Calf, Ankle, Back, Oh My! 5 Common Tennis Injuries

As the official sports medicine providers of the Austin Aces, the new professional tennis team for Central Texas, well, we have a lot of tennis on our minds. Yet, it's not just because we're excited about Austin Aces' inaugural year or the recently finished Wimbledon Championship that puts tennis front and center.


Tennis is a sport that is played year-round in Central Texas and our specialists are constantly helping players get back on their feet. In fact, more than 21,000 tennis-related injuries occur each year.

Here are the Top 5 Tennis Injuries:

• Sprained Ankle
• Shoulder Pain
• Calf Strain
• Stress Fracture of the Back
• Tennis Elbow

How do you prevent an injury from ruining your next match? Check out these tips from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Have a question? Ask us on Facebook or Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic). 

Texas Orthopedics Physicians Get Big Kudos in Texas Monthly

A big kudos is in order for five Texas Orthopedics physicians who have been named to Super Doctor
2014 Rising Stars List in the July issue of Texas Monthly Magazine. Congratulations to:

Dr. Michael Loeb

Dr. Christopher Danney

Dr. Brian Hardy

Dr. Kenneth Bunch

Dr. Ai Mukai

The selection process entails identifying physicians who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Doctors is a selective and diverse listing of outstanding doctors, representing consumer-oriented medical specialties.


To be eligible for inclusion in Rising Stars, candidates must be active physicians who have been fully-licensed to practice for approximately 10 years or less.

While approximately 5 percent of the physicians within the respective state or region are named to Super Doctors, no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list. You can find that list at superdoctors.com.

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

Bad Posture at Work Leads to Bad Posture All the Time

New research shows that bad posture at work can lead to bad standing posture all the time... And good posture isn't just about looking more confident. It translates to reduced back and joint pain and even helps boost our mood.

Here's how to have the best posture: Experts say it's more than simply standing with our shoulders back. It's about maintaining good alignment with ears over the shoulders, shoulders over hips, and hips over the knees and ankles. And your body weight should be distributed evenly between the feet.

With most of us sitting at computers for many hours a day, seated posture is very important because it can also affect your posture while standing and walking. Medical professionals say think about your posture while you're walking, getting up out of a chair or even when you're using a cellphone or tablet.

And what about good posture improving your mood? It's long been known that depression leads to slouching, but new research shows the reverse is also true - slumped posture can spark negative emotions and thoughts.

So avoid unnecessary pain and improve your mood by doing what mom has said all along - sit up straight!

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

Why We're Excited About Austin Aces

Texas now has a professional team... the Austin Aces tennis team. New owner, Lorne Abony, purchased the Orange County team last year and brought them to Austin, Texas. We're grateful he did.

While you have not seen Andy Roddick at the US Open or Wimbledon for several years, he did not retire from tennis. Roddick has been playing for eight season with World Team Tennis (WTT). This year Roddick will be helping WTT Austin Aces win the championship in its inaugural year.

Here are three reasons why we're excited about Austin Aces and WTT.

1. Roddick is back. The former world #1 player and hometown favorite, Andy Roddick, will be leading the new Austin team. Enough said.

2. The tennis viewing will be tops. Cedar Park allows for a more intimate setting and promises to have up-close-and-personal access to the starts for the audience.

3. Because a bunch of other greats are part of WTT. Check out the Austin Aces team! Other WTT stars include Venus Williams playing for the Washington Kastles and James Blake playing for the Springfield Lasers. The Austin Aces schedule provides a listing of upcoming home and away games.

We're proud to be the Austin Aces official sports medicine physicians and hope to see you there.

Have a question? Ask us on Facebook or Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic).

Three Reasons Girl Athletes are at Risk for ACL Injury

In the U.S. 56% of high school students play sports of some type, reported in Austin Family magazine. The participation rate among girls has seen the highest growth in the last decade and is part of the reason ACL injuries have escalated quickly among young female athletes. However, there are some body and strength differences that put girls more at risk for injury.


In his interview with Austin Family, Dr. Randall Schultz, orthopedic surgeon with Texas Orthopedics, says that the running, jumping, stopping and starting can put girls' knees at greater risk of injury.

"We know that high velocity sports are the ones that really put them at risk (for knee injury), so soccer is a big one, basketball as well and probably to a lesser degree volleyball and softball."

Differences in body build and strength change the way girls land on their feet, compared to boys. Here are three examples:

1. Girls use their quads more. Girls' quadriceps (Muscle group in the top of the thing) is the dominant, or strongest, muscle in the leg. This means that girls don't use their hamstrings or their knees as much when they land or change direction during sports. Males, on the other hand, have a tendency to use their hamstrings.

2. Girls have a dominant leg. In girls one leg tends to be strong than the other leg, while in boys, both legs usually have the same strength. This can cause girls to be off balance when they land and set them up for an ACL injury.

3. Girls often have less core strength. This makes it harder for girls to have control over their bodies during physical activity.

What can parents do to prevent injury? Incorporate more neuromuscular training into a young athlete's preparation. Therapist can work the individual to gauge their risk and then develop a program to reduce that risk.

"A lot of it comes down to the position of the foot relative to the knee, and then the ability to have the strength to control and slow down a rapid deceleration or a quick change in direction," explains Dr. Schultz.

Click here to read the full article.

Click here to contact Texas Orthopedics and learn how we can help your young athlete reduce her injury risk.

Have a question? Ask us on Facebook or Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic). 

June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month

Scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, affects about 6 million people in the US. It usually strikes in childhood and adolescence with the average age of diagnosis being about 10 to 15 years old. And most of the time, there's no known cause of scoliosis.

But experts do know this: awareness is key because early diagnosis will treat the curvature early and hopefully stop it from progressing. Most children are screened in school today, so healthcare professionals can look for the following signs and symptoms (According to the Scoliosis Research Society):

• A hump or uneven appearance in the rib cage.
• Any lateral deviation in the spine (asymmetry).
• Shoulders at different heights.
• One hip more prominent than the other.

What steps should you take if you think your child has scoliosis?

According to the Scoliosis Research Society, a lateral spinal curve greater than 25-30 degrees is considered significant. A curve greater than 45 degrees is severe and requires aggressive treatment.

If you think your child may have scoliosis, call or make an appointment online for an evaluation.

One of our Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialists, Dr. Kenneth Bunch, will perform an exam and order additional imaging tests if an abnormal spine curve is detected.

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

Serious Injuries Sideline US Players During World Cup

All eyes were on the US last week as they stunned many by beating Ghana in their opening World Cup game with a 2-1 victory. But joy was overshadowed by serious injuries to two of the star players, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey.

Altidore left the game with a strained hamstring and Dempsey had a bloody nose after taking a high leg to the face.

The US coach says Altidore is healing well and should be able to play soon.

A second US player, Matt Besler, suffered tightness in his hamstring but is expected to play as well.

Vitals.com outlines in an infographic the most common soccer injuries, as well as how to prevent them. What's the most common? ACL injuries are at the top of the list. Read more here about what Texas Orthopedics' Dr. Randall Schultz says about these all too common and very painful injuries.

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