OIP offers Online Bill Pay Service

The Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania has added online bill pay service for their patients.  This service provides a Fast and Secure online bill payment solution. With OIP’s Secure Online Bill Payment Service, you can process payment for your bill online anytime and anywhere you have Internet availability.  Have a smartphone or tablet?  The OIP Online Bill Payment Service allows you to make payments on the go no matter what electronic device you are on. Visit our Online Bill Pay page for additional information.

OIP Connect Mobile App – Download Today!

The Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania has released their own mobile app called:  OIP Connect. OIP Connect is a Mobile App for Apple iDevices and is available for download from the Apple App Store on your iPhone and iPod Touch. Version 1 of the OIP Connect Mobile App includes…One tap to access our 24/7 hotline for emergency orthopedic advice and careAutomatic entry of your appointment on your device’s calendarConfirm or change your appointmentContact the office with one tap (tap-to-call)Locate an OIP Office and tap it to load in the Apple Maps applicationLearn more about OIP Care CentersAccess OIP’s Patient Portal to request refills and email your doctor’s secretaryAnd much more!….Download OIP Connect by visiting the Apple App Store on your favorite iDevice and search for OIP Connect or download it via iTunes at the following URL…Click Here

Smile! Say Cheese for Bone Health!

It’s a welcomed guest melted on broccoli florets. It bubbles over a pizza slice. It bakes perfectly into muffins with a savory twist. Mix it into soups, dips or salads. Get your kids interested by pairing cheese with fruit and crackers. Whip it into mashed potatoes. Or, let it take center stage in mac-and-cheese! Cheese has been long associated with indulgence and, thus, considered something to be avoided, but do anything but! For starters, cheese has…Protein that keeps you full, holding you over until your next meal and snack.  It also aids in muscle strength and recovery, making cheese the perfect addition to your post-workout or post-surgery meal.Calcium and Phosphorus are minerals crucial for bone health, preventing fractures and the development of osteoporosis.Zinc is a mineral that boosts your immune system—especially suitable during cold and flu season! Some people worry about the artery clogging, saturated fat and sodium found in full-fat cheese. But, be brave! Adventure into the low-fat and low-sodium varieties. Full-fat-cheese-lovers can bite into the real thing by accenting their dishes with small amounts.To reap all of the healthy benefits, go for consistency: it’s better to eat a little bit a couple times every week than to overindulge in cheese in one sitting. Below, you’ll see various cheeses and their suggested portion sizes. I recommend 3 servings of dairy everyday—whether you choose cheese, milk, yogurt, and other calcium-fortified foods. Hard cheese (like Swiss, cheddar, or Monterey Jack): 1 ½ ounce, the size of four dice Prepackaged or Pre-Sliced Cheese Singles: 2 slices Part Skim Ricotta: 1/3 cup Part Skim Cottage Cheese: 1/2 cup Shredded Cheese: 1/3 cup 1 String Cheese Click the link for a longer listing of dairy sources and correct portion sizes:  Click Here Lactose intolerant? Aged cheeses might be your best bet. The cheese-making process and natural aging draws out or breaks down most (if not all) lactose. Stick with aged cheddar, parmesan, Gorgonzola, and Asiago. Colby, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or Swiss have minimal amounts of lactose too. Too, try vegan or lactose-free cheeses which often have less saturated fat.   Milk allergy? Stick to vegan cheeses, but always read the ingredients list just in case milk protein sneaks in. Low-Fat cheese, please: Look for packages of “low-fat” or “reduced fat” cottage, ricotta, cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano, Colby, Muenster, provolone, or American cheeses. Without that label, there’s part-skim mozzarella, string cheeses, farmers cheese, and Neufchâtel. Goat cheese, or feta, is lower in fat and has fewer calories than any cow’s milk cheese. Watching your sodium? Salt is a major part of the cheese aging process; softer, younger cheeses require less. Bite into Monterey Jack, ricotta, or Port de Salut that are naturally lower in salt. Go for labels like “low sodium” Colby-Jack, provolone, Muenster, mozzarella or cheddar. Gluten free: This label goes for most cheeses! Be aware of processed cheese or the ones with added flavors. Double check the ingredients to make sure wheat, barley or rye aren’t listed. Pre-shredded versus blocks of cheese: Pre-shredded cheese seems like the perfect answer to a hectic schedule. Just be aware that it contains additives to prevent shreds from caking and sticking together—potato starch, corn starch and powdered cellulose being the most common. Though most of these are harmless, block cheeses don’t contain the additives, can be shredded quickly, melt easier and are actually cheaper! So, remember to say, “Cheese! Please!” 

Winter Weather Safety

It’s been a long, cold winter for Mid-Staters and according to Punxatawny Phil, we still have a few more wintry weeks to face. Winter brings a certain austere beauty to the landscape. And with that beauty comes the potential for accidental injury.

If you have made it this far without injury, we are thankful. It is our hope that you remain safe for whatever time is left in this treacherous icy season.

Here are a few safety tips for the remaining weeks of winter weather:

• Wear several layers of warm, breathable clothing to protect from frostbite and hypothermia.
• Snow shoveling can pose a risk to your heart as well as your musculoskeletal system. Make sure you dress warmly and work slowly. Pace yourself and take breaks. Protect your back by pushing the snow with the shovel, rather than lifting and tossing it.
• Many falls occur in winter due to ice. Keep your steps and walkways free from ice. Use a de-icing compound when necessary. Avoid the ice when possible. Strap-on ice cleats can make outdoor activities much safer.
• Snow blowers can pose a serious risk. Never use your hand to unclog snow from the shoot. Snow blower blades are very sharp and are dangerous even when the machine is off.
• When participating in winter sports, remember to:

o Get in shape before attempting new activities.
o Wear a helmet to prevent head injuries when skiing, snowboarding and tubing.
o Make sure equipment (boots and bindings) fit properly.
o Obey the rules of the slope and avoid losing control.
o Avoid loose fitting clothing that can get caught in chair lifts, tow ropes, etc.
o Don’t ski or snowboard alone.

Keeping Your Bones Strong for Life

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation,  “of the estimated 10 million Americans with Osteoporosis, about 80% of them are women.  And, one in two women over 50 will experience a fractured bone due to osteoporosis.”  Osteoporosis is a loss of bone density causing the bones to become weaker.

With this staggering statistic in mind, it is never too early to consider lifestyle changes that can help prevent osteoporosis.

• Maintain a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables.
• Increase the calcium in your diet with lowfat milk, cheeses, yogurt, ice cream, almonds, broccoli, okra, green snap beans, and leafy greens such as kale, collards, arugula, watercress.
• Take a calcium supplement. *
• Take a vitamin D supplement **
• Get small exposures of sunlight on your skin help to provide extra Vitamin D.
• Engage in a regular exercise routine.  Be as active as possible!
• Avoid smoking.
• Limit alcohol intake to 2 drinks daily.
• Avoid carbonated drinks.

If you are over 50, talk with you physician about having a dexa scan to evaluate your bone density.   There are treatments available for individuals with “thinning” bones.

*Women under 50 should have a calcium intake of 1000 mg daily.

(food and supplements combined)  Women over 50 should have a combined daily calcium intake of 1200mg.  Always discuss the use of supplements with your physician to determine what is right for you!

** Women under 50 need 400 – 800 IU Vitamin D daily.  Women over 50 need 800 – 1000 IU Vitamin D daily.  Always discuss the use of supplements with your physician to determine what is right for you!

OIP offers walk-in services!

Avoid the long waits in the ER, learn more about our walk-in clinic here.

The New Year brings a new OIP

We are proud to announce our merger with Appalachian Orthopedics of Carlisle and to welcome Dr.’s Daniel Hely, James Oliverio, Michael Oplinger and PA-C Cori Davis.  The OIP family is excited to enter a new phase of providing the best care possible to all our patients, with easy access no matter where you are located.  Our Carlisle care center will be located in the Appalachian Orthopedics office at 1 Dunwoody Drive, Carlisle.  Surgery can be performed at Carlisle Regional Medical Center, Holy Spirit Hospital or Pinnacle Health Hospitals.  We remain committed to continually strive to improve: our care, our service, our availability.  Our merger with Appalachian is a huge example of that commitment.  We look forward to working with our new colleagues and know you will too.”

Holidays bring good cheer, family and friends, presents, and exercise. Yes, exercise!

Exercise

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend 60 minutes of moderate, daily activity for kids. As you age, try 30 minutes of activity, 5 days a week, while mixing in some strength training.  That kind of movement boosts bone health, muscle mass, keeps your mind sharp, cuts the risk for major diseases like diabetes and heart disease, increases productivity, concentration, and happiness. Most importantly, it makes room for all the holiday feasting. Keep fit with some of these tips! Knock down the stress level. During this time of year, a million things call you at once.  So, stop, take a couple minutes to yourself, and move. Research shows that a 10 minute walk can boost your mood. Go outdoors! The “weather outside is frightful, and the fire is so delightful,” and that can put anyone into hibernation mode. Bundle up; build a snowman; go sledding, ski, or ice skate.  Start small, and incorporate more activity in your everyday. Simply climb the stairs rather than jumping onto the elevator. Park further away to add extra steps. For the holidays, decorate halls, dance around the tree, even window shop at your local mall. Get creative. No free weights? Lift canned foods or water bottles instead. During holiday movie night, try a commercial break workout from this Pinterest page  Phone a friend! Motivate yourself with a set exercise time, date and someone else to join you! Family games also get everyone moving! Follow the doctor’s orders. What the doctor says, goes—especially, when you’re recovering from an injury or surgery. OIP wishes you a happy, healthy holiday!   Source: The Every Body Walks Facebook Page

OIP Supports The Toys for Tots Program

This year, the staff at the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania set out collection boxes at their Camp Hill and Harrisburg offices to collect unwrapped toys for the United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.  The donations received are distributed to the less fortunate children throughout the local community. We collected an overwhelming amount of items for this years collection.  We would like to personally thank each and everyone who donated an item for this great cause! The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, a not-for-profit charity, is the authorized and support organization for the Toys for Tots Program.  The Foundation provides the funding and support needed for successful annual toy collection and distribution campaigns.  For additional information about the Toys For Tots program, please visit:  www.toysfortots.org.

The Giving Spirit

The staff of OIP are getting into the holiday spirit of compassion and giving this week. On Wednesday we held a canned food drive and will be donating 16 boxes of food to the Cupboard at Calvary food pantry. The Cupboard is one of the missions at Calvary United Methodist Church in Harrisburg and is a member agency of the Central PA Food Bank. They serve about 80 to 130 families at any of their weekly distribution times, providing canned fruits, vegetables, soups, stews, juices, as well as cleaning, laundry, and personal products. To find out more about The Cupboard at Calvary food pantry, click here In addition, we held a drive for children’s toys for the Toys for Tots program, which is a mission run by the U.S. Marine Corps. They collect new, unwrapped toys from October through December every year, distributing them as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children within our own community. Each toy is given as a message of hope to children who might not otherwise experience some of the joy of Christmas giving. Toys for Tots creates an opportunity for communities to work together to promise a brighter future for its youngest members. To find out more about Toys for Tots, click here A caring group throughout the year, OIP staff will be holding more holiday events throughout the month of December to bring some holiday cheer to our patients, staff, and community.