Advancing Your Health

Thank you for participating in the online chat on Hip and Knee Replacements.  We had a lot of really great questions.  We received a few questions a couple times so we will highlight the answers to those questions here! What is the longevity of knee replacements? The lifespan of a knee replacement is related to the body weight and activity level of the individual who receives the replacement.  Individuals who are very active often reduce the longevity of their knee replacement because high activity can put extra stress on the implant leading to loosening of the implants from the bone or “wearing” of the parts used to replace the joint.  Being overweight increases the forces on implant and can also lead to early failure.  In general, 15 year survivorship of modern knee replacement designs used in  good candidate is around 90 percent. Typically for younger [...]

Do you have pain in the front of your knee behind the kneecap? If so, you may have patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS for short), commonly known as "runners' knee". Typically runners' knee is not a product of an injury, but is caused by abnormal leg mechanics including weakness in the quadriceps which result in poor tracking of the kneecap. You can increase your risk of developing runners' knee if you have tight hamstrings, or do not warm up enough before an event. Runners often experience patellofemoral pain as they increase their running distance and/or frequency.

Symptoms of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome:

• Pain in the knee, usually in the front of the knee, behind the kneecap
• Pain in the back of the knee or also above or below the kneecap
• Pain that gets worse after sitting for long periods of time
• Pain that gets worse after going up or especially down stairs or

Welcome to Summer! Summertime means cute shoe season for many women, but are your strappy heels and flip flops safe? Emory Orthopedic podiatrist, Rami Calis, MD gives women tips to ensure we all are wearing the best shoes for the summer. Dr. Calis tells our friends at Fox 5 News that wedge shoes are his favorite fashionable footwear choice for women in the summer, but he notes that women should watch the pitch of the wedge to make sure it is not too high so that the body is stable when walking. To get more ideas on how to pick functional and fashionable shoes for the summer, watch the Fox 5 news story below: [...]

The decision to get a hip or knee replaced is a difficult one for many patients.  Hip and knee replacements are typically advised only when all other options have not worked for you.  If you are considering a hip or knee replacement or already have had one and want to speak to a physician, join Emory Orthopedic Surgeon, Thomas Bradbury, MD on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at noon for an online web chat on Hip and Knee Replacements.  He will be available to answer questions such as: • What are hip and knee replacements? • Why have the surgery? • Who are candidates for hip or knee replacements? • What are the newest advances in Hip and Knee replacements? • What is Emory’s approach on when to get knee or hip replacement surgery? • What is the recovery after a hip or knee replacement? • What types of exercise are suitable for someone with hip or knee [...]

Over 80% of the population will suffer from lower back pain at some point in their lives. Low back pain is a common complaint in medical offices and is a common issue causing many people to miss work and be unable to participate in daily life activities. Sometimes back pain is due to a pulled or strained muscle and many times will not require a trip to your doctor’s office. Other issues such as fractures, tumors and infections of the spine are very serious and need to be evaluated by a physician promptly. Patients should see a doctor immediately if they experience low back pain as a result of severe trauma. Patients should also make an appointment with a doctor if low back pain is accompanied by any of the following: fever, loss of bowel or bladder control, serious trauma, numbness, unplanned weight loss, personal history of cancer, back pain that persists more than 6 weeks, [...]

Last week I had the opportunity to chat online with over one hundred members of the Atlanta running community to answer their questions about running and how to prevent running injuries to help not only those participating in the AJC Peachtree Road Race, but all runners in our city and state. We had so many questions from the chat that I didn’t get a chance to get to all of them, so I wanted to circle back with the participants that didn’t get answers to their questions. You’ll find my answers below in a Q&A format. If you didn’t get to attend the live chat, or just want a recap, check out the chat transcript (which you can also print), and don’t forget to check out the additional resources and questions and answers below. For those that are running in the AJC Peachtree Road Race, I wish you a healthy and successful race! [...]

Children of all ages will benefit from participating in sports. Children can learn many life skills such as team work, time management, competition, conflict resolution as well help to improve social skills. While the benefits of exercising and participating in sports heavily outweigh the risks, it is very important to have every child undergo a pre – participation sports physical before beginning practice with that sport. Pre – participation exams are required for student-athletes who want to participate in middle school, high school or summer sports camps. The pre-participation exam checks for the following: • Identify any potential life-threatening conditions such as risk of sudden cardiac death. • Evaluate athlete for conditions that may need treatment prior to participation. • Identify any orthopedic conditions/concerns that may need physical therapy or other [...]

If you are a runner, you have probably heard someone you know say something about running and your health like “You can die of a heart attack if you run too much” or my favorite “If you run too much, you will need your knees replaced later in life”.  Running can be a very safe and healthy sport.  There are so many advantages of running - It makes you feel better, keeps you mentally and physically in shape and can even improve your social life.   Let’s debunk the myths others may have told you so you can feel confident you are enjoying the sport you love. Your heart and running Consistent running reduces your risk of heart disease. o Your increased heart rate from running for an extended period makes your heart stronger! o Running can help lower blood pressure by helping to maintain the elasticity of your arteries.  When you run, your arteries expand and [...]

Wrist fractures are the most common broken bone for people under 65 years old.  In fact, one out of every 6 fractures treated in the ER are wrist fractures!

Wrist Fracture Symptoms:

• Wrist Pain
• Swelling of or around the wrist
• Deformity of the wrist

Wrist Fracture Treatment

Treatment for a wrist fracture can vary on a case by case basis.  Some wrist fractures can be treated in a cast.  Physicians can reset the fracture and cast it and the bones can heal themselves.  There are cases though when a wrist fracture needs surgery.    Physicians take into consideration other factors to determine whether a patient needs surgery such as:

Governor Nathan Deal signed a youth concussion bill on Tuesday called the “Return to Play Act”.  This bill will place restrictions on when a young athlete can return to their sport after suffering a  head injury.  Emory Sports Medicine physician, Ken Mautner, MD was highly involved in helping to get the new legislation passed and was at the signing of the bill with Governor Deal.  Dr. Mautner is an expert in the area of sports concussions and is Co-chairman of the Georgia Concussion Coalition, a group whose sole intent is to promote education and awareness of youth concussion across Georgia. This bill will help coaches, parents and players make the right decisions for their athletes.  The bill requires public and private schools to provide information to parents on concussions and establish certain policies for dealing with student head injuries. Under the law, any [...]