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PAGE A18 - DECEMBER 16, 2016 - ENCINITAS ADVOCATE
Passion for treating brain, spine injuries leads local doctor to great heights BY JOE TASH Dr. Douglas Chang's lifelong interest in spinal and brain injuries has led him to care for everyone from astronauts, Oympians and NFL players to regular folks who have hurt themselves while playing sports on the weekend. Chang, 50, is a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with UC San Diego Health. He specializes in the non-surgical treatment of back pain, concussions and other injuries, seeing patients in the health systems' clinics while also participating in research projects and teaching medical students. Among his research projects has been evaluating back pain suffered by NASA astronauts following six-month stints on the international space station in zero gravity. Many of the astronauts, upon returning to earth, complain of back pain and the study is intended to determine the cause of the problem and come up with exercise routines, such as yoga and stretching to alleviate their symptoms, Chang said. Last month, Chang and his colleagues published a paper on the study's findings in the medical journal "SPINE." Through UCSD, Chang is also a consultant to the U.S. Olympic Team, the San Diego Chargers and other professional sports organizations. He and his fellow orthopedic and family medicine specialists regularly attend sporting events such as the Rock and Roll Marathon or an upcoming crew event at Mission Bay, where they are on call in case an athlete needs medical attention. Chang also travels the world to keep up on the latest developments in his field. In October, he attended an international conference on concussions in Berlin, Germany, where physicians, researchers and
COURTESY
Douglas Chang, M.D., Ph.D., Chief, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinical Professor University of California, San Diego Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, left, is with Dr. Jiri Dvorak, Chief Medical Officer of the FIFA (World Cup Soccer organization) at the conference in Berlin, Germany. representatives of major sports organizations such as FIFA, the world soccer body, gathered. One interesting development from the conference, Chang said, was a discussion of the use of sideline cameras to monitor athletes' health during professional sports events. Observers stationed in a booth and monitoring the video feed can often spot signs of injury such as a concussion that could be missed by
coaches and fellow players during the heat of competition, he said. Researchers also talked about reviewing film from past on-field incidents that resulted in injuries, to learn about the causes of injuries and adapt rules to protect players, Chang said. Such rule changes have already had an impact on reducing injuries in the NFL, he said. In his daily practice, Chang works with
patients of all ages and backgrounds, including youth sports players suffering from concussions and other injuries. As the father of two boys aged 10 and 6, he is cognizant of the importance of recognizing the signs of a head injury so that appropriate steps can be taken, such as treatment or rest. If a child has been involved in an on-field incident, such as being struck in the head with an elbow or knee, or a collision with a goalpost, parents should watch for such signs as dizziness, headache, drowsiness or nausea, symptoms which can arise within hours or even a few days later. Other signs are sleep disturbance, sensitivity to light or noise and irritability. "The number one thing is to be aware of signs and symptoms of a concussion. The biggest problem is not detecting and diagnosing it," he said. The rule of thumb for returning to full activity after a concussion, he said, is to progressively increase the intensity level, testing to see if symptoms return. If they don't, he said, an athlete can be cleared to resume his or her normal participation. In spite of potential risks, he said, he remains a strong supporter of youth sports. "The benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks of injury from playing sports," said Chang. The bigger risk for children and adults, he said, is that of obesity due to lack of activity. Chang encourages his own children - who attend Sage Canyon Elementary School - and others to play sports, with proper equipment and rules to maximize safety. Chang himself was a rower in college and participated in track and field in high school. These days, he said, he enjoys swimming along with cardio workouts and weight training.
SPONSORED COLUMNS DR. VAN CHENG San Diego Vein Institute 760.944.9263
Don’t Let Thanksgiving Kick Off Holiday Overindulgence For many of us, Thanksgiving is a day to come together with family or friends around a table of the kind of comfort food and proportions we wait for all year. Feasting is often early, followed by pie, watching sports or movies, and then starting in again late in the evening for the round of leftover sandwiches. Second, third, and fourth servings of already-heaping portions are not unheard of. The truth is that, other than some indigestion and extreme circumstances of intestinal trauma, there is nothing wrong
with occasional overindulgence of holiday overeating. While gorging on gargantuan platefuls spread over several hours is not the best thing you can do for your body, overeating on one day will not harm you. Most of the food (and calories) will be gone from your system in a few days, and aside from some salt retention and swelling, you’ll be good to go with no lingering physical effects. The health problems arise, however, when people see Thanksgiving as the unofficial kickoff to holiday overindulgence. There are multiple religions and cultures that collectively celebrate nearly 30 holidays between November and mid-January. Regardless of belief or affiliation, there are work-related events and gift-exchanges and myriad sweets, food trays, candy trays, as well as cookie exchanges that start magically appearing the day after Thanksgiving. There are marathon home baking sessions. And as the weather cools, coziness is encouraged; December is nothing without images of people nestled by the fire—with food and drink abounding. But don’t get trapped into
this cycle of holiday overindulgence. So often, the cliché is that you can justify your holiday overeating by telling yourself you’ll start fresh with a diet and exercise plan in the new year. And indeed, many gyms make a killing off these good intentions. Here are the astounding statistics: 12% of new gym memberships start in January, when attendance is up overall somewhere between 33% and 50%, the highest point being the second week of January. However, by February, a staggering 80% of the New Year’s Resolution makers has dropped off. In fact, when gyms sell memberships, the business model is that only 18% of the members are expected to use their memberships—for longer than a month. Therefore, there is only a 1-in-5 chance that you will follow through with your New Year’s Resolution to take off the holiday overindulgence weight put on. And even if you manage to take off a few pounds, the data keep revealing that most holiday weight gain does not come off, and instead accumulates each year. The truth is that one
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month of overindulging can sabotage your health. It is hard to lose weight after gaining it suddenly, and it’s even harder to keep it off, especially as you age. This added weight puts strain on your vascular system. Belly fat puts pressure on your abdominal aorta, and it is harder for your veins to pump the blood back up from your feet. Other than genetics, this is the most common cause of varicose veins. The other problem is that the weight gain decreases mobility, and at this point, getting the necessary exercise has been a problem so far. Decreased mobility on top of weight gain is a recipe for vein disease, which is not served only for the holidays. So I urge you to practice moderation throughout the coming month. Keep track of the food that you’re eating, and be wary of the holiday food trays and candy exchanges. Don’t be afraid to regift the sweets you get if you’re afraid it will sabotage your health. But as for Thanksgiving? Go ahead. It’s one day. Pass the gravy.