Roger Smith's Blog
Dr. Rowland discusses carpal tunnel syndrome
Dr. Ed Rowland discusses the symptoms and concervative treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Moving is the Best Medicine
Here is a great video from the Arthritis Foundation featuring pop-locking dancers you wouldn't expect to see pop-locking.
Desk jobs bad for your health?
An article ran online last week about how working at your desk can be bad for your bones and joints. We’re reprinting an edited version of that article for you.
Original article by Althea Chang, Mainstreet.com
Sitting at a desk all day can be hazardous to your health..
The number of physically demanding jobs has dropped to less than 10% from 20% in the 1950s, according a study published by economic and social policy researchers at the Urban Institute, meaning the number of jobs that require some exertion were cut in half, leaving more Americans susceptible to desk-job-related health problems.
Here are some office-related maladies and how they can be prevented.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Problem: Any motion that is repeated over and over again can cause injury or pain. But carpal tunnel syndrome isn't just pain or soreness from too much typing. It's the tingling, numbness, itching or even sharp pain caused when a nerve that runs through the forearm is compressed by swollen ligaments and bones in the wrist, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Prevention: Before you're forced to treat carpal tunnel with acupuncture, drugs or even surgery, stretching and other exercises may help release tension in the wrist, the NIH says. And, contrary to what many believe, your wrists shouldn't actually rest on those cushy wrist pads that sit below your keyboard or mouse pad. They should actually be used as a guide for how high your wrists should be, and it should only be used as a rest in between bouts of typing.
Lower-Back Pain
Problem: Sitting for hours on end, particularly if you have bad posture, can be devastating to your body over time if you don't get moving on a regular basis. And back pain is actually a major reason for missed work for adults of all ages, according to the Georgetown University Center on an Aging Society.
But bad posture at your desk goes beyond the obvious slouching. Sitting up straight but curving your back too much can be a cause of lower-back pain as well, notes the NIH.
Prevention: Besides being better aware of your posture as you're sitting at your desk, getting regular exercise including abdominal strengthening activities should relieve some of the pressure on your lower back.
Having too fat a wallet in your back pocket can be a bad thing as well. Sitting on a large wallet can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, which can cause sharp back pain, according to UAB Health System in Birmingham, Ala.
Other Joint Problems
Problem: The human body is meant to move, and staying in one position for too long can make joints feel tight. Sitting at a desk especially shortens and tightens the hip flexors, the muscles than help pull your legs toward your body, according to the Yoga Journal. And tight hip flexors can actually contribute to back pain as well since tight hips force the pelvis to tilt forward, compressing the back, Yoga Journal says.
Prevention: Besides getting up from your desk at regular intervals and walking around a bit, the Mayo Clinic recommends a number of stretches that can help loosen up your hips.
Check out the Mayo Clinic’s stretches you can do at the office: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lower-back-stretches/MM00712
See the full online article here:
Protecting your back
You might be your back’s worst enemy.
You know how important it is to protect your health, and your spine is no exception. There are five bad habits people have that cause more harm than good to the lumbar region.
1. Don’t twist when you lift.
It’s a common mistake. Most people aren’t necessarily thinking about their body mechanics when they lift a heavy object. After all, you’ve got a box to move or a two-year old to pick up. What most people don’t realize is that this type of movement can be very damaging to your back. Here are some tips to lift correctly:
-Get as close to what you’re picking up as you can
-Bend your knees and grasp object firmly
-Lift straight up without twisting in one fluid motion
-Hold the object as close to your body as possible
-Bend your knees when lowering
Not so perfect posture.
Slouched shoulders, head down, knees locked. All of these behaviors can put an enormous amount of stress on the spine. Keeping your body aligned and in balance helps avoid pain and stress associated with bad posture. Be sure to check your posture throughout the day and pull those shoulders back. Before you know it you’ll have less pain, and you’ll be sitting pretty in no time.
Shed the weight, and you’ll most likely shed the pain.
Our hearts and lungs don’t just pay the price when you’re overweight. Our spines do, too. It’s important to exercise regularly and lose any excess weight so as not to put unnecessary strain on your backbone. Research shows that those who live a sedentary lifestyle suffer more back injuries and pain. So get out and get moving for a healthy spine and a healthy life.
Ignoring the pain won’t make it go away.
When you have a nagging pain in your lower back you can spend weeks and months hoping it will just go away. But if your pain is persistent, it’s imperative to see a spine specialist to rule out any disabling injuries. If left untreated, you might not be able to ignore the consequences later on.
Break a habit, lessen the pain.
Smoking is known to cause a host of health problems. One problem that might not be as apparent or receive as much press is how smoking affects the spine. Nicotine blocks the transport of oxygen, an important nutrient in spinal column health. Without an adequate supply of oxygen, discs are less able to repair themselves leading to disc collapse at a much earlier age. If surgery is required, smokers heal much slower and sometimes fail to heal at all.
Little League Liabilites
Who knew little league could be so hazardous?
Spring. It’s when flowers bloom, birds chirp, and elbows and fingers throb. Ah, it’s Little League season. Baseball has the power to teach kids valuable life lessons like confidence, teamwork and dedication. But what parents don’t realize is that baseball has sports-injury written all over it. Orthopedic practices like ours call these “Little League Elbow” and “Mallet Finger.”
It’s important to respond to any complaints of pain from your child quickly. These could be early signs of a repetitive motion injury of the elbow or shoulder. The sooner you detect Little League Elbow Syndrome the better. Early attention leads to improved outcomes and decreases the risk of a long-term sports-related disabilities.
What causes this injury?
During the throwing motion, stress is placed on the elbow. And when a pitcher or other player overdoes it, tissue breakdown and starts to exceed tissue repair. If it goes unnoticed or untreated, it could lead to delayed growth, ligament tear or a fracture down the road.
Little League elbow syndrome is most often a result of overtraining, lack of preseason conditioning, and/or poor coaching techniques. It’s important to help your child understand the value of warming up before practices and proper training.
Another Little League injury commonly seen during baseball season is called “Mallet Finger” and it has many symptoms parents can watch for. For starters, there is a visible deformity of the finger caused when a tendon is damaged. Typically, it occurs after a ball strikes the tip of the finger causing damage to the thin tendon that allows the finger or thumb to straighten. The result is the inability to straighten the digit. The finger is also swollen, painful and often times bruised, even under the nail bed. The majority of cases require non-surgical treatment usually entailing a splint to keep the finger extended over the course of several weeks. In rare cases, surgery is needed to repair fractures or joint malalignment.
This season, as you’re in the stands cheering your Little Leaguer on, be sure to stay vigilant as to your child’s physical health. The lessons of Little League should stay with your child forever, not the injuries.
Tiger Woods injury not uncommon
Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center recently sent out a press release offering an expert point of view on Tiger Woods' neck injury.
Denver Spine Expert Available to Comment on Tiger Injury/Disc Injuries
Neck surgery includes risks, complications -- likely a last resort
Is there a connection between Tiger Woods’ neck pain and his Nov. 27 car accident? Difficult to say, but a Denver doctor said these kinds of injuries are not uncommon among many different kinds of athletes and can come with prolonged wear and tear on the body.
The good news for Tiger, and for many active people who experience bulging or herniated discs, is that these injuries often do not require surgery but can be treated with cortisone injections, medication and physical therapy.
Dr. Karen H. Knight is a board-certified physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Panorama Orthopedics and Spine Center in Westminster. She is a national speaker on the ethics of pain management and specializes in caring for people suffering from pain or disability from spine disorders.
“Bulging discs are not uncommon in a variety of different athletes,” Knight said. “But if a golfer has it, it can really affect their ability to play because you need to have a coordination between your neck and your arm. There is a great deal of range of motion that is required of both, and if you have pain and nerve irritation, that can affect your swing.
“But it doesn’t necessarily require surgery or invasive treatment.”
Knight said Tiger’s symptoms of neck pain and pain/tingling radiating down to his fingers are consistent with a bulging or herniated disc.
Knight is available to discuss bulging and herniated disks, the types of treatment someone like Tiger would like receive, as well as potential recovery times for different interventions. Please let me know if you’d like to speak with her.
About Dr. Karen H. Knight
Dr. Karen H. Knight is a board-certified physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She graduated from University of Michigan with a focus on the interface between science and society. She earned her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, where she was awarded the Bernard Baruch Medal from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. She completed her residency at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at University of Michigan and is a diplomat of the American Board of Pain Medicine.
She is a national speaker on the ethics of pain management and she provides service to several national and international organizations as committee representative. Dr. Knight has dedicated her career to the compassionate care of individuals suffering from pain or disability from spine disorders, with the goal of returning them to optimal functioning and improving quality of life through non-operative modalities.Day 2 Haiti
Physical therapy is in great demand as many patients are getting stiff and weak from laying in the tents without assistance. Infection is still a major concern on all surgical sites. The number of surgeries has declined somewhat as fewer patients come in from Port Au Prince. For many patients, the hospital is there only home and there is no where else to go, so some are unwilling to leave to make room for more patients who are in more need. It is heartbreaking to witness but this is how things are in Haiti.
First Day in Haiti
Today was the first full day at the hospital in Milot. The conditions are incredibly poor. We have been divided into groups covering a certain area or tent. Each tent holds about 40 people. Almost all of the patients are orthopedic injuries, ranging from fractured legs and arms to spinal fractures with cord injuries.
The people are incredibly nice and appreciative. All of the Haitians are very supportive of one another as they try and heal themselves and their society.
Orthopedic Team #10 Leaves Tomorrow Mar 5
Our 18 member team is set to leave tomorrow. We're still frantically trying to get supplies lined up for incoming patients from Port Au Prince. We are getting hourly emails asking if we can treat a certain patient. One is a man with a broken neck who has lost control of his right hand and his wife is deaf and he teaches sign language. I hope we can help him. Another is a man with a broken neck who is needing a special kind of external halo to stabilize his neck, if we don't get it to them in time, there is a good chance the man will die. I hope I'm ready for this!
I have attached some (albeit very small) photos that were taken by a therapist who was in Haiti in February. She said they are treating 40-50 patients a day and they still can't see everyone who needs help. Many patients have infected ulcers on their back sides from being immoble for so long. We will be doing a lot of infection control and wound care.
If I am able, I will try to post nightly while in Haiti. Wish us luck!
-Roger
Panorama Sponsoring Cyclist in Olympic Bid
Panorama Orthopedics is very excited to be able to support Megan Hottman, a local cyclist, in her bid to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London. Megan and her team, Defined Fitness Training Women's Cycling Team, have been competing nationally and internationally for several years and Megan has recently decided to "go for it all." We very proud of her and proud to help her out.
Megan will be posting blogs here at Panorama to keep us informed of her progress, please check back often to see how she's doing!
Go Megan!
Physician Visiting from China
We are very excited to have Dr. Zhang here from China. Dr. Zhang is from a "small" city about 600 miles north of Beijing. I say "small" because it still has over 1 million people! Dr. Zhang is an orthopedic spine surgeon who is hoping to establish a spine trauma clinic in his hometown. He has asked Panorama's spine surgeon's if he could come and study with us for the next 5 weeks, to learn from the best. We hope his stay is extremely productive and that he enjoys the Denver weather!
Unexpected Guest at Panorama
Thursday during our big snow storm, I decided to brave the weather and get a few things done at the office. Luckily for a very rattled little Flicker, I decided to leave via the back stairwell. Here are some pics of the rescue.
Snow Day for Panorama
Whew! It is still coming down out here in Jefferson County and we've decided to close Panorama for the day. This is always a tough decision because there are so many people who what to see a physician. It usually comes down to a patient saftey judgment call. We don't want to jeapordize anyone's personal safety by having them come in for a visit.
Besides, I think we all need a break now and then! Stay warm today.
Congratulations Panorama's 5280 "Top Docs"!
Every year 5280 magazine has an inssue in the fall featuring Denver's "Top Docs". The physicians are chosen based on peer voting in pre-selected categories. In the 2009 issue, Drs. Ed Rowland (Hand Surgery), Eric Stahl (Orthopedic Sports Medicine) and Peter Lammens (Orthopedic Surgery) joined the Panorama ranks of "Top Doc". Congratulations doctors!
Climing Injury Forum
Being a physical therapist, my friends often come to me with questions about an injury: what is it? what should I do? Is it bad? ...etc. I'm sure there are millions of people with the same questions and no one to ask. These days people can search the internet as a starting point but it isn't always easy to find what you're looking for. I'll try to post websites and blogs that have imformation about sport specific injuries as I come across them. Today, one of our surgeons and avid an climber/skier, Dr. Eric Stahl, pointed me to a forum about climing injuries. It may interest some of you...
Climbing Injury Forum
Be safe!"Do I have to have ACL surgery?"
I got an interesting question yesterday from a friend. "Do I have to get my ACL repaired?" he asked. The answer is yes, no, maybe....it all depends.
There are plenty of example of star athletes playing their sport without an ACL in one or even both knees. John Elway is the one I always remember. He played 16 seasons without an ACL in his left knee. Played pretty well too. (Go Broncos!
)That example aside, if you're an active person and plan to stay active, you'll probably want to consider repairing your ACL. Without an ACL, your knee becomes less stable and without the proper muscle support around the knee (which most of us don't have) you become much more susceptable to further injury and/or increased wear and tear to that knee.
The medical advances that have come about since Elway tore his ACL years ago also mean that the success rates of ACL repairs are much higher, the rehab time is much shorter and costs are lower.
My advice (I'm a physical therapist) is to at least discuss it with an orthopedic surgeon. Be honest about your future plans and activity level and make an informed decision together.
Why have a community/blog page?
Welcome to Panorama's online community fan page and blog. I'm sure some of you are wondering why an orthopedic practice needs/wants a community/blog page. I'll keep it short and simple:
- We want Panorama Fanatics or "Panatics" if you will, to have a place to talk about their great experience and provide their testimonials for the world to see. We also want these fans to be able to "brag" about the wonderful things they are doing after dealing with their orthopedic problems.
-We want a place where our less than happy patients can tell us why their not happy and give us a chance to do something about it. We can't fix something we don't know about.
-We want to provide a place where anyone can get a patient's perspective about their problem. John Doe, who's thinking about a knee replacement, can contact Jill Doe, who's had one done, and ask her about her experience with surgery, rehab, whatever...get the real scoop first-hand.
-And finally, we want a place where people can learn, from our physician blogs, from one another, from shared resources...be an educated patient.
The information on this site is purely informational and may not pertain to your specific ailment. It should not be taken in lieu of a doctor's advice!
