Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS). Do you love to run? Have you ever had a burning, achy, tenderness on the outside of your knee after running? Do your knees get stiff and swell? Do you have pain in your hips or on the lateral portion of your thighs? If you answered yes to any of these…
Open Tibial Fractures; The tibia (shinbone) is a subcutaneous bone, meaning that there is little fat between the bone and skin; therefore, tibia fractures are often open. Meaning, the bone breaks and punctures through the skin. Tibia fractures are a medical emergency because the injury causes the patient to be more susceptible to systemic infections…
Are you an avid weightlifter? Have you ever woken up the next morning with a swollen and stiff joint after performing a variety of exercises to grow a muscle group? Well, it happened to me a few months ago. I was performing quadriceps extensions with my toes pointed outward working on my inner thighs. The…
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner’s Knee): Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis. Are you a female athlete or a weekend warrior? Now that you’re older (late 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s), do your knees crack or pop when you stand from sitting after lengthy periods of time? Did you once enjoy the window seat on an airplane…
Knee Dislocation: Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment, and Prognosis. Are you a Golden State Warriors fan? Do you remember Shaun Livingston, the greatest backup point guard to Steph Curry from 2014-2018? Did you know he suffered two dislocated knees during the early years of his NBA career? What was thought to be a career ending…
In this section I want to talk about Knee Fracture (Patella Fracture). Where were you on the evening of June 4, 2015? I was watching Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Golden State Warriors versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was an exciting and intense game that went into overtime. With two minutes remaining in overtime,…
In this section I want to talk about knee sprains. As a pain management practitioner, I often treat patients for knee sprains caused by a motor vehicle accident (MVA), sports injury, or a slip and fall. My patients, who injured their knee(s) during a motor vehicle accident, often have the same story. Baring down on…
In this article I want to talk about Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendonitis): Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Are you a basketball player? Volleyball player? Runner? Do you or have you ever had pain and swelling around your kneecap tendon? If you answered yes, then you may have Jumper’s Knee or Patellar Tendonitis. Read…
In this section I want to briefly talk about Osgood-Schlatter Disease (OSD): Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Were you an athletic child? Do you have or know of an athletic child? Did you or the child have pain in the bottom front portion of your/their knee? Was the pain in both knees? Did the…
Do you remember watching Lethal Weapon back in the late 1980’s? Do you remember the scene when Mel Gibson dislocated his shoulder and then reset his injury by pounding his shoulder into the office filing cabinet? After becoming a nurse practitioner, I learned why resetting a dislocated shoulder without medical attention is not a great…
When you look in the mirror, is one of your shoulders positioned higher than the other? Is one of your pants legs longer than the other? If you’re wearing a skirt, is one side higher than the other? Do you lean to the right or to the left? If you answered yes to these questions,…
Have you ever wondered what type of injuries can occur from falling off a horse? A scapular, clavicle, and humerus fractures are all examples. Read below for information about these types of injury. Causes ● Fractures can occur by falling directly onto the shoulder with the arm either tucked or restrained to the body.● This…
Our daily lives are full of repetitive motions such as painting, lifting various objects, and sleeping on our sides. Certain sports also involve repetitive motions, especially sports that involve throwing like softball, baseball, and football. As a result of these kinds of activities, we may have trouble elevating our arms above our heads. The cause…
Shoulder bursitis – Do you work in construction? Do you lift heavy objects over your head? Do you have shoulder pain? If you said yes to these questions, read the details below to learn about your shoulder pain. What is bursitis in the shoulder? ● Shoulder bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa.● It is…
What is RA? ● Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that develops when the immune system attacks the body. RA affects the joints, skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nerves, and salivary glands.● The attack on the joints affects the synovium that lines and lubricates the joints.● The cartilage and bones are…
Can you recognize the signs of shaken baby syndrome? During the COVID19 pandemic in 2020, the rate of child abuse increased significantly in the state of Texas. According to the Communities Foundation of Texas, Texas had 251 confirmed child abuse and neglect-related fatalities, an increase of 6% compared to 235 child abuse and neglect related…
Have you ever had tenderness in your buttocks from sitting for a lengthy period of time on a firm surface or possibly on your wallet? Have you ever had lower back pain that radiates into your glute and continues down the back of your leg? Did the pain feel dull, achy, or electrifying? Did you…
A pneumothorax is a collapsed lung caused by air between the lung (pleural space) and the chest wall. The air pushes onto the outside portion of the lung, forcing it to collapse. Important: Just like a hemothorax, this too is a medical emergency. People who have had a pneumothorax in the past may have another…
