Arthroscopic Surgery in Hazlet NJ

Posted by Allegra on

Joint problems are common simply due to the amount of pressure we put on our bodies. Our joints are constantly flexing and bending as we go about our daily life which can cause major wear and tear to our bodies over time. Arthroscopic surgery uses a camera to look at the damage to your joints to determine what (if anything) needs to be done. An arthroscope can technically be used anywhere in the body but is generally needed for the knees, ankles, wrists, hips, and shoulders.

The Basics of Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is used to either diagnose or help treat general inflammation or trauma. It’s generally an outpatient procedure, but you will be given some type of anesthetic. Depending on the severity of the injury and the location of the damaged joint, it may be either general or local anesthesia. The doctor will make a tiny cut in your skin before inserting an instrument into your body (about the size of a standard pencil.) The doctor will fill the joint with fluid to make it easier to fit the tiny camera inside.

Next Steps

The arthroscope is used to let the doctor look inside the joint to see if you need arthroscopic surgery. Should you need the surgery, your doctor will need to manipulate your bones to fix the joints. This can be done without making large incisions, but rather using precise instruments to shave or cut the bone. You may not even need stitches! If for any reason you do need traditional surgery, this can be done in the same procedure as the arthroscopic surgery. Dr. Allegra at Allegra Orthopedics serves the people of Hazlet, NJ and understands the ins and outs of joints. He’s here to help you increase your flexibility and range of motion while simultaneously decreasing any discomfort!

What Is a Hairline Fracture?

Posted by Allegra on

We often hear the term hairline fracture, but do you know what the term means?

Orthopedic physicians describe hairline or stress fractures as tiny cracks that develop on bones in the foot or lower leg. A common injury in runners, gymnasts, and dancers, anyone can develop a hairline fracture through repetitive jumping or running. Individuals with osteoporosis also are at risk for hairline fractures.

The bones of the foot and leg absorb a lot of stress during running and jumping. Common sites for hairline fracture include the metatarsal bones – the five long and narrow bones connecting the mid-foot to the toes – as well as the heel, ankle bones, and the navicular, the bone on the top of the mid-foot.

What are the symptoms of a hairline fracture?

The most common symptom is pain that gradually worsens over time, especially if you don’t stop weight-bearing activity. Other symptoms include swelling, tenderness, and bruising.

What causes a hairline fracture?

An overuse or repetitive activity, or an increase in either the duration or frequency of activity, can result in a hairline fracture. Even regular runners who suddenly increase either their distance, such as someone training for a marathon, or the number of times per week they run, can cause a hairline fracture.

Another cause of a hairline fracture is changing the type of exercise normally performed.

Bones adapt to increased forces through various activities, where new bones form to replace old bone. This process is called remodeling. When the breakdown of bone happens more rapidly than new bone can form, the likelihood of developing a hairline fracture increases.

Who’s most at risk for developing a hairline fracture?

There are several risk factors that increase the chances of developing a hairline fracture:

  • Certain sports: Participants in high-impact sports such as track and field, basketball, tennis, dance, ballet, long-distance runners, and gymnastics, increase their chances of getting a hairline fracture.
  • Gender: Post-menopausal women have an increased risk of hairline fractures. Female athletes may be at a greater risk because of a condition called the “female athlete triad.” This is where extreme dieting and exercise may result in eating disorders, menstrual dysfunction, and premature osteoporosis.
  • Foot problems: Poor footwear can cause injuries, so can high arches, rigid arches, or flat feet.
  • Weakened bones: People with osteoporosis, or anyone taking medications that affect bone density and strength, can develop hairline fractures even when performing normal activities.
  • Previous hairline fractures: Having one hairline fracture increases your chances of having another.
  • Lack of nutrients:Lack of vitamin D or calcium can make bones more susceptible to fracture. People with eating disorders are at risk for this reason. There can be a greater risk of hairline fractures during the winter months when diminished sunlight decreases the body’s absorption of vitamin D, compounded by an increased risk of slips and trips on icy surfaces.
  • Improper technique: Blisters, bunions, and tendonitis can affect how you run, altering which bones are impacted by certain activities.
  • Changes in surface: Changes in playing surfaces can cause undue stress to the bones of the feet and legs. For example, tennis player who move from a grass court to a hard court may develop injuries.

How is a hairline fracture diagnosed?

If you believe you have a hairline fracture, it’s important to seek treatment from an orthopedic physician as soon as possible.

Your doctor will perform a physical exam and review your medical history and general health, including diet, medications, and other risk factors. Diagnostic tools may include an MRI, X-ray, or bone scan.

How are hairline fractures treated?

If you suspect you have a hairline fracture, follow the RICE method: rest, ice, compression and elevation. An over-the-counter, non-steroidal drug can help with pain and swelling.

It’s important to seek further treatment if the pain becomes severe or doesn’t get better with rest. The treatment your orthopedic physician recommends will depend on both the severity and location of your injury.

Can other conditions develop if hairline fractures aren’t treated?

Ignoring the pain caused by a hairline fracture can result in the bone breaking completely. Complete breaks will take longer to heal and involve more complicated treatments. It’s important to seek advice from an orthopedic physician and treat a hairline fracture as soon as possible.

Medical treatments

Your doctor may recommend that you use crutches to keep weight off an injured foot or leg. You can also wear protective footwear or a cast.

Because it usually takes up to six to eight weeks to completely heal from a hairline fracture, it’s important to modify your activities during that time. Cycling and swimming are great alternatives to more high-impact exercises.

In some cases, a hairline fracture may require surgery. The addition of pins or screws can help hold bones together during the healing process.

What’s the outlook for someone with a hairline fracture?

It’s important to avoid high-impact activities during the healing process. Returning to high-impact activities — especially the activity that caused the injury in the first place — will delay healing and increase the risk of a complete fracture in the bone.

Even after the hairline fracture is healed, it’s important to gradually return to exercise.

In rare instances, hairline fractures don’t heal properly. This result is chronic, long-term pain. Talk with a board-certified orthopedic physician soon after the injury occurs to prevent pain and worsening damage to the bone.

High Speed, High Impact: A Risky Combo for Young Football Players

Posted by Allegra on

Injuries are an inevitable risk in athletics and football is no exception. Young football players have almost twice as many injuries as athletes in other sports, with more than 500,000 high school and college football injuries treated each year. One of the reasons for this elevated risk is that football is a high-speed, high-impact sport.

Tackling, blocking and other physical interactions between players can result in a number of common orthopedic injuries.

Another reason orthopedic injuries are so frequent in football is because the nature of the game requires players to pivot and change direction, increasing the likelihood of injuries to the joints and other tissues. Sudden bursts of speed can cause muscle damage if the player is not warmed up and in condition. Overuse injuries are also common, especially for quarterbacks.

These factors combine to make football a relatively high-risk sport. The most common musculoskeletal injuries in football include:

ACL injuries – The anterior cruciate ligament in the knee can become damaged or torn when a player is impacted from the front or rear. A torn ACL can often occur as a result of non-contact injuries.

MCL injuries – Injuries to the medial cruciate ligament in the knee is also very common because it occurs when the knee is impacted from the side.

Torn meniscus – When a player rotates their body while a foot stays planted, the knee can twist, causing the meniscus to tear.

Ankle sprains and strains – Ankles are susceptible to soft tissue damage when pivoting, changing direction, or when too much pressure is put on the ankle joint.

Muscle contusions – A strong impact to a large muscle, usually in the thigh, can cause a contusion. This is basically a large, deep bruise that can impair muscle function.

Torn hamstring – Bursts of speed can cause the hamstrings to tear if the player is not conditioned or properly warmed up.

Shoulder tendinitis – Frequent throwing can cause overuse injuries like shoulder tendinitis from repetitive motions.

Shoulder separation or dislocation – A direct blow below the shoulder can cause a separation of the acromioclavicular joint while a dislocation occurs when the head of the humerus detaches from the scapula.

Getting Back into The Game

Treatment for these football injuries can range from basic RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) to surgery, with several options in between.

Athletic trainers are a key component to keeping players healthy. Parents should help to maintain optimal performance condition by ensuring their young athlete is well rested, receives the proper nourishment, and maintains good condition all year long.

Still, injuries do happen. Be sure to see a board-certified orthopedic physician at the first signs of an overuse injury -soreness, swelling, tingling or discomfort – or when an accident occurs on the field. A thorough diagnosis and fast treatment will accelerate recovery and return to play for your young athlete.

Know Your Knee Pain

Posted by Allegra on

The knee is a complicated joint. It enables us to bend and straighten our legs so we can sit, squat, jump and run.

Our knees carry us through life and are exposed to injury as well as normal “wear and tear” throughout our lifetimes, from the scrapes and bruises of childhood to arthritis pain and other degenerative conditions common in older age.

The knee joint has three parts. The thighbone (femur) meets the large shin bone (tibia) to form the main knee joint. This joint has an inner (medial) and an outer (lateral) compartment. The kneecap (patella) joins the femur to form a third joint, called the patellofemoral joint. The ends of the femur and tibia, and the back of the patella, are cushioned with cartilage, helping ligaments slide easily over the bones and protecting the bones from impact.

Knee pain is one of the most common complaints heard by orthopedic physicians. When one or more parts of the knee are injured, you may feel different types of knee pain.

Self-Care for Knee Pain

Knee pain that occurs from a relatively minor injury can often be safely observed for a day or two to see if self-care measures will be helpful. Self-care options include:

  • Rest Avoid more strenuous or painful activities, but keep active. Try alternate activities that cause less discomfort – swimming instead of jogging, bicycling instead of tennis
  • Ice Put ice on your knee for 15 to 20 minutes a few times each day. Use ice cubes or a bag of frozen vegetable wrapped with a towel
  • Compression Wrap an elastic bandage around your knee to help control swelling. Make the bandage fit snugly around your knee, but not tight enough to cause pain or leg swelling
  • Elevation Lying down with your knee propped up on pillows may help control pain and swelling
  • NSAIDS Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may help relieve pain, swelling and inflammation

When to Schedule an Orthopedic Visit

Knee injuries commonly send people to the orthopedic physician. Make an appointment with an orthopedic physician if your knee pain was caused by a particularly forceful impact or if it is accompanied by:

  • Significant swelling
  • Significant pain
  • Redness
  • Tenderness and warmth around the joint
  • Fever

When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Call 911 or ask someone to drive you to the Emergency Department if your knee pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by:

  • A joint that appears deformed
  • A popping noise at the time your knee was injured
  • Inability to bear weight
  • Intense pain
  • Sudden swelling

Top Ten Common Knee Injuries

Treatment will vary based on the cause of your knee pain and the specifics of the injury. Treatment may involve managing pain and inflammation, and rest. Trauma-induced injuries, such as fractures, dislocations and tears, may require bracing, popping the knee back into place, or surgery, which in many cases today, is minimally invasive so patients heal quickly and return to normal activities. Physical therapy may be needed to help regain movement and strength in the knee and leg.

Below are ten of the most common injuries of the knee:

  • Fractures
  • Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
  • Dislocations
  • Meniscal tears
  • Bursitis
  • Tendonitis
  • Tendon tears
  • Collateral ligament injuries
  • Iliotibial band syndrome
  • Posterior cruciate ligament injuries

Arthritis of the Knee

Osteoarthritis of the knee is the most common form of arthritis in the knee. It is a degenerative “wear and tear” type of arthritis that occurs most often in people age 50 and older, but may occur in younger people, too. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage of the knee joint gradually wears away.

Long-term knee pain from arthritis can often be helped by weight loss and exercises to strengthen the muscles around the joint.

Seek medical attention immediately for serious knee injuries. Early diagnosis and treatment for chronic, or long term, knee pain or arthritis can make a world of difference in your quality of life.  Know your knees and recognize when it’s time to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic physician.

Huddle Up About Back-To-School Sports Safety

Posted by Allegra on

For many kids, back to school means back to sports. Youth sports are a valuable experience, filled with challenges, competition and fun.  Being part of a team fosters feelings of belonging, inspires collaborative play and strategy, and can be an excellent form of exercise.

Still, parents often worry about the risk of injury their children face on playing fields. Even if your child returns to school in optimal condition after a summer spent building up body, flexibility and speed, too many kids still get stuck on the sidelines with injuries, some of which are preventable.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 2.6 million children are treated in the emergency department each year for sports- and recreation-related injuries.

Common injuries young athletes face are often related to the skeletal and muscular systems of the body. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons stresses that children’s bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are still growing, making them more susceptible to injury. Fortunately, many youth-sport injuries can be prevented. Continue reading “Huddle Up About Back-To-School Sports Safety” →

Sports Medicine Specialists See Tommy John Surgery On The Rise Among Youth Baseball Players

Posted by Allegra on

So-called Tommy John surgery, a surgical repair for injured elbows, has saved the careers of many a major-league pitcher. While this may seem like an extreme treatment for a high school athlete, a recent study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine has found teenage pitchers now undergo more of the procedures than any other group. These results highlight the risk of overuse injuries in this age group, according to orthopedic specialists.

The study found that athletes ages 15 to 19 account for 56.8 percent of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction procedures, commonly known as Tommy John surgery after the pitcher who won more than half the victories in his 26 years in the major leagues after becoming the first person to undergo the procedure.

Damage to the UCL, a band of tissue in the elbow that binds the upper and lower arm bones together, is typically an overuse injury caused by throwing at extreme intensity and frequency.

Sports have become so competitive that young athletes are often playing for nine or more months every year on school teams, travel teams and in multiple leagues, tournaments, showcases, camps, indoor ball and other programs. Playing when fatigued, and when a player’s physical condition and technique may not be the best increase the risk of developing an overuse injury.

A Growing Concern

The study shows both the incidence and regional demographic of Tommy John surgery in the United States. Interestingly, Tommy John surgery is most often performed in the second quarter of the year – during the traditional high school baseball season – and performed most often in the South than in any other region in the United States, echoing earlier research that showed that Major League players who grew up in the South are more likely to have Tommy John surgery as well. However, indoor baseball and travel teams is now extending the baseball season here on the East Coast, as well.

Prevention Beats Repair

The American Sports Medicine Institute has issued recommendations in its “Position Statement for Youth Baseball Pitchers” that include, limiting pitching to no more than 100 innings per year, taking a break from overhead throwing for an optimal four months per year, and plenty of vigilance about rest and proper technique.

Major League Baseball has launched its own “Pitch Smart” initiative, which includes guidelines for coaches, young players and parents, to avoid overuse injuries.

Players experiencing a UCL injury may experience:

  • Pain when using the arm in an overhead position
  • Soreness on the inside edge of the elbow
  • Minor swelling along the inside of the arm
  • Possibly numbness or tingling in the arm
  • Instability at the elbow joint, feeling like the arm may “give out” when moved through the motion related to your sport

Diagnosing & Treating a UCL Injury

Consult a sports medicine specialist or orthopedic physician at the early signs of these symptoms. Your doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination and order an MRI to assess the degree of the UCL injury.

There are three classifications of a UCL injury of the elbow:

  • A first-degree sprain occurs when the ligament is strained without it becoming stretched
  • A second-degree sprain occurs when the ligament is partially torn
  • A third-degree sprain occurs when the ligament is torn or ruptured

An ulnar collateral ligament tear results in an elbow that loses function altogether. Consulting an experienced sports medicine or orthopedic consultant at the earliest stage of injury can help alleviate further damage.

Ice, rest, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy, as well as the use of a cast or splint, will often help to resolve a mild UCL injury.

Surgery may be required for more acute tears and ruptures, using a minimally invasive, arthroscopic surgical approach where the ulnar collateral ligament is reconstructed using a soft tissue graft.

Adding Steps To Your Life

Posted by Allegra on

The warmer weather is a great time to start achieving your goal to become more active. It’s surprising how easy it is to add simple activities to your everyday life and increase how much you move throughout the day.

Regular exercise can help people of all ages and levels of physician ability lead a healthier life. Exercise helps to keep our bodies functioning better, and keeps heart disease, diabetes, and many other diseases at bay. Exercise is a key ingredient when it comes to losing weight.

Regular exercise can

  • Improve your chances of living longer and living healthier
  • Help protect you from developing heart disease and stroke or its precursors, high blood pressure and undesirable blood lipid patterns
  • Help protect you from developing certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer, and possibly lung and endometrial cancer
  • Help prevent type 2 diabetes
  • Help prevent the irreplaceable loss of bone known as osteoporosis
  • Reduce the risk of falling and improve cognitive function among older adults
  • Relieve symptoms of depression and improves mood
  • Prevent weight gain, promote weight loss, and help keep weight off after weight loss
  • Improve heart-lung and muscle fitness
  • Improve sleep

Try incorporating the following tips into your daily schedule:

Participate in activities that you enjoy doing! Activities such as gardening, walking, and even dancing can assist in your journey to becoming physically active and healthy. Develop a support group and have friends and family join you in your goal. Exercise can be a wonderful time to bond with a family member or a friend.

But take it slow to avoid injury:

  • Plan to be physically active at a time when you are most energized. This allows you to fully benefit from the workout, and it prevents injuries that may occur if you are physically or mentally sluggish during your workout.
  • Warm up before you start. Jumping right into physical activity can cause injury and muscle strain. By adding five to ten minutes to your routine, you give yourself a chance to warm-up.
  • After being physically active, spend five minutes or so walking or moving around slowly until your heart rate goes back to normal. Cooling down helps to prevent an abrupt drop in blood pressure and may help prevent muscle stiffness.
  • Stretch after your muscles are warmed up. When stretching, don’t bounce. Instead, hold each stretch comfortably for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Making sure your body has enough fluids is important to keeping your body temperature normal and lubricate your joints, especially in the summer. When dehydrated, you may feel fatigued, have headaches, become nauseated, or feel dizzy.
  • Pay attention to your breathing while being physically active. Rapid and shallow breathing can lead to shortness of breath and even cause dizziness or fainting. By breathing naturally and deeply, you will be able to be physically active longer and with less effort. During strength training, a common mistake people often make is holding their breath. Don’t hold your breath, but exhale when exerting your muscles and inhale when relaxing.
  • Listen to your body for warning signs. Be mindful of the differences between your body’s normal responses to physical activity and abnormal responses that should be warning signs to STOP and get medical help.

Using these tips to become more physically active will help you in achieving your goal of living a longer, healthier life.

Avoiding Springtime Injuries

Posted by Allegra on

With days lasting longer, temperatures rising, and grass, flowers and trees becoming green, everyone agrees that spring has sprung. It’s natural to feel that those of us along the beautiful Jersey Shore can’t wait to get back on the playing field, the golf course, tennis court, track…or whatever sports venue calls out to you.

But, before you leap into action, remember that is has been a long, long winter and many of us are not in tip-top shape. Before you incur an injury that benches you for the rest of the season, review the list of common springtime sports injuries and what you can do to prevent them.

Rotator cuff (Tennis)

Hitting a tennis ball often puts stress on the joints, tendons and muscles of the shoulder. Because tennis players continually use the same joint, there’s a chance that in time they will develop problems associated with shoulder overuse. The most common orthopedic problems stemming from tennis are the rotator cuff injuries.

To prevent rotator cuff as well as other shoulder injuries, take steps to strengthen the muscles in the shoulder junction. Now is the time to start doing strengthening and weightlifting exercises three times per week.

Tendonitis (Power Walking)

This is the time of the year when you are motivated to shed a few pounds. Walking is one of the easiest exercises to improve your overall health. Anyone can walk anywhere, and it doesn’t cost anything! While Achilles tendonitis is commonly associated with running, the condition can also occur when you skip the warm up routine or when you begin a workout program after a long period of inactivity.

To ensure the success of your workout regimen, remember to always warm up before jogging or power walking. Lunges are one of the best exercises to loosen the Achilles tendon and the calf muscles.

Lower back pain (Golf)

The repetitive bending and twisting involved in golfing can place tremendous stress on the lower back. To make sure your back won’t interfere with your golf game, begin performing exercises to strengthen your core now. Here’s a good tip: stretch your lower back – bend over until you can touch your toes with your fingers a few times – before stepping out onto the golf course.

Tennis elbow (Baseball)

Despite its misleading name, tennis elbow is actually an inflammatory condition which affects the tendon that runs up to the side of the arm next to the elbow. The condition is specific to sports that require athletes to swing their arms repeatedly, such as pitching a baseball pitching. Start a regimen of stretching and strengthening exercises to prevent this debilitating condition from placing you on the bench this season.

Plantar fasciitis (Running)

Overtraining, overuse, over-striding and improper footwear are the prevalent reasons why runners end up with plantar fasciitis. Given its causes, the only way to prevent the painful heel condition implies performing exercises that render the overall foot area flexible. If your running shows are worn out, get a proper fitting on a new pair at a good local running store.

Could You Have Osteoarthritis?

Posted by Allegra on

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis.  It is a chronic condition in which the material that cushions the joints, called cartilage, breaks down. This causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of joint movement.

About 27 million people in the United States have osteoarthritis. Common risk factors include increasing age, obesity, previous joint injury, overuse of the joint, weak thigh muscles, and genetics.

Osteoarthritis symptoms usually develop gradually. At first, there may be soreness or stiffness that seems more like a nuisance than a medical concern.

Common symptoms include:

  • Sore or stiff joints – particularly the hips, knees, and lower back – after inactivity or overuse.
  • Stiffness after resting that goes away after movement.
  • Pain that is worse after activity or toward the end of the day.

Osteoarthritis may also affect the neck, small finger joints, and the base of the thumb, ankle, or big toe. The pain may be moderate, and come and go, without affecting the ability to perform daily tasks.  Some people with osteoarthritis never progress past this early stage. Others will feel their osteoarthritis get worse. The pain and stiffness of more severe osteoarthritis may make it difficult to walk, climb stairs, sleep, or perform other daily tasks.

There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but there are medications to help relieve pain, when needed. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy or occupational therapy to help improve strength and function. When pain is severe and frequent, or mobility and daily activities become difficult, surgery may be considered.

People with osteoarthritis who have severe joint damage, extreme pain that isn’t helped by other treatments, or very limited motion as a result of the condition, may require osteoarthritis surgery.

Surgery for osteoarthritis can provide several benefits, including the following:

Improved movement: If the constant erosion of cartilage makes it difficult for you to move, making it difficult to you to get around and stay independent, replacing the damaged joint with a synthetic one can allow you to continue activities that you enjoy.

Pain relief: If osteoarthritis causes severe, constant pain that isn’t relieved by treatments such as medications, exercise or physical therapy, surgically replacing the painful joint or removing loose growths that are causing pain, can relieve pain.

Improved joint alignment: In some cases, osteoarthritis can cause the joint to become maligned so that it no longer functions as it should and looks unusual. In the knees, surgery can correct or improve this misalignment. But appearance should not be the main reason for having surgery for osteoarthritis; improved appearance should be considered a bonus after osteoarthritis surgery improves movement and relieves pain.

Staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight are the keys to living well with osteoarthritis. Too little movement can lead to stiffness and weak joints. Losing one pound can take four pounds of pressure off your knee joints.  Overall fitness improves health in many ways. Strong muscles protect joints. An osteoarthritis management plan also involves eating a nutritious diet, managing stress and depression, and getting a good balance of rest and activity each day.

If you think you may have osteoarthritis, and if osteoarthritis runs in your family, set up an appointment with an orthopedic specialist today to help manage your condition and maximize your quality of life.

AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON’S TRIATHALON TRAINING TIPS

Posted by Allegra on

If your New Year’s resolution is to commit to a triathlon in 2017, you’re probably in the early weeks of training for a spring or summer event. Training for a triathlon is tough but that’s part of the challenge – and the fun.

Before you get too far into your training, consider this; Four out of five amateur triathletes are injured while training, and three of those four are injured badly enough to be sidelined from their daily activities as well as their tri training.

The complexity of the sport and the broad range of knowledge needed to train and compete safely are contributing factors. The triathlete must learn about appropriate equipment, proper body mechanics, nutrition and hydration, injury prevention and overall training programs that prepare the body for the stresses of a triathlon.

 

Cross training for three events – running, biking and swimming – also increases the risk of certain overuse injuries, and an untreated injury in one part of the body can lead to problems elsewhere. For example, a knee injury from running can cause extra stress on the back, leading to lower back pain when cycling; and the cumulative effect of swimming and cycling can fatigue calf muscles, making legs more susceptible to injury during a run. Improper training can be a vicious cycle, resulting in injury and, ultimately, derailing your resolution to compete in a triathlon.

The good news is, most non-traumatic injuries are related to training errors that can be corrected – and an orthopedic physician with specialized knowledge in sports medicine and injury prevention can help.

Train Smart

The best way to avoid traumatic injury is to undertake a training program that balances strength, flexibility and endurance through weight lifting, stretching and cross training. But training techniques are not one size fits all. Each individual has a unique combination of anatomy, strength, endurance and flexibility, so what works well for one athlete isn’t always the best route for another.

Understanding the relationships between musculoskeletal groups related to swimming, cycling and running is key to triathlon training. An orthopedic surgeon can evaluate your physical conditioning, analyze your training techniques and correct errors that can lead to potential injuries, as well as provide important input into a training program optimized for your needs.

Heal Smart

The best training program can’t prevent all injuries. When injuries do occur, there are three things you need to know:

  • How to evaluate the severity of the injury
  • How to treat an overuse injury
  • When to seek professional help

Congratulations for taking on a triathlon challenge. Whether you’re a first-time athlete or a seasoned tri gal or tri guy, training for and participating in the sport of triathlon involves a huge, months-long commitment. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t go as planned and injury can overturn even the most dedicated competitor with the most detailed training plan.

When the unforeseen occurs, it is always best to seek medical evaluation from an experienced orthopedic physician. Often, if these issues are addressed early on, they can be treated without significant time loss from training and without surgery. An experienced orthopedic physician understands the sports medicine needs of patients and can be an important part of your team, helping you return to sport as soon as possible.

Preparing For A Triathlon

Make a plan:

  • Select a competition that’s right for you
  • Start your training gradually, begin with short distances and work up to longer distance, faster times and greater intensity
  • Consider recruiting a training buddy to help keep you on track with your goals
  • Check out websites such as USA Triathlon to locate training groups or routes in your area

Eat Properly

  • Consume foods rich in nutritional content and high in complex carbs
  • Increase your intake closer to race time, and supplement with energy gels and sports drinks as needed

Choose Proper Equipment

  • Research water temps to see if you need a wetsuit
  • Make sure your bike chains and pedals are working properly, and don’t forget your helmet
  • Wear comfortable training shoes and avoid sporting a new pair that may lead to blisters
  • If you experience severe or persistent pain while training, seek advice from an orthopedic physician before a more serious injury can occur