Dr. Mark Mudano

When we lose cartilage in a major joint such as a hip it makes all weight-bearing activities a painful chore; osteoarthritis means there is cartilage loss in the joint. the initial mode of treatment (depending on how much cartilage is gone) is usually anti-inflammatory medications (IBUPROFEN (Advil ) or Naproxen (Aleve) and while these drugs can give some pain relief , they are NOT pain-meds per se, they are Anti-inflammatory drugs which must be taken on a regular basis and always after a meal (due to their one side effect for irritating the stomach and gut.) There are also steroid injections which can be a big help and also going to a physical therapist. If you have advanced arthritis and the non-operative treatments have NOT helped , depending on many other factors , you could possibly consider what's called a TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT (an artificial/bionic mechanical hip) . This used to be a full week in the hospital after the surgery; now, we are seeing more and more overnight stays and even some are being done as an out-patient surgery. If you are under 60 yrs old, or take auto-immune drugs , or are diabetic with poor control, or have any other significant vascular/cardiac disease, as well as being obese , these all will knock you off the list to undergo a THR surgery. I hope this helps with your decision making . Mark L Mudano, MD

There has always been non-operative treatment in the form of bracing to help stop the progression of the curve; however, if the curve is a significant number , there are many types of surgery that can be done for a more quicker treatment, although the post-op treatment time is substantial.

First of all , what sort of "disc hernia" do you have ? Is it symptomatic while you are at rest ? Do you have on-going neurologic issues /defects as a result of this "disc hernia"? I would say that going to the gym and doing some light exercises will pose no problem. Would avoid forward torso bending; would stick with the recumbent bicycle which is an excellent thing to do for any low back pain . Remember to stretch at the END of your workout (NOT at the beginning like so many say; at the beginning of any work-out, the thing to do is WARM UP (i.e. walk /light jog on the tread mill; jumping jacks; walking lunges , etc.). This gets the heart pumping and the core temperature up.

What ever your surgeon says ; I allow my patients to drive after any knee surgery as soon as they can do a good strong straight leg raise . Dr. MUDANO

Flag football is often very much a collision sport as real football most definitely is. It sounds like you have irritated the area called scapulothoracic , or "upper back pain" where the shoulder blade is. I would recommend a short course of a anti-inflammatory medication ( Aleve 2
tabs 2X daily after meals [breakfast and dinner] unless you have stomach issues from those pills. Ice packs 2x per day is helpful and you could try some OTC Arnica gel which will help relieve the pain; also scapulo-thoracic exercises and stretches and maybe some sessions with PT (physical therapy) ; Your family doctor can refer or certainly the orthopaedic surgeon (which is my specialty) /a massage therapist can also provide some great suggestions if the simple measures above fail to bring relief.

Hello : I am an orthopaedic surgeon and I specialize in knee injuries and the like; If your event was a very quick and sudden twist injury, and you had alot of swelling inside your knee, and certainly if there was a very localized area that hurt the most, you are likely to have damaged one of the meniscus cartilages inside your knee. The best thing your family did was have you put ice on the knee especially the area of maximum pain, and elevate the knee especially during the first 48 hrs following injury. Next, try taking some Aleve twice daily with FOOD
(on a regular basis for at least 5 days in a row) and try to continue to ice and elevate especially at the end of the day. If after 2 weeks there is no improvement, you should see an orthopedic surgeon.

Labral tears are rather benign and can be a partial “defect” in the labral tissue that surrounds the socket(to make it deeper) .
What was the injury that provoked this ?
And where exactly do you have pain ?
I think your trainer is probably correct.
Dr. Mudano

Do you have an Orthopaedic doctor that you can see? Most wrist fractures can be treated without surgery ( cast or fracture brace) ; majority of these fractures heal in 6 weeks . A simple X-ray is all that’s needed, and they will protect the fetus by covering you with a lead shield. Not to worry as you are in your final trimester for the pregnancy.
For the time being Apply ice and keep the wrist elevated when you are sitting, etc
Dr. Mudano

Yes , more often than not, it will help relieve lumbar back pain and the like.
Dr. MUDANO

Not necessarily; why don’t you ask your surgeon? What sort of surgery are you having? A lot of foot surgery now, we use simple “post-op” shoe.

No.

Joint pain can result from something as simple as a lack of mobility; joints need constant movement for the production of joint fluid. In the absence of trauma, the only cause of joint pain is cartilage loss (arthritis, of which there are several types).

When you say unstable, what exactly do you mean? Any prior knee injuries? The actual mechanism of injury for this recent knee pain? Do not go to a primary doctor unless he has some sports medicine training; go to a good orthopedic surgeon and if he talks down to you or doesn’t explain things to you in simple words, and especially if he does not examine your knee, then get up and leave immediately.

Since you failed to say exactly what your past medical history confirms, it appears you are a wheelchair-bound teenager? Your case is a simple matter of excessive or overuse of the shoulder by virtue of the fact that you are forced to push yourself up since you do not walk on your own. A plain shoulder X-ray is needed to rule out any impingement lesion, which no doubt has occurred; you have to stop all wgt-lifting that involves overhead machines or dumbbells; continue with ice packs for 30 mins each day after working out or before bed; start a short course of daily regular anti inflammatory medication after meals say 7-10 days. Go see a real orthopedic surgeon.

Dr. Mudano

You’re still young. Life is full of pain and suffering, so I think you should probably see your family doctor and ask him what to do.

There are no real indications for “flat foot” surgery .

Too many problems; not an orthopedic issue! You need to see your internist ASAP; with that many different varied complaints, there is something that is affecting the immune system and the endocrine system.

Is it the very tip or distal phalanx that is painful? Are you able to fully extend the long finger? Your diagnosis is a Mallet finger or bony Mallet injury. A simple X-ray at an orthopedic office will easily show which it is. A Stax splint should be applied to the finger so it won’t heal in a droop position.

Dr. Mudano

Without knowing what exactly your low back pain is coming from, the basics after any soft tissue injury is quite simple:

1. Sleep (7-8 hours each night)
2. Ice (not heat!). It is okay to apply moist heat (hot, wet towel) for only 2-3 mins followed by ice pack for 20-30 mins
3. Simple hamstring stretches before bed
4. Short course of an anti-inflammatory drug such as Ibuprofen (800 mg 3x daily with food for 5-7 days) or Naproxen (aleve) 500 mg 2x daily
5. No heavy lifting or overhead work
6. A great exercise to help ease back pain is 10-15 mins on a recumbent cycle

Good luck,

Dr. Mudano

Yes, that is the definition of a “limp”; subconsciously, you can be putting more weight on that side without realizing. Are you overweight? What was your wgt when you graduated from high school? Your weight now? Any old injuries to the left leg/knee? How many minutes do you walk? Do you exercise after you walk? Do you stretch after your walks? These are all things that could affect the feeling you have in the right calf.

Dr. Mudano