Mid Atlantic Orthopedic Associates Blog

Your hands give you the ability to interact with the world. Whether creating a masterpiece or reaching out to those you love, hands provide connections to what is valued most. It is vital to keep your hands in optimal working condition.  Guard yourself against these common causes for hand and wrist injuries: Bone Injuries Bones can be injured during an accident while working, traveling in a vehicle or participating in sports or other activities. The main categories of bone injuries are: Simple: The bone is still stable and aligned. Complex: The bone is shifted or displaced. Compound: The bone is broken through the skin and has to be reset. Comminuted: The bone is broken in more than one place and must be restructured. Wrist fractures often occur during forceful contact while the wrist is extended. The degree of extension at the time of impact directly affects the severity.  Bone injuries...

You never realize how much you rely on your hips functioning the way they should until one or both of them hurt. Suddenly, everyday tasks are difficult or even impossible to manage. While millions of people across the United States experience hip pain, causes vary widely. Here are five of the most common causes of hip pain.  Muscle Strain Pulled muscles, usually your groin or hamstring, can present as hip pain. If the pain appeared suddenly after a bout of exercise, you may have strained a muscle. You may not consider muscle strains serious injuries, but they can take months to heal, and severe strains sometimes require surgery. Mild strains generally heal on their own after a few weeks of the RICE treatment: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns or the strain does not seem to be healing.  Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis occurs as the...

  Winter is a wonderful time of year. Some people think of building snowmen, playing hockey and cozying up next to the fireplace. Others think of shoveling snow, slipping on the ice and injuring themselves. Quite a few would agree with the latter statement.  It is estimated that 116,000 people are injured due to winter-related injuries every year in the U.S. 1,300 are killed because of snowy or icy roads annually. With winter just around the corner, it is time to think about winter accident prevention.     1. Ankle and Knee Injuries Things like skiing, snowboarding or just trying to clear your driveway of heavy snow can lead to knee or ankle injuries. A torn ACL can lead to surgery, physical therapy and months of pain. Always wear the proper gear and stretch and warm up the joints before starting tasks.     2. Frostbite Is Not Your Friend...

Everyone, at some point in their life, experiences lower back pain, whether mild or severe. We don't always know when the pain requires medical attention, or just some stretches and painkillers. Many practices can help you get rid of that irritating back tenderness. Mid Atlantic Orthopedic Associates is a practice made up of highly trained physicians. Their physicians' team is experienced in spine surgery, hand and upper extremity, orthopedic trauma surgery, and orthopedic foot and ankle surgery. Below are  signs that you may need to have your back checked by a professional: Sudden Sharp Pain Have you noticed that it is sharp and sudden instead of dull, continuous back pain when your lower back hurts? This can signify a serious problem, such as a torn tendon, muscle, or ligament. It can also indicate that an internal organ on the lower backside of your body has a problem. Most patients who...

Advances in surgical technology and techniques have come a long way, and having surgery is less invasive than ever. Recovery times have also improved, but there is no getting around the fact that a surgeon is cutting into your body with a knife or a laser in some form. That wound, however necessary and careful, needs care and time to heal. Want to spend less time in recovery? We at Mid Atlantic Orthopedic , created these five key factors that are critical to a full recovery after surgery. Mobility Moving around frequently may seem like a bad idea, but it helps to speed up your recovery. Get up and move around about three times a day, or as often as your doctor recommends. If you are not mobile after surgery, try to shift position in bed about every hour. Above all, if you need help getting into or out of...

Unfortunately, spinal injuries are very common and can occur quite easily. About 200,000 people live with spinal injuries in the United States today. The leading causes of this type of injury are different forms of trauma. Let’s take a closer look to see if you are at risk for spinal injuries. Have You Recently Experienced Trauma? Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of spinal injuries for people under the age of 65. If you have experienced motor vehicle trauma recently and haven’t been looking at by a doctor, you should make an appointment right away. The pain you have may not seem severe at the moment but can still be a sign of a spinal injury. The Elderly For those who are 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of spinal injuries. As older people experience balancing problems and weak knees and legs, it is easy for...

You may have heard people talk about bone fractures and broken bones. The terms are actually interchangeable and both refer to a bone that has been shattered, often by excessive force. Your doctor may be more likely to use the term fracture. To be frank, the term fracture is more “professional” sounding. To say break would still be correct but more colloquial. A fracture is defined as any loss of continuity of the bone. Anytime your bone loses integrity, whether it's the smallest hairline crack barely recognizable on an x-ray, or the shattering of bone into multiple pieces, it is considered a fracture. Whether it be after a small fall or a severe car accident, a fractured bone can be painful. Depending on the severity of the trauma, a fracture could be life threatening. If left untreated, it could cause nerve damage, organ damage, muscle damage or even pierce through...

Warm days and sunny skies entice us to be outside. The long days of summer give us an excuse to stay outside for long periods of time doing all sorts of activities. Swimming, hiking, biking, running, boating and gardening are just some of the activities that you can enjoy during the summer months. Of course, with any physical activity, there is the potential to injure yourself. Here are some of the most common injuries that can occur during the summer. Bicycle Injuries Biking is great exercise and is a lot of fun. Before riding, be sure to stretch. Put on safety gear, most importantly, a helmet, as it can help to prevent serious head injuries from occurring. Use safety precautions as you ride, especially if you will be riding on a road. Bike accidents that involve a vehicle can be fatal. Swimming Injuries Serious injuries that could be potentially fatal...

The knee is one of the most common body parts to be injured. Even if you are extremely careful, you still could be at risk for knee injuries depending on how active you are and if you have any pre-existing conditions. Let’s take a look at what could put you at risk for knee injuries. Top Ways to Injure Your Knees Improper Training Whether you are an athlete now or you were 20 years ago, improper training will put you at risk for knee injuries. Training at the gym and using the equipment the wrong way or training for any sport using the wrong movements can easily lead to a knee injury in the future. Improper training will make ligaments weaker and put you at a high risk for an ACL tear, which will lead to surgery and a long recovery. Overuse Playing sports or having a very active job...

Fewer things bug an athlete more than an injury. The worst, of course, comes when you injure a body part that is one of the main appendages you use in your sport. A soccer player hates leg injuries and a baseball pitcher hates elbow injuries. In tennis, one of the worst things you can injure is your shoulder, especially on your swinging arm. You are almost constantly using it throughout the match, and without it, it’s almost impossible to play. If you do injure yourself, the first question you will probably ask is “when can I play again?” Well, let’s find out how fast a tennis player can come back from a shoulder injury. Know Your Injury There are a couple of “main” injuries in the shoulder that tennis players suffer from. These are rotator cuff tendinitis, shoulder impingement, and shoulder bursitis. While not the only injuries, they are certainly...

The rainy season is coming up, and it won’t be long before the roads and the pavements are slick as an ice skating rink. Just one misplaced step and you could seriously injure yourself, so to prevent that from occurring, here are some tips for staying on your feet in wet weather. Use Handrails Handrails aren’t everywhere, but when you see them, use them. Handrails do just what you think, they help keep you steady when you walk, so if you start to slip, you can readjust yourself more easily. These are especially useful on stairs, where a slip can be not only dangerous but deadly. If there are no handrails, then see if there are other things you can hold on to, from benches to another person (someone you know, of course). Wipe Your Feet Next, it’s always important to wipe your feet on the doormat when you enter...

Some say that you can’t have fun without a little bit of risk, and for skiing, that might be true. Skiing is an enormously exciting activity, but there's always going to be some danger involved. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to enjoy skiing without making it as safe as possible. Here are some ways to keep the risk level at a minimum while you’re flying down the slopes. Personal FItness The best way to stay safe while doing any activity is to keep yourself as physically healthy as possible. Do this by exercising your muscles on a continual basis, especially your back and your legs, so you’ll have more control over your skis. Stretching is very important also. If one of your skis slips on the snow, you may find yourself doing a split whether you know how to do one or not, so keep your body...

Having orthopedic surgery? Not to worry, orthopedic surgery is an incredibly safe procedure done by well trained specialists. However, it can still be intimidating, especially if you’re unprepared for the operation. To help the surgery go more smoothly and to make life easier during your recovery, here are some tips to remember in the preceding weeks. For Your Surgery The surgeon is going to do most of the work, but there is still a part for you to play. For your own health, you should spend your time before the surgery by exercising and eating a healthy diet. The food you eat is critical, as you’re going to need as much strength as possible for your body to recover in the coming months, so fill up on protein, iron and vitamin C. Also, stop smoking. You should quit smoking anyway, but now more than ever as smoking affects blood flow...

During the winter months, you will often need to wake up early before work to shovel the snow that has accumulated overnight on your driveway. While shoveling snow is often seen as just another simple chore, there are  serious risks involved. The following are some tips for properly shoveling snow without injuring yourself. Take it Slow Allow yourself enough time in the morning to shovel snow at a comfortable pace, and stretch out your body beforehand to avoid straining any muscles. Rushing through it drastically increases the risk of injury. When you become tired, take a short break to regain some of your energy. If you feel like you’re unable to shovel on your own, don’t be afraid to ask a family member or neighbor to help you. You can also invest in a snow blower if shoveling is too strenuous of a task. If you injure yourself while shoveling...

Workers compensation has long been an efficient method of both guaranteeing employees reimbursement for lost income after a job related injury or illness as well as providing for any associated medical expenses. The policy protects working men and women from unmanageable medical debt and financial straits resulting from a workplace accident or work related ailment, and it exists in some form in every state in the U.S.A, with some variations. So, how does workers compensation work in New Jersey? Let’s take a look. What Should You Do if You’ve Been Injured at Work? If you have been injured or have gotten sick from a workplace related incident, notify your employer, supervisor, or personnel official as soon as possible and describe your injuries. If you need medical treatment , under NJ law your company’s insurance carrier can relegate you to a physician of their choosing. Your statement does not need to...

Fall is here and that’s good news. The changing leaves, the crisp air, the start of a new school year and, of course, the holidays are all great reasons to look forward to this season. Remember, though, that as the weather cools down, we once again need to begin figuring out ways to stay warm. Here are some unique tips and tricks for keeping your body temperature up in the cold. Clothes Obviously it’s important to dress in warm clothing during the cooler seasons, especially if you’re going outside. This means warms hats, preferably ones that protect the ears, coats, jackets, gloves, heavy socks and boots. One thing you can do to add some extra heat to your wardrobe is to keep hand warmers inside your pockets, and whenever you feel your fingers getting stiff just stick them inside. House Compared to you, your house is big, which means there...

Our hands are important to everything we do in life. Without proper function, we couldn't eat, dress, work, or do other tasks and activities. This is why it is important we take care of them. Hand and wrist problems occur and for a plethora of reasons. When they do, we have to make sure we fix you so you can do the aforementioned activities. Hand and Wrist Surgery There are a plethora of treatments you can undergo if you have an injury. Some are as simple as taking medications and using splints, and some are as complex as surgery or physiotherapy. Hand and Wrist Conditions If you’re having issues with your hands and wrists, it’s important to talk to your doctor or to consult a hand surgeon. If you have any of these conditions, you may need a recommendation: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With the excess pressure on your nerves, you...

Joint pain is something that affects millions of people all over the world, and for many of them, relief of any kind is a blessing. From stiff fingers to inflamed knees to swollen elbows, joint pain can take hold almost anywhere on the body, and one factor that usually makes it worse is the cold. With Fall coming right around the corner, let’s take a look at why cooler temperatures worsen joint pain and what you can to ease your suffering. Why Does the Cold Affect Your Joints? Ironically, while almost everyone who experiences joint pain has reported that their pain worsens during changes in temperature, baratomic pressure and humidity levels, experts still haven’t found a definitive answer regarding why. However, there are several theories which have weight. The main hypothesis states that as the baratomic pressure drops when the weather cools down, the tendons, muscles and tissues around your...

When we’re young, our body replaces bone material at a fast rate. This constant renewal keeps our bones healthy and strong. As we age, this replacement rate slows down to the point where we can actually start to lose bone mass. If this condition gets too severe, we are left with thin, fragile bones that struggle to support and protect our body. This condition is known as osteoporosis . Symptoms of Osteoporosis As said above, osteoporosis is the result of weakening and thinning bones. In its early stages, there are usually no symptoms that can detect this condition. However, at some point, this loss of bone matter will lead to several notable conditions, including: A stooped posture. Without a doubt, this is one of the most obvious signs. If you are unable to stand up straight due to the bones in your back hurting or even being bent or collapsed,...

Developing some type of hip pain is pretty common as you get older. Joints don’t work like they used to, and there is always the chance you are starting to develop minor arthritis. That being said, some hip pain can actually be a symptom of more serious conditions, and those require a visit to your doctor in the near future. There are several diseases and serious chronic conditions that present as pain in the hip (doctors call this referred pain). The location of your hip pain can actually help your doctor determine potential underlying conditions that are creating the problem. If you have hip pain in the joint itself or on the inside of your hip or groin, the problem is likely the hip joint itself. Pain in the upper thigh and outer buttock indicate some problem with the muscles, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissue surrounding your hip joint....