Tag Archives: orthopedic

TEAM USA COMEBACK ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: Katie Bell

During the countdown to the 2012 London Olympics AOC is going to spotlight some USA Team members who were able to recover from an injury and fulfill their dreams of making the team. At AOC we applaud and love it when an athlete has a real COMEBACK RECOVERY and PERFORMANCE and is able to return to their passion.

The Olympics have been Katie Bell’s goal since she was younger, but injuries almost derailed that dream. At the Big Ten championships in Minnesota her freshman year, she mistimed a dive. She punctured a lung, separated chest cartilage and popped ribs out of place, though the full extent of the injury took two years to diagnose. Bell continued to battle injuries. She suffered a torn labrum in her shoulder two years ago, possibly because she was overcompensating from the previous injury.

“At that point, I didn’t even know if I was going to keep diving or not,” Bell said. “When I decided to keep diving, I set my mind on going to the Olympics. I worked so hard every year.”

To overcome her sports injury she saw many doctors, athletic trainers and a psychologist to heal her body and mind to get back to competitive diving. Last month after years of surgery, rehabilitation and hard work, Katie had a stellar COMEBACK PERFORMANCE and reached her dream of making the US Olympic Diving Team.

Keep up with Katie in this year’s London Olympics.

You can follow her on twitter at @HippieBell and we will keep you updated on our blog and Facebook page.

(info via www.dispatch.com)

Click here for more information on Katie Bell.

Click here to see more about Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic

LIKE AOC on Facebook

Follow AOC on twitter

 

Why Your Orthopaedic Physician Cares About What You Eat

 

Portrait of a pretty young girl enjoying a swim on a hot day looking at you

Orthopaedic Surgeons do more than fix broken bones. We also help people decrease the aches and pains that are part of life.  We know that what you EAT has a big effect on how you feel.

Overeating and obesity have the obvious effect of adding stress to joints resulting in arthritis and pain at an early age. The rate of obesity has more than doubled since 1980. Poor diets and obesity are also linked to Type II Diabetes. Diabetes results in damage to both nerves and blood vessels. This damage not only can be painful, but also hinders the body’s ability to heal and can even result in amputations or other painful disabilities.

Various foods have different effects on the body. Some help decrease inflammation and pain. Some can help us to metabolize fat and lose weight.

As Orthopaedic Surgeons, we see the problems that result from bad eating habits. We realize that most people don’t know enough about what makes up a healthy diet. We also know that this is not our area of expertise. That is why we are happy to partner with The Delicious Dietitian. Since 2011, they have offered a FREE Wellness program for our patients.

To see how proper nutrition can Take A Bite Out Of Arthritis, join us at our July 10th wellness program nutrition seminar.

At the Delicious Dietician, they teach people about healthy foods and portions. They can help with proper diets for individual health problems. They can also teach you how to buy the best foods on a budget.

Healthy eating is a choice that impacts how we feel for the rest of our lives.  At AOC, we know that healthy people are more productive. We encourage our employees to improve their health and happiness by working with The Delicious Dietician.

 

LIKE AOC on Facebook

 

“Just” A Headache? Maybe Not.

Concussions: “When in doubt, sit them out.”

An estimated 300,000 sports-related traumatic brain injuries occur in the United States each year. 63,000 of these injuries occur at the high school level. Football causes 63% of these injuries, and girls’ soccer is the second leading cause. Most of these types of head injuries recover within a week, but some can take a month or longer to recover. However, unfortunately, there are still approximately 900 deaths a year from sports-related traumatic brain injuries (concussions).

So, what can be done to decrease these numbers? Makes sure athletes, coaches, and parents know the signs and symptoms of concussion. Athletes should be encouraged to speak with someone (teammate, parents, coaches or healthcare professional, etc.) if they “don’t feel right” after a hard hit to the head. If at all possible, make sure your school has a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) present at games and practices. ATCs are trained to recognize, evaluate, and treat athletes who show signs and symptoms of concussions. They work closely with the team physician to get athletes the care they need quickly and to keep them safe. They will also work with the treating and/or team physician, coaches, parents and athlete to transition them back into the game once their symptoms have resolved and have been cleared by the physician. If your school does not have an ATC, make sure the coaches follow the general guideline, “When in doubt, sit them out.”

March is Alabama Brain Injury Awareness Month and National Athletic Training Month.

For more head injury information, please go to nata.org or alabamabraininjuryawareness.org

Click here for more information about Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic, P.C.

LIKE AOC on Facebook