CFO - InMotion Insert 4

ISSUE 1 / 2014

HELPING ATHLETES STEP UP THEIR GAME

INmotion

A PUBLICATION FOR

ISSUE 1 / 2014

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COVER 6 Athletes Step Up Their Game With Custom Orthotics

FEATURES

It’s About Time.

When your doctor says you need to see a musculoskeletal specialist, you shouldn’t have to wait for an appointment.

With OrthoExpress at Center for Orthopaedics, the wait is over.

3 CFO Sports Medicine Team 4 Joint Points 5 News For Knees 12 Back Talk 13 Shoulder Smarts 14 RehabZone DVD Series

CONTENT 8 Ergonomics Center 10 News Briefs 15 Patience Puzzles

24-hour appointment guarantee* Monday through Friday OrthoExpress puts you on the fast track to getting the care you need when you have an injury.

We guarantee that you’ll be seen by one of our musculoskeletal specialists within 24 hours. Taking care of bones and joints is what we do best, and whatever your injury, you’re within arm’s reach of the diagnostic and treatment resources of the region’s largest musculoskeletal group.

In Motion Magazine Publication of Center for Orthopaedics CONTACT US:

CENTER FOR ORTHOPAEDICS Lake Charles Sulphur DeRidder 1747 Imperial Blvd.

Lake Charles, LA 70605 (337) 721-7236 or email us at: info@centerforortho.com

at Center for Orthopaedics 1747 Imperial Blvd., Lake Charles

(337) 721-7236 www.centerforortho.com

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insurance approval * pending 2 l

MEET THE TEAM

BEHIND MCNEESE AND 14 AREA HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS Our Sports Medicine Team is expanding to meeting the growing needs of the regions and schools we serve. We’d like to introduce our staff. You’ll be seeing them around a field, court or track near you.

MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC TRAINERS Center for Orthopaedics is the official sports medicine provider for McNeese State University Athletics and our doctors serve as the Team Physicians. A strong team of nationally accredited Athletic Trainers work side-by-side with the Center for Orthopaedics doctors ensuring all athletes are properly cared for on and off the field.

Jake Duhon is the head athletic trainer at McNeese State University. Duhon, a Jennings native with over 16 years of experience as an athletic trainer, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1997 and a Masters of Education degree in 2003 from McNeese State University.

He is nationally certified by BOC, Inc., as well as certified through LSMBE. He is also certified by the American Heart Association for healthcare providers CPR and AED program. Duhon is a member of the National Athletic Trainer Association and Louisiana Athletic Trainer Association where he serves as the regional representative for District 6.

Brandon Albin, originally from Walker, Louisiana, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in science and education from Louisiana State University in 2010, followed by a Masters Degree in human resource development from Clemson University in 2012.

While at LSU, Albin worked as a student trainer for University High School, as well as the LSU softball and football teams. He served as a graduate assistant at Clemson University, working closely with the tennis and track and field teams.

Albin is certified by BOC, Inc. and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, Louisiana Athletic Trainers Association and is also an American Red Cross FA/CPR Professional Rescuer.

Maria White joined the McNeese athletic training staff in July of 2012.

Her primary responsibilities include coverage of women’s basketball, as well as administrative and organizational duties.

White, a nationally certified athletic trainer, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from the University of Alabama in 2010 and a Master’s degree in exercise physiology from McNeese State University in 2012.

Area high schools covered by CFO doctors and designated athletic trainers: BEAUREGARD PARISH DeRidder High School East Beauregard High School Merryville High School Singer High School South Beauregard High School CAMERON PARISH Grand Lake High School Hackberry High School Johnson’s Bayou High School South Cameron High School ALLEN PARISH Fairview High School Kinder High School Oberlin High School Reeves High School VERNON Rosepine

About CFO

Center for Orthopaedics, an affiliate of Imperial Health, is the largest musculoskeletal group in Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas. The group was founded 20 years ago and has offices in Lake Charles, Sulphur and DeRidder. For more information about CFO, visit www.centerforortho.com.

CFO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC TRAINING TEAM ISSUE 1 / 2014

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(L-R): Lauren Knight, Jason Rodriguez, Ariel Greene, Jessica Veillon, Travis Theriot and Lindsey Wells. l 3

[JOINT POINTS]

PHYSICAL THERAPY IS CRITICAL

FOR JOINT REPLACEMENT SUCCESS A successful joint replacement isn’t just about the surgery. For patients to benefit from long-term success and mobility, physical therapy is a critical component in every stage of the process.

“For many patients, the physical therapy begins even before the surgery,” said physical therapist Paula Koonce, director of physical medicine at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. “Orthopaedic surgeons typically recommend that patients engage in some sort of exercise before surgery. It’s important to gain as much stability around joint and muscles as possible, because those joints and muscles are crucial to movement during recovery.”

After surgery, patients need the assistance of a physical therapist to help them gain mobility as soon as possible.” “Not only does it make the patient more self-sufficient, it makes rehab less uncomfortable in the long term,” says Koonce.

Physical therapy becomes even more important after the patient is discharged.

According to orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Geoffrey Collins, one of the most common reasons that joint replacement is unsuccessful is the patient’s non-compliance with outpatient physical therapy recommendations.

“We give patients very detailed instructions on how to proceed with their therapy, but these aren’t always followed. There can be many reasons but it’s very common for the patient to think they don’t need to continue once they start feeling better,” said Dr. Collins. “We understand that it can be difficult to understand the need for therapy when you are pain-free and more mobile than you have been in years after a successful joint replacement surgery, but if PT recommendations aren’t followed, your long-term outcome could be affected. Experienced physical therapists INmotion know what support your new joint needs from the surrounding muscles 4 l

[NEWS FOR KNEES]

CARTILAGE RESTORATION: Knee replacement patient Roger Holloway undergoing physical therapy with Amanda Farmer, PT, in the physical medicine department at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital under the watchful eye of his orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Geoffrey Collins.

to give you optimum strength, flexibility and mobility, and they will develop a customized physical therapy plan to ensure that you reach that goal. The key is trusting their expertise and completing the entire program,” stresses Dr. Collins.

Koonce says there is a natural temptation to skip out on the physical therapy component of the recovery process after discharge because patients think they can recover in their own way, in their own time. “Although we do demonstrate how patients can exercise their joints and muscles on their own, it’s important to make regularly scheduled visits to the outpatient rehab center to work one-on-one with the PT to ensure that the exercises are being done correctly, and to address any problems.”

According to Koonce, it helps if caregivers accompany patients to their sessions. Not only does it help with morale and motivation, it shows caregivers how they can help their loved ones through the recovery process. “Unfortunately, caregivers can become enablers following joint replacement surgery. Rather than motivate them to try and be mobile, they tend to wait on them instead, which can hinder the recovery process,” Koonce said. “When caregivers see the physical therapy sessions in process and have the opportunity to talk to the PT, they gain a much better understanding of the patient’s level of mobility and how they can help in the long run.”

Another benefit of maintaining scheduled physical therapy visits after surgery: It makes the process move faster. According to Koonce, successful early sessions typically shorten the overall time a patient will spend in outpatient therapy.

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KNEE RENEWAL INSTEAD OF REPLACEMENT When you cut yourself or break a bone, your body immediately sends nutrients through the bloodstream to repair and restore the damaged tissue. But if your cartilage is damaged, you’re out of luck. This soft, flexible tissue that cushions the joints has no direct blood supply and thus little ability to heal itself.

Cartilage is the smooth protective covering lining the ends of the bones at the joints, and is particularly important within the knee joint. “Normally, cartilage acts as an effective shock absorber, tough enough to survive both the wear and tear of daily activities and high level sports. It has an extremely low friction surface that enables the knee to bend and move easily,” explains Dr. Steven Hale, orthopaedic specialist. “A traumatic injury, such as falling and twisting your knee, usually causes a more localized type of cartilage injury. Damage due to wear and tear, otherwise known as degenerative arthritis, or osteoarthritis, occurs over a lifetime.

In many cases, it may start as a localized area of damage, but progress to involve larger areas of cartilage damage, leading to further wearing away of cartilage, bone damage and painful movement.”

Dr. Hale says small areas of injury are notoriously difficult to treat and can lead to persistent pain in an otherwise healthy knee. “We know that if we can treat these types of small defects successfully, we can prevent more extensive damage from occurring within the joint, which could require more complex procedures to restore pain-free movement, such as a joint replacement. “ Microfracture has long been the traditional treatment for cartilage defects, according to Dr. Hale. This procedure allows the body’s own bone marrow stem cells to “fill-in” a defect, producing a scar tissue patch. This effectively repairs the damaged site and aids in protecting the adjacent cartilage from progressive damage. The surgeon creates small holes into the bone underneath the damaged cartilage in order to allow blood and marrow healing elements into the area of missing cartilage. However, while scar tissue, called fibrocartilage, fills the area where the cartilage is missing, it does not have the same strength and resiliency as normal articular cartilage.

Fibrocartilage does not usually stand up over time and typically wears down after a few years, and may require a repeat procedure.

Over the past decade, new techniques have been developed to improve upon microfracture, and Center for Orthopaedics’ physicians have been involved in multiple FDA Phase II clinical trials to evaluate various restoration techniques. “Biocartilage grafting is one technique that we are using with a great deal of success,” says Dr. Hale. “It is used in conjunction with traditional microfracture, but instead of a repair based only on fibrocartilage growth, we are able to generate the growth of real articular cartilage by implanting a paste of micronized allograft dehydrated cartilage mixed with platelet-rich plasma into the small microfracture openings This approach has been shown to improve the strength and stability of the regenerate cartilage. This is a rapidly evolving field so the data available only goes back several years, but the results are very promising and give us more options to offer our patients than ever before.”INmotion ISSUE 1 / 2014

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SPORTS ORTHOTICS

CAN BE GAME CHANGERS FOR ATHLETES

Dr. Tyson Green adjusting orthotic inserts for McNeese wide receiver Ernest Celestie

Injuries are an inherent part of any sport, especially football, something McNeese Cowboy Head Coach Matt Viator knows all too well. As he began preparation for the 2013 football season, one of his primary goals was reducing the number of lower extremity injuries the team had suffered over the past several seasons – injuries that had sidelined several key players and kept the team from advancing to the playoffs.

“The CFO doctors were already working with us to address this issue,” says Viator. “They had formed a conditioning and nutrition committee and we were seeing great results. We wanted to build on this. I went to the doctors and asked them what else we could do to help prevent injuries and improve performance. Dr. Green talked to us about custom orthotic inserts.

After he explained how they worked, we were on board.”

When you consider the performance demands of an elite-level athlete, Dr. Green says it’s hard to imagine a part of the body that endures more hardship than the feet. “But when athletes experience lower leg injuries, they assume it originates from overuse, poor form or a bad hit. And while these may all be part of problem, they are really surprised when I explain that the real source is the inside of their shoe.”

Shoe manufacturers skimp on the inside of the shoe to boost the features and aesthetics of the outside of the shoe. “Let’s face it, most people buy a shoe based on what they can see and feel on the outside, so it’s really not that surprising to find that even the most expensive, INmotion higher-end sports shoes have inadequate support on the inside,” says Dr. 6 l

Green. “That’s why the insole usually slides right out, making it easy to replace with an orthotic insert of your own choosing.”

Inserts help us address injury prevention from the ground up by keeping the foot stable, explains Dr Green. “If someone has a problem with their foot, it creates pressure and instability in their ankle and knee, which can lead to sprains, ACL tears and other injuries. If we stabilize the foot, you relieve that pressure and increase stability all the way up the leg.”

For McNeese, Dr. Green wanted to go beyond just providing just a typical custom orthotic. He wanted to customize the inserts not only to each player’s foot, but also to their position and the demands it required from them. “Every person’s foot is different, and every athlete plays different positions and approaches their play in different ways. A wide receiver needs to be able to cut hard, pivot and accelerate. A lineman needs more stability to dig in. A quarterback needs a support to push off of. We can adjust for that.”

Coach Viator said the entire process was extremely thorough. “Dr. Green and his staff came to our summer camp and observed. They looked at foot-to-ground contact, broke down the movements of positions, and even how individual players moved in those positions.

They made casts of each player’s feet, created their custom inserts and did individual fittings. They monitoring performance throughout the season, asked for feedback and adjusted as needed. Not only did we ISSUE 1 / 2014

have a dramatic reduction in injuries for the 2013 season, we also noticed increased speed and agility, and we did make it to the playoffs.”

Dr. Green’s system was put to the test by stand-out wide receiver Ernest Celestie who began experiencing foot pain during summer workouts before he got his insert. As the season approached, X-rays revealed a fracture in a bone in his foot. Normally, this injury would have meant six week on the injured reserve list. “I had gotten my custom orthotic from Dr. Green and could already feel the difference. I really wanted to play,” said Celestie.

“The doctors got together and worked out a plan that allowed me to wear the boot during the week, walk through practices, get special taping and play with my custom insert on Saturdays. I was able to play all season without pain. The insert took the pressure of the injured area. My foot had really never been more comfortable, even without my injury.

Before, I could always feel the cleats through the shoe. That sensation was gone. With the insert it was all about the motion and the running. I had more speed and more confidence in my movement.”

Dr. Green has expanded the customized insert program to the McNeese Cowgirl basketball team this season. Coach Brooks Donald Williams says it’s been a big improvement. “Our sport causes a lot of wear and tear on the knees and ankles. The inserts have helped a lot with pain and fewer injuries, and we’ve picked up some speed. We are fortunate to have Dr. Green as one of our team doctors and to have him take such an active role in working with us.”

Pre-fabricated inserts are available, but Dr. Green recommends purchasing these from a qualified provider to ensure you are getting a quality product that can handle the demands an athlete will put on it. “For someone without any problems who just wants extra support and added injury prevention, a good quality, pre-fab insert may meet their needs. However, for extremely active athletes and those involved in higher levels of competitive sports, a custom insert designed from a cast mold of an individual’s own foot is a much smarter option. These offer many more benefits for both injury prevention and performance enhancement.”

In addition to stabilizing and cushioning the foot, custom inserts have been shown to increase muscle efficiency and decrease pain associated with common athletic foot movements, like quick starts and stops or landing on uneven surfaces, according to Dr. Green. “When individualized needs are worked into the customized product, the foot is controlled, guided and limited in ways that work best at preventing injury and increasing performance.”

McNeese wide receiver Ernest Celestie photo credit: McNeese State University Athletics

RUNNER SETS A NEW PACE WITH CUSTOM INSERTS FROM CFO

Kaitlyn Tunks, St. Louis High School Track and Field photo credit: Puckett’s Photography by Jill Maraé ISSUE 1 / 2014

St. Louis High School track star Kaitlyn Tunks counted on her feet to take her to a championship and beyond. But two years ago when Katilyn, then a sophomore, began having pain in her arches and legs, she worried that her running career might be over before it really even began. She saw Dr. Green, who diagnosed her with overuse injuries that are very common in runners. He made her a custom orthotic insert, which resulted in almost immediate improvement in both her symptoms and her run time. Last year, as a junior, Kaitlyn was the state outdoor champion in the 800, and the runner up for the 400. Earlier this year, she participated in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic in New Orleans and dropped her personal record by 4 seconds, and she was named MVP female track at the Sulphur BS Walker Relays. Kaitlyn has already signed a letter of intent for track with Northwestern Louisiana University and she is more committed than ever to making her dream of INmotion competing in the Olympics a reality. l 7

[ERGONOMICS CENTER] CREATING AN ERGONOMICALLY FRIENDLY WORKSTATION

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Keyboard should be positioned one inch above elbows.

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Arms should hang straight down from shoulders with elbows angled at 90 degrees or more.

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Ear, shoulder, elbow and hip should be in one line.

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Adjust chair so knees are lower than hips.

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Thighs should be roughly • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • parallel to the floor while lower legs are roughly perpendicular to it.

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These injuries can be avoided by taking short breaks every 15-20 minutes, performing stretching and strengthening exercises and following a model like this one recommended by the Center for Orthopaedics’ physicians for INmotion setting up your workstation.

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Technological advances have us spending more time than ever sitting at a desk, tapping away on a computer keyboard.

Working at a computer for extended periods of time can result in musculoskeletal strain injuries if your workstation is not what is known as ergonomically friendly. If your body is not in proper alignment with your desk and/or computer, you may begin to feel the strain in your hands, arms, shoulders and neck.

Head, neck and shoulders are positioned forward and upright (not bent or turned).

Keep feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.

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Use neutral posture by keeping trunk and wrists straight.

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FOOT NOTES [WHAT’S NEW AT CFO] PROGRESS CONTINUES ON IMPERIAL POINTE

CFO WILL BE NATIONAL TEST SITE FOR ADVANCED HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Infrastructure work is well underway for Imperial Pointe, a master-planned development which is a joint venture between area physicians and local businessmen. The development has been in the research and planning stages since 2011. Imperial Pointe will be a master-planned traditional neighborhood development focusing on providing a healthy community for families in Southwest Louisiana. The principles of new urbanism will be artfully blended with the most advanced technological Rendering of Imperial Health Wound Care Center entrance conveniences to create a truly unique experience.

Imperial Pointe will include residential, retail, and medical components and will be similar to other traditional neighborhood developments in the state, but will have the added “healthy village” aspect. Currently planned for development are a hospital, state-ofthe-art wellness facility, rehabilitation center, medical office park, and commercial component for professional offices, restaurants, and other retail outlets. There are also plans for a boutique hotel on campus for those visiting the hospital and surgery center. The residential component will feature a combination of living options including a gated subdivision.

In addition to Center for Orthopaedics, Imperial Health Imaging, Rehab One rehabilitation services and Imperial Calcasieu Surgical Center are currently located on the Imperial Pointe property on Nelson Road. Construction has begun on several new facilities, including a new branch of First National Bank of Deridder, the Endocrinology Center and Diabetes Education Center of SWLA, Imperial Health Wound Care and the new location of the Vein Center of Southwest Louisiana. Once completed, Imperial Pointe is expected to encompass nearly 75 acres. Work on the next phase of the development, an estimated 25 acres, is expected to begin by the fall.

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SPORTS MEDICINE TRAINER EARNS ADVANCED DEGREE

Dr. Craig Morton, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, was recently recognized as the “Top Physical Medicine and Rehab Specialist in Louisiana,” “Most Influential Doctor in the Lake Charles Region,” “Top Doctor in the Lake Charles Region”and “Thought Leader in the Lake Charles Region” by HealthTap, a national medical expert network comprised of over 50,000 U.S. licensed doctors dedicated to improving people’s health and well-being by providing registered users with personalized health information and free online and mobile answers. The goal of the HealthTap program is to help people better understand health, make more informed health decisions and to find the very best doctors available.

Jessica Veillon, a certified athletic trainer with CFO’s Sports Medicine Program, recently earned a Master of Science degree in exercise science from University of Louisiana at Monroe. Veillon, a Westlake native, received an undergraduate degree in athletic training from McNeese State University. While at University of Louisiana at Monroe, Veillon served as a graduate assistant and athletic trainer for the ULM sports program. She is a certified member of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association.

CFO PHYSICIANS PLAYED KEY ROLES AT LOA ANNUAL MEETING

Dr. Steven Hale Conference Chair

Dr. John Noble Immediate Past President Moderator

Dr. Andrew Foret Featured Presenter

Dr. Geoffrey Collins Moderator

Dr. J. Trappey Moderator

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GET CONNECTED TO CFO! 10 l

www.centerforortho.com

The Better Day promise is to deliver innovative people-centric solutions that improve wellness behaviors and realign incentives in the healthcare system. By leveraging voice recognition, mobile devices and emerging web-based technologies, Better Day transforms clinical documentation, streamlines care and engages patients.

According to Dr. John Noble, “The technology in Better Day is truly ground-breaking and goes far beyond anything else available. We all know that healthcare has changed dramatically over the years. And while advancements have improved our treatment capabilities, the pace and demands on the business side have depersonalized the process along the way. Better Day solves this problem by using technology to allow us to recapture the personal side of healthcare. I believe this will greatly improve our efficiency and our patient satisfaction. Simply put, it will allow us to give patients more time and better care. The addition of this technology to what we already have in place at CFO makes us one of the most—if not the most – advanced medical offices in the world. We are very excited to be on the forefront of the exciting new development in the healthcare industry and can’t wait for our patients to experience it. it. I believe Better Day will be to medicine what Google has been to the internet.”

The implementation of Better Day at CFO has begun and beta testing will continue for six months.

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DR. CRAIG MORTON RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Center for Orthopaedics has long been committed to bringing the latest technology in patient care and service to our patients. Our stateof-the-art office, which opened in 2009, was digitally designed as part of that commitment, and our efforts were recognized with the Southwest Louisiana Technology Innovator Award by the SWLA Chamber Alliance.

We are proud to announce that we are building on this foundation and entering a new phase of innovation. CFO has been chosen by VoiceHIT as the beta test site for Better Day™ Health, their revolutionary, patient-centered, Web-based health management platform designed to improve patient care.

Founded by brothers Peter Ragusa, MD, MPH and Rand Ragusa, along with Jeff Miller, all Lake Charles natives, VoiceHIT is poised to revolutionize communication between healthcare providers and patients, restoring the doctor-patient relationship in a way that will improve care, reduce costs and ultimately save lives. The company that has been called a “game-changer” in the healthcare industry and has received recognition as an emerging leader in the EHR field in numerous national media outlets, including Forbes, NPR, Information Week, Healthcare IT News and EHR Watch.

GET CONNECTED TO CFO!

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Several of the physicians with Center for Orthopaedics were instrumental in the planning and presentations at the recent Louisiana Orthopaedic Association’s Annual Meeting. Dr. Steven Hale was the conference chair. Dr. John Noble, Dr. Geoffrey Collins, Dr. Andrew Foret and Dr. J. Trappey all served as faculty for the scientific sessions. Dr. Noble moderated and presented in the “Business of Medicine” session; Dr. Collins moderated and presented in the “Sports Medicine” session; Dr. Foret was a featured presenter on “Mycobacterial Infections of the Hand in a Coastal Environment” in the upper extremity scientific session; and Dr. Trappey served as moderator for the “Shoulder” symposium session.

As outgoing LOA President, Dr. Noble also gave the welcome and closing address. He will now serve as Immediate Past President on the LOA Board.

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[SHOULDER SMARTS]

[BACK TALK]

STRAIGHT TALK

DON’T STRIKE OUT WHEN PROTECTING YOUNG PITCHERS

ABOUT NECK PAIN While everyone may experience neck pain from time to time, most people don’t understand why, but according to Bill Lowry, MD, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, your neck has a hard job — holding up your head. “Poor posture certainly contributes to neck pain, but the design of the neck makes it vulnerable in the first place. All the interconnected structures that give your neck its incredible range of motion are subject to the wear-and-tear damage of arthritis and overextension injuries like whiplash. When your neck hurts, there are many possible causes.”

Neck pain occurs anywhere from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders. It may spread to the upper back or arms and cause limited neck and head movement. Most neck pain is caused by activities that result in repeated or prolonged movements of the neck’s muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones or joints. This can result in a strain (an overstretched or overused muscle), sprain (injury to a ligament), spasm of the neck muscles, or inflammation of the neck joints.

Most young athletes won’t become major league stars—we all know that. But kids who start as baseball pitchers may risk even more than that. Early injuries can derail a future of enjoying the sport and cause painful problems for years to come.

The main cause of these injuries is too much pitching too soon, according to George “J.” Trappey, MD. “If you’re the coach or parent of a talented pitcher, it may be tempting to put him on the mound as much as possible.

However, allowing a young pitcher to throw too many pitches could lead to elbow and shoulder damage that could require anything from a few weeks’ rest to major surgery, potentially taking him off the mound permanently,” says Dr. Trappey.

There are several factors that contribute to pitching injuries, including immature skeletal structure, overuse, improper pitching mechanics and poor practice or conditioning habits. “A pitcher doesn’t have to have any sort of accident, fall or make a mistake to suffer a serious injury. In fact, some studies have shown that more and more pitching injuries are caused simply by overuse. That’s why it’s crucial that kids learn proper mechanics as soon as they start to pitch, no matter what they’re throwing. Good mechanics spread the stress of a pitch more evenly over the entire body. Bad mechanics will put too much stress on the joints. This can cause problems several years down the line.”

He says neck pain can also be caused by injury or by another medical condition, such as infection in the neck area, a narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck (cervical spinal stenosis), or rheumatoid arthritis.

Neck pain is usually diagnosed through a medical history and physical examination. If the pain starts after an injury, such as a severe fall or blow to the head, or if your pain does not improve with conservative care, Dr. Lowry says further testing such as an X-ray, MRI, CT, or other diagnostic tests may be needed.

Dr. Lowry says most minor neck pain caused by everyday activities usually goes away within four to six weeks. These steps can help:

• Reducing the pain with ice and NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

• Improving neck movement and flexibility with exercises or physical therapy.

• Using a good pillow when sleeping, one that does not cause excessive flexion.

• Avoiding further neck injury by changing activities and body mechanics, such as how you sit or sleep, INmotion adjusting the height of your computer or chair.

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• Stress management and relaxation techniques such as massage or yoga.

• In some cases, stronger pain medication, such as muscle relaxers or antidepressants may be prescribed.

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The greatest danger to young pitchers centers on their growth plates—areas of the bone, located near the joint, where bone growth takes place. Growth plates aren’t as strong as the bone itself or the surrounding ligaments and tendons. That makes the growth plates susceptible to damage from the stress placed on a pitcher’s throwing arm. Pain in a young pitcher’s arm can indicate growth plate damage. The arm needs to be rested until the pitcher can throw again without suffering pain. That may take as long as six to eight weeks. Ignoring the pain can lead to more growth plate damage, in which a small piece of bone breaks off at the point where where the muscles and ligaments attach. “This kind of injury may require extended periods of rest or even surgery to fix the broken piece of bone. It takes the arm a while to recover from an injury like that and the arm will never be the same after that kind of surgery,” says Dr. Trappey.

Luckily, many pitching injuries are preventable, says Dr. Trappey. “Learning correct throwing techniques and properly pacing your child’s pitching progress can greatly reduce the risk of injury. Educate yourself and your child about body mechanics, the proper ages for different pitches, and the appropriate amount of pitching. Talk to your child’s coach about it, and check with a doctor or athletic trainer as well. Take an active role in your child’s sport.”

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CFO

[PATIENCE PUZZLES]

DOCTORS

James D. Perry, M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

George “J.” Trappey IV, M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

David Drez Jr., M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

Jonathan L. Foret, M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

Craig G. Morton, M.D. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist

William J. Lowry Jr., M.D. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist

Tyson E. Green, D.P.M. Foot and Ankle Surgeon

J. Kalieb Pourciau, D.P.M. Foot and Ankle Surgeon

Andrew L. Foret, M.D. INmotion Hand and Wrist Surgeon 14 l

CO-CREATED BY DR. CRAIG MORTON

An estimated 75 to 85 percent of Americans will experience some form of back pain during their lifetime. It is one of the most common reasons people miss work and the most common cause of a job-related disability.

According to Dr. Craig Morton, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, low back pain is the most frequent reason patients see him. “Not surprisingly, those with back problems fear exercise will lead to greater damage and more pain, so they avoid it.

But numerous studies have found that exercise is one of the most effective interventions and preventive measures for low back pain.”

Unfortunately, there were very few resources available to guide people to the right type of exercise to address this dilemma – until now. Dr. Morton and personal trainer and fitness specialist Carl Comeaux, MS, CI-CPT, have worked together over the past two years to develop RehabZone, an exercise program specifically to address the needs of people who suffer with back pain.

“Our goal was to create a program that would be easy for anyone to follow and stick to. The workouts are designed for people of all ages and levels of conditioning. We didn’t want it to be intimidating in any way,” explains Dr. Morton. “The exercises are gentle and progressive movements focused on stretching, stabilizing and strengthening the core muscles. They are are done in the comfort of your own home and no special equipment is required. We tested the pilot program with my patients, and incorporated their feedback and results into the final product. We are confident that anyone can use easily use and benefit from RehabZone.”

The 3-DVD RehabZone program features 12 progressive workouts specifically designed to create a stronger, healthier back and core. It addresses the three major components of an effective physical fitness program: flexibility, stability and strength.

The program is divided into three phases, each with four workouts that gradually increase in difficulty. Participants progress through phases at their own pace – there is no set schedule. “Upon completion of all three phases, you should reach a level of core strength that will not only help reduce back pain, but also help prevent injury, which is the ultimate goal,” says Dr. Morton.

The RehabZone DVD set and instruction manual is available for purchase at the Lake Charles office of Center for Orthopaedics and online at TheRehabZone.com, along with additional information about the program.

ISSUE 1 / 2014

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Steven S. Hale, M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

BASEBALL BAT HOME INFIELDER HOMERUN TRIPLE DOUBLE SINGLE GLOVE RUNS PITCHER OUTFIELDER

ISSUE 1 / 2014

4. muscle 5. meniscus 6. scapula

Geoffrey J. Collins, M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

PREVENT BACK PAIN WITH REHABZONE DVD SERIES

AMERICA’S FAVORITE PAST TIME

1. hamstring 2. ligament 3. tendon

John W. Noble Jr., M.D. Orthopaedic Surgeon

INmotion

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Louisiana Proud At the Center for Orthopaedics, Southern hospitality is our first specialty. That’s because all of our doctors were born and raised right in here in Louisiana, and we’re proud of it. We’re also proud to be the region’s largest, independent musculoskeletal group. This allows us to provide our patients with the type of care they expect and deserve – care that is courteous, respectful of their time, and of the highest quality.

We’ve dedicated ourselves to bringing the latest technological advances to Southwest Louisiana so that our patients won’t have to leave home to get the care they need. After all, we have a vested interest in keeping our community healthy: it’s our home too.

Our range of services includes: Joint Replacement Knee Surgery Hip Surgery Shoulder Surgery Back & Neck Pain Spine & Neck Surgery Foot & Ankle Surgery

Hand & Wrist Surgery Podiatric Medicine Sports Medicine Arthritis Treatment Occupational Injuries Fracture Express Bone Health Central

(337) 721-7CFO • www.centerforortho.com INmotion

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LAKE CHARLES • SULPHUR • DERIDDER

Cardiovascular Specialists

Dr. John Noble

OUR DOCTORS: William Lowry Jr., MD James Perry, MD George “J.” Trappey IV, MD John Noble Jr., MD Drez Jr., MD Geoffrey Collins, MD David Dr. John Noble Andrew Foret, MD Craig Morton, MD Orthopaedic Surge Kalieb Pourciau, DPM Tyson Green, DPM Jonathan Foret, MD Steven Hale, MD ISSUE 1 / 2014