OIP Nominated for INTouch Magazine – Excellence Awards
OIP is honored to have been nominated in four categories for this years INTouch Magazine – Excellence Awards.
We appreciate your vote for this years INTouch Excellence Awards and find it a privilege to provide care to the injured workers in South Central PA.
Exceptional Care Comment
Another happy customer at our urgent injury clinic…I have never used an urgent care center – this was exceptional – how health care should be provided. I was moved efficiently from receptionist to registration to x-ray to doctor to fitting with brace. It was a “one stop shopping” that made it all work – not having to go one place for x-ray, another for a doctor, and another for a brace. Also, it was amazing I could see a doctor in such a timely manner – 45 minutes after arrival. Later in the week, I called in for pain medication and the doctor’s secretary made sure to phone me back and get the prescription. ~Happy Orthopedic Injury Clinic Patient~To learn more about the Orthopedic Injury Clinic, please click here.
Jeans for a Cause
Friday, May 30 we will be having a jeans for a cause day. All proceeds collected will go to help the family of Kylie Wallick, a local 3 year old girl battling stage 3 Churg-Strauss Syndrome. This is a terminal disease that causes inflammation of the blood cells. Kylie is currently on a waiting list for both a kidney and liver transplant.
JeansForaCauseKylie
Hi, my name is Kylie and I am 3 years old. Up until recently I have been doing the things every 3 year old child likes to do. I have a little sister and baby brother that I love helping my mommy take care of. It has been getting more difficult for me to do everyday things though. In March I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Churg-Strauss Syndrome. There is no cure for this disease. It is terminal. I still have good days and bad days, but my bad days are not easy to get through. I have pain in my belly, very high fevers, a rash, and I don’t want to eat, etc.Churg-Strauss has 3 stages and I am unfortunately in the last stage. This means that is will be problematic (likely impossible) to put in remission. There is a steroid treatment that has worked for putting the disease in remission. However, those people were in stage 1 or 2, but not the 3rd stage. The waiting list is about 6 months for me to even be seen by a doctor willing to even try the steroid treatment on me, because they are worried of an overdose since I’m so young. I am on a liver and a kidney transplant waiting list, but keep getting bumped to the bottom of the list because other people on the list will be healthy after receiving their transplant and I will continue to be sick. We are still going to attempt the steroid treatment. I am going to have to visit Philadelphia on almost a weekly basis to get these treatments. The money you are donating is going towards my care and possibly if we earn enough my family would like to take me to meet the princesses and Cinderella.
Trampolines and Trampoline Safety
As a kid, I grew up envying my cousins, who lived a few states away and had a trampoline in their backyard. And I was always especially excited to discover that a friend was not only inviting me over to play, but also had a trampoline we could bounce on. And even though my family did have a miniature exercise trampoline (upon which a pair of my father’s shoes could barely fit side-by-side), it was only fun for jumping in place, not letting yourself fall on your back or knees and bouncing upright again. And so, naturally, this article about the dangers of playing or doing tricks on a trampoline is disheartening. But not as disheartening as the reminder that a family-friend fell off her trampoline, becoming paralyzed from the neck down.
The AAOS’s article on trampolines and trampoline safety is an important read for anyone with excitable children or reckless adults who may have access to a trampoline. Trampolining, including individual and synchronized categories, has actually been an Olympic Sport since 2000. Like many sports, Olympic or not, they can be dangerous to perform even with proper training and supervision. And yet, trampolines are not uncommon as backyard playthings for children and even young adults. In order to prevent some of the “hundreds of thousands of trampoline-related injuries” that occur every year, the AAOS has put together this article of recommendations for safe trampoline use for every age and every kind of trampoline. The list includes padded springs and support bars, allowing only one person on a trampoline at a time, restricting children under 6 years of age from trampoline use, and adult supervision and spotting at all times.
Follow the link to read the AAOS’s position statement and see all of their recommendations for the safest trampoline play possible.
How a Warm-Up Routine Can Save Your Knees by Gretchen Reynolds
Summarized by AJ Fenske, 4/24/2014 For anyone who’s torn their A.C.L. or another sports-related knee injury, this article is the one you wish you had read and implemented at the beginning of that fated season. A.C.L. injuries are most common in sports such as football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and even skiing. Players of these sports would benefit the most from neuromuscular training specifically designed to prevent A.C.L. tears. According to Reynolds’s article and the linked video demonstrations, most of the exercises focus on the alignment of leg joints and a straight spine during activities and emphasize warming up of the muscles that control the knees. These muscles, when properly warmed up by the training, will help players move sideways quickly change direction, or land safely in unanticipated ways, such as when a player is knocked over or slips. But Reynolds’s most astounding find is that, where these exercises have been implemented, the number of A.C.L. injuries has been cut in half. With increased awareness, hopefully these simple exercises will be implemented by players, teams, coaches, and schools all across America. According to Reynolds’s sources, one A.C.L. injury,ms related medical costs, including surgery and physical therapy, is close to $15,000!Pain and inconvenience of the injury aside, it seems that this figure would be enough for any parent to petition a coach to use these exercises, or a coach to petition their school board for the trifling extra funds to implement this training. Reynolds’s sources worked out the cost to about $1.25 for each player each year, given that little equipment is needed and much of the instruction is available for free online. But just like any exercise, they must be taught and performed properly in order to not risk injury even during the warm-up. Click through the link to read the full article and watch the sample videos of the exercises, which are provided for free on YouTube and Vimeo by the PEP, or Prevent Injury, Enhance Performance program, and the FIFA 11 Program.Link’sTo see the full article and videos click here.
Happy Easter
OIP will be closed Sunday April 20th. We will be available by phone at 855-OUCH-OIP. Thank you and have a Happy Easter
OIP offers Online Bill Pay Service
The Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania has added online bill pay service for their patients. This service provides a Fast and Secure online bill payment solution. With OIP’s Secure Online Bill Payment Service, you can process payment for your bill online anytime and anywhere you have Internet availability. Have a smartphone or tablet? The OIP Online Bill Payment Service allows you to make payments on the go no matter what electronic device you are on. Visit our Online Bill Pay page for additional information.
OIP Connect Mobile App – Download Today!
The Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania has released their own mobile app called: OIP Connect. OIP Connect is a Mobile App for Apple iDevices and is available for download from the Apple App Store on your iPhone and iPod Touch. Version 1 of the OIP Connect Mobile App includes…One tap to access our 24/7 hotline for emergency orthopedic advice and careAutomatic entry of your appointment on your device’s calendarConfirm or change your appointmentContact the office with one tap (tap-to-call)Locate an OIP Office and tap it to load in the Apple Maps applicationLearn more about OIP Care CentersAccess OIP’s Patient Portal to request refills and email your doctor’s secretaryAnd much more!….Download OIP Connect by visiting the Apple App Store on your favorite iDevice and search for OIP Connect or download it via iTunes at the following URL…Click Here
Smile! Say Cheese for Bone Health!
It’s a welcomed guest melted on broccoli florets. It bubbles over a pizza slice. It bakes perfectly into muffins with a savory twist. Mix it into soups, dips or salads. Get your kids interested by pairing cheese with fruit and crackers. Whip it into mashed potatoes. Or, let it take center stage in mac-and-cheese! Cheese has been long associated with indulgence and, thus, considered something to be avoided, but do anything but! For starters, cheese has…Protein that keeps you full, holding you over until your next meal and snack. It also aids in muscle strength and recovery, making cheese the perfect addition to your post-workout or post-surgery meal.Calcium and Phosphorus are minerals crucial for bone health, preventing fractures and the development of osteoporosis.Zinc is a mineral that boosts your immune system—especially suitable during cold and flu season! Some people worry about the artery clogging, saturated fat and sodium found in full-fat cheese. But, be brave! Adventure into the low-fat and low-sodium varieties. Full-fat-cheese-lovers can bite into the real thing by accenting their dishes with small amounts.To reap all of the healthy benefits, go for consistency: it’s better to eat a little bit a couple times every week than to overindulge in cheese in one sitting. Below, you’ll see various cheeses and their suggested portion sizes. I recommend 3 servings of dairy everyday—whether you choose cheese, milk, yogurt, and other calcium-fortified foods. Hard cheese (like Swiss, cheddar, or Monterey Jack): 1 ½ ounce, the size of four dice Prepackaged or Pre-Sliced Cheese Singles: 2 slices Part Skim Ricotta: 1/3 cup Part Skim Cottage Cheese: 1/2 cup Shredded Cheese: 1/3 cup 1 String Cheese Click the link for a longer listing of dairy sources and correct portion sizes: Click Here Lactose intolerant? Aged cheeses might be your best bet. The cheese-making process and natural aging draws out or breaks down most (if not all) lactose. Stick with aged cheddar, parmesan, Gorgonzola, and Asiago. Colby, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or Swiss have minimal amounts of lactose too. Too, try vegan or lactose-free cheeses which often have less saturated fat. Milk allergy? Stick to vegan cheeses, but always read the ingredients list just in case milk protein sneaks in. Low-Fat cheese, please: Look for packages of “low-fat” or “reduced fat” cottage, ricotta, cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano, Colby, Muenster, provolone, or American cheeses. Without that label, there’s part-skim mozzarella, string cheeses, farmers cheese, and Neufchâtel. Goat cheese, or feta, is lower in fat and has fewer calories than any cow’s milk cheese. Watching your sodium? Salt is a major part of the cheese aging process; softer, younger cheeses require less. Bite into Monterey Jack, ricotta, or Port de Salut that are naturally lower in salt. Go for labels like “low sodium” Colby-Jack, provolone, Muenster, mozzarella or cheddar. Gluten free: This label goes for most cheeses! Be aware of processed cheese or the ones with added flavors. Double check the ingredients to make sure wheat, barley or rye aren’t listed. Pre-shredded versus blocks of cheese: Pre-shredded cheese seems like the perfect answer to a hectic schedule. Just be aware that it contains additives to prevent shreds from caking and sticking together—potato starch, corn starch and powdered cellulose being the most common. Though most of these are harmless, block cheeses don’t contain the additives, can be shredded quickly, melt easier and are actually cheaper! So, remember to say, “Cheese! Please!”
Winter Weather Safety
It’s been a long, cold winter for Mid-Staters and according to Punxatawny Phil, we still have a few more wintry weeks to face. Winter brings a certain austere beauty to the landscape. And with that beauty comes the potential for accidental injury.
If you have made it this far without injury, we are thankful. It is our hope that you remain safe for whatever time is left in this treacherous icy season.
Here are a few safety tips for the remaining weeks of winter weather:
• Wear several layers of warm, breathable clothing to protect from frostbite and hypothermia.
• Snow shoveling can pose a risk to your heart as well as your musculoskeletal system. Make sure you dress warmly and work slowly. Pace yourself and take breaks. Protect your back by pushing the snow with the shovel, rather than lifting and tossing it.
• Many falls occur in winter due to ice. Keep your steps and walkways free from ice. Use a de-icing compound when necessary. Avoid the ice when possible. Strap-on ice cleats can make outdoor activities much safer.
• Snow blowers can pose a serious risk. Never use your hand to unclog snow from the shoot. Snow blower blades are very sharp and are dangerous even when the machine is off.
• When participating in winter sports, remember to:
o Get in shape before attempting new activities.
o Wear a helmet to prevent head injuries when skiing, snowboarding and tubing.
o Make sure equipment (boots and bindings) fit properly.
o Obey the rules of the slope and avoid losing control.
o Avoid loose fitting clothing that can get caught in chair lifts, tow ropes, etc.
o Don’t ski or snowboard alone.