Active Keeping you...
Active
Keeping you...
… is a quarterly newsletter from West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic. The clinic’s 15 physicians specialize in sports medicine, hand injuries and disorders, orthopedic diseases and musculoskeletal injuries, and interventional pain management. For copies of this newsletter, contact Adam Kelley at 731.661.9825.
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Muscle injuries sideline athletes Nurse Practitioner Drew Freeman joins West TN Bone & Joint Clinic Ladder injuries common, but also preventable David Johnson, M.D., and Tom Johnson, P.T., win Readers’ Choice awards
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Summer 2016
Spine surgery alleviates back pain
len Fowler, a retired maintenance engineer from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Union City, found himself in increasing pain, particularly after long car rides. For three or four months, the pain in his back came and went until he eventually had to walk with a cane. Fowler, 76, was diagnosed with spinal stenosis as his fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae began to degenerate. The condition occurs when the bone channel occupied by the spinal cord or nerves narrows, and the spinal nerve roots in the lower back become compressed. Symptoms include tingling, numbness and pain. “It effects your mobility,” Fowler said. “I didn’t have good control of my feet. I could trip over a throw rug.” He went through two different therapy sessions to resolve the pain, but he didn’t want to rely on addic-
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Glen Fowler, above, discusses spinal stenosis with a group of seniors. He’s grateful to Dr. Kyle Stephens, far left, for doing spine surgery to relieve his back pain. tive pain medication. And then he learned that Dr. Kyle Stephens, who performs spine surgery as part of his orthopedic surgery practice, was joining West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic’s office in Paris. When Fowler first visited Dr. Stephens, he received a new round of X-rays and an MRI. “He looked at the MRI, identified where the problem was and came up with a solution.” On November 3, Fowler went in for Continued, next page …
www.wtbjc.com
Muscle injuries sideline athletes A grade two strain is a moderate injury uscle injuries commonly affect By Doug Haltom, M.D. with more torn muscle fibers and associated both the athlete and the general with loss of muscle strength and function. A grade three injury is population, accounting for 10 to 15 the most severe; the muscle is completely torn, and there is loss of percent of sports injuries. muscle function during the injury period. Injury mechanisms include strain, contuThe vast majority of these injuries are partial sion, laceration and delayed onset soreness. thickness tears – grade one or two strains. TreatAcute muscle strains and contusions account for ment principles consist of rest with a brief period of 90 percent of these injuries. a few days of immobilization. This acts to limit Sports that require sudden and abrupt swelling and allow the new granulation tissue – or changes in direction and speed have the highest repair tissue – to form and gain strength. incidence of these injuries. Soccer, a popular Doug Haltom, The period of immobility needs to be very sport this time of year, is one of the main sports M.D. brief as early movement of these muscles imin which muscle strains are extremely common. proves regeneration and ultimately Skeletal muscle is a complex arrangement of strength. The use of NSAIDs – ibuprocontractile proteins that interact with each other fen or naproxen – in the early acute to allow the muscle to shorten or lengthen – or phase of the injury has also been contract. These contractions allow joint shown to be effective with no motion and facilitate locomotion. Explodeleterious effects. sive movements, such as pushing off After this brief period, which during a sprint or changing direction should be less than one week, the in soccer, can place excessive stress athlete can progress back into a on these muscle units. rehab program focusing on strengthInjuries usually occur during ening the muscle group. The athlete eccentric load of the muscle – may return to play when he or she can stretch the when the muscle gets longer injured muscle as much as the uninjured musas it contracts. cle on the opposite extremity with little to no The most susceptible muspain. cles are the ones that cross two joints, The good news is the vast majority of such as the hamstring, which crosses the hip and athletes return to their prior level of funcknee on the back of the upper leg. Others include the tion without surgery. The time to requadriceps, from the hip to knee on the front of the turn to play ranges from two to three upper leg, and the calf, from the knee to ankle on the weeks to two to three months, deback of the lower leg. The groin, or adductor thigh muspending on the severity or grade cle, is also susceptible and a common site for muscular strains. of the strain. Potential surgery Upon injury, athletes usually report discomfort that is made is reserved for those cases in worse with muscle contraction. They also may report a sudden pain which the muscle is comor stabbing sensation. pletely torn or the tendon is Muscle injuries are classified according to their resulting imtorn from its bony attachpairment, and they are generally assigned a grade one, two or ment. three. A grade one strain is a minor injury that tears a few muscle fibers, which is associated with minimal swelling. Essentially, there is no loss of muscle strength or function.
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Spine surgery alleviates patient’s back pain From previous page …
surgery. Dr. Stephens inserted two small rods and four screws in Fowler’s spine to pull the discs back to their natural position. “When I walked out of the hospital, I felt great,” Fowler said. “The thing that was causing my pain and hurting my mobility, he fixed it.”
He said his recovery has been smooth – “everything healed up just the way it was supposed to be” – but he was directed not to lift heavy objects for a year. His experience at West Tennessee Bone & Joint was good, he said, and he highly recommends his physician. “If a family member needed surgery like me, I would insist that they go to Dr. Stephens.”
Ladder injuries common, but also preventable very year, thousands of people are injured and hundreds are killed in ladder-related accidents, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. And during the last 10 years, the amount of ladder-related injuries has grown by 50 percent. More than 90,000 people receive emergency room treatment from ladder-related injuries each year – the most common being bone fractures. Elevated falls account for almost 700 occupational deaths annually, and these deaths account for 15 percent of all occupational deaths. Half of all ladder-related accidents were caused by people carrying items as they climbed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By understanding the causes of ladder accidents, the vast majority
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can be prevented. In fact, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration believes that all ladder accidents could be prevented if proper attention to
By Tom Johnson, P.T. equipment and climber training were provided. Ladder accidents can come from a wide variety of issues, but the following four causes account for the vast majority. If these simple loss prevention tips for each cause are followed, ladder accidents could almost be eliminated.
Selecting the wrong ladder Like most other jobs, choosing the right tool can make all the difference when it comes to safety. One thing to consider when selecting an appropriate ladder is the ladder’s weight capacity. Each ladder is designed to support a maximum weight limit, and if the climber exceeds that limit, the ladder could break and cause the user to fall or become injured. Another consideration when selecting a ladder is the height required for the project. Many injuries occur when ladders are too short for a specific task. Instead of selecting a new ladder for the job, workers place the ladder on something to extend its reach or will stand on the top rung to gain the necessary height. Both scenarios are extremely dangerous and can result in serious injuries.
Using worn, damaged ladders Another common contributing factor to
ladder accidents is the use of old, worn or damaged ladders. Like everything else, ladders have a shelf life. After a couple of years, the stress of being used causes ladders to break down. Damaged ladders are extremely dangerous as they can easily break and cause serious injuries. To protect yourself from damaged or broken ladders, make sure to thoroughly inspect each ladder before using it. If any damage is found, repair the ladder to the manufacturer’s specifications or replace it before using it.
Incorrect use of ladders Human error is by far the leading cause of ladder accidents. Never use a ladder in any other way than what the manufacturer intended. Also, do not lengthen or alter a ladder in any way. While using a ladder, always maintain three points of contact with the ladder to ensure stability. And never attempt to reach for something while on the ladder. It is much safer to get off the ladder, move it and then climb back up.
Incorrect placement Make sure that when positioning a ladder, the ground is level and firm. Also, ladders should never be placed in front of a door that is not locked, blocked or guarded. A good practice to ensure a ladder is secure is to always have a helper support the base while a ladder is being used. If the ladder cannot be held by someone else, make sure it has an appropriate foot to prevent it from slipping. e feet of the ladder can be staked if using a ladder outside and no one is available to support it.
Family Nurse Practitioner joins WTBJC rew Freeman, FNP-BC, joined West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic’s Jackson office as a Family Nurse Practitioner. He will be working with physicians Michael S. Dolan, M.D., and Adam M. Smith, M.D. He previously worked in the cardiac catheterization lab at Dyersburg Regional Medical Center. Freeman earned his master’s degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Union University and
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a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He obtained his associate degree in nursing from Jackson State Community College. He holds a Registered Nurse license in Tennessee and Florida. He is certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Basic Life Support. He is also a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Drew Freeman, FNP-BC
West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. proudly congratulates
David Johnson, M.D.
Tom Johnson, P.T.
for being selected the Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice ‘Best Orthopedic Surgeon’
for being selected the Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice ‘Best Physical Therapist’
Dr. David Johnson, board certified in orthopedic surgery, specializes in general orthopedic surgery, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and joint replacement and reconstruction. He has offices in Jackson and Parsons.
Tom Johnson, Director of WTBJ Clinic Physical Therapy Department, leads a dedicated team of professionals who work hard “Keeping You Active.”
Lowell Stonecipher, M.D.
Michael Cobb, M.D.
David Johnson, M.D.
Kelly Pucek, M.D.
Harold Antwine III, M.D.
David Pearce, M.D.
Jason Hutchison, M.D.
Adam Smith, M.D.
J. Douglas Haltom, M.D.
Michael Dolan, M.D.
Eric Homberg, M.D.
Blake Chandler, M.D.
W. Stan Ragon, Jr., M.D.
Kyle Stephens, D.O.
Keeping You The physicians at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. specialize in comprehensive orthopedic care for adults and children. This includes sports medicine, traumatic injuries, hand injuries and disorders, occupaActive tional health, orthopedic diseases and musculoskeletal injuries, as well as interventional pain management. John Everett, M.D.
R. Clay Nolen, FNP-BC
Drew Freeman, FNP-BC
Leigh Ann Brandeberry, AGACNP-BC
Amy B. Wren, APRN-BC
Donna Klutts, CMPE, CEO
Jackson • Paris • Union City • Brownsville • Selmer • Lexington • Parsons • Dyersburg • Bolivar • Ripley
24 Physicians Drive, Jackson
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731.661.9825
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888.661.9825
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www.wtbjc.com