Orthopedic Treatment for a Torn Meniscus

It happened so fast. You were running down the court and all you did was stop. Suddenly, you’re on the floor with a sharp pain in your knee. Unfortunately, you may have torn your meniscus.

The meniscus is a small C-shaped piece of cartilage in your knee that keeps the entire knee stable and prevents your knee bones from grinding against each other. Although quite sturdy, the meniscus can be torn by sudden stops, deep squats, and quick pivots.

A meniscus tear can be classified into three categories: partial, moderate, and severe. Depending on the severity of the tear, an orthopedic surgeon can determine if there is a need for surgery or if the injury can heal by itself.

Common symptoms people begin to feel after tearing their meniscus include pain and swelling. For severe meniscus tears, people report feeling knee instability, manifesting as a popping or locking of the knee, or its suddenly “wobbling” and giving way.

Meniscus tears are often mistaken for ACL tears, another type of knee injury, as both injuries tend to happen at the same time. In some cases, both the meniscus and ACL can be torn by the same action. Thus, people who have suffered a suspected knee injury should be brought to an experienced orthopedic surgeon for accurate diagnosis and immediate treatment.

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Tennis Elbow—When to Seek Medical Help

Tennis elbow may have derived its name from the popular lawn sport, but it's actually a misnomer because most people who suffer from it don't play tennis. By definition, tennis elbow is pain or soreness of the lateral side (the outer side) of an elbow that may extend down to the forearm and the back of the hand. Its symptoms include weakening of the grip, swelling and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and/or bony structures on the outside of the elbow, and pain in the elbow/arm area.

Tennis elbow is often the result of repetitive activities such as continuously extending the wrist or twisting the forearm to a “palm up” position. Plumbers, painters, cooks, butchers, and construction workers are just some of the people who often suffer from this condition. In sports, athletes who suffer from it are usually involved in a sport that requires them to grip something for long periods, such as a racket or a stick.

If it's your first time to experience tennis elbow, wait no longer than a month to have it seen by a medical professional. If you've had it before, seek medical help if conservative home treatments don't offer any improvement within four to eight weeks. Conservative home treatments for tennis elbow include ice or heat compression, and massage.

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What to Do about a Wrist Sprain or Strain

Wrist strains and sprains are common injuries that people often get mixed up. This is understandable since both involve the overstretching or tearing of a certain body tissue. The main difference is that sprains involve ligaments that connect one bone to another while strains involve the muscles and tendons that are attached to bones.

If you have strained or sprained your wrist, you may experience swelling, a feeling of popping or tearing, pain at the affected area, and bruising. Typically, such injuries can be treated with the RICE treatment (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). However, if pain and swelling continue beyond 48 hours, you'll need to have your injury checked by a doctor.

If after examination, the doctor says that the injury is moderate, this means there's a partial tearing of the ligaments. You'll likely be fitted with a cast or splint to allow the joint to heal and prevent continued irritation. On the other hand, if the doctor says the injury is severe, that means a ligament or muscle has been completely torn. If such is the case, medical or surgical care will be required.

After your treatment, your doctor may require you to start graded strengthening exercises for your wrist, so don't be surprised if he refers you to a physical therapist. This is simply meant to help you regain full use of your wrist and prevent further injury.

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Sports Medicine: Medical Care with a Twist

Sports doctors are known as medical professionals who specialize in diagnosing and treating the injuries of athletes. They focus on joint, bone and muscle health, and they also give general medical care to the people they work with. The field of sports medicine prepares these doctors for a flexible work environment, as they may have to work in non-traditional medical facilities such as a sporting venue clinic or in professional or college-level sporting events. In fact, their field continues to evolve as some of them venture into fitness centers, while others choose to focus on specific groups like geriatric populations or school-age children.

Those who aspire to be sports doctors must first complete a bachelor's degree, complete with a pre-med concentration so they have sufficient background in biology, chemistry, and physics. They will also be required to pass the Medical College Admission Test so they can be accepted into medical school. Those who pursue sports medicine are usually sports lovers themselves, and are generally involved in some kind of team or individual sports activity. The majority complete a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree.

Every state mandates that these doctors have to be licensed. Being certified by a recognized organization also adds to their credentials. The certification shows that the sports doctor has met the professional requirements of the organization. The American Board of Medical Specialists and the American Osteopathic Association are the organizations that provide this certification.

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Most Common Orthopedic Problems in Children

Pediatric orthopedics is a branch of orthopedics that deals with children's orthopedic issues. Orthopedic treatment in children is very different from that of adults, and there are some orthopedic conditions that usually occur in children.

Pigeon Toes

Pigeon toes is a condition wherein the child's toes are inward when he is walking. This is often connected to the child's position while in the womb of his mother. The condition is usually corrected by doctors through stretching exercises, special footwear, or physical therapy. In cases where there is a rigid deformity, it is treated with a cast.

Clubfeet

Children who are born with clubfeet have short tendons on the inside and back of their feet. This results in the toes being pulled down and inwards. Orthopedic surgery is done to babies with clubfeet right after the baby is born. To correct the problem, the surgeon will manipulate the feet into its right position and will cast it weekly.

Toe Walking

Toe Walking is very common among children who are still learning to walk. However, when the children is already beyond 2 years old and is still toe walking, then it should be corrected by a pediatric orthopedic doctor. Continued toe walking is sometimes connected with cerebral palsy and other nervous system problems. It is sometimes treated by casting the calf and ankle for up to six weeks.

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Fast Facts about Sports Injury and Medicine

Sports injury refers to a rather broad scope of conditions, with the common denominator that they are often sustained by people who were engaging in sporting activities. While many are caused by accidents, some are quite predictable, such as the dangers of sustaining muscle cramps on the field because you didn’t warm up before playing.

These common sporting injuries are the focus of many medical professionals in the relatively new branch of medicine called sports medicine. Medical practitioners like orthopedic doctors, therapists, and even dentists in this field work to ensure that athletes like you know exactly how to avoid injuries, as well as help you get better when you do get one.

Common sports injuries range from relatively minor conditions like sprains, muscle spasms, and joint pains, to more severe cases like torn ligaments, broken knees, and dislocations. There are also two classes of these injuries: acute, or those occurring suddenly in the middle of a game, and chronic, which happens over time, when you play constantly.

When the injury you're suffering goes to the point of severe swelling or extreme pain, or if you notice that something feels unstable (possibly a dislocated bone), get medical help immediately. However, anything much less than this could probably be cured by resting at home, nevertheless it's always a good idea to at least inform your doctor about it.

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Orthopedic Surgery and Cerebral Palsy

Orthopedic surgery is done to treat tight muscles and spasticity that are connected to cerebral palsy. In this procedure, a cut is made on the skin where the affected muscle is located, and parts of this muscle are slit so that the tightness is released.

This procedure is intended to remedy the problems related to cerebral palsy. The goals of this surgery are: to loosen muscles that make the hips turn to increase hip movement, loosen the muscles at the back of the thigh so that the muscles will be able to control the tension on the thigh and knee, and to loosen the tendon at the back of the ankle to provide the child with a flatter foot, allowing him to walk properly.

When planning surgery for your child, doctors may postpone it until the child is older than 2. By this time, the doctor is able to release more tight muscles during the surgery than releasing only one. This will lessen the chances of the procedure having to be performed again.

However, these corrections may sometimes be temporary, since while the person is growing, the muscles may become tighter and can cause contractures. Risks of bleeding, infection, and need for further surgery may also be high when it is done. So it is always best that you are 100 percent sure of your decision before putting your child through any surgery.

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