood  is happy to provide a second opinion. Our skilled staff can help with pre-surgery questions all the way through post-op recovery. We offer family-oriented advanced orthopaedic care including diagnostics, fracture care, sports medicine, spinal care and physical therapy. Contact our compassionate team today at 301-665-4950.

Does Rehab Really Work?

Whether you’ve been dealing with chronic pain for months or have recently suffered an injury, it’s very likely that your doctor or surgeon will prescribe some form of rehab, or physical therapy. Physical medicine and rehabilitation is a subspecialty of medicine that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with injuries to the muscles, bones, joints, spine, and nervous system. While it’s common for patients to focus primarily on the injury or surgery, it’s helpful to look past that and toward getting back to normal activities. Here are just a few of the reasons that it is so important to do your rehab after surgery or injury.

Faster Recovery - Anyone who has had surgery recently can tell you that the sooner you get up and moving after your operation, the smoother your recovery will be. Gone are the days of extended bedrest after surgery. In fact, especially after a joint operation (think knee, hip, or shoulder), many patients start their physical therapy the same day! This leads to shorter hospital stays and improved outcomes.

Ease Swelling and Pain - Swelling is part of the normal post-surgical healing process, but it can cause pain and limited movement. Your physical therapist will prescribe exercises designed to reduce fluid buildup, thus reducing swelling and the associated pain.

Regain Mobility -  One thing that patients look forward to most after surgery is getting back to their normal activities. Whether that is walking the dog, running a race, or playing a round of golf, the muscles in and around the site of surgery or injury must be strengthened. If you’ve been limping because of knee pain, for example, it’s likely that your ankles have become weak, or your hips and lower back have gotten stiff. Mobility exercises help patients to regain normal range of motion and functionality. Your Physical Therapist will study your unique situation and put together a plan of action to get you back to normal as quickly as possible.

Increase Strength - Once range of motion has been restored, your Physical Therapist will work with you to regain your strength.  Strengthening the muscles above and below the site will help create stability and lessen the likelihood of further injury.

Get Back to Your Life - The ultimate goal of any rehab program is to allow the patient to return to their daily activities. Sticking with your rehab by working with your therapist and adhering to your program will improve your chances of making a full recovery and resuming your normal activities for years to come.

If you have recently had surgery, a sports injury, or other orthopedic condition, the providers at The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics Robinwood are here to help you. Visit us online, or call 301-665-4950 for more information or to schedule your appointment.

May is National Osteoporosis Prevention Month

May is National Osteoporosis Prevention Month and Robinwood Orthopedic wants to help spread awareness! Osteoporosis means “porous bones.” With old age, our bones age and their constant changing tends to slow down, meaning we lose more bone than we add. This results in thinner, weaker, bones. Studies have shown, according cms.gov,”one out of every two women and one in four men over 50 will have an osteoporosis- related fracture in their lifetime.” 

Signs You Might Have Osteoporosis 

Osteoporosis comes as a surprise to most people who have it, so that’s why you should get a yearly check up, especially you have noticed yourself slowing down, your height as changed, or you are simply are just aging. If you notice height change, you are at high risk of Osteoporosis. Height change, hunched back, or bumps on the back of the neck are major signs that you are at risk. It’s often called the silent disease because bone loss happens without symptoms. If you are a man or woman over 50 years of age, it is recommended that you get checked for Osteoporosis. A check up involves a diagnoses through a bone density study or a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry or DEXA study. These test are painless and measure bone strength. Before menopause, women are recommended to have a bone density study. 

Osteoporosis Prevention

To prevent osteoporosis, taking care of yourself with proper eating habits and exercise can help a lot. Exercises that involve lifting weights and challenging yourself will help build bone mass. Calcium and vitamin D rich food are necessary to add to your diet. These are all small steps you can do to help prevent osteoporosis. Osteoporosis prevention steps are the same steps you will have to take if you have osteoporosis. We can offer a medication that stops bone loss and increases bone density . 

Robinwood Orthopedics offers a wide variety of services, such as surgery, physical medication, rehabilitation, sports medicine, fracture care, diagnostic services, spinal care, and interventional pain management. We will provide expert care to you and you family. Anyone can suffer an orthopedic condition at any time, and we want to be there for you! For more information about National Osteoporosis Month or our services give us a call at 301-665-4950. Or visit our website at robinwoodortho.com/.

Impact of Obesity on Joint Pain

Being overweight or obese can cause you to have more aches and pains than a normal-weight person would have. But are you aware that being overweight or obese has the potential to permanently damage your joints? Sore knees, hips, and back are definitely more common in obese individuals, and tend to get worse with age and increased weight gain. Unfortunately, the more pain an individual is feeling, the less likely he or she may be to do those things necessary to lose the extra weight, thus setting them up for a cycle of weight gain and increased pain over the years. If you’re noticing sore knees, swollen ankles, or tight hips, it’s possible that you may be suffering from osteoarthritis. Being overweight or obese increases the likelihood of an individual getting arthritis from 1 in 5 to 1 in 3. 

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that protects the ends of your bones starts to wear away. Arthritis is caused by normal aging, and can be made much worse when combined with obesity. As an individual gains weight, the load on joints is increased by a factor of 3. This means that, for every extra 20 pounds of weight a person is carrying, an extra 60 pounds of pressure is put on their joints! The reverse of this is fortunately true as well - even a loss of 20 pounds means 60 pounds less stress on those sore joints. 

Obesity is also very hard on your back, especially in cases where most of the excess weight is carried in the belly. The forward pressure causes compression in the spine, disc damage, and eventually can lead to back pain. Another issue with excess belly fat is that it is typically associated with weak abdominal muscles. Weak abdominals start a chain of events that causes other muscle groups to take up the slack, leading to decreased flexibility and mobility, which also leads to more back pain. 

Common signs of osteoarthritis are joint pain, swelling, tenderness, stiffness and noise when the joint is flexed. While arthritis typically can’t be cured, there are a number of treatments and therapies designed to manage the symptoms and improve function. If a patient is overweight, weight loss is almost certain to be recommended. This can be accomplished through dietary restriction combined with increased activity through exercise. Be sure to consult your physician before starting any exercise program.

 For more information, please contact us at http://robinwoodortho.com/. 

March is National Athletic Training Month

This March, National Athletic Training Month highlights the vital work and value of athletic training in injury prevention and rehabilitation. As greater awareness grows about sports injuries, such as concussions and the number of youth athletes participating in team and adventure sports increases, so does the demand for athletic trainers. Athletic trainers implement training, safety, and diagnostic practices designed to minimize injuries. 

Athletic trainers: In high demand

According to U.S. News and World Report, at least 45 million U.S. children play team sports. At the same time, every 25 seconds, someone visits an emergency room with a sports-related injury. 

Athletic trainers act as “first responders” on the field, being equipped to evaluate injuries and their seriousness, as well as perform initial diagnostics and treatment. Many of them work closely with a physician to develop rehabilitation and therapeutic plans after an injury, and provide recommendations for gradually returning to sports. 

A full time athletic trainer at a school will most likely work closely with the athletic department, coaches, and students to develop a comprehensive injury prevention program. They also can track and keep records on injuries to address areas needing new strategies to preventing further injuries.   

Athletic trainers can also provide:

• Nutritional counseling
• Selection and fitting of protective gear
• Psychological and physical assessments of athletes throughout the season
• Recommendations based on existing medical conditions and/or disabilities
• Warm-up and stretching recommendations

Coaches cannot be expected to professionally diagnose and treat injuries and medical conditions. School physicians have competing demands and areas of attention to devote their time to, making a full time athletic trainer a wise choice for many school districts today. 

The demand for athletic trainers isn’t just growing for secondary schools. Universities, performing arts, occupational safety, professional sports, and the military are just some of the areas demonstrating an increased need for athletic training.  

For more on National Athletic Training Month, visit https://www.nata.org/advocacy/public-relations/national-athletic-training-month. 

At Robinwood Orthopaedic Specialty Center in Hagerstown, MD, we offer preventative care, diagnostic services, and surgery for sports injuries. Please visit our website for more information, or call (301) 665-4950. 

Prevent Sport Injuries Before They Occur

Sports are a popular activity in our culture. They promote physical fitness, self-confidence, and social enjoyment. As more people of all ages participate in group, competitive, and even solitary sports, the field of sports medicine is focused on raising awareness about sports injuries, as well as expanding prevention and treatment techniques. Many sports injuries result not only from collisions and accidents, but from overuse of certain muscles and areas of the body. Taking preventative measures avoids some of the common causes of sporting injuries.

Traumatic sports injuries

Traumatic injuries such as concussions and dental damage can be prevented by wearing the proper equipment, such as helmets and mouthguards for contact sports like football and

hockey. Respecting the safety rules and regulations for team and extreme sports also helps prevent traumatic injuries.  

Other traumatic injuries, such as sprains, strains, and tears can be reduced by warming up and cooling down properly and increasing your flexibility through stretching.

Overuse injuries

Overuse injuries are becoming more common as people, including youth, focus on just one or two sports. Overuse injuries occur when a particular muscle group or area of the body receives repeated stress and usage.

Combining different sport activities, as well as conditioning a broad range of muscle groups, helps break this pattern of overuse, where some parts of the body receive too much work whereas others become weakened from lack of use.

Also commit to taking time off from sports at least one day per week to give your body a break from stress and strain. Be sure to take breaks and rests during practices and long workouts.

RICE method

If you experience swelling, muscle strain, or a sprain, use the RICE method at home:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

Gradually begin working the muscle area again with gentle stretches and range of motion exercises. Return to sports slowly, making sure you are pain-free by the time you return to your normal level of activity. Contact a medical professional if you have numbness, tingling, ongoing swelling, signs of infection or inflammation, loss of movement, or pain lasting more than two weeks.

Learn more about Robinwood Orthopaedic Speciality Center’s free sports clinic, helping to prevent sports injuries for local student athletes, here!

Robinwood Orthopaedic Specialty Center treats sports injuries and orthopaedic conditions for the entire family, from newborns to seniors. With four convenient locations to serve you in Frederick, Hagerstown, Martinsburg, and Waynesboro, we provide inclusive care from diagnostics to treatment and rehabilitation. Please visit our website for more information, or call (301) 665-4950.

Take Charge of Your Health: Schedule a Checkup with Your Doctor during the New Year

In the midst of all the 2017 resolutions and plans, don’t forget to make time for your health! Although exercise and nutrition goals are among the most popular New Year’s resolutions, there is another area of health and wellbeing that is often overlooked in our busy lives: that of preventative and routine health care.

The Importance of Regular Checkups 

Before you make radical lifestyle changes for the New Year, it’s important to find out where your health stands. Although exercise and diet regimens may sound like a good idea, they may not always be right for everyone. It’s important to discuss major changes in your health routine with your doctor beforehand. 

Regular checkups can also catch health problems early on, before they develop into something more serious. Many, if not most, health conditions are easier to treat the earlier they are found.

It is also a good idea to have regular checks of your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as stay current on vaccinations and routine screenings for common cancers, such as prostate, breast, cervical, and colorectal. 

Routine care is so important in preventing and catching disease that according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are even designated national health days in order to raise awareness about lifesaving exams and screenings. Consider scheduling appointments, and spreading the word, in honor of:

• National Women’s Checkup Day: the first Monday after Mother’s Day each year.
• National Men’s Health Week: the week before Father’s Day each year.

The Time is Now

The start of a new year is the perfect time to remind yourself to schedule a checkup for yourself, as well as the other members of the family. Doctors’ appointments can book up quickly, so be sure to plan in advance and schedule well ahead of time. 

We at Robinwood Orthopaedic Specialty Center wish you a happy and healthy 2017!

Robinwood Orthopaedic Specialty Center has four convenient locations in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania in order to serve the whole family. We specialize in injuries and diseases of the joints, bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, offering diagnostic and surgical services, fracture care, sports medicine, physical therapy and more for patients of all ages. For more information, please visit our site or call (301) 665-4950.