Sports Medicine

3-D Printing in Spinal Surgery

In spinal surgery, advancements in technology and medicine have given doctors new ways to combat conditions affecting the human body. Minimally invasive procedures use small incision for less complex procedures; in robotics, surgeons use robotic arms to carry out a minimally invasive procedures with potentially more accuracy. So what about 3-D printing? Technically, it’s been around since the 1980s, but hasn’t been used in medicine until recent years. Commonly used to support or replace body parts that don’t enter the bloodstream, 3-D printing has the ability to fabricate prosthetic limbs, layer by layer, from the ground up. What is 3-D printing? What is 3-D printing? In medicine, 3-D printing, also referred as additive manufacturing, is the process of using plastic or metal gel to shape a replacement body part based on a patient’s MRI or CT scan. 3-D printing is allowing prosthetics to be produced and personalized in complex shapes including hands and fingers. No longer will these devices cost thousands of dollars, removing much of the financial burden patients and their families may face. “If a parent wanted to purchase a 3-D printer of their own and produce hands for their own child, the cost of the printer and

January 27, 2015

Massages Aren’t Just For Pampering

The holidays are just around the corner! If you’re thinking of purchasing massage gift certificates to pamper your loved ones – a particularly nice stress reliever, especially during the manic month of December – you should also know that the medical community recognizes certain massages as a credible treatment for many types of back pain. Massages are specifically known for helping muscle strain in the lower back, upper back, and neck; osteoarthritis of the spine; and fibromyalgia. There are several theories about how massage works to relieve pain and tension. One theory is that it triggers the release of the pain-relieving substances called endorphins into the brain. Other theories suggest that massage therapy stimulates the nervous system in ways that relieve pain.

December 10, 2014

Tony Romo Injured: Understanding Transverse Process Fractures

Football season is still young, and already all eyes are on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The star player sustained his third back injury in 18 months during an October 27 game against the Washington Redskins, causing him to have to sit out the November 2 game versus the Arizona Cardinals. Romo is no stranger to pain or back injuries. Last April he underwent surgery to remove a cyst on his back. Just eight months later, he suffered a herniated disc and underwent a second surgery. This most recent injury is what’s called a transverse process fracture—two of them, to be exact. Romo is known for playing through a tremendous amount of pain—he famously led his team to a win in a 2011 game with a cracked rib and punctured lung—but Brandon Weedon took his place in the November 2 game. The transverse process is a small wing-shaped bone that sticks out on either side of the vertebrae. Fractures are often caused by an intense, concentrated impact, and the blow that took Romo out of the game was certainly powerful: he quarterback was hit by a knee in his lumbar spine, the same area where he’d had surgery. Of course,

November 11, 2014

Now What? Post-Marathon Recovery

This past weekend, over 50,000 runners participated in the New York City Marathon, the largest race in the world. Months of rigorous training went into those 26.2 miles, but what happens after you cross the finish line is just as important when it comes to preparing for your next race. You may feel ready to take on the world after your marathon, but your body needs a break. You’ve likely iced your joints and muscles immediately after the race, but be sure to wait a few days before any sort of major heat. A session in the sauna or a hot tub will relax muscles, but adding heat too soon after the race will further inflame them. Instead, take a break and schedule a massage. These activities bring blood flow to areas that need repairing. Don’t get right back to running. In the first week post-marathon, focus on stretching and low-impact cross-training activities, like easy bike rides, or walking. Swimming is especially easy on the back. Gentle yoga poses such as child’s pose are great for helping muscles heal. Then, try an easy 30-minute run at the end of the week to gauge how your body is feeling. If, at

November 4, 2014

Cheerleading Injuries

Can you guess what sport causes the most injuries in young women? The answer may surprise you: it’s cheerleading, specifically the competitive side of the sport — which has accounted for more than 70 percent of catastrophic injuries in women’s college sports over the past 20 years. According to the Orthopedics Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado, the most common cheerleading injuries in young women are: Strains and sprains of the neck, lower back, knee, and wrist Back injuries, including pain and stress fractures to the vertebra Concussions and other head injuries Cheerleading, though considered a competitive sport by colleges and schools all over the country, is not recognized by the NCAA and does not have enforced safety regulations. Several groups have emerged over the years to regulate the sport and provide guidance to cheerleaders, coaches, parents, and schools, including the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators and the National Council for Spirit Safety and Education. Interestingly, cheerleading injuries tend to be even more severe than other sports injuries. It’s important to take safety precautions, starting by training with a certified coach: Enforce supervision at all times during stunt routines Perform resistance exercises to gain strength in the lower back, stomach

October 1, 2013

Tiger Woods’ Back Pain

Tiger Woods was in his final round at The Barclays, undoubtedly within distance of the lead, when he dropped in pain to the green. The moment of gripping pain followed his second shot on the par-5 13th, and onlookers wondered if he would even be able to finish the back nine. The pro-golfer gingerly finished The Barclays, resulting in a tie for second place. Whether Tiger could have forced a play-off without his lowerback pain (LBP) is a question unknown, but he will not risk further injury by playing a previously scheduled philanthropic golf event before the second round of the FedEx Cup playoff tournament. What caught my attention is that Woods deemed traveling and sleeping in soft hotel beds as the culprit of his back spasms, versus playing the sport for years professionally. It is true that you may be able to prevent back pain by investing in a medium-firm mattress, as illustrated by a Spanish study in The Lancet. However, one of the most common golf injuries is low back pain, typically due to muscle strains and sprains, or disk related injury. This is because the rotational twisting force during the golf swing can put excess strain on

September 3, 2013

Football Helmet Safety

There is a warning label on the Riddell sports website, the nation’s largest manufacturer of football helmets, and official supplier to the NFL that reads; No helmet can prevent serious head or neck injuries a player might receive while participating in football. Do not use this helmet to butt, ram or spear an opposing player. This is in violation of the football rules and such use can result in severe head or neck injuries, paralysis and death to you and possible injury to an opponent. There is no sugar coating here. Football is a contact sport, and the number of serious injuries is alarmingly high. In the 1990’s, almost five times as many football players were sent to hospitals for neck injuries when compared to soccer and ice hockey players combined. In fact, only 6 of 32 NFL teams are entering the 2013-2014 season with no injuries to report. This number is simply astounding. The Riddell warning goes on to elaborate that symptoms may include things like loss of memory, loss of consciousness, and dizziness. Despite the warning, NFL players continue to step onto the field wearing one of their helmets, because they are simply the best option. At the same time

August 21, 2013

Rob Gronkowski for Lower Back Disc Injury

Recently, it was confirmed that New England Patriot tight end Rob Gronkowski will undergo surgery this June to repair a lower back disc injury, which has been troubling him since November of last year. Unfortunately, this is not the first or the last time we will see this type of headline in the news, as the rate of sports-related injuries continues to rise. Gronkowski is no stranger to surgery. In 2009, the two-time Pro Bowler missed his entire junior season at the University of Arizona, due to a similar, though unrelated, disc injury. Following the 2011-12 season, Gronkowski had surgery for strained ligaments in his ankle. Most recently, he underwent four surgeries in the past seven months on his left arm, which he broke last November and reinjured in December. His latest injury highlights the significant injury rate sustained by professional football players. Head trauma and spinal conditions are becoming increasingly more common, and only now are we beginning to understand the long term effects of injuries suffered more than 20 or even 30 years ago. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 920,000 people 18 and under were treated for football-related injuries in hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices

June 4, 2013

All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Spinal Injuries on the Rise in Children and Adolescents

Emergency room visits, specifically spinal cord injuries, are becoming increasingly prevalent amongst children and adolescents. Unfortunately, this increase is occurring from those who use all-terrain vehicles, otherwise known as ATVs. For those of you who are unfamiliar, ATVs are 3 or 4-wheeled motorized vehicles that weigh up to 800 pounds and are popularly used for recreation. Although ATVs are not common on the streets of Manhattan, I am very familiar with the damage they create. There are thousands of ATV-related injuries amongst children and adolescents each year and reports of children as young as eight being treated for an ATV-related injury in an emergency room. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that there are approximately 2.2 million ATV riders under the age of 16. Countless medical organizations and physicians including myself have recommended that ATVs not be operated by anyone under the age of 16, but legally there is no way to prohibit usage. ATVs have a tendency to flip, making it especially easy for children to sustain spinal fractures from the impact. A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics reinforces their danger, “The injury rate for children from ATV accidents has increased 240% since 1997” and

April 9, 2013

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