Ortho Rhode Island

Get to Know / Anthony Deluise

What is a Mid Level Provider?

……The ability of the NP or PA to navigate patients through what may be perceived as a difficult time for them only solidifies the experience and allows the patient to feel comfortable with their care no matter the level of the provider that is giving it.

Exercise / Kyle Halavik

Get Your Rear in Gear

The classic 90’s rap song by Sir Mix-A-Lot dubbed “Baby Got Back” starts out with the statement “I like big butts and cannot lie”… Although he was making this statement for another reason he was onto something important in terms of human function. Strong, powerful gluteal muscles are an essential element of human movement and function. Researchers since the 1970s have been considering the gluteus maximus an important muscle in lower extremity function as well as one of the “hallmarks of bipedalism and erect posture in humans”.

Hand/Wrist / Anthony Deluise

Finger Pop

Stenosing tenosynovitis is commonly referred to as “trigger finger”, “trigger thumb” or collectively as “trigger digit.” Our fingers bend when the tendons in our hand glide smoothly beneath a series of pulleys that hold the tendon close to the bone. This is similar to how the eyes of a fishing rod guide the line. A trigger finger occurs when….

Back Pain / Anthony Deluise

Choosing the Right Surgeon

Choosing the right surgeon for your care can feel like a daunting process. And while reputation of the surgeon is an important factor, there are other things to consider before signing up for a surgery. Finding a doc who takes time to answer your questions and is comfortable with the idea of a second opinion are both good signs. Yet, even more important is finding a surgeon who wants to ensure that you have exhausted all non-operative options before considering surgery. Nowhere is this more important than when considering surgery for your spine.

Hand Therapy / Andrea Penacho

Dupppeeeeeyyyy Whhhhaaaattttt?????

So you just left the doctor’s office and the physician told you that your hands have some kind of disease that you have never even heard of never-mind even pronounce. All you heard was the second part…disease. You are wondering….how? Why?? What is it?? What was that word he said? You have so many questions and when you get home you see the diagnosis as Dupuytrens Disease… pronounced as “du- pa- trens”. As a therapist, I found this to be the common reaction that people have told me when they first heard their diagnosis of Dupuytrens. I decided to write my blog this week to hopefully give some insight that may clear up some of these questions.

Exercise / Brian Smith

Planks, Planks, Planks

… It is always an easy exercise prescription to tell an individual to just add planks to your work out program and you will get stronger. However, are people training the core correctly or just performing exercises that have been around for ages? You must see people at the gym performing sit-ups, seated trunk rotation machines and the typical 1 minute plank while talking to their buddy next to them. But are these the best exercises to perform to improve one’s core strength or endurance?

Bone Health / Orthopedics Rhode Island

Is bone mineral density everything when it comes to osteoporotic fracture risk?

Osteoporosis is defined by the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) as a bone mineral density (BMD) by DEXA T-score of less than -2.5. A T-score compares the density of your bones against the average healthy 30 year old person. An osteopenic patient with a major

Ankle & Foot / Orthopedics Rhode Island

ORI Doc Shares His Expertise

Dr. Anthony Mechrefe, an Ortho Rhode Island orthopedic surgeon, will be sharing his expertise on ankle pain and treatment with the public at a series of open seminars.

Back Pain / Amanda McKenna

It’s Golf Season!

Now time for back pain…or maybe not! Many avid golfers complain of chronic low back pain as the season progresses. Warming-up often gets overlooked as people get right into swinging, whether at the driving range or at the first hole. Here are a few mobility drills that will help to get the body warmed-up and help to prevent injury, especially at the low back.

Ortho Rhode Island Blog