It’s January 2019 and fortunately, we can still see the grass.  Do you remember January 2018? Snowmaggedon met Snowpocalypse during our Polar Vortex. Handling that kind of snow can actually be a life or death experience.

Whether you are dusting off the dusting or knee deep in cold and white, keep in mind that there are some safety measures you need to take to avoid the ER. Seriously!

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2015:

• More than 158,000 people were treated in emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, and clinics for injuries that happened while shoveling or removing ice and snow manually
• More than 15,000 people were injured using snowblowers

Those are numbers to take seriously. Additionally, snow removal is responsible for 100 deaths per year for a variety of reasons.

Part of the reason can be what type of physical shape you are in.  Someone who is used to a vigorous workout and lifting weights is not is as much danger as a couch spud moving a foot of snow with a shovel after no physical exercise in prior months. It strains every muscle in your body, especially your heart. Snow blowers take a bit of the strain off…but not enough.

Cold weather can increase your heartrate and blood pressure before you exert yourself. Blood can clot more easily, and your arteries constrict. This can decrease your blood supply, even in healthy people. Those over the age of 40, especially inactive ones need to show caution.  If you suffer from heart disease, DO NOT TOUCH THAT SHOVEL!

Tips to shovel safely:

• Use a shovel that is comfortable for your height and strength
• Do not shovel after eating, digesting uses needed energy
• Do not shovel while smoking for obvious reasons
• Stretch out before you begin
• Take it slow and pace yourself
• Fresh, powdery snow is lighter than wet, heavy snow.
• It is best to push the snow rather than lifting it
• Use a small shovel to lift or a partially fill the shovel to reduce the weight
• Squat with your legs apart, knees bent, and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist.
• Do not throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that stresses your back.
• Take frequent breaks and prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids.
• Do not work to the point of exhaustion

Snow Blower Safety

Be safe with these tips from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons:

• If the blower jams, turn it off
• Keep your hands away from the moving parts
• Do not drink alcohol and use the snow blower
• Be aware of the carbon monoxide risk of running a snow blower in an enclosed space
• Refuel your snow blower when it is off, never when it is running

RUMSON — (August 3, 2018) – “He goes above and beyond!” “He’s amazing!” “A man of few words with an abundance of skill.”
Those are just some of the comments patients of Rumson resident Dr. Marshall Allegra make when talking about the orthopedic surgeon with an office on Poole Avenue in Hazlet. The remarks give an indication into both the cutting edge of his surgical technology and his old-fashioned practice of taking the time to sit down and talk with his patients to ensure he answers all their questions.

He comes to both from education and experience and plans on passing the home spun lessons on to another generation. The son of the late Dr. Edward C. Allegra — who was also an orthopedic surgeon with a practice in Red Bank — Dr. Marshall Allegra, 62, is also the father of an orthopedic surgeon. His son, Paul, 27, also a medical doctor, is currently completing his residency in orthopedic surgery in Miami and will one day take over the Poole Avenue office, making him the third generation of Allegras offering orthopedic care to Monmouth County residents.

Dr. Marshall Allegra has been in the field for 30 years and estimates he has done about 10,000 surgeries in his career to date, averaging roughly 300-plus a year. Like his father, he chose to come back to Monmouth County after completing his studies and now has his office in Hazlet, with surgical privileges in several local hospitals and surgical centers.

Although he has treated patients of all ages with all varieties of injuries, sprains, fractures, hip replacements, hand surgeries, arthritis and more, Dr. Allegra said his patients now seem to be adults with a variety of problems, including sports issues requiring joint replacements or ligament reconstruction. Knees and shoulders seem to be areas most people come to an orthopedic surgeon for, he said, with dislocations and rotator tears fairly common.

Sports injuries can come from any number of sources, he said, ranging from trauma to repetitive use which results in wear and tear on a particular bone or joint. “Runner’s Knee” is a common overuse injury, he said, and can result from cartilage wearing down, creating serious pain. Ligament damage is also fairly common, he said, explaining that surgery is sometimes the best solution when those bands of connective tissue around a joint limit the movement of a joint, especially the knee, making it impossible or difficult to turn or twist the leg.

The surgeon, who earned his undergraduate degree at Bucknell University before studying at the University Autonomous at Guadalajara and completing his residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, said it is important to take care of problem joints and bones at early and middle age since ignoring it then only leads to arthritis and other problems in later years.

Patient knees and shoulders make up most of the surgeries and medical cures Allegra sees on a regular basis, with dislocations and rotator tears high on the list of serious injuries he has had to treat. He prefers to take the time to sit and talk with his patients, gather all their medical history and get to know them before recommending the best type of treatment. He tends to be conservative in his choices, preferring to try all medical measures before the more intense surgical procedures that can be used.
The physician and surgeon said he opted to specialize in orthopedic surgery after seeing how satisfying it was for his father, and learning he could make a difference in someone’s life through his ability as a surgeon.
“It’s rewarding and gives you a great sense of being able to help someone when you see how you can do something life-changing.”

He said he likes to talk with his patients and “explain things to make sure they know what’s going on.” As for the patient who said he’s a man of few words, Dr. Allegra laughed and said, “I like to listen, then I like to cut to the chase.”
Married for 30 years, Dr. and Maryanne Allegra have four sons and one daughter: Marshall, 29; twins Andrew and Dr. Paul, 27; Edward, 24 and Helena, 19, who works part-time in the Hazlet office.

The family lives in Rumson, the same town where Dr. Allegra was raised after his parents moved from Brooklyn when he was a child. Proximity to the water also enables him to pursue his two favorite hobbies — boating and fishing. He concedes that he, too has been the patient of an orthopedic doctor, once when he had knee orthoscopy six years ago.
He is on the staff of both Riverview Medical Center and Bayshore Hospital and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Original Article: http://themonmouthjournal.com/rumsons-allegra-family-boasts-three-generations-of-orthopedic-surgeons-p7696-73.htm

Many people reach for a bottle of anti-inflammatory or pain relief rather than reaching for the source of the problem.  A quick visit to Dr. Marshall Allegra, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in private practice, will allow him to supervise each phase of your diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

One option to explore with him is Physical Therapy. Physical Therapy can help you optimize your quality of your life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education. With Dr. Allegra’s diagnosis and instruction, your qualified physical therapist will generate a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs.

Not all patients are of equal age, strength, or ability so it is essential to have your PT Program tailored to you and monitored for you. This is why there are various specialties in physical therapy:

• Orthopedic Physical Therapy usually takes place in the hospital or an outpatient clinic directly following surgery.
• Pediatric Physical Therapy is designed for early detection of health problems among infants, children, and teenagers to strengthen gross and fine motor skills, strength, balance, and even cognitive functioning.
• Geriatric Physical Therapy is geared toward those who have trouble with the aging process.
• Neurological Physical Therapy is one possible treatment path for patients with a neurological disorder or disease—such as Alzheimer’s, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s.
• Heat Physical Therapy may help relax and restore your muscles and soft tissues by increasing your blood circulation. This is effective for joint stiffness but should be used with caution and a doctor’s orders as heat can also increase swelling.

PT can absolutely improve your mobility, help recover from injury, manage your pain, as well as increase your flexibility and strength to avoid future injury and build stamina.

When you experience pain, your natural response is to favor that body part.  This allows it to rest, although it can put strain on the rest of your body that is being used to compensate. Allowing too much rest can allow muscles to atrophy and stiffness to set in.  Your Physical Therapist will work with you to show you how to properly use your body to allow healing and minimize further damage.

October is National Physical Therapy Month, which was established in 1981 by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).  The stated purpose of the month-long campaign is to acknowledge the physical therapy profession’s efforts to ‘transform society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.'”

Breaking the cycle of reaching for a pill to solve all ills is a big step in preventing Opioid overuse. Not a day goes by that this topic is on the news as epidemic proportions of use and abuse effects the population of all ages. Opioid abuse leaves you at risk for depression, overdose, addiction, plus the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when you stop.

Step one to living pain free is a visit to Dr. Allegra.

It’s here…Autumn. The footloose days of summer are behind us and families of school aged children are getting back into their school year routine. It’s the back-to-school mad rush to be sure your little student has all of the right gear to start the school year off right.

If your child loves sports, make sure they have the right gear for this too, especially if they play competitive or team sports. Injury prevention is essential, let them go out on their playing field and give it their all with the proper precautions to protect them.

Schools generally require Sports Physicals. This is a great start, being sure Jen and Joe are in good physical shape before Game Day. As a parent, it is up to you to be sure the examiner has full information of your child’s medical history and issues so they are properly addressed. Getting them on the playing field is one goal, keeping them safe and well is the primary one.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nationwide 300,000 concussions occur during sports related activities, with more than 62,000 concussions annually in high school contact sports. Athletes, coaches, and the parents or guardians should be educated about the nature and treatment of sports related concussions and other head injuries. A student who may have sustained a concussion should be immediately removed from competition or practice.

The same can be said for sprains and fractures to avoid further injury or complications.

Thinking Points for Parents of Student Athletes

S Stretching and warming up muscles before practice and games avoids injuries such as muscle tears

P Protective Gear is so important, don’t use hand-me-downs if possible. Get your child the most effective choice there is.

O Offset the calories burned with a well-balanced, nutritional diet. Lead them to healthy choices that will give them enough energy. Avoid supplements and energy boosters as they aren’t always guaranteed to be safe.

R Rest and relaxation is a good choice for downtime. Our kids tend to overextend themselves. Exhaustion leads to illness and careless errors on and off the field.

T Team spirit and the right attitude is what Sportsmanship is about. You can be an aggressive player without aggressive behavior. Using the proper rules and techniques in the game avoids injuries and bad feelings.

S Seek help if an injury occurs. Your child may want to get right back into the game but you need to be sure the situation is properly assessed. Sprains, strains, possible fractures, head injuries, concussion, heat and hydration can all lead to big problems if ignored.

Dr. Marshall P. Allegra is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Monmouth County for over 25 years. As an experienced diagnostician, Dr. Allegra can expertly determine sports-induced injuries, and then determine the best treatment options to return your student back to the playing field, restoring functionality and range of motion as quickly as possible and avoiding long term implications.

Common Sports Injuries

Overuse injuries in young athletes can be overuse of the bones, muscles, and tendons. This is roughly half of the sports injuries that middle school and high school student athletes suffer from. These can possibly be prevented by significant rest periods, and appropriate training to optimally prepare the athlete for the stresses that their sport will put on their body.

Traumatic injuries happen when there is a violent collision between the athlete with another athlete, equipment or even the ground. These injuries impact bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Movements such as collisions, cutting, landing, pivoting, and over-striding can lead to a traumatic injury.

Contact Dr. Marshall P. Allegra

879 Poole Avenue, Hazlet New Jersey, 07730 Phone: (732) 888-8388

mallegra879@yahoo.com

When you need an orthopedic surgeon, you want to find the best. After all, this professional can have a big impact on the quality of your life in the future. When seeking orthopedic doctors in NJ, there are several different traits to look for.

What to consider when looking for an orthopedic doctor

First, you want to ensure that an orthopedic doctor has attended an accredited college that is recognized by the American Academy or Orthopedic Surgeons. You can ask your orthopedic doctor where he graduated from and ask for proof of a degree. In addition to the proper education, it’s wise to inquire about an orthopedic surgeon’s experience. Some surgeons may only specialize in knee or foot repairs. Be sure to inquire about your physician’s specialty and experience. A good quality physician will have plenty of experience in your specific area of concern.

Education and experience of the formula for finding good orthopedic doctors in NJ. Bedside manner and a strong work ethic are important factors, too. An orthopedic surgeon with a good bedside manner is compassionate, patient, kind and understanding. Any good orthopedic surgeon needs a strong work ethic. They must be willing to put in the time and devotion for their patients. These traits are key to your treatment and recovery.

Finding Orthopedic Doctors in New Jersey

Lastly, it’s wise to choose an orthopedic surgeon with a specific treatment philosophy. Ask your surgeon to explain their own philosophy in relation to your treatment and recovery. You may not fully understand the scientific process, but you’ll have a good idea on how they will approach your treatment.