Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania

National MDA Awareness Month

August is National MDA Awareness Month!

The providers and staff at OIP are raising awareness and showing their support by having a Jeans & Green fundraiser. All donations are being directed to The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is leading the fight to free individuals and their families who love and support them from the harm of muscular dystrophy, ALS and related muscle-debilitating diseases that take away physical strength, independence, and life.

Please join us in support of National MDA Awareness Month by learning more and donating to this amazing organization by visiting https://www.mda.org

OIP Safe Summer Fun Series: Football

OIP Safe Summer Fun Series: Football

It’s almost time for pre-season! Did you know that football is the leading cause of sports injuries in school-aged children?  Nearly half a million people with football injuries ended up in emergency rooms in 2012.  It is vitally important to ensure that players are healthy enough to play and have stayed or have safely gotten themselves back into shape to play.  Making an appointment for a pre-sports check-up is also a key factor.  Our friends at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons provide this information as well as some tips:
  • Equipment is a big deal! Players must wear a helmet, pads (shoulder, hip, tail, knee), pants, thigh guards, jersey, mouth guard with strap, athletic supporter, proper shoes, and safety glasses or contacts, if needed.
  • Coaches need to have basic skills when it comes to treating scrapes, cuts, and bruises, and they need to have a way to reach emergency personnel if the need arises.
  • If a player is returning after an injury, they need to be cleared by a physician.  This means that they have been evaluated and have no residual tenderness, inflammation, motion issues, or decreased strength in the affected area.  When it comes to concussions, it is advisable to have exams by a doctor specializing in head injuries.
  • Players should be active in the off-season as well.  This will make it easier to adjust to the demands of the season.
  • Hydration is very important during practice and play.
  • Parents and coaches need to be mindful of pain behaviors in children as well as teach the players to raise any concerns right away.  If there seems to be an issue, back off or modify the activity to decrease risks.
Have fun and be safe!
 
-Your friends at OIP
 
AAOS. “Football Injury Prevention.” OrthoInfo. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 1995-2017. Web. July 2017.

Simply The Best – Medical Specialist 2017

Simply The Best – Medical Specialist 2017

The Physicians and Staff at OIP would like to THANK YOU, for naming us Harrisburg Magazine’s – Simply The Best “Medical Specialist!”
 
We are honored to have been voted “Simply The Best – Medical Specialist” for the 2017 Harrisburg Magazine Readers’ Poll program.
 
Each and everyday, our Physicians and Staff pledge to create an amazingly positive, memorable experience for each and every patient and family.
 
THANK YOU to all that have voted for us and continue to choose OIP for their orthopedic needs.  We are beyond grateful for the opportunity to serve you!

OIP Safe Summer Fun Series: Golf

OIP Safe Summer Fun Series: Golf

Do you plan to hit the links this summer?  If so, we want to help you tee off in the right direction! In the year 2015, more than 130,000 golf injuries sent people to the ER. We found some helpful information and safety tips from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and we want to make sure you are ready to play.  Typically, the most regularly-injured body parts are the spine, the arm and leg joints, and the pelvis.  Golf involves performing many activities/movements again and again, and this leads to something called “overuse injuries.”
  • Golfer’s elbow, technically called medial epicondylitis, happens when the forearm muscles that connect to the elbow bone become aggravated and sore.  Some year-round exercises that can help include squeezing a tennis ball as well as doing wrist curls/reverse wrist curls.  Wrist curls are performed by placing a light weight (dumbbell) at your fingertips and rolling it back to the palm.  You can also raise your wrist to elevate the weight by an inch or so and do the exercises again.  Alternate arms and do 10 of these rolls in a set.  Reverse wrist curls are done by placing a light weight on the back of the hand while having it extended in front of you.  Raise and lower the weight using only the forearm.  Brace your arm with the other arm to help limit your motion.  These can also be done in sets of 10.
  • Low back pain is many times the result of improper form, decreased strength, or due to a lack of flexibility.  Some activities that can help include rowing, pull-downs, and yoga/pilates.  To perform some basic rowing and pull-down activities, securely tie some rubber tubing and place it around a shoulder-height object, such as the hinge of a door.  Keeping arms extended in front of you, slowly pull the tubing toward your chest and then slowly release. You can also kneel and pull the tubing down to your chest slowly and return it slowly.  Be sure to bend the elbows as you pull. Three sets of 10, three times per week will get you off to a great start.
  • Other things to keep in mind are to do some warm-up exercises, stretch, and hit a few balls on the driving range before heading out to the course.
  • Wear sunscreen, avoid golfing during storms, stay hydrated, and always follow proper cart safety.
  • Be vigilant of the activity of other golfers; you can be injured by a wayward golf ball.
Have fun and be safe!
 
-Your friends at OIP
 
AAOS. “Golf Injury Prevention.” OrthoInfo. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 1995-2017. Web. July 2017.

Safe Summer Fun Series: Swimming

Swimming is a very popular way to stay in shape and to just have some fun while cooling off this summer. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons provides some facts and information about swimming injuries that we wanted to pass along to you. More than a quarter of a million swim-related injuries occurred in 2015, and there are nearly two thousand spinal cord diving-related injuries each year. Many of these cord injuries unfortunately end in paralysis. Since swimming is a great, low-impact activity for all ages, there are things you can do to minimize the risk of injuries so that you can keep enjoying the water year after year. The AAOS lists several tips:
  • Make sure you know how to swim, and never swim by yourself. Have life jackets available for those with less experience. When at the beach or other large swimming areas, be sure to stay within the patrolled areas under a lifeguard’s watch.
  • Only swim if you are healthy enough to do so; check with your doctors if you have any questions.
  • Be sure to warm up with some land-based exercises, and remember to stretch!
  • Shoulder injuries are at the top of the list, so exercising-and thereby strengthening-shoulder and upper back muscles will help.
  • Never go into a body of water head-first, and never dive into shallow or murky water.
  • Make sure the area is deep enough for diving, and always enforce proper diving board use. Be sure that people do not dive until the last diver is out of the way.
  • Check the weather! Thunderstorms-and therefore electrical activity-and water are not a good mix. Wait it out inside the house if a storm is on its way.
  • Never enter lakes or large bodies of water after a storm if there appears to be any flooding or murky water. Hazards can arise after storms.
  • Enforce a “no drinking and swimming” rule. Alcohol impairs judgment, movement, and vision, and it can also make it difficult for a person to maintain proper body temperature.
  • Be prepared for bumps, scrapes, and other minor injuries with basic first aid supplies, and always have a way to reach emergency personnel if needed.

Have fun and be safe!

AAOS. “Swimming Injury Prevention.” OrthoInfo. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 1995-2017. Web. July 2017.

OIP Safe Summer Fun Series: Trampolines

Trampoline injuries are becoming more common as these pieces of playground equipment make their way into backyards across the country. Many children and adults are being invited to trampoline parks for birthday parties. They can be a lot of fun – trust us, we know – we use them, too! However, they can also be dangerous if not properly managed. More than 75% of injuries occur due to collisions between jumpers, and most injuries are found in those who are five to 14 years old. Jumpers can also fall onto hardware components or off the mat onto the ground. While arm and leg injuries are usually the problem, head and neck injuries do happen and can be life-threatening. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons provides this information and some tips to stay safe:


• Regularly inspect the unit and make repairs promptly.


• Make sure there is adult supervision/spotting taking place during use.


• Children under six years of age should not use trampolines.


• Allow only one jumper at a time.


• Do not allow high-risk behavior such as flips.


• Take ladders away when the trampoline is not in use; this prevents youngsters from climbing in unsupervised.


• Bounce houses, while different in structure, are similar in risks and recommendations.


Have fun and be safe!


-Your friends at OIP
 

AAOS. “Trampoline Injury Prevention.” OrthoInfo. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 1995-2017. Web. July 2017.

Attention patients with United Health Care insurance!

Important Notice:
You may have recently received a letter stating that Pinnacle Health and OIP will no longer be participating with your insurance plan starting June 1, 2017. This is incorrect. OIP will remain a participating provider with your insurance. If you have concerns about coverage of services within Pinnacle Health system, please contact the member services number on the back of your insurance card to inquire. Please contact our billing office at (717) 761-5530 for additional information. Thank you.

Make May Count

May is National Osteoporosis Month and a good time to take some action on this quiet disease. Many people confuse osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. They often both occur in a person, but are totally different disease processes with totally different treatments. But whether you are 17 or 70, there are things you can do now to decrease the effects ‘brittle bones’ will have on your life.
  • Make May the month you schedule a DEXA, or bone density, exam.
  • Make May the month you start calcium and Vit D supplementation.
  • Make May the month you start some weight-bearing exercises.
  • Make May the month you ask your family doctor or OIP provider about osteoporosis.
  • Make May count
For more informative, you can easily check the National Osteoporosis Foundation website at www.nof.org.
 

We’re never too old to get in shape!

Robert Marchand is a 105 year old cyclist who had improved his world record for how far he could ride a bicycle in one hour from 15.1 miles at age 101 to 16.7 miles at age 103.  That is an 11% improvement in performance due to vigorous training.  Impressive at any age!

In addition, his blood tests that are used as markers of aging improved over those two years!

His program?  One day a week, intensive long duration cycling (at least 3 hours long) to deplete his muscle sugars.  This allowed him to store more energy in his muscles for future workouts.

Two days a week, he did intensive interval training that involved exercising as hard as he could for 30 seconds to two minutes multiple times until fatigue.

The remaining 4 days a week, he did relaxed bike rides in order to recover from the other intense workouts.  He exercised every day of the week.

So, Robert Marchand proves that you are never too old!  Get out there and exercise!

Click Here for 24/7 Access to Care and Advice
+ +