Sunday, March 19, 2017

Skiing, Basketball & Football ACL Knee Injuries



Skiing, Basketball & Football ACL Knee Injuries

“Winter marks the time of year we hear many complaints from active recreational skiers as well as competitive skiers who are experiencing knee problems such as pain, swelling and instability associated with mild sprains and strains as well as injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL),” shared Daniel Southern, M.D., Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Physician in Wilton, Connecticut.

The ACL is often sprained, strained or torn from the hard “start/stop-plant & pivot” movements on the basketball court or football field and bad falls on the slopes. The ACL is the main stabilizer of the knee in forward and backward motion. Significant instability in the ACL risks the development of secondary knee damage. Active adults involved in sports or jobs that require pivoting, turning or hard-cutting need to consider how to deal with ACL problems in a way that allows relief of symptoms along with restoration of mobility and stability.

The surgical solution to an ACL tear is to replace it with a graft tendon from another area of the body. The problem is that the repair goes in at too steep an angle and cannot replicate the stabilizing ability of the original ligament. The microinstability with the replacement results in high re-tear rates with athletes being up to 6 times more likely to re-tear the same or opposite ligament. Additionally, recovery from replacement ACL surgery can take up to 6 months or longer.

For patients with even a few strands of intact ACL, the regenerative medicine treatment consists of the insertion of a fine needle into the ligament and injection of the patient’s own bone marrow containing stem cells mixed with platelet growth factors. Rehabilitation of the knee begins within a few weeks and recovery with return to activities can be as little as half that of surgery while retaining the full stabilizing ability of the native ligament.

While ACL surgery might seem like the only alternative, the regenerative orthopedic medicine approach of using stem cell treatment can provide a sound alternative to restoring knee function and stability. In addition to tears, stem cell injections are also common for knee ligamentous sprains and strains and can significantly reduce down time associated with recovery.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To get help for ACL knee injuries or learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells (SC), platelet rich plasma (PRP) or alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD

Monday, March 6, 2017

Who Can Benefit from Regenerative Orthopedics?

Who Can Benefit from Regenerative Orthopedics?

“Anyone who experiences the pain, loss of range of motion or the disability of orthopedic injury or arthritis should consider regenerative orthopedic medicine options,” commented Daniel Southern, M.D., a Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Physician in Fairfield County, Connecticut. “Stem cell treatment can provide a minimally invasive alternative to surgery to allow you to return to normal daily activities, a fit and active lifestyle and work responsibilities more quickly.”

Regenerative Orthopedics fills the gap in treatment of musculoskeletal injuries between non-operative care and surgery. Regenerative orthopedic injections of stem cells and platelet rich plasma can facilitate and quicken healing and recovery from sports related joint and soft tissue injuries. Any patient who has not responded to therapy, time, relative rest, and steroid injections is an ideal candidate for regenerative treatment. Patients with nagging, chronic injuries that limit function and prevent full participation in workout or athletic activities are also ideal candidates. Patients who have suffered strains such as to ligaments of the knee or shoulder and who wish to speed recovery time and ensure robust repair of damaged tissues should consider regenerative orthopedic injections.

Maybe your doctor has recommended surgery but you are not ready or willing to consider surgery. Regenerative orthopedic treatment, if appropriate, may be tried as an alternative. They are safe, relatively painless, and do not cause any further damage to tissues. In the best case, regenerative treatment provides an alternative to surgery that makes surgery unnecessary

The more common sports injuries we can offer help for include sprained ankles, groin pulls, hamstring strains, knee ligament sprains or meniscal tears, shoulder rotator cuff tears, throwers’ elbow, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and tennis elbow. We treat chronic arthritic joint pain and even advanced arthritic disease can be managed with regenerative procedures. But even if the joint pain is new, patients do not have to despair that this means spending the rest of their lives with nagging pain limiting participation in activities they enjoy. Regenerative procedures can restore joint health allowing return to full activities with minimal or no pain.

Stem cell treatments are not simply a “last resort” for those considering invasive surgery or joint replacement but rather an option to explore if you need quick healing and recovery to get you back to sports, athletic or work activities without the painful rehabilitation and long period of restricted activity that comes with surgery.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To learn more about who can benefit from Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells (SC), platelet rich plasma (PRP) or alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, or www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.