Spine and Sports Medicine NYC

Travel is a commonly overlooked cause of lower back pain. Air travel in particular can be hazardous to your spinal health due to severe slouching for several hours followed by dragging your suitcase through the airport. Sitting in airplane seats (which are generally ergonomically dysfunctional) compresses the discs between your vertebrae and can increase any pre-existing spinal pain or heighten a chronic condition. The hustle through the airport continues to compress your lower back, increasing the pain.

How can I prevent back pain when I travel?

• Sit with your bottom fully lodged at the back of the airplane seat and place a firm cushion in the small of your back.
• Select an aisle seat and get up and move around as often as you are allowed. Don’t wait for the pain!
• Don’t be a hero at the luggage carousel. Take your time. Bend your knees, not your back and avoid twisting your spine. Heavy suitcase? Ask for help. (Check out these tips on lifting heavy objects)
• If your back acts up as you stroll, pick up the pace and lightly contract your abdominals as you walk. Increasing your core strength is a great long-term prevention strategy as well.
• If you’re in pain for more than 2 days after your injury, contact us at Spine and Sports, a pain management and New York physical therapy clinic. Call us at 212.986.3888 or check us out at http://spineandsports.com

Most people are familiar with tennis elbow but we rarely hear of a common injury in children, Nursemaid’s elbow. This injury is a partial dislocation of the elbow, which occurs when the lower part of the arm (forearm) slips out of its normal position at the elbow joint, caused by a sudden pull on the extended arm. Nursemaid’s elbow generally affects children under the age of five and occurs when a child is picked up or swung around too hard by the hand or the wrist. It is often seen after someone lifts a child up by one arm.

Causes

• Trying to lift the child over a curb or high step
• When a child is forcibly pulled along or lifted by the forearm
• Swinging a young child from the arms while playing

Signs of Injury

• The child usually begins crying immediately and refuses to use the arm.
• Some children stop crying as the immediate pain goes away but continue to refuse to move the elbow.
• The child may hold the arm so that it is slightly bent at the elbow and pressed up against the stomach. 
• The child will move the shoulder, but not the elbow. 

Elbow Pain NYC Child Injury NYC New York Child Injury Injured Arm NYC

According to a study published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, neuromuscular warm-ups may reduce knee injuries in female high school athletes. In girls’ high school sports, injury rates are the highest in soccer and basketball. 

The Study (2006-2007 in Chicago, IL)

• Included 50 coaches, 1500 female high school basketball and soccer players
• Half the coaches were trained in a 20-minute neuromuscular warm-up
• The other half of the coaches used their existing warm-ups for the season
• This warm-up begins with light cardio followed by specific muscle warm-ups
• Almost twice as many extremity injuries in the group using existing warm-ups

Read more here. 

• Anti-inflammatory properties, reduces muscle pain
• Reduces pain from strenuous exercise
• Analgesic properties without medication side effects
• Ginger proved more effective against pain relief than placebo

Dr. Tammy Bohne (Chiropractic) attended New York Chiropractic College. As a child her father was misdiagnosed with MS. He endured many tests and complicated procedures before going to a Chiropractor who was highly recommended. The Chiropractor found that he did not have MS and was instead suffering from pinched nerves at the base of his neck. This sparked Dr Bohne’s fascination with the Chiropractic profession.

She is a firm believer that the natural way is the better way. Keeping the body in a state where it can take care of itself is what she teaches her patients here at Spine and Sports Medicine. If you would like to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 212.986.3888

During Rafael Nadal’s press conference after his win over David Nalbandian at the US Open, he abruptly stopped talking and began taking deep breaths in menacing pain. Nadal rolled off of his chair and lied flat on the ground behind the interview desk. They cut the lights in the room and his trainers rushed over to him. What seemed like a serious injury was really a case of common cramping caused by severe dehydration. Stay hydrated and avoid cramping with the 30 Best Hydrating Food Options

Spine and Sports Orthopedic Medicine Clinic was established in New York City in 1993 with one mission: to treat individuals who suffer from acute, chronic, and disabling pain & sports injuries. Whether it is pain you’re experiencing from an acute injury, playing a sport, being involved in an accident, or from a chronic problem, our team of pain management doctors can help. We treat conditions caused by physical or emotional stress, trauma, arthritis, or a herniated disc(s).

Schedule an appointment today. 

Foot Pain:

The foot, like the hand, contains many joints, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, all of which must be working in concert in order to avoid foot pain. Wearing shoes, although obviously necessary, also restricts normal movement of many of these joints in the foot and without proper care can lead to foot problems and even arthritic changes within the foot itself.

Women who wear high-heeled shoes or excessively tight shoes are at a much greater risk for developing foot problems, as well as ankle, knee, hip and low back problems due to the uneven weight distribution caused by heels. Problems in the foot that are not addressed also frequently lead to altering the way we walk in order to decrease pain, which often leads to secondary problems in the knees and lower back.

Ankle Pain:

Like the wrist, its analog in the upper body, the ankle is a very complicated structure. But unlike the wrist, the ankle has the added stress of bearing the weight of the body above, so correct biomechanics and structure are even more important. It is very common for ankle sprain/strain injuries to become a chronic, recurring problem if not rehabilitated properly.

The nerves of the lumbar plexus, which run from both sides of the spine in the low back, run all the way to the toes. Compression of one of these nerves can cause pain anywhere in the leg or even into the ankle and foot. This is commonly known as sciatica.

Our Approach:

At Spine and Sports Medicine, conveniently located in midtown, we offer a comprehensive team approach unique in Manhattan. Our board-certified physical therapists work with our expert physicians, neurologist and chiropractors to manage your pain and solve the underlying cause. The team at Spine and Sports Medicine approaches your healthcare from every angle to provide an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plan. If you are experiencing foot pain, please call or email us today to make an appointment.

212-986-3888
www.spineandsports.com

Are you a pencil chewer, a jaw clencher? Have pain or tenderness in the jaw, aching pain in and around your ear? “You may want to give us a call,” says Spine and Sports Medicine Medical Director Brian Kessler, M.D. “Jaw pain may be an indicator of temporomandibular joint disorder, known as TMJ — an acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull.”

TMJ disorders cause tenderness and pain in the temporomandibular joint — the joint on each side of your head in front of your ears, where your lower jawbone meets your skull. This joint allows you to talk, chew and yawn, and because it combines a hinge action with sliding motions, is one of the most complex joints in your body. Between 5 and 15 percent of people in the United States experience pain associated with TMJ disorders, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, with women between the ages of 30 and 50 most likely to develop TMJ disorders.

“Determining the cause of a TMJ problem is important,” says Dr. Kessler, “because it is the cause that guides the treatment. TMJ problems do not fall clearly into one medical area, so we use a multidisciplinary approach to find the best treatment possible for every patient, often working with specialists from pain management, neurology and physical medicine right in our offices in Manhattan.”

If you are experiencing headaches, earaches, stuffiness or ringing in the ears, or discomfort in the jaw, throat or mouth area, it may be a condition known as Orofacial Pain.

In the past, symptoms such as these were associated with and referred to as TMD, or Temporomandibular Disorder. Today, we use the broader term Orofacial Pain to describe pain that is not confined to your jaw, but also refers to pain or discomfort in your head, neck or shoulder areas as well as systemic conditions that may cause these symptoms. Orofacial Pain can have many causes. Depending on the diagnosis, a variety of treatments are available.

The treatment of Orofacial Pain begins with a comprehensive evaluation of the patient. A complete patient history, thorough physical exam, laboratory tests and imaging studies will be conducted to properly diagnose the condition. Once the disorder has been identified, our expert staff will employ a multidisciplinary approach to easing the symptoms and treating the root cause of the problem. Treatments may include physical therapy, prescription medication, oral appliance therapy, and acupuncture. At Spine and Sports Medicine we also use biofeedback as treatment. This includes relaxation therapy, psychological and behavioral approaches to pain management and lifestyle modification.

Spine and Sports Medicine is conveniently located in midtown Manhattan. Our facilities are designed to maximize your comfort in a soothing environment. We are a team of expert healthcare professionals that uses a multidisciplinary approach to the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of your condition.

Whether you seek rehabilitation from a sports or accident-related injury, or need treatment for a physical condition, our physicians, dentist and outstanding physical therapists combine their expertise to provide you with total healthcare. To make an appointment, please call us or email us today.

212-986-3888, Monday-Friday from 7am to 7pm.

A friend of mine was working at her desk recently as a photo editor at a major news agency. Without warning, a sharp, piercing pain shot through her wrist and up her arm. She described it as “an electric shock.” She thought at first it might be just a passing cramp, though she remembered she had been trying to ignore a tingling feeling in her hand and wrist for the last few months and recognized that it might be related.

A trip to the doctor indicated the possibility that the pain was caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist. “Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist,” says Spine & Sports NYC’s own Dr. Kessler. “The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers, as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move.” The carpal tunnel — a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand — houses the median nerve and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed. “The result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm.”

Any condition that exerts pressure on the median nerve at the wrist can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Tendon inflammation resulting from repetitive work, such as uninterrupted typing, can also cause carpal tunnel symptoms.

Tips on Relieving Wrist Pain

• Prop up your arm with pillows when you lie down
• Avoid using your injured hand as much as possible
• Find a new way to position or move your hand to relieve pressure
• Try to use the other hand more often
• Avoid bending your wrists down for long periods

If you are experience wrist pain and need to schedule a consultation, call us now at 212-986-3888 or visit our website athttp://spineandsports.com/

“The Shoulder is a very common site of injury for ‘weekend warriors’. In addition to the superficial deltoid muscles which do the bulk of the movement of this joint, the smaller, internal rotator cuff group is highly susceptible to injury. In fact, it is estimated that by the time we reach the age of 60, 60% of people will have some degree of measurable damage to one of the four rotator cuff muscles.” —Brian Kessler, M.D., Medical Director for Spine & Sports Medicine of NYC.

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body and the potential causes of shoulder pain are multiple. Most shoulder problems involve the soft tissues — muscles, tendons, and ligaments — that hold the bones of the shoulder in place, and include swelling, inflammation, and the splitting or tearing of tendons. Degenerative conditions, such as tendonitis, bursitis or arthritis, as well as the natural aging process, can also cause shoulder pain. Because the shoulder has such a wide range of motion, problems can be worsened by sports like baseball and tennis, in which the shoulder is extensively used. Other shoulder conditions include shoulder dislocation, shoulder separation, fracture, and “frozen shoulder syndrome,” which occurs when the shoulder is immobilized due to a prior injury.

Our physicians and chiropractors specialize in treating pain and the disorders that cause pain. Our physical therapists are experts in rehabilitation and will help you learn how you can help yourself recover from shoulder injury. When necessary, we will prescribe medication or provide corticosteroid injections to lessen pain and quicken recovery. Whatever the cause of your shoulder pain, the professionals at Spine and Sports Medicine will diagnose and treat it using cutting-edge technology and the finest medical attention.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 212-986-3888 or check us out at http://spineandsports.com/

Dr. Tammy Bohne (D.C.)

Many painful conditions are caused by a misalignment of the musculo-skeletal system, especially of the spine and joints throughout the body. This can have effects on your general health, including the nervous system. The best chiropractic care is focused on alleviating many types of pain through gentle manipulation of the spine, joints and muscles. The chiropractic doctors (Dr. Juan-Carlos Izquierdo (D.C.) & Dr. Tammy Bohne (D.C.) ) at Spine and Sports Medicine know that a healthy body is achieved through a healthy spine, nervous system, muscles and joints.

Spine and Sports Medicine offers a multidisciplinary team approach to chiropractic care including our physiatrist, chiropractic physicians, and physical therapists. Whatever pain or discomfort you may have, we can evaluate, diagnose and treat it, all within the comfort of our Madison Avenue offices. Our board-certified physiatrist, chiropractic physicians and physical therapists work as a team to ensure a complete healthcare experience. At Spine and Sports Medicine, we don’t just treat the symptoms, we solve the problem.

There is no need for an outside referral. Our friendly staff will handle all of your insurance issues. You can call to make an appointment with our board-certified physiatrist and chiropractors to begin immediate treatment for your pain disorder. With personalized attention and expert care, Spine and Sports Medicine will alleviate your pain and discomfort so you can return to a healthy and active life.

Call us today at 212-986-3888 or visit our website at http://spineandsports.com/ to make an appointment.