It’s springtime in West Michigan, which to runners means the kickoff to a long summer of 5Ks, marathons, mud and color runs. But when it comes to injury prevention, the debate continues on whether stretching before or after a run is best. According to OAM physical therapy director, Jeffery D. Regan, “Research cannot definitively say [...]
Are you part of the .2%? Each year, thousands of people in the United States have knee replacement surgery — about 600,000 to be exact, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Robert L. DeMaagd, MD, specialist with the Total Joint Center at Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan, sees his fair share. “I do [...]
It’s common to think physical therapy is only for post-operative rehabilitation. The truth is, “probably greater than half of our therapy patients haven’t even had surgery,” says Dr. Peter Theut of the OAM Sports Medicine Institute. “Sometimes, just what patients need is physical therapy.” The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to restore normal, pain-free [...]
Trigger finger is one of the most common problems hand surgeons encounter. The medical term for the condition is stenosing tenosynovitis of the flexor sheath. People who have it notice tightness and a popping or clicking when they flex – or open – their fingers. In severe cases, the hand or affected finger becomes locked in [...]
Raynaud’s phenomenon is a rare condition in which your body does not send enough blood to the fingers, toes and occasionally the tip of nose and ears, causing them to feel cold and numb and turn white or blue. Raynaud’s patients often experience episodes of vasospasm, a narrowing of the blood vessels. Vasospasm reduces the [...]
What you don’t know can hurt you People with diabetes have a lot to pay attention to in order to manage their disease. Blood sugar levels, diet, weight, exercise, blood pressure, and medication all play a role in overall health. But, what some people with diabetes don’t realize – or sometimes choose to ignore – [...]
If you’ve headed back to the gym or are trying to stick to a 2017 resolution, make sure you are taking the proper safety precautions. Please take a moment to read the safe exercise guidelines below. Take Your Time Remember, moderation is the key to safe exercise. If you take off a month or two [...]
Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan recently spoke at a community seminar on how our spine can change as we age. He touched on different ways you can minimize the impact of aging as well as some surgical and non-surgical techniques. The following covers some of the highlights of the seminar. How often does back pain affect [...]
No matter how many times you (or your kids) roll, twist or bend your ankles, you can never seem to remember the difference between a sprain, a strain and a fracture. The fact is, it’s almost impossible to tell without a professional evaluation. We sprain our ligaments “The most common ankle injury is a sprain,” [...]
Among professional, amateur, and recreational athletes alike, knee injuries are common. Especially with the quick stops and starts, cutting and twisting of high-speed collision sports — like football, soccer and rugby — “injury occurs when the knee is hit from the side while the foot is planted,” says Dr. Thomas Matelicof the OAM Institute of [...]