Osteoarthritis, often referred to as “arthritis,” is a painful disease that affects your joints. Most common in older people, arthritis can make walking up and down the stairs, opening doors, and other everyday activities difficult. Arthritis occurs when the cartilage of your joints breaks down, allowing your bones to rub together and cause both damage and pain.
Although there is no cure for arthritis, there are many ways to manage your symptoms and make it easier to go about your normal activities. Treatment options may include medicine, heat and cold therapy, exercise, or surgery. Here’s a guide to help you decide how to best manage your osteoarthritis.
Seek Osteoarthritis Treatment Today!
Dr. LD Jennings is an expertly trained orthopedic surgeon with extensive experience diagnosing and treating patients throughout the Carrollton, Texas area for osteoarthritis. Call (972) 394-0118 for an appointment at our orthopedic surgery office today!
You tweaked your knee riding your bike and after applying ice for several days, it doesn’t feel much better. Maybe you want to improve your overall fitness level, but are experiencing injuries that sideline you. Are you experiencing the same injuries over and over again? If so, it may be time for a sports medicine visit.
Who Are Sports Medicine Physicians?
Sports medicine is a specialty within orthopedics which treats the musculoskeletal system including joints, tendons, muscles, and ligaments. The sport medicine physician originally focused on specialized care for athletes both professional and collegiate.
Today it is a wider specialty for more people. It combines both preventative and treatment based medicine and involves non-surgical treatment methods.
The Role Of Dr Jennings
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to schedule a sports medicine visit!
The role of your sports medicine physician includes the following:
To diagnose and treat sports related injuries
To evaluate and review a patient’s condition
To treat pain
To create a personal treatment and rehab plan
To engage in preventative care and reduce the chances of repetitive injury
To recommend therapeutics
Reasons To Schedule A Sports Medicine Visit
If you engage in sports, exercise, or a profession which requires physical discipline, you have many reasons to schedule a sports medicine visit. Consider the following reasons why you should make an appointment with Dr. Jennings.
You Keep Re-injuring Yourself
Some injuries become chronic, so to avoid having them recur, a sports medicine physician can address any overuse or repetitive motion problems you may be experiencing. Not only will your doctor facilitate your rehabilitation, but will set a preventative program to avert re-injury.
You Suffered An Acute Injury
An acute injury is one that happens after a fall or some muscle strain that you feel in an instant. Once you know you are injured, it is important to see a sports doctor right away.
You Want To Avoid Future Injuries
You understand how an injury can interfere with your life and occupation, and how long it can take to return to everyday activities. A sports medicine physician can show you exactly how to avoid repeating that injury by educating you to prepare for particular activities and help you to reduce the risk of injury.
In addition, they can help you focus on strengthening specific areas of your body that are vulnerable. This will aid in stabilizing and protecting the area.
If you have severe pain in your shoulder from osteoarthritis, you may be wondering about shoulder replacement surgery. Although many people can manage their pain with medicine, exercise, and other treatments, surgery may be an option if your pain is very bad and your arm and shoulder movements are limited.
Shoulder replacement surgery should help ease your arthritis pain, but you won’t be able to move your shoulder as far as before you started to have shoulder problems. Before making a decision about surgery, it’s important to understand your options, the risks and benefits of those options, and what matters to you. Use this interactive tool to help you weigh the options, determine your preferences, and have an informed conversation with your doctor.
Your shoulder is a joint used for many activities. Try doing almost anything without moving your shoulder — getting in or out of your car, driving the car, doing chores, or even eating dinner. That’s why we should all learn about shoulder pain: common causes and treatments.