What is tennis elbow, anyway? The sports medicine team at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville explain that it refers to the pain that occurs over time from repeated use of the muscles of the arm and forearm, leading to small tears of the tendons. Tennis is just one way you can get it.

If pain persists after rest and ice, physical therapists may use ultrasound or other modalities to help heal the damage of an injury. Additionally, they may prescribe flexibility and strengthening exercises to allow you to return to the activity. In some cases, a wrist splint or brace may be recommended.

Do you have questions about tennis elbow? Post them here for the Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville to provide answers.

Area high school athletes in Muskingum County and surrounding counties are invited to Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville for free pre-sports physicals on May 22, 2010 between 8am and 12pm. This service is provided in conjunction with Genesis Healthcare Systems.

We are located at:
2854 Bell Street
Zanesville, OH 43701
Contact us by phone at 740-454-3273

While the Ohio’s sports medicine team at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville encourage healthy exercise and weight lifting, it’s important not to over-train.

When working out too much, muscles don’t have time to recuperate properly. This will break down the muscle tissues faster than they can rebuild and can lead to excessive soreness. Over-training and lack of rest can lead to a net loss of muscle mass, which obviously contradicts the point of training in the first place (to increase muscle mass). Allow your body to rest for 24 to 48 hours between workouts. If you are feeling a little weak, decrease the intensity of your workout or simply skip it.

If you’ve suffered an injury from over-training, contact the Ohio’s sports medicine team at OAZ right away.

Dr. Karl Saunders, head of OAZ and its Ohio Sports Medicine team, is a world-class martial artist. As a trained athlete, he shares the many benefits of martial arts.

1. Self defense
2. Cardiovascular fitness
3. Toned muscular system
4. Improved flexibility
5. Mental tranquility / relaxation

If you’re interested in learning more about martial arts, stop by and talk to Dr. Saunders and OAZ’s Ohio Sports Medicine team.

Stretching is the act of lengthening muscles in order to increase muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. OAZ specializes in Ohio physical therapy and reminds patients that stretching activities are an important part of any exercise or rehabilitation program.

The Mayo Clinic recently released a list of the top five benefits of stretching and OAZ agrees that these benefits are important for people of all ages to consider. Keep in mind that warming up the body prior to activity decreases the risk of injury as well as muscle soreness.

The top five benefits of stretching are:

1. Increased flexibility and joint range of motion:

Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring. Flexibility tends to diminish as you get older, but you can regain and maintain it.

1. Improved circulation:

Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood flowing to your muscles brings nourishment and gets rid of waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. Improved circulation can help shorten your recovery time if you’ve had any muscle injuries.

1. Better posture:

Frequent stretching can help keep your muscles from getting tight, allowing you to maintain proper posture. Good posture can minimize discomfort and keep aches and pains at a minimum.

1. Stress relief:

Stretching relaxes tight, tense muscles that often accompany stress.

1. Enhanced coordination:

Maintaining the full range-of-motion through your joints keeps you in better balance. Coordination and balance will help keep you mobile and less prone to injury from falls, especially as you get older.

The Ohio physical therapy experts at OAZ remind patients that stretching is one of the most important parts of the rehabilitation process.

Foot injuries are always common during the winter season, and the Ohio sports medicine team at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville is warning athletes to take care of their feet when they play any sports from basketball to snowboarding.

Ignoring pain or discomfort in your feet can mean ignoring injury. An athlete is better off addressing pain early on in order to fix a problem before it gets bad enough to result in lost playing time.

Common foot injuries in athletes, include:

• Plantar fasciitis – a foot injury resulting from irritation to tissue on the bottom of the foot.

• Turf toe – the hyperextension of the joint of the big toe, often occurs on artificial turf, but can happen on grass too.

• Sprains and strains – frequently caused by hard sprinting.

If you think you are suffering from any of these common foot injuries and your pain doesn’t get better in three days, call the Ohio sports medicine team at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville at 740-454-3273.

Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville has one of the best Ohio sports medicine practices. One of the most common injuries treated at OAZ is a torn ACL. If you’ve experienced an injury, and your knee is popping, giving out or swelling, make an appointment to get an evaluation.

We have state-of-the art technology at OAZ to make diagnosis easy, including digital X-rays and orthopaedic MRIs.

Treatments for a torn ACL include both surgical and non-surgical options. In non-surgical treatment, progressive physical therapy and rehabilitation can restore the knee to a condition close to its pre-injury state and educate the patient on how to prevent instability. This may be supplemented with the use of a hinged knee brace. However, many people who choose not to have surgery may experience secondary injury to the knee due to repetitive instability episodes.

ACL surgeries have a 90% success rate. Reconstruction of the torn ligament is not a repair, but a replacement, which may come from tendons in the front of the leg, hamstrings or even donor tissue.

ACL reconstruction does not require a long hospital stay. Patients generally stay in the recovery room following surgery. Depending on the type of anesthetic that was used, it takes about one to two hours to recover enough to be able to sit up, eat some light food, use the bathroom (with crutches), and feel ready to go home. Hospital release usually takes place anywhere from between four to six hours after surgery to the next day.

OAZ’s Ohio sports medicine practice will work with patients for physical therapy treatment following the surgery. If you have questions, call us at 740-454-3273.

Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville offers leading physical therapy in Ohio to treat neck strain and whiplash.

Symptoms such as pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling are all symptoms of neck strain. In some serious cases, some people may even experience memory loss, concentration impairment, nervousness/irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue or depression.

Neck strain is caused by an irritation to tendons, muscles and ligaments in the upper back and neck area. Whiplash is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion, such as in a car accident.

To treat neck strain at home, get plenty of bed rest to minimize movement. Over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen and applying heat and ice packs intermittently can help ease the symptoms.

If symptoms persist, the physical therapy team at Ohio’s Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville can help by guiding you through exercises or even provide ultra sound therapy

Orthopaedic surgeons in Ohio at OAZ support U.S. National Bone and Joint Awareness Week from October 12-20, started by the U.S. Bone and Joint Decade to significantly raise awareness of bone and joint diseases, which affect more than one billion individuals worldwide.

In support of National Bone and Joint Awareness Week, Shriner’s Hospital has posted these tips for parents:

Before kids go outside to play, be sure they:

1. Have appropriate, properly fitting, sports-specific equipment and protection for games and practices, and know how to use it.
2. Do conditioning, strengthening and stretching exercises appropriate to the sport or recreational activity.
3. Learn the proper technique for the movements of the game (pitching, swinging a bat, protecting a goal, etc.).
4. Know to take a break at reasonable intervals.
5. Agree to play by the rules.
6. Will stop playing if they experience pain or feel very tired.
7. Drink plenty of fluids, and know to stay hydrated during and after activity.

Tips to help your child avoid overuse or repetitive motion injuries:

1. Encourage involvement in more than one sport or activity.
2. Choose age-appropriate sports.
3. Make sure children are in the necessary physical condition for a sport or activity.
4. Be sure games and practices include warm-up and cool-down routines.
5. Provide appropriate shoes.
6. Stress the importance of staying hydrated.

More tips parents can use to help keep kids safe:

1. Be sure playing fields are properly maintained and appropriate to the activity.
2. Determine whether there is appropriate adult supervision in place for the program or activity. If supervision appears to be insufficient, especially in an organized activity or sport, ask questions.
3. Be sure equipment is in good condition before allowing your child to use it.

When on a playground:

1. Observe the 5-foot rule: Children under age 5 should not use playground equipment that is taller than 5 feet.
2. Be sure equipment meets applicable safety standards.

If you are suffering from bone and joint diseases and need an orthopaedic surgeon in Ohio, call the Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville at 740-454-3273.

As a bone and joint clinic in Ohio, Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville attends to Ohio athletes.

That’s why OAZ is proud supporter of the Zanesville-Muskingum County Police Athletic League (P-A-L) boxing team where Dr. Karl Saunders volunteers as a ringside physician. P-A-L boxing is aimed at teaching respect, discipline, sportsmanship, proper nutrition and exercise.

OAZ recently made a donation to the team in their endeavors to compete at the 2009 U.S. National P-A-L Boxing Tournament. The tournament is an Olympic qualifier for the U.S. team and three Zanesville boxers are competing for a spot. In 2008, a Zanesville athlete made history as the first-ever from the area to win the championship. This year, boxers include Travis Jerig, Michael Roark and Michael Norris.

Dr. Saunders and the staff at OAZ are proponents of maintaining an active lifestyle and frequently provide Ohio athletes with tips and strategies for staying fit.