Check out our December Newsletter by clicking on the following link:
December Newsletter
Dr. Ruhlman and his family are leaving for Kenya this Christmas Eve!
Dr. Ruhlman and his family are leaving for Kenya this Christmas Eve. Dr. Ruhlman served at Tenwick Hospital in Bomet, Kenya last year and he is doing it again. According to Dr. Ruhlman, “The country was quite beautiful and the people are very generous and accommodating. Just about a 4-hour drive out of Nairobi, Tenwick Hospital is a rural 300- bed hospital serving a very large under served area. The hospital employs over 500 local kenyan workers and has significant international support. World Medical Mission supports the hospital with logistics and helping volunteers travel to Tenwick and that is how I got involved to help with their Orthopedic Surgical load.”
Last year, Dr. Ruhlman performed 3-5 surgeries per day working with the resident and attending surgeons and helped teach them techniques that he uses in his practice.
What a great way to pay it forward Dr. Ruhlman! Kudos to you and Happy Holidays to you and your family while you will be in Kenya!
Your Handbag could be the Cause of Shoulder Pain, a Stiff Neck and Back Pain
The holiday rush to get all your shopping done means being pretty efficient of how you want them packed and carried out of a store. Enter your handbag, big, bulky and up to the task. Unfortunately, that bag, if filled to capacity, will probably give you a sore shoulder, stiff neck and quite possibly back pain.The frenzy of the holiday season and your busy lifestyle warrants that you talk on your cell phone in one hand and carry that big, bulky purse on the other hand is actually intensifying a big problem; you are unevenly distributing weight on one side of your body.
What Can Be Done to Minimize the Damage?
Instead of carrying your bag on the same side, switch back and forth, or carry the bag in front of you. Understandably, it doesn’t look glamorous, but at the end of heavy shopping day, you can prevent your shoulders from aching. The prolonged effect of constantly carrying a heavy bag is like a strenuous workout; you overtax the muscles and induce joint pain if your bag is too heavy. By maintaining the correct form of carrying your bag and keeping the bulk of your purse toward the center of your body, it will help alleviate shoulder and neck pain.
Just remember these helpful tips:
1) A bigger bag doesn’t mean you have to fill it. Keep things to a minimum – a weight of no more than 5-8lbs is recommended.
2) Swap shoulders – this takes some getting used to but it is possible.
3) The wider the shoulder strap, the better the dispersal of weight.
4) Think about the material of the jacket you are wearing; slippery fabric will cause you to hunch your shoulder even more.
5) Watch your posture: are you leaning to one side to help balance the weight?
6) Stretch your neck and shoulder muscles.
According to Dr. Shapiro, “To protect your shoulders from an overuse injury like bursitis, don’t carry a heavy load of bags on one arm. It is best to switch shoulders or carry an even load of bags to distribute the weight safely.” If you are experiencing neck, hand, shoulder or back pain, call Orthopedic Specialists and make an appointment with one of our expert, orthopedic doctors at (206) 633-8100.
Left Hip Injury knocks Olympic Gold Medalist, Evan Lysacek out of Sochi Olympics
USA Today reported that Evan Lysacek, U.S.’ Olympic gold medal winner in men’s figure skating pulled out of the Sochi Games in 2014 due to a torn labrum in his left hip.
The report states, “After a series of serious injuries, including a torn labrum in his left hip, 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek ended his dream of competing in his third Games on Tuesday. Lysacek said the pain in recent months was excruciating. If he continued training, he would risk serious and permanent damage, his doctors told him. “With a warning like that, I felt I had no choice,” Lysacek said.
Figure skating is a very physical sport, with hips and knees greatly affected.Other notable Olympians like Kimmie Meissner, Tara Lapinski and even Michelle Kwan have suffered through orthopedic injuries and sometimes ending their careers. Another Olympian, Brian Boitano was also quoted in the article stating,“Skaters are leaving the sport and getting hip and knee replacements. There are a lot more serious injuries compared to when I competed. It’s sad. We’re losing a lot of young skaters.”
A hip labral tear involves the ring of soft elastic tissue, called the labrum that follows the outside rim of the socket of your hip joint. The labrum acts like a socket to hold the ball at the top of your thighbone (femur) in place. Athletes who participate in such sports as ice hockey, soccer, football, golf and ballet are at higher risk of developing a hip labral tear. Structural abnormalities of the hip also can lead to a hip labral tear.
Symptoms include hip pain or a “catching” sensation in your hip joint. Initial treatment may include pain relievers and physical therapy. Using arthroscopic techniques, surgeons can remove loose fragments from within the joint and trim or repair the hip labral tear.Dr. Downer said the following of Evan’s injury, “I hope that this is not more than an isolated incident. Additional injury will have a negative impact on a successful recovery.”
If you would like more information on hip or knee replacements, call Orthopedic Specialists and make an appointment with one of our expert, orthopedic doctors at (206) 633-8100.
Dr. Ruhlman Finishes the California International Marathon (CIM)
Congratulations Dr. Ruhlman for completing the 2013 California International Marathon in Sacramento, CA on December 8, 2013!
According to the CIM’s web site, “The CIM was founded in 1983 by the Sacramento Running Association to bring a world-class running event to the Sacramento area. The same course developed then provides runners with a very fast, point-to-point, net-downhill marathon.
Tracing a historic route used by the gold miners during the 1849 Gold Rush, it begins at the Folsom Dam,passes through semi-rural suburbs into bustling midtown Sacrament, and has a spectacular finish in front of the California State Capitol. The CIM’s 26-mile, 385-yard distance is certified and sanctioned by USATF (#CA07004RS),and therefore is a Boston Marathon qualifier and an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier. It is frequently a regional or national USATF Championship event as well.”
In Dr. Ruhlman’s words about the race, “”Great race, great people and a well organized race. The conditions and the distance pushed my limits as always, but it was really rewarding to cross the finish line.”Dr. Ruhlman’s official time for completing the marathon was 03:16:25!Congratulations Dr. Ruhlman and way to go!
