Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, IMS, Sports Medicine & Massage
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If I don't have a plate removed in my forearm, will it poison my blood or cause other problems?

I broke my forearm last spring and had to have a plate put in to hold it together. It's all healed now, so should I ask the surgeon to take the plate back out? It doesn't bother me but I worry that it will poison my blood or cause problems when I'm older. There isn't a lot of conclusive evidence from studies to answer this question. An orthopedic surgeon from the Mayo clinic did so a review of what's been reported so far when it comes to plates, screws, pins, and other fixation devices of this ...

How long does rehab and recovery take for a torn hamstring?

I just found out that I tore my hamstring muscle. How long does it take to rehab and recover from this type of injury? We are mid-basketball season and I hope to finish out as many games as possible. Many athletes involved in running sports (including basketball) with fast starts and sudden stops injure their hamstring muscle. Like you, the first thing they naturally ask is: how long will it take to recover and get back in the game? The answer is not always so easy to provide. It seems recovery ...

I've been told I have shin splints in both lower legs. What's the best way to treat this problem?

I've been told I have shin splints in both lower legs. What's the best way to treat this problem? Shin splints" also known as medial tibial stress syndrome or MTSS is a common cause of lower leg pain in weightbearing athletes. Dancers and runners seem to be affected most often. Overuse in an athlete with flat feet, hip rotational imbalances, and hyperplantarflexion (toe pointing downward excessively) are the biggest risk factors. Being overweight seems to delay healing in anyone with this proble...

Should I take a splint back and try something else for my injured hand?

I went to the local clinic at the mall for a hand problem that's been bothering me for awhile. I think I may have injured something when I was pulling weeds a few weeks ago. Anyway, the nurse practitioner gave me a splint to wear for awhile but it's terribly uncomfortable and it gets in the way. Should I take it back and try something else? Almost any type of splint or cast is going to be uncomfortable and somewhat inconvenient. The idea of immobilization is usually to give the arm a rest so the...

Are there studies on reporting different blood (platelet and white blood cell) counts?

I'm doing a little research for the orthopedic surgeon I work for. She uses platelet-rich plasma treatments for some carefully selected patients. We have recently found out that the lab where the samples are collected is reporting different blood (platelet and white blood cell) counts. I have the task to find out more about this. Is this happening everywhere? Are there any studies to help us investigate this further ourselves? There was a recent study published from the University of Connecticut...

What can help nerve injury near the elbow?

My father and I were out hunting and there was an accident that was my fault. Dad ended up with a nerve injury near his elbow. His hand still doesn't work very well. I'm searching on the internet for any information I can find that might help him and I found your site. Can you help me? There are three major nerves around the elbow that can be affected by an injury such as you mention. These three nerves (radial, ulnar, median) can be cut, pinched, crushed, or stretched in ways that leave the han...

What can you tell us about recovery, prognosis, anything for an avulsion of the brachial plexus?

I heard that I could come to this site and get an honest answer to a difficult question. Our 23-year-old son was involved in a work-related accident. There were multiple injuries but the worst is what they call an avulsion of the brachial plexus. Right now his arm is paralyzed but the surgeon is going to do a C7 nerve transfer. There are no promises about the results. What can you tell us about recovery, prognosis, anything? As your son has unfortunately experienced, trauma to the neck and/or ar...

Is there such a thing as fear-avoidance for the neck? I want to avoid the fear-avoidance!

I have a feeling I already know the answer to my question but I'm going to ask anyway. Two years ago, I was thrown from a horse and hurt my low back. I know they say you should always get right back on the horse but I was in the hospital for two weeks and then therapy for another six months. So I never did go back to my riding lessons. And I ended up with a pretty bad case of what they call fear-avoidance. Now I've had a bike accident and dinged up my neck. Is there such a thing as fear-avoidanc...

Slicing a nerve near the elbow

Our 16-year-old son has been practicing knife throwing. Although he has always been very careful with this activity, he ended up slicing a nerve near the elbow. The nerve was not completely severed so we are watching and waiting before considering surgery. How is this wait-and-see approach decided on and how long does it last?

What is too much with xrays and MRIs

Everywhere I go in the medical system, it seems like someone wants to X-ray or MRI some part of my body. The dentist wants to X-ray my teeth. The orthopedic surgeon helping me with my back pain found a "suspicious" area on the X-ray of my back. Now it's an MRI I'm supposed to get. I've heard that we are exposed to radiation flying in airplanes and just walking around. How can I get a handle on what I'm being exposed to and make my own decisions about how much is "too much"? Your concern is share...

Ultrasound or MRI for shoulder injury?

I was in Israel with a tour group when I fell and hurt my arm. The surgeon who saw me ordered ultrasound pictures of my shoulder instead of an MRI. When I got back to the U.S., my orthopedic surgeon here requested MRIs. Should they have done MRIs in the first place? Ultrasound and MRIs are both used to diagnose shoulder problems involving the rotator cuff tendons. Some surgeons prefer one over the other as they have different advantages. In the case of ultrasound, it is a quick and easy, noninva...