Earlier this summer, a friend of mine herniated a disc in his neck after a bad fall while waterskiing. Around the same time, a Georgia woman made headlines when she was airlifted to the hospital following a tubing accident. This 31-year-old woman suffered major back injuries after her tube hit the wake of a second boat and she fell off the raft. Her story highlights how tubing and Jet Ski accidents can end in back injury. As you say farewell to summer this Labor Day weekend, reduce your family’s risk of injury with these water sports safety tips. Understand …
When our grandparents worked on farms or in factories, every day posed the risk of serious injury. We think we’ve come a long way, but have you considered the harm you could be doing to your body by sitting at a desk for eight or more hours a day? Humans weren’t designed to be sedentary, but today many of us work in situations that require hours of sitting before a computer, being stationary for at least 50% of the day. With all of this sitting, chances are that many of us aren’t maintaining good posture throughout the day, a bad …
Those who love massages rarely need a good excuse to get one—a rainy day on vacation, the celebration of an anniversary, a good deal on Groupon. Massages are a great way to blow off steam and reward oneself with an hour of relaxation. In addition to being a luxury, there are proven health benefits beyond the relief of stress and minor aches. While there are many different types of massages designed to target specific ailments, even the most basic Swedish or deep-tissue massage can improve health by increasing circulation and aid in the healing of injuries. Here are some ways …
Acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, can save the day when you have a headache, muscle pain or a fever. But what about lower back pain? A lot of discussion around acetaminophen’s effectiveness at relieving lower back pain has sparked over the last couple of weeks in response to a study done in Australia: over 1600 patients were chosen at random to treat their lower back pain with acetaminophen as needed, acetaminophen three times daily, or a placebo three times daily. Over the course of the study, doctors didn’t see a strong difference in the recovery times of patients—the average amount …
We’ve been fortunate enough to experience a beautiful summer here in New York without too much weather interruption. However, most veteran New Yorkers know that the heat and humidity in August can be pretty brutal for city dwellers. Today, I’m sharing some quick tips for surviving August and maintaining a healthy lifestyle through Labor Day. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I can’t emphasize enough the importance of drinking water. When you sweat in the summer, you are not only losing water but key nutrients that help your body to function at its highest. I make sure to hydrate throughout the day by …
In the summer months, there are few things children love more than spending a summer afternoon swimming at the pool. Going to the pool is a great way to spend time with your family, get relief from the summer heat, and get some great exercise. However, pools pose a risk of drowning and injury—specifically head and spinal injuries. It is estimated that nine people drown every day in the United States, and drowning is the leading cause of accidental injury-related death for children between the ages of 1 and 4. Furthermore, each year approximately 800 Americans are permanently paralyzed from …
With nearly 80 percent of the general population experiencing back pain at some point in their lives, it is important for patients to understand the source of their discomfort in order to expedite relief. Herniated discs—sometimes referred to as slipped or ruptured discs—are one of the more serious causes of lower back pain. Herniated discs can lead to severe pain, and even to numbness and weakness in the legs, if left untreated. Today, I will further explain the root causes of the pain associated with herniated discs, common symptoms, and a few simple treatment options. What is a herniated disc? …
While Americans celebrated the 4th of July with fireworks and barbeques, Brazilians were on the edge of their seats during their team’s World Cup match against Colombia. Though Brazil won the match 2-1, the team was faced with the tough loss of their star striker Neymar de Silva Santos Junior, more commonly known simply as Neymar, who was carried off the field on stretcher during the second half of the game. Nearly 88 minutes into the game, Neymar was brought to the ground by a knee to the back from Colombian defender, Juan Zuniga. There are conflicting reports out of …
A few years back, I met an inspiring young patient named Manuel Rivas. He was a determined young man, but his advanced scoliosis was holding him back from fully participating in all of the activities he loved. He recently came back into my office and shared his incredible plans to join the Marines this year. I was so taken by his bravery and recovery that I wanted to share his story with you today. As a kid, Manny was incredibly active and loved playing baseball with his friends. However, around the age of 13, he began experiencing severe pain that …
In a prior post, I addressed the risk surrounding all-terrain vehicles, otherwise known as ATVs. These recreational vehicles are often known to flip over and can cause spinal injury from impact, as well as other injuries including suffocation from the weight of the vehicle. ATV’s can weigh over 500 pounds. In the prior blog post I discussed the danger children and adolescents face when riding these motorized vehicles, but it is important to recognize that there is a high risk of injury for ATV riders of all ages. Earlier this month, six-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen was thrown …
