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Texas Orthopedics, Sports & Rehabilitation Associates

Monday, September 29, 2014

6 Tips to Prevent Kids Sports Injuries This Fall



Are your kids participating in a sport this Fall? Sports injuries during this time of year are serious business, and now is the best time to get started on prevention.

Why is prevention important?

Over 30 million children and adolescents participate in sports. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 2.6 children 0 to 19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries.

While the benefits of participating in a sport far outweigh the risks, it's important to recognize the risks so that you are able to minimize them as best you can.

6 Steps to Take to Reduce Sports Injuries
  1. Make sure they have frequent water breaks to prevent dehydration and overheating. 
  2. Have kids wear appropriate equipment, from the right shoes to safety great that is properly fitted. 
  3. Limit the number of teams your child plays with in one season to reduce over-use injuries.
  4. Get them a preseason check-up from your doctor.
  5. If they are in pain or tired, have them take a break.
  6. Make sure the rules of the game are always followed.
For information on Fall sports injuries check out the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) website. And keep up with Texas Orthopedics news by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic). 

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Post-Baby Body Suprise: Dr. Mukai Talks to The Bump Club



When most people think about carpal tunnel syndrome, they usually picture someone sitting at a desk typing at a keyboard. But, it’s actually common among pregnant women and new moms, especially during the third trimester and just after delivering a baby.

Carpal Tunnel is one of many aches and pains that occur during this special time for moms. From throbbing lower backs to aching feet, new motherhood comes with a lot of added surprises.


Dr. Ai Mukai will speak to The Bump Club in Austin on September 30 with other local health experts about some of these Post-Baby Body Surprises.  The event is open to the public. Hope to see you there!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Dr. Goldberg Performs Live Surgery at International Medical Meeting




Texas Orthopedics’ physician, Dr. Tyler Goldberg, participated in a very ‘hands on’ way at a recent international medical meeting that took place in Houston September 18-20, 2014.
How hands on? He performed a live surgery.

The 3rd Annual Anterior Hip Course, sponsored by the
International Congress for Joint Reconstruction (ICJR), included instruction on a direct anterior approach hip replacement conducted by Dr. Goldberg and two other surgeons.

Read the ICJR website:

“The faculty for the 3rd Annual Anterior Hip Course are pioneers and leaders in the direct anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty, and they are ready to share their experiences to help you better understand this approach.”

Dr. Goldberg was ready and enjoyed sharing his expertise.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Weighed Down By the Backpack? Tips from Dr. Bergin in the Statesman


The bulging book bag is common sight for parents. But, did you know that these heavy bags can cause aches and pains for your youngster?

Dr. Barbara Bergin of Texas Orthopedics was recently interviewed by Austin American Statesman reporter, Nicole Villalpando, about how to lighten the load. You can check out the article on Statesman.com or read the excerpt below.

Weighed down by the backpack? Follow our tips.

What is in this backpack? Rocks?

That's how I felt all last year when my now eighth-grader, Ben, would come off the bus and hand me his backpack. I would try to sling it over my shoulder and carry it the rest of the way home. It made me less than perpendicular to the ground and, even on the coldest day, I was sweating and breathing heavily all the way home.

How was he carrying it on his back all day long?

Out of curiosity, I weighed one of his two bags. (He's on an A-day, B-day schedule at his school and has a different bag for each day.) It weighted in at 22 pounds, and there wasn't a book inside. For all four classes on his A-day, he had a different 1-inch to 2-inch binder with tons of papers stuffed inside. He also had a spiral notebook or composition book for each subject, plus a plastic pencil box with pens, markers, colored pencils, pencils and an eraser. Then he had his phone and his house key. That was all.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that backpacks not be heavier than 10 percent to 20 percent of a child's body weight. At 132 pounds, the 22 pounds was only 16 percent of Ben's weight, but he was complaining about his back every day, and his posture wearing that bag made him look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there are more than 7,300 backpack-related injuries treated by doctors and hospitals annually.

Dr. Barbara Bergin, an orthopedic surgeon at Texas Orthopedics, says she's seen backpacks causing injuries including strains to backs, shoulders and thumbs. She doesn't see a lot of them because often parents don't take their kids to a doctor for this kind of injury unless the pain is severe. Sometimes, though, parents will think their kids are having chronic pain because of sports when it might be repetitive strain from a backpack.

In kids who are having severe pain, she's prescribed a rolling bag and the use of the elevator.

Bergin carried around a big backpack, loaded with typical items kids put into their bags to make it weigh about 20 pounds, and even this doctor lifts weights and rides horses was hurting. She's much more comfortable advising that backpacks weigh less than 10 percent of the ideal body weight for a child's height. (Just because a kid is overweight doesn't mean he can handle more weight on his back.)

Here are some suggestions from Bergin and the American Academy of Pediatrics on how to lighten those bags.

Choose the right bag. Even if you've already bought your bag for the year, assess if it's right for your child. If not, it's worth getting a new one. You want the bag itself to be lightweight. You want a bag that has two wide shoulder straps and a padded back. It should not go past your child's waist. A strap that goes across the waist or across the chest is also helpful for keeping the weight off the back.

Use the bag correctly. That means use both shoulder straps and make sure they are tight against the body and hold the pack 2 inches above the waist.

Pack it correctly. Use all the compartments you can to distribute the weight load. Put the heaviest things low and in the center. 
 
Lighten up. What do you really need to carry in your backpack? Many elementary school kids
might just need a folder for papers and homework, a planner and a maybe a library book and
a snack. Go through the backpack once a week to take out old papers and toys. For older kids,
also go through the bag weekly as well as those binders. Does he need to tote every paper back
and forth, or can he keep only the most current things in the binder and the rest at home? Can
she ditch the heavy binders for a folder with brads and pockets or a lighter plastic binder? Can
she double up and have one binder for each day or one binder for extracurriculars and a binder
each for the core subjects? Does he need a whole pencil box, or will a few pencils, pens and an
eraser do it?
 
Make pit stops. Some schools still let kids use a locker. If your child does have access to a
locker, store the backpack in the locker and tell him to just take what he needs to each class.
 
Use a purse or a pencil bag for supplies.
 
Work with teachers and schools. If every teacher is saying you need a binder, ask if there are
binder checks and what has to be in there. Can you assign multiple subjects to each binder? If
your school doesn’t use lockers, ask why. If your school is still using textbooks, can she keep a
set at home and have one at school instead of bringing it back and forth?
 
Don’t ignore pain, tingling or numbness in the arms, legs or back.
 
Reassess what your child is carrying and see the doctor.




Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Dr. Scott Smith on KVUE Discusses Spike in Adult Injuries in Teen Football Players


Dr. Scott Smith was interviewed by KVUE anchor and medical reporter, Jim Bergamo last week about adult-type injuries on the uptick in teen football players.

Why the spike?

Dr. Smith told KVUE bigger body sizes and year-round, more intense training are the culprits causing serious injuries like ACL tears and fractures.

Stop Sports Injuries has some great tips for parents to help their children avoid these sometimes devastating injuries. 

You can watch the entire story here in case you missed it. 

And don't forget that you can keep up with Texas Orthopedics news by following us and Facebook and Twitter (@Texas Orthopedic). 


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Yoga for Football Players? A Great Yet Unconventional Training Tool


Dumbbell bench press; running stadium stairs; Russian twists; and... downward facing dog? These are all training exercises that football players use, including yoga. Why are they doing the ancient Indian practice? Experts say players can get some extra benefits that traditional training tools just don't offer. Yoga is known to improve mental focus, relieve chronic pain, improve balance and flexibility, and strengthen the body's core.

All over the country, professional football players are turning to yoga as an unconventional training tool. In fact, some people credit the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl win to practicing yoga. Former UT football star Ricky Williams does yoga, and he even taught a class last year at DKR Memorial Stadium for some special participants.

So whether you're a football player or just looking for a new workout, it might be time to ditch the gym, grab a mat, and head to the nearest yoga studio!

Keep up with Texas Orthopedics news by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic).

Monday, September 8, 2014

Celebrating World Physical Therapy Day Today!



World Physical Therapy Day is today and is all about recognizing the great contributions that physical therapists make to keep people well, mobile and independent. We have a great team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and hand therapists that do a fantastic job (check out their profiles here). 

They perform comprehensive evaluations and develop specific treatment plans so that each patient can resume their favorite activities as quickly, safely, and independently as possible. By doing physical therapist you will learn exercises that are beneficial for gaining function, reducing stress, relieving discomfort, and preventing disability for future injury. 

Just some of the conditions we treat include, 
And we offer a wide variety of physical therapy services to treat these conditions including, 
You can find a complete list of conditions and services here. And keep up with Texas Orthopedics news by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic). 

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Three Docs Named 'Best'


Three Texas Orthopedics' physicians were named the Best Doctors in America® for 2014. The list appeared in the September issue of Austin Monthly magazine. 

A big congratulations to:
Only 5% of doctors in America earn this prestigious honor. Best Doctors® is respected for impartial, reliable results and is totally independent. The List is a product of validated peer review, in which doctors who excel in their specialties are selected by their peers in the profession.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Dr. Bergin on KVUE: Kids & Heavy Backpacks


Books, clothes, calculators, notebooks... kids' book bags are packed! These heavy backpacks don't just rob kids' energy that would be better used doing homework or playing sports. Lugging them can also lead to chronic back pain, accidents and other orthopedic damage.

Dr. Barbara Bergin, orthopedic surgeon, Texas Orthopedics, discussed on KVUE-TV how these heavy bags can cause aches and pains and what parents can do about it. Click here to see the story on KVUE.com.