Every October, the United States Bone and Joint Initiative promotes Bone and Joint Health Awareness Week. Their focus is on educating the general public about musculoskeletal (bone and joint) conditions.

Why October?

• October 12 – World Arthritis Day
• October 16 – World Spine Day
• October 17 – World Trauma Day
• October 19 – World Pediatric Bone and Joint (PB&J) Day
• October 20 – World Osteoporosis Day

Bone and joint diseases affect roughly 50% of the nation’s population. The disease presents itself in the form of arthritis in various kinds, Spondyloarthritis, osteoporosis, Metabolic bone diseases, Scoliosis, fractures, and muscle and ligament injuries and is a leading cause of chronic pain and physical disability worldwide for backs, knees, and hips. These conditions include everything from childhood conditions to advanced arthritic issues in elderly patients.

The Baby Boom generation started becoming eligible for Medicare beginning in 2011. The older we get, the more frequently we fall down and go boom while still leading increasingly healthy and active lives.  One of the keys to the outreach program is prevention as part of joint and bone health.

How can you help keep your bones and joints healthy?

• Keep a healthy body weight – Additional weight can increase the stress on your hard-working joints.
• Physical activity helps maintain your bone density as you age.
• Exercise keeps your joints limber
• Improve your balance
• Make smart food choices rich in calcium and vitamin D which helps your body to absorb this essential nutrient.
• Seek medical advice for bone or joint pain, don’t wait until you are at crisis level. Your pain can be something simple but possibly a sign of a major health issue. The sooner you intervene the better.
• Live…but live cautiously

Globally, musculoskeletal conditions are the most common causes of severe long-term pain and physical disability. Thanks to improved medical care, we have a population throughout the developed world that lives longer. Along with the long life and increasing pain comes an increase in costs to treat the joint diseases which account for half of all chronic conditions in the elderly. In the United States alone, musculoskeletal conditions are a foremost source of disability, accounting for more than 130 million annual patient visits to medical professionals.

Forty percent of all women over the age of 50 years are expected to suffer at least one osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime. Traffic accidents account for as much as 25% of all health care expenditures in developing nations due to our increasingly mobile society.

If you are feeling symptoms indicating a musculoskeletal injury, it will save you time and money to go to an orthopedic specialist directly instead of seeing your primary care physician first, if your insurance coverage will allow this.

When to go straight to Dr. Allegra

• If a soft tissue injury has not shown improvement in 48 hours
• If you have chronic pain in the joints and bones, especially in the neck, knee, hips, elbows, and/or back
• Changes in range of motion and function in joints; pain, stiffness
• Unable to perform your everyday tasks because of your symptoms
• Change in posture

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 injuries, and then determine the best treatment options to return you back to your normal life, restoring functionality and range of motion as quickly as possible and avoiding long term implications.

Think well, live well, be well.

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Now that the world is opening up a bit, especially for outdoor activities, certain body parts and joints may be making themselves known to you.  Most have had it very easy for the last 4-5 months and do not share your exuberance to resuming your athletic life.

One particularly cranky one can be your shoulders, especially if you play golf, tennis, baseball, volleyball or even if you swim.  You do not have to play a contact sport like football to get injured.  Repetitive motion can make joints irritable.  We rely on our shoulders to support many of our most basic motions, including pushing, pulling, lifting, and throwing. Anything you do with repetitive or strenuous motion can impair functionality, range of motion, and cause you pain.

Be on the lookout for signs of:

Shoulder Arthritis– loss of the normal cartilage (smooth surfaces) that line your shoulder joint.  This makes moving your shoulder and arm painful and inflamed. If you have trouble lifting your arm, hear a clicking when you do, or have pain, stiffness, or redness in the area…it could be a sign.

Frozen Shoulder– the capsule of connective tissue that surrounds the shoulder thickens and contracts which leads to stiffness and shoulder pain from restricted movement. This typically affects adults ages 40 to 60. It can also be caused by diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s, or cardiac disease.

Rotator Cuff – The collarbone, the upper arm bone, and the shoulder blade form the Shoulder. The group of muscles which are attached to the shoulder are known together as the Rotator Cuff, which gives you your range of motion.  This group is prone to tendonitis, bursitis, and tears.  You may experience weakness, tenderness, limited range of motion, snapping or cracking sensations and your sleep may be affected since you just cannot get comfortable.

Dislocations – The humerus bone can become partially or completely separated from the socket from a bad fall, accident, or strong contact during sports.  You may experience symptoms of swelling, numbness, weakness, bruising, pain, instability, and even muscle spasms.

Fractures– Broken bones can affect the shoulder, such as your collar bone, upper arm (humerus), shoulder blade (Scapula).  The older you get, the more prone you are to fractures because of osteoporosis.

Instability- when muscles and ligaments are not strong enough to hold the bones in the socket securely, loose, or torn ligaments are comment as well as dislocations

Separation – Often confused with dislocation, this happens when the connection between the shoulder blade and collar bone are disrupted. This would cause severe pain and possible a deformed appearance.

Impingement– when you raise your arm above shoulder height, the space between your shoulder blade and rotator cuff narrows and can rub or press on the tendon and bursa.

In pain?  Need a shoulder to cry on? Don’t have a chip on your shoulder, you should not have to shoulder the burden of injury or pain.  If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described, call Dr. Marshall Allegra.  He promises not to give you the cold shoulder!

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 injuries, and then determine the best treatment options to return you back to your normal life, restoring functionality and range of motion as quickly as possible and avoiding long term implications.

Think well, live well, be well.

Dr. Marshall P. Allegra

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

Life is not easy for anyone, anywhere right now.  You have the threat of physical illness, financial worries, shortages of necessities, children home 24/7 driving you nuts, weak and elderly loved ones you can’t get to and a sense of isolation.

Staying positive is so important. Don’t watch that sad movie, don’t dwell on the fears, continually count your blessings.

Here are some ideas to come out of this traumatic life event in one piece and maybe a little wiser, healthier, and happier.

• Physical exercise is really important, though this may be particularly hard confined to home. Consider jump roping, Yoga, Tai Chi, or Pilates from online classes or something you find on the web. 10 minutes a day makes a difference.
• Turn up some good music and dance, dance, dance. Keep moving and your heart pumping. Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise you get a mood-enhancement effect.
• Walk off your anxiety, with or without Fido and the kids. Fresh air and sunshine does wonders for the mood and the endorphins need an airing out too. Chat with your neighbors from 6 feet away.
• Create a daily routine, it will add structure to your day. Set your alarm clock regardless, get yourself dressed to start your day, you will feel better and more purposeful.
• If you work at home, keep your routine as close to going to work as possible including getting dressed.
• Take breaks from the news stories in any format, including social media. You are living a pandemic, you don’t need to be hearing about it repeatedly, adding to your stress.
• Don’t stress eat, nothing good will come of it. Try to eat healthy, balanced meals.
• Search the web for new recipes you never had the time or energy to try before. Take the food pantry challenge, what delicious meals can you make from what you have at home already to avoid going shopping. Make it a family activity, divide into teams to see who comes up with the best meals.
• Ease off on the caffeine and avoid alcohol. Caffeine makes many anxious and jumpy and alcohol, while it gives you that lovely buzz, is a depressant.
• Make the most out of family time while you have this opportunity. Don’t share your anxiety with your children. Your kids are already stressed with what they hear, try alleviating their fears by making an adventure out of it as much as possible. They are stuck in with no school, no afterschool activities, no friends.
• Take that online course you have been considering, sharpen your skill set. Learn a language or musical instrument!
• Clean and organize your home, doing all the things you never had time to do before. If you have your family around you, make it a group effort.
• Social isolation is a terrible thing. Connect with others. Make a list of people that you want to check in on, especially those who bring your spirits up. Reach out to people you might not have spoken with in a long time. Avoid Debby Downer and Sad Sam. Make use of facetime and Zoom to see their faces and know they are well.
• If you love the outdoors, gardening is actually a low-impact workout.  Pulling weeds can burn 200 calories an hour, but more so it puts you in touch with nature and renews your spirit.
• It is early spring in New Jersey, spend time on the web planning out your perennials and vegetable garden so when it is time to sow, you are in the know.

Think well, live well, be well.

Dr. Marshall P. Allegra

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

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 injuries, and then determine the best treatment options to return you back to your normal life, restoring functionality and range of motion as quickly as possible and avoiding long term implications.

As you walk through your day, how many people do you see with a limp and a pained expression on their face?  Too many people are living life with painful, worn-out knees and hips without realizing how simple the solution really is.

Your healthy joints are cushioned by a coating of cartilage that guards the bones against rubbing against each other. Time and excessive wear and tear are not friends, causing the cartilage to slowly wear down, leaving our joints unprotected. This is termed “bone-on-bone”. Speak to Dr. Allegra to determine what options are available to you to relieve your pain and potentially solve the problem that causes it. When all non-surgical options have been exhausted, don’t despair.

Surgical options have become so much simpler than in recent years and the recovery time has gotten shorter with the newer technology. Dr. Allegra performs both partial and total joint replacement surgical procedures. Partial joint replacement surgeries are minimally invasive procedures. These surgeries replace only the damaged areas while more of the natural joint is preserved. Less invasive exposure minimizes the cutting of the normal tendons around the knee and is performed through a smaller incision.

If you are experiencing joint pain, keeping your weight down is good for your joints and your overall health. Patients should begin a program of exercise as a preoperative measure. Even the simplest muscle tensing exercise will help strengthen your muscles in preparation for postoperative walking. The stronger you are going in to surgery, the shorter the recovery time to resuming your life.

The majority of total hip and knee replacement patients are over 55 years of age, most often to provide relief for severe arthritic conditions. Fractures and injuries are typical causes for the younger patients. A candidate for total replacement surgery experiences:

• Severe discomfort that hinders everyday activities
• Pain that can’t be managed by anti-inflammatory medications, canes or walkers
• Considerable stiffness of the joint
• Advanced arthritis or other problem

The success rate for the hip replacement procedure is very high, with greater than 95% of patients experiencing relief from hip pain. Long term relief; 10 years after surgery is 90- 95% and at 20 years 80-85%.

Knee replacement will correct the knee problem, leaving muscles weak.  Physical therapy will help regain range of motion and strengthen muscles. This therapy begins in the hospital with a physical therapist and continues thereafter. 85 to 90 percent of all total knee replacement operations performed are successful for roughly 10 to 15 years, depending on the patient’s level of activity.

As with any major surgery, there are potential risks that should be discussed with your doctor. Recovery time depends on age, health status, and response to rehabilitation. Two to three months is the typical recovery time. and varies with each patient.

A typical post-operative visit to our offices results in the patient commenting;

“I don’t know why I waited so long to feel so good”

A visit to Dr. Marshall P. Allegra will help you choose the best option for you.  He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Monmouth County for over 25 years. As an expert diagnostician, Dr. Allegra can expertly determine the best treatment options to return you to your normal, pain free life.

As a parent, you appreciate how playing sports offers many benefits to youth and adults alike. You may have even been an athlete yourself and know how it raised your own self-esteem, created enduring friendships, taught teamwork, and commitment as well as a wonderful outlet for exuberant energy.

Unfortunately, injuries are an unavoidable part of sports participation. Injuries come in many forms, both physical and emotional. It is best to give your student good guidelines on staying safe to avoid injury that may disrupt sport participation but, more importantly, other activities of daily living and a psychological response.

Psychological response to injury can lead to sadness, a feeling of isolation, reduced motivation, frustration, and even disturbing sleeping and eating patterns. They are losing the ability to do something they love and possibly gave them a feeling of importance.

Physical injuries are on the rise just as participation in organized sports is on the rise. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) nearly 30 million children and adolescents participate in youth sports in the United States.

If loving your child isn’t enough to motivate you to keep them safe with the proper gear, rest, and a balance of sports and outside of sports life, keep these CDC statistics in mind:

• High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries and 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations each year.
• More than 3.5 million kids under age 14 receive medical treatment for sports injuries each year and are nearly 40 percent of all sports-related injuries treated in hospitals.
• On average the rate and severity of injury increases with a child’s age.
• Overuse injuries are responsible for nearly half of all sports injuries to middle and high school students
• 62 percent of organized sports-related injuries occur during practice.
• Injuries associated with participation in sports and recreational activities account for 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among children in the United States.
• Since 2000 there has been a fivefold increase in the number of serious shoulder and elbow injuries among youth baseball and softball players.

According to the CDC, more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable. Yes, practice makes perfect, but one-third of parents do not have their children take the same safety precautions at practice that they would during a game. Keep this in mind for casual backyard play too. Helmets, padding, bracing, warm-up time…whatever it takes to keep them safe.

Some of the common injuries to be on the alert for:

Rotator Cuff Tear is a tear in the tissues connecting muscle to bone (tendons) around the shoulder joint and often occurs in people who repeatedly perform the same should motions over and over again. This is very common with more than 3 million cases per year. This requires a medical diagnosis and is treatable by a medical professional with medication, physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, and possibly surgery.

Achilles tendon injury is very common, feeling like stiffness or burning in the part of your leg from the heel to your calf muscle. It is the largest tendon in your body. Achilles tendon injuries are common in people who do things where they quickly speed up, slow down, or pivot. Flat feet, insufficient pre-play stretching and even wearing high heels can make you more vulnerable. If your athlete experiences pain around the heel, take immediate action to avoid a more serious problem.  What could start out with a strain can easily become a tear which may require surgery if ignored,

Clavicle fracture is a break in the bone connecting the breastbone and shoulder also known as the collar bone. While not as common with fewer than 200,000 US cases per year, this also requires a critical medical diagnosis and treatment by a medical professional. Discounting symptoms can only make the injury worse.

Pulling them off the field if you suspect an injury is a wise decision.  The sooner an injury is attended to, the less severe it may end up being.

A visit to Dr. Marshall P. Allegra will help you choose the best option for you or your injured youth athlete.  He 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.

Are you having trouble with your every move: walking, climbing stairs, even sitting or lying down? Surgery can help bring relief, but doctors almost always advise trying other treatment options first.

Learn More About Non-Surgical Orthopedic Treatment

What Are The Symptoms That Something Might Be Wrong?

Symptoms offer clues to your condition. If you are experiencing any of the following, you should make an appointment with a joint specialist to have them assessed:

• Joint discomfort that prevents you from participating in recreational activities
• Joint instability
• Joint pain that limits your ability to conduct necessary and daily functions, such as climbing stairs or standing up
• Limping
• Muscle weakness
• Pain that affects your ability to sleep
• Soreness, stiffness, or swelling
• Severe joint pain
• You have attempted more conservative treatment methods, such as exercise or therapy, without success

If you are currently experiencing any of these issues, you may be suffering from one of the following injuries or conditions that can be treated with joint replacement surgery by our expertly trained joint surgeons:

• Arthritis
• Deterioration of joint cartilage
• Fractures
• Joint abnormalities
• Joint damage due to repetitive stress
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Experience Excellence at Allegra Orthopedics Of New Jersey

Deciding on the best surgeon to treat your joint pain is important, and there is much to consider when choosing a joint specialist to perform your joint replacement surgery.

At Allegra Orthopedics, you can be confident knowing Dr. Marshall P. Allegra is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Monmouth County for over 25 years. Specializing in minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery, full and partial joint reconstruction, hand, foot and ankle surgery, fracture care, and non-surgical treatment options, Dr. Allegra is dedicated to providing one-on-one personalized care to every patient.

Dr. Marshall P. Allegra takes a one-on-one personalized in assessing, diagnosing, and treating his patients. From your initial consultation to your last physical therapy visit Dr. Allegra and support staff are skilled in delivering excellence in care for our joint replacement patients.

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