By now, you probably realize that sitting down at a desk all day isn’t good for your health. High blood pressure, obesity, and increased risk of stroke are just a few of the effects of chronic inactivity. Knowing about the risks is one thing, but changing your lifestyle can be more difficult. And if you’re like the average worker, changing careers isn’t really an option. That’s why it’s becoming more and more common to stay active any way and anywhere that you can.
The most common type of car accident is the dreaded rear-end collision. The fender bender. Chances are you’ve been involved in one or several in your driving experience and if you have, you may know a few things about whiplash. Whiplash is the most commonly reported injury from car accidents each year. Muscles and ligaments in your neck are extended beyond their normal range, and then whipped back,
We’ve heard that a change in diet may help cholesterol levels or help to bring down blood pressure, but what effect can diet have on our joints? Although orthopedics tends to be a field of fixing things that are already broken, there are some things you can start changing about your diet that may go a long way in preventing some common problems.
Most injuries that develop or linger in the joints can be summed up in one word: inflammation.
If you’ve ever sprained your ankle, stubbed your toe, or bumped into an unseen object in the dark, then you know how bad minor injuries can hurt. Sometimes we walk it off and move on. Other times the swelling doesn’t come down and mobility decreases, and that’s when you might wonder if its time to see a doctor. So how do you tell the difference between a break, sprain or strain?
Sprain
Sometimes,
As new research is constantly emerging, it’s hard to keep track of what health routine to add to your life. Some new trend comes out one year only to be replaced by another claiming better results. (Do you still have your barefoot running shoes?) But here’s an exercise that all healthcare professionals can agree on: walking. It’s low-impact, easy to start and the benefits are impressive. Allow me to walk you through a few of them!
Hitting your ‘funny bone’. It’s one of the only injuries that we can laugh about, literally. It’s even become an expression that we use for something funny that catches us off guard. The sensation is so strange that we’re not sure whether to laugh or cry. However, contrary to its title, the pain that we feel from hitting the funny bone isn’t from a bone at all – it’s a nerve.
Some nerve
The ulnar nerve is the longest unprotected nerve in the human body,
A great mind once said, ‘we are what we repeatedly do’. It is our habits that define not only our character but also our physical health. Bad form in any repetitive motion will eventually lead to injury. When this happens, it’s called RSI, a Repetitive Stress Injury from overuse of tendons, muscles nerves and other soft body tissues. RSI can act as a gateway for a host of other problems including,
Before reaching into the medicine cabinet the next time you have a minor ache, pain or fever, think twice. Not all pain relievers work the same way and depending on your symptoms, there are a few things you should know about how different over-the-counter pain relievers work. Here are some general guidelines to consider about the most common over-the-counter, or commonly known as OTC painkillers,
It’s that time of year. The weather is getting colder and the mountains are calling. Ski season is just around the corner and you can’t wait to get in that first run of the year. Skiing is something we look forward to and love doing, but in all the excitement, it’s easy to forget about preparing your knees and hips for the twists and turns of the slopes. Each year, there are plenty of people who start their first trip without the right physical preparation and end up injured early in the season.
Prior to going in for orthopedic surgery it is ideal to begin advanced planning to prepare yourself and your home for the recovery process. After surgery has been completed, you will likely be sent home with special instructions on how to heal over time. It will be extremely important to follow the instructions and recommendations of the surgeon until you are completely rehabilitated. Discuss your discharge plans with your physician in advance so that you can begin to get things in order.
Recent studies have shown that prolonged instances of sitting raises the risk of many diseases and ailments. Sitting has been compared to smoking due to emerging research indicating “that sitting increases your risk of death and disease, even if you are getting plenty of physical activity. It’s a bit like smoking. Smoking is bad for you even if you get lots of exercise. So is sitting too much.” says Travis Saunders,
Does it hurt when you walk or run? Do you get repetitive injuries when you exercise? That might be your body telling you that your mechanics are wrong. The human body is an amazingly complex instrument and sometimes the way we use it needs some fine-tuning. If you experience pain when walking or running or are looking to get into walking or running again, it might be time for you to consider a gait analysis.
Back in the day, stretching was recommended before anything active. And when people recommended stretching, they typically meant static stretching. You have probably done static stretching before, like when you sit down and grasp your toes (or at least try to) for up to 30 seconds. You do this a few times and move on to whatever else is in your routine. Good idea, right? Turns out, not so much.
Recent studies have proven that this old-school technique can actually decrease the effectiveness of your workout.
Did you know OSC has the only Eccentron in the Pacific Northwest? It’s true. The Eccentron is a remarkable piece of rehabilitation equipment that utilizes eccentric resistance strength training along with advanced measures and tracking. Most commonly used for total knee replacement, ACL, and hip rehabilitation, the Eccentron can help make a noticeable difference in a patient’s recovery.
Being the only orthopedic clinic in Spokane to offer in-house physical therapy,
Did you know that our very own David F. Scott MD has one of the lowest infection rates for knee replacements in Washington State? It’s true. Dr. Scott’s infection rate is just 0.07%. That’s over 6 times better than the Washington State average.
We spent some time with Dr. Scott chatting about what makes this possible and here’s what he said it boils down to:
“I just really like being a surgeon.
