Category Archives for Uncategorized

Knee Pain Sans Injury: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Many athletes will suffer from some form of knee pain even without having experienced an injury. Frustratingly enough, just light wear of the cartilage under the kneecap can cause discomfort and hinder an athlete’s performance and training. The most common cause of knee pain in athletes who haven’t experienced an injury is patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner’s knee.

Is Patellofemoral Syndrome Causing Your Knee Pain?

Patellofemoral syndrome is different than arthritis of the patella, caused by long term wear. Those suffering from patellofemoral syndrome will often experience the following symptoms:

• Knee pain – especially when sitting for long periods of time, climbing or descending stairs, jumping and engaging in other activities that cause you to quickly bend and straighten your knees.

• Some sufferers may have instances where their knees give out and momentarily fail to support their body weight.

• Pops or grinding sounds emanating from the knee during activity.

Relief From Patellofemoral Syndrome

Treatment of patellofemoral syndrome is often crucial for an athlete to return to their maximum ability. Most cases can be relieved with physical therapy and strength training. If the pain is caused by muscle imbalance, specified muscle-building techniques are usually employed to correct the imbalance. Stretching the large muscles In front of the thigh can also help relieve excessive pressure in the patellofemoral joint, which contributes to this type of pain. Additionally, those suffering from patellofemoral syndrome are encouraged to give their knees a break. If a daily activity results in a lot of pain, find simple ways to make it less severe on your knees. For instance, use a supportive brace when running to lessen the impact.

Call Dr. Matthew T. Boes orthopaedic surgeon today and schedule an appointment.

How to Keep Safe During Marathon Season

It’s marathon season and we want to see you cross that finish line! Training for a marathon can be grueling and put your body at risk for numerous injuries. Any change in your training – an increase in distance, a new route or new running gear – can cause a foot, ankle or knee injury.

Five tips to keep you safe and speedy:

1. Get your gear right. Look for a shoe that fits your foot’s personal shape and curve. A pair of running shoes is usually thought to be safe and efficient until they hit the 400-500 mile mark. Try regularly running in the shoes and clothes you plan to wear on the day of the race so you are not surprised by any unexpected discomfort.

2. If an injury does occur during your training, be sure to allow yourself adequate time to recover before returning to running. Skipping your “recovery phase” is a sure guarantee that your injury will negatively impact your race experience. You should not run while experiencing swelling or severe pain. Instead, make an appointment with a doctor who can safely guide you back into training.

3. Always stretch before running. Allowing yourself adequate time to stretch and warm up your muscles can reduce your risk for various injuries. It’s important that you prepare your muscles for the demand running will place on them.

4. The tapering period of training for a marathon is crucial to your race performance. This is the 20 or so days prior to a marathon when your body should be allowed ample rest, and runs should be cut shorter. During this time your body regains the energy it will need to complete the race.

5. Choose your surface wisely. The surface on which you run can affect your body in several different ways. Running on sand puts you at risk for an Achilles tendon injury. Rocky or uneven ground raises your risk of sprains or muscle tears. Surfaces like grass that absorb shock are the safest and most comfortable surfaces on which to run.

Call Dr. Matthew T. Boes, orthopaedic surgeon today!

Avoiding Spooky Injuries This Halloween

A walk around the neighborhood might seem pretty safe compared to the fields and courts most athletes run across at full speed. However, there are a surprising number of Halloween related injuries that occur every year– even while doing something as innocent as escorting a child trick-or-treating. Maybe it’s all the little ghouls running around, or maybe it’s the fact that most yards have insufficient lighting, but an injury on the spookiest day of the year can be easily avoided!

Tips For Staying Safe

• Don’t rely on the lighting of house or street lights to guide you through the night; bring a flashlight! A flashlight can help you sport curbs, bumps or holes in the ground in front of you and avoid any falls.

• The most common Halloween injuries are those done to the hand/fingers. Keep your digits safe! 20% of the injuries experienced on Halloween are hand/finger fractures. Ask for help when moving heavy decorations, and take caution when climbing higher to hang things.

• Still focusing on the fingers, use a knife specific to pumpkin carving when gutting that jack-o-lantern. Many injuries are the result of a knife too sharp, and a pumpkin too slippery!

• Make sure the costume you or your child wears doesn’t drastically interfere with walking ability. The second most common Halloween injury is leg fractures as a result of a trip or fall. Long costumes should be pinned up for nighttime trick-or-treating. Shoes should be slip-resistant and comfortable enough to walk confidently in.

• Make sure that any mask doesn’t severely obstruct the wearer’s vision.

Call Dr. Matthew T. Boes orthopaedic surgeon today and schedule an appointment! Happy Halloween!

Ankle Sprain: What To Do When It Happens To You

Ankle sprains are the one of most common sports injuries. A casual misstep can cause the ankle to roll or twist unnaturally, straining the ligaments. Most of us have experienced a minor sprain at some point in our lives. Often these sprains will heal themselves with a little time and rest; however, more serious sprains require special care to get you back on your feet!  Keep these tips in mind:

• Initial treatment of an ankle sprain should involve limiting pain and swelling.

• Limit the amount of weight you put on the ankle for the first few days if you find it difficult to walk on it. Crutches may be helpful.

• Elevate the ankle above the level of your heart as often as possible in the days following the sprain.

• Limit your activity – excessive activity will only lead to more pain.

• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (i.e., Motrin or Aleve) used regularly are effective at eliminating pain and/or swelling.

• Once the pain subsides, you can resume light daily activity.

• A brace or ankle support may be helpful.

• Physical therapy may be helpful to improve range of motion, strengthen the ankle and limit recurrence of ankle sprains.

Most pain from ankle sprains will resolve in 4-6 weeks; however, it is not uncommon to feel discomfort with certain activities for up to 6-8 months. Any activity that aggravates ankle pain should be avoided to encourage healing.
If symptoms persist or if you are not able to comfortably put weight on your ankle in the first few days after the injury, consult your doctor for further evaluation. Call orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Matthew T. Boes today!

Tips for Improving Your Recovery After ACL Surgery

It is estimated that up to 175,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions are conducted each year in the United States. ACL injuries are most common in athletes and high activity-level people. Those that play football, soccer, basketball and baseball are at higher risk due to either direct contact, sudden jumping and landing or quick change in direction that these sports entail.

The first question most patients ask me following ACL surgery is, “when am I going to be back to 100 percent?” My typical answer – It takes 6-8 months to get back to full, high-level athletic activity. However, for the average person engaging in recreational sports, recovery is often much quicker. Whether you are a Division I athlete or an avid gardener, one thing is certain – proper recovery comes with work and YOU can set the overall tempo of your healing.

Keep these following tips in mind as you approach undergoing ACL surgery.

They will help you minimize your downtime and steadily hasten your recovery. Steps taken early on will pay huge dividends later in your recovery.

• Minimize swelling after surgery. Swelling creates stiffening in the tissue, causing pain and inhibiting progression of your rehab. Adhere to the post-operative guidelines your surgeon provides, which will include information about keeping the leg elevated and using cold therapy (ice packs).

• Achieve full range of motion of the knee as quickly and safely as possible. Full extension or straightening of the knee should be achieved within the first few days. Bending of the knee should progress steadily over the next few weeks with the goal of full bending by 3-4 weeks following surgery. Stiffness of the knee is difficult to work out once it has set in.

• Prevent muscle weakness after surgery. Muscles can become significantly deconditioned after the procedure. This can lead to muscle weakness and difficulty in getting your full strength back. Your surgeon will prescribe simple exercises to prevent this. It may seem that these exercises are not doing much at first, but it is important to adhere to these to ensure your muscle strength returns.

Call Dr. Matthew T. Boes today and schedule an appointment.

Reach For It: Tips For Stretching

Stretching before and after is supposed to keep you safe during a workout. A solid stretching routine can increase your range of motion, reduce your risk of muscle injury and decrease pressure in your joints, which often is the culprit in joint and muscle pain. When done properly, stretching can significantly compliment your workout and improve your function! Keep these tips in mind to get the most out of your stretching routine:

• Mild discomfort, not wild discomfort- If you’re experiencing actual pain when stretching, you are pushing it too far. Try loosening the stretch and holding it there until it feels comfortable. Then you can deepen it again.
• Warm it up first- You may have been told that you should stretch before engaging in any form of exercise. This isn’t entirely true; your muscles can benefit from a very mild warm-up prior stretching. Warm muscles are more limber and malleable. If you’re heading out for a run, start off with a light jog for about 5 minutes, then begin stretching.
• Lean, don’t bounce- Never bounce in a stretch. Instead, think of a stretch as one fluid motion.
• Hold that pose- For large muscle groups (i.e., core, thighs, trunk), holding the stretch for 30 seconds has been shown in multiple studies to be more effective for large muscle groups than short bursts of stretching.
• Breathe throughout- A natural response to stretching is to hold your breath. It can make you feel more in control or may be a means of working through the discomfort  that deep stretches sometimes bring. No matter how tempted you are, you should focus on keeping your breaths deep and regular. You’ll keep oxygen flowing to your muscles, allowing you to stretch more efficiently.

If you’re experienced any sort of orthopaedic injury call Dr. Matthew T. Boes orthopaedic surgeon today and schedule an appointment.

Getting Back on Your Feet: Plantar Fasciitis

If you’re a remotely active person, pain in your feet and heels is the last thing you want to worry about. Plantar fasciitis is a result of the plantar fascia – the ligament that supports the arch of your foot – becoming inflamed, irritated or is strained. This causes pain on the bottom of the foot  near the heal bone.

While plantar fasciitis can occur for a number of reasons, the main causes are:

• Extreme arches, either very high or completely flat
• Tight calf muscles
• Sudden increase in high impact exercise/training
• Being overweight/obese
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Age-related degenerative changes

Once inflamed, any activity can irritate an inflamed plantar fascia. The most common symptom is pain in the morning when one gets out of bed and takes his/her first few steps. This pain can be sharp and may limit the ability to put weight on the foot. Characteristically, it will improve over the first few steps and get better throughout the day.

There are several recommended methods of treatment to get you back on your feet, free of pain, including:

• Night splinting, which has been shown in multiple studies to be the most effective. The patient can wear a padded splint that holds the foot in a neutral position while they sleep. Interestingly, sleep can aggravate many orthopaedic conditions! We generally hold our foot in certain positions while we sleep, which can aggravate plantar fasciitis pain. Comfortable plantar fasciitis nighttime splints can be purchased at a local drugstore and ARE the most effective treatment for this condition.
• Anti-inflammatory medicines (i.e., Aleve, Advil, etc.) used regularly for 10-14 days can be very effective.
• Physical therapy, focusing on calf stretching and other muscle strengthening exercises can help alleviate problems with plantar fasciitis long-term.
• Occasionally, a cortisone injection is recommended. This injection can be very helpful, though is often painful and is therefore reserved as a second-line treatment.

If you think you might be suffering from plantar fasciitis call and schedule an appointment with Dr. Matthew T. Boes today and get back on your feet!

Add Spice to Your Workout Routine this Fall

Piloxing. Bootcamp. High Intensity Interval Training. Paddleboard Yoga. Ballet Burn. Zumba.  Soul Cycle.  The choices are endless. However, often we have a hard time “motivating” when it comes to exercise. A key to staying inspired is to regularly spice up your fitness routine.  

Keeping your routine fresh can stave off boredom, help you meet a fitness goal, avoid muscle stagnation, and aid in injury prevention. Following are my top tips for keeping yourself in motion, even during these dreary Fall days:

• Try a new fitness class or exercise – You used to love playing chase as a kid, but now the sight of those running shoes makes you think about that dreaded four mile run you have to tackle tomorrow morning?  If you keep doing the same old thing day in and day out, you are going to plateau and stop seeing those solid results. Mix up your workout.  If you are a runner, add in yoga or spinning a few times a week to keep things interesting.

• Get a friend involved – Not looking forward to tomorrow morning’s Pilates class?  Call a friend and ask him/her to join you.  Having to meet a friend keeps you honest.  You don’t want to stand him/her up, right?  Plus, if there’s time you can grab coffee afterward and chat about your fitness goals.  Nothing like a little friendly competition!

• Get Outside – You’ve been hopping on the same treadmill at the same gym for the last 8 months.  The good news is that Fall is the perfect time to take your exercise routine outdoors, given the nice, cool temperatures.  Hit the bike trails, head out for a hilly (yet scenic) walk or run, or get the guys together for a game of pickup basketball.

Don’t forget to listen to your body. While you can expect some soreness when beginning a new routine, any serious pain should be addressed immediately. Remember to stretch before and after your workout to stay limber and help avoid injury.

If you suffer from any sort of injury as a result of a change in your workout, call Dr. Matthew T. Boes, orthopaedic surgeon, today and schedule an appointment.

Losing Weight Can Reduce Knee Pain

A new study has procured results that show that heavier set people can drastically reduce any knee pain they may be suffering from by losing only 10% of their starting weight. They can also greatly improve their mobility and likelihood of future independence.

Osteoarthritis And Obesity

The pain that many overweight people suffer from is a result of knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Obesity means your joints must bear added weight, something that wears them down quicker. Older people are most susceptible to osteoarthritis as it is often a result of natural wear and tear. Those suffering from knee osteoarthritis will often experience the following symptoms:

• Join pain and tenderness.

• Stiff joints upon waking or when standing after sitting for awhile.

• When the joint is used you may feel a grinding sensation.

• Sometimes small, hard bumps may form around the joint from which the pain is emanating.

Terms Of The Study

The study recruited more than 400 overweight sufferers of osteoarthritis and split them into three groups that required them to either diet or exercise or both. All groups lost some weight and increased their walking speed by some amount, but the group that employed both diet and exercise (losing on average 10% of their starting weight) saw the greatest improvement. This group also reported a noticeable reduction in knee pain.

 

If you’re looking to treat tennis elbow call orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Matthew T. Boes and schedule an appointment today.

Recognizing and Treating Tennis Elbow

You’ve never picked up a racket in your life, but you’re experiencing some pain in your elbow and after describing your symptoms you’re told you’re suffering from tennis elbow. Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is the painful condition that results from overuse of the tendons in your elbow through repetitive wrist or arm motions. The motions that cause tennis elbow are found in a lot of activities including painting, plumbing, cutting meats and various other recreational sports. Sometimes you can even get tennis elbow without partaking in any sort of repetitive motion, known as an insidious case. However you got your tennis elbow being an informed sufferer is the key!

Symptoms

Those suffering from tennis elbow usually feel the brunt of the pain in the tendons that attach to the bony bump part of your elbow. The pain of tennis elbow does not necessarily result from a singular accident or injury.

• A pain or burning in outer part of elbow.

• A weakened grip.

• Pain that accompanies things like turning a doorknob or holding a mug.

Treatment

Many cases of tennis elbow will resolve themselves over time. However, the persistent pain that a sufferer experiences may bring them to seek treatment.

• Your doctor may require that you participate in some form of physical therapy, or do some of the exercises at home. This can help to strengthen the muscles of the forearm.

• Sometimes sufferers of tennis elbow are encouraged to wear a brace that prevents the tendons from being overworked.

• A doctor may also suggest that you treat the problem at the source: meaning practicing a new form or with new equipment, if your injury is sports related.

• In rarer, more serious, cases tennis elbow may result in corrective surgery that removes diseased muscle.

If you’re looking to treat tennis elbow call orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Matthew T. Boes and schedule an appointment today.