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June 9, 2021 / Spine / Zach Hudson

Neck (Cervical) and Low back (Lumbar) Muscular Strains

Soft tissue injuries are very common and are seen frequently throughout our practice. Obtaining a good history is essential in determining whether or not the symptoms are stemming from a muscular strain. Some individuals present with specific injuries while others do not. Common injury mechanisms include whiplash secondary to motor vehicle accidents, improper form while weightlifting, lifting heavy objects, sleeping incorrectly, etc.

There are a….

June 2, 2021 / Joint Health / David Vegari

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

A raging debate has entered the orthopaedic hip and knee replacement world that draws the ire of many surgeons. Total Joint Replacement with the assistance of a robot. The discussion draws such visceral responses that I have personally witnessed surgeons walk out of rooms when the topic is broached. The surgeons who embrace the traditional, or manual approach, to joint replacement will argue that they have great results and why should they compromise their outcomes to attempt a new technology. The sentiment is certainly understandable: learning curve, time, cost, etc. However, I…

May 27, 2021 / Surgery / Dr. Ian Madom

Leading Innovation

Remember the last time you tried something new. Maybe it was a new sport. Possibly you went back to school to study for a new career. Some others may have been assigned new responsibilities within their job that they had never done before. It is normal to feel hesitant and nervous. As human beings, we are creatures of habit and rely on our instincts and trained behaviors to get through most of our days. If we had to think about every single decision, life would be exhausting, and we would not even make it out of the morning. These feelings can be overcome by preparation and practice. When we try a new sport, we …..

May 20, 2021 / Ankle & Foot / Dr. Eric Buchbaum

Quarantine Feet

Though many of us were taught that shoes bring dirt into the home, wearing supportive footwear indoors may help to avoid “quarantine feet”. I often recommend Oofos or Birkenstocks to wear in the home to help alleviate the stresses that excessive barefoot can bring if regular shoes are not being used.
Additionally, there has been a rise in toe fractures from lack of shoe wearing in the home. Rooms have been rearranged for zoom meeting, computer cords are snaked around the floor, and juggling work and home in the same location can lead to a less attentive state precipitating trauma. The old saying that

May 13, 2021 / Hand/Wrist / Dr. Benjamin Phillips

WALANT

Imagine having hand surgery without having to go to an operating room, fasting the night before or even changing out of your clothes. Wide awake hand surgery is well described by its other name, WALANT, which stands for wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet. This surgical technique utilizes lidocaine and epinephrine to eliminate pain and decrease bleeding. With this approach there is no need for intravenous insertion, monitoring or a tourniquet.

April 29, 2021 / Osteoporosis / Kayla Lynch

Spine Fractures

There are many causes of back pain, from arthritis to a muscle strain. One of the less common causes of low back is thoracic and lumbar compression fractures. While compression fractures can happen in anyone, they are most common in elderly females with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition which causes the bones to become weaker. When the bones become weaker, this makes it easier to fracture them. Osteoporotic fractures do not require a high impact activity, they often occur from a simple injury such as lifting or bending. Often patients do not even remember an injury, making it possible for patients to be unaware that they even have a fracture.

April 22, 2021 / Sports / Kyle Halavik

Surfing USA!

Spring is finally here in Rhode Island! What’s better? Summer. And it is just around the corner. With summer comes the beach and finally the summer Olympics in Tokyo! This year they are planning to have surfing in the summer games for the first time in history, which is sort of cool. It legitimizes a sport to be in the Olympics. It is no longer just for outcasts and hippies. Surfing has gone global. So it had me thinking about all the injuries that surfers from all around the world have had to go through to get to the games.

April 15, 2021 / Ankle & Foot / Ryan O'Kelly

High Ankle Sprain

As the upcoming 2021 NFL draft approaches and the excitement for the NFL season begins, I would like to take a minute to discuss a common injury sustained by NFL athletes, the “High Ankle Sprain”. This past football season Christian McCaffrey, a running back for the Carolina Panthers, sustained a high ankle sprain early last year devastating fantasy football owners.

A high ankle sprain is also known…

April 8, 2021 / Knee / Stacie Brzoska

Knee Osteoarthritis

Arthritis is a chronic, progressive, debilitating condition without many treatment options. Simply, arthritis is the wearing of the good articular cartilage in the knee joint. There is no technique to put more cartilage in the knee. The only conservative (non-surgical) options are oral pills like, Advil or Tylenol, and injections including cortisone, protein gel, and PRP. All of these options only help with pain. They do not slow the progression of the disease. Other than pills and injections, surgery is the only other definitive option for moderate to severe arthritis.

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