Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville is proud to help our patients “get back at it.” In 2011, we released a series of videos highlighting three of the most common ailments we treat and procedures we perform: wrist injuries, tendonitis and hip replacement surgery. We encourage you to watch these videos by clicking on the links below, because if you haven’t seen them – they’re new to you!

• Wrist injuries: Wrist injuries are the most common ailment we treat at OAZ, particularly broken wrists and carpel tunnel syndrome. Treatments options include casting, setting the fracture or surgery. As we discussed in an earlier blog post, carpal tunnel syndrome results from pressure on the median nerve and often causes numbness, tingling, night pain and weakness in the hand.
• Tendonitis: Tendonitis occurs when small tears form in a tendon. It is a common injury often associated with weight lifting. Biceps tendonitis is caused by repetitive elbow flexion while triceps tendonitis is the result of repetitive and forceful elbow extension.
• Hip Replacement: Hip replacement is necessary when the covering allowing a joint to move freely is worn or damaged. Often categorized as “bone-on-bone friction,” the result is a loss of movement and a decreased ability to bear weight, which leads to surgery.

At OAZ, our primary goal is to educate our patients on how to make the right choices for their bodies and their bones. If you or a loved one has suffered an orthopaedic injury, please schedule an appointment with one of our physicians by visiting our website or calling 740-454-3273.

At Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville, rehabilitation is an integral part of how we help you get back to doing what you love. Whether you’re an athlete, or just enjoy an active lifestyle, rehab promotes a quicker recovery. This week marks National Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration week, aimed to increase opportunities for the nearly 50 million Americans with disabilities and help those who are disabled live up to their full potential.

As a proud member of the American Physical Therapy Association, OAZ knows the importance of physical therapy (PT). In an earlier blog, we told you about MoveForward.com, a website devoted to answering PT questions. While rehab timelines vary, we can offer a 10-week outline of the post-surgery process called How long is rehab?

Our physicians are board certified, and OAZ is proud to have a talented team of physical therapists who work one-on-one with our patients. For more information on our physical therapy program, please call 740-454-3273.

By Christopher Bernett, PA-C

Ohio is a great place for outdoor pursuits, from hunting to camping to backpacking. But the terrain can be rugged, with rocky – and sometimes slippery – trails.

Unfortunately, accidents do happen. What if, despite your best intentions, you step off the trail or into a hole and fold your ankle over like a slice of New York pizza? Ankle strains and sprains are some of the most common back country injuries, and here are a few tips for dealing with one on the trail:

1.     Take your boot off. If your ankle swells with your boot on, you may have trouble getting it off. Plus, you can’t examine the ankle properly with a shoe on your foot.

2.     Check to make sure it’s not broken. A broken ankle will usually appear disfigured or discolored, and bones may even push through the skin. If you can’t bear weight, or if you heard a loud pop when you twisted your ankle, it’s either broken or you have severed ligaments.

In this instance, splint the ankle, either with a commercial splint carried in your pack, or with a rolled sleeping pad, pack stays or anything else that will keep the ankle immobile. Make sure to place some cushioning between the splint and the injury. Then, send for help. How to improvise a splint.

3.     If the pain is manageable, it’s probably a bad sprain. Apply cold to the injury – a plastic bag filled with snow, a water bladder or cold water from a stream – as soon as possible. Don’t apply cold to an injury for more than 30 minutes at a time.

4.     After a half hour, wrap an elastic bandage or tape snugly around the foot in a figure eight, going around your ankle and under your arch. If you can get your boot on, that will provide some additional support. How to wrap an ankle.

5.     Test the ankle. You may need to unload some of the heavier items from your pack, or ask a companion to take some of the gear so you can walk. If possible, lean on a partner as you hike out, or use a walking stick or improvised crutch made from a tree branch. Be sure to stop every hour to cool your ankle and elevate it.

6.     When safely back home, visit the doctor as soon as possible for advice about any further treatment that may be necessary.

Just like sports medicine, physical therapy began in ancient Greece. Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician and a prominent figure in the history of medicine, advocated for massage and Hector used water therapy.

The earliest documents of physical therapy only date back to 1894 when English nurses formed the Chartered Society for Physiotherapy.

Physical therapy began in the U.S. in 1914 at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The first known graduates of a physical therapy program were known as reconstructive aides.

Like other medical professions, research is an important aspect of physical therapy. The first published research of physical therapy was in 1921 in The PT Review.

1921 – The year the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association was founded. Association changed to the American Physiotherapy Association in the 1930′s and officially became the American Physical Therapy Association in the late 1940′s. Educational institutions began establishing standards and programs became accredited.

1924 – Georgia Warm Springs Foundation came into existence and emphasized working on physical therapy related to polio.

1940’s – Physical therapy mainly consisted of exercise, massage and traction.

1950’s – Therapists started to move beyond hospitals.

1974 – Specialization in physical therapy started. The APTA formed an Orthopaedic section for those physical therapists focusing on the practice of orthopaedics.

1980’s – Technology and computers lead to more advances in rehabilitation. Computerized modalities, ultrasound and electric simulators are technologies that helped advance the practice of physical therapy.

1990’s – Attention to manual therapy and formal residency programs are becoming more numerous.

If you’re interested in finding out more about physical therapy and what we do here at OAZ, please contact the office.

As a way for healthcare consumers, referring physicians and members of our community to get to know the doctors at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville better, we’re adding a monthly physician interview. We’ll ask our docs about themselves and the latest trends in sports medicine, sports injuries, reconstructive surgery and general orthopaedics.

Hope you enjoy the first interview with Samuel Finck, Dr. of Osteopathic Medicine.

1. What made you become interested in sports medicine?

“I became interested in sports medicine because I like sports. I played high school sports and my mother was a nurse, so I was exposed to people being taken care of when they had injuries, either in school or through my mom. I’m also a huge sports spectator and thought it would be interesting to be to be involved with sports. During my second year in residency, I searched for what NFL teams had opportunities for fellowships and earned one with the Cincinnati Bengals and Bearcats in 2009.”

2. Can you explain more about your area of expertise?  Can you talk about how the practice of sports affects the body?

“My area of expertise has to do mostly with any injury an athlete can experience – bone fractures, knee and shoulder problems. The two main joints frequently injured during sports and athletic activities was a main focus of my fellowship with the Cincinnati Bengals. Health is a big issue – getting away from the TV and getting back into fitness is huge. Many people in the state of Ohio are overweight. There needs to be more emphasis on the importance of fitness in this area. Kids should spend less time in front of the TV and go outside and play. There are more community and school programs now, and as kids get more into athletics, there are injuries and overuse problems. People of all ages who exercise can get injured, and overuse injuries, in particular, are on the rise. It’s hard to be healthy without having good joints. Sports medicine affects anyone looking to stay healthy.”

3. What are the three most common sports injuries you see in your practice? Why do you think that is?

“For the population over the age of 50, the most common injury is a rotator cuff tear. Common injuries for the younger population, ages 40 and under, include biceps tendon inflammation or degeneration and labral tears. Sixty-five percent of my practice is treating shoulder injuries. Shoulder injuries in older patients are more common because they can’t go out and do what they did when they were younger – whether it’s a form of work or sports they played. For younger patients, knee injuries such as meniscal tear and ACL injuries are the most common. Meniscal tears are also prominent in older adults because the cartilage is not as flexible as it used to be. I’ve been seeing more and more ACL tears in patients who are in their 40s and 50s.”

4. How important is the role of rehabilitation in sports medicine?

“The patients who spend the time on rehabilitation do the best. Rehabilitation is extremely important when treating an injury or post-surgery.”

5. What are the most common surgeries you perform in your practice?

“Consistent with injuries I see, meniscus and ACL reconstruction through a knee scope, rotator cuff repair, labral repair and biceps tenodesis (moving the tendon from the socket to the ball) through the scope – which is sort of a newer concept. This consists of taking the bicep from its normal attachment and moving it to a position on the ball. This procedure is starting to be seen by leading shoulder experts as a major way of treating anterior shoulder pain.”

6. What are the biggest advancements in sports medicine you have seen over the past 10 years?

“Not that there’s anything wrong with bigger incisions but the biggest advancement is how many surgeries we can perform through very small incisions. Rehab and pain management and instrumentation have come a long way along with the techniques. Now a lot of treatments and surgeries are done with small incisions and through an arthroscope.”

7. You have been honored for your volunteer work with high school athletes.  What do you find most rewarding about working with young athletes?

“The most rewarding part of working with the younger athletes is that they really want to get better. The kids I see in high school athletics tell me exactly what is wrong and are willing to listen to the doctor. Kids are more willing to listen and give something a try, whether it’s therapy or a treatment plan.”

8. What is your favorite part of your medical practice and why?

“The group itself at OAZ is great. It was daunting to find a place to work after residency, but I knew a couple of reps in the area that worked at OAZ and they all had positive things to say. It’s rare to find a practice that brings in a new partner and treats them as a colleague from the very beginning.”

9. You mentioned that you’re an avid sports fan. Which sports and which teams are your personal favorites?

“The Cincinnati Bengals, Reds and, anyone growing up in Ohio, loves the Buckeyes. I enjoy OSU basketball and think March Madness is one of the purest moments in sports. It’s just unspoiled sportsmanship.”