Halloween Safety Tips for Trick or Treating

The air is feeling (slightly) cooler, bags of candy line the supermarket shelves, and pumpkin patches are getting busy. This can only mean one thing: Halloween is here! So in the spirit of celebration, here are some safety tips for your family to have a great time trick or treating this year.

• Don't let kids go trick or treating alone. Have them walk in groups or with a trusted adult. 
• Kids should only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat. 
• A good meal prior to trick or treating will discourage kids from filling up on Halloween candy. 
• Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft and flexible. 
• Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation. 
• Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
• Remind drivers to watch our for trick or treaters and to drive safely. 
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don't run, across the street.

Have a Happy Halloween! Keep up with Texas Orthopedics  news by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic). 

Does a Large Bust Size Cause Back Pain?

Millions of women suffer from back and shoulder pain. Could the cause be larger breasts?

While your back and shoulder pain could be attributed to a larger bust size, it's more likely that there is another underlying cause. Here are three possible sources for your pain.

Extra Pounds
Is your larger bust size a cause of being overweight? Extra body weight can cause stress to your body including your back and shoulders. Try incorporating exercise into your daily routine such as back stretches and core strength training to alleviate the pain.

Chronic Poor Posture
Being hunched over at your computer or phone all day is bad news for your back and shoulders and may be a main source of your pain. And the weight of your breasts may be exacerbating the stress on your back. What can you do? Don't stay seated for long periods of time. Take frequent short breaks to get up and walk around.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease among older women. As osteoporosis progresses, you may experience bone tenderness or pain, particularly in your neck or lower back. Risk factors include a family history of the disease, poor diet lacking in calcium, smoking, being inactive, certain medications, and lower body weight. If you think you might be at risk, make an appointment with a doctor.

If you're still experiencing pain, consult with a doctor to find out about your options.

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

Link Between Knee Problems, Arthritis and Knee Replacement

Did you know that the knee is the most commonly injured joint in the body? It makes sense when you think about what the knee does - it supports the weight of your body and facilitates movement and walking. So, when it's damaged, you experience symptoms such as moderate to severe pain, the inability to put weight on your knee, stiffness, instability, and swelling.

A variety of factors cause knee problems from sports injury, aging, wear and tear, accidents, and disease. The most common disease of the knee joint is arthritis.

To learn more about non-surgical arthritis treatment options as well as total knee replacement surgery check out our Arthritis Camp on November 6th! The event takes place the first Thursday of every month, refreshments are served, and best of all - the event is completely FREE!

3 Types of Arthritis that Cause Knee Problems

• Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting about 21 million Americans. It tends to develop as people age and results from overuse of a joint. 
• Post-Traumatic arthritis can develop in individuals of all ages after a serious knee injury such as a fracture or severe torn ligaments. 
• Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types of arthritis and can affect people of all ages, but most frequently occurs in women over 30 years old.

When the treatment for your knee problems isn't successful in relieving pain, a partial or total knee replacement surgery may be the optimal solution.

Total Knee Replacement Surgery

For many people with arthritis, total knee replacement is the only way to reduce pain, restore function, and improve the quality of life. The surgery involves removing the damaged portion of the knee and replacing it with artificial implants called prosthetics.

Partial Knee Replacement Surgery

Partial knee replacement is a good option for patients who have arthritis in one part of the knee or section of the knee joint. During the surgery, your doctor will remove only the bone and tissue that needs to be taken out and replace it with a prosthetic. The rest of the healthy tissue and bone is left alone.

If you're still experiencing pain, consult with a doctor to find out about your options.

Texas Stars Ready to Face Off This Season

While baseball is coming to an end and football is halfway through the year, there's good news ahead for sports fans.... hockey is just gearing up.

The Texas Stars are playing their first games of the season this month. Physicians from Texas Orthopedics will be assisting this season as the Star's official sports medicine providers. Check out their profiles on our website to learn more about each doctor.

Christopher Danney, MD

Brian Hardy, MD

Bradley Adams, DO

Robert Foster, MD

J. Brannan Smoot, MD

Tyler Goldberg, MD

Marc DeHart, MD

Come out to a game this season and watch the Texas Stars in action.

Weighing In On Barefoot Running Debate

The debate about barefoot running is a complicated issue. It has its fans and foes and neither is completely in the right. Regardless of your decision, if you are thinking about barefoot running, to do

it correctly and prevent injury, the first thing you need to do is consult with a doctor.

Here are some other things to think about before you make the switch to minimalist footwear.

1. Why do you want to run barefoot?
   Are you looking for a solution to a chronic injury or simply love the idea of running without shoes? Maybe you're simply bored with your current running shoes. Think about your motivations before you jump on the bandwagon. There may be other less risky solutions.
    
2. What level of runner are you?
   Are you just starting out running? Or, are you a seasoned veteran? Barefoot running is not a good starting choice for new runners. Your body isn't ready for the extra stress, and running barefoot will only increase your risk of injury.
3. What kind of pains do you think running barefoot will solve?
   Part of the reason people choose to run barefoot or wear minimalist footwear is because they think it will eliminate pain. If this is your motivation, consult your doctor because the problem most likely isn't your shoes. Your pain could be rooted in your gait, joint flexibility, or other orthopedic issue. 

Still unsure about barefoot running? Book an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists to discuss the benefits and risks.

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

Is Your Purse Weighing You Down? 3 Tips to Relieve Your Pain

In a previous blog post, we discussed aches and pains caused by kids' heavy backpacks. But, did you know that your purse can also be a culprit for shoulder and back pain?

All those "essential" items you have stored in your purse - keys, wallet, phone, make-up, receipts, snacks, glasses, etc - are weighing you down in a bad way.

The combination of extra weight and how your purse is carried can lead to all kinds of problems, including stiff muscles, back pain, arthritis, headaches, asymmetrical muscles, or nerve trauma. To combat this "purse pain", here are 3 quick tips that will help.

1. Switch things up
   Not only is it a good idea to switch up how you carry your purse, it's a fantastic excuse to go buy some new ones! Keep a small clutch for quick errands, a light handbag for going out, and a cross-body purse for all day use. Make sure you switch up how you're carrying each bag to lighten the load. 
2. Empty it out
   You don't need three bottles of lotion. Make a point to empty out the contents of your purse and go through them more often so that you only keep essentials - and not 10 used gift cards.
3. Get rid of key chains
   Just because your third cousin on your mother's side bought you a key chain does not mean you need to have it on your person every day. The best thing for your purse (and your car too!) is to rid of all the key chains and just carry what's absolutely necessary.
   

4 Easy Back Stretches to Relieve Aches and Pains

Remember how at ten years old you would go outside, play all day long on Saturday then get up and do it all over again the next day without missing a step? Trying this as an adult usually includes a lot of moaning about aches and pains. 

As adults we spend most of the day crouched over in a chair staring at a computer. Because of this, when you do get out and do some physical activity, your body doesn't bounce back like it used to. 

To relieve these aches and pains, here are 4 daily back stretches to help make you feel young again. 

1. Knees-to-Chest Stretch

While lying on your back, pull both knees up to your chest while simultaneously flexing your head forward until a comfortable stretch is felt in a balled-up position. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, and then return to your starting position.

2. Trunk Rotation Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keeping your shoulders firmly on the floor, roll your bent knees to one side. Hold for five to 10 seconds, and return to the starting position. Then repeat the exercise on the opposite side.

3. Hamstring Muscle Stretch

Lie on your back and grasp your left leg behind the knee. Raise your leg up to 90 degrees with your knee bent. Attempt to straighten your knee with your toes pointed back toward you. Repeat this exercise with your right leg.

4. Arm Cross Stretch

Extend one arm out straight in front of you. With the other hand, grab the elbow of the outstretched arm and pull it across your chest, stretching your shoulder and upper back muscles. Hold and then release. Repeat with your other arm.

And if you have a foam roller, read one of our previous blogs for additional stretches you can do. Keep up with Texas Orthopedics news by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@TexasOrthopedic).

Physician Assistants: Your Doctor's Secret Weapon

It's National Physician Assistants (PA) Week! And in celebration, it's time we let the cat out of the bag about something - our physician assistants (and all of our extenders) are our secret weapon. They're an essential part of the team here at Texas Orthopedics. In fact, in a previous blog post we described in detail everything you need to know about our physician assistants and extenders.

To all the fantastic PAs here at Texas Orthopedics and all over the country, we just want to say THANK YOU!

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

A Letter of Thanks During National Physical Therapy Month

October is National Physical Therapy Month. This is the time of year when we raise awareness about the important role physical therapists play in helping to reduce aches and pains and get people back to what they love most.

Yet, the work they do is year round. The truth is... we LOVE our physical therapist. It's because of the great work they do that we've been able to get to feeling ourselves again.

So, thank you this month and every month.

Sincerely, 

The Joints, Muscles and Bodies of Thousands of Central Texans