Blog Archive

When you need joint replacement surgery, you frequently hear advice that the skill of your surgeon is key to a successful procedure. You might also hear about robot-assisted joint replacements, which could give you the impression that a surgeon’s skill isn’t as critical as it once was.  This comes from...

The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis starts in the mechanics of joint movement. Injury, overuse, and time begin to break down the cartilage covering on bones where they meet in a joint.  Cartilage protects bone ends, creates a sliding surface for movement, and provides a cushioning layer. Without it, direct bone-on-bone...

Mallet finger is a tendon injury affecting the top joint of any finger or thumb. The injured tendon no longer straightens the joint, giving your finger a bend that you can’t straighten. While this condition is usually due to a strong impact, sometimes a relatively minor force can cause the damage. ...

Despite the presence of workplace safety committees and effective safety policies, accidents happen and people get hurt on the job. These aren’t always serious injuries, but even minor problems can add up and affect your quality of life.  In New York state, workers’ compensation operates under a no-fault, employer-funded system...

When you’re suffering from musculoskeletal pain, treatment starts with the most conservative strategy: resting. If that isn’t enough, you may add over-the-counter pain medications or ice packs. When home care is insufficient, it’s time to call the doctor.  That’s typically how effective health care works. You move from conservative, low-impact...

With 600,000 total knee replacement surgeries performed in the United States each year, it’s fair to say that the procedure is in the mainstream. Knee replacements relieve pain and restore freedom of mobility for most of those patients. About 90% report a significant reduction in pain after their surgery.  It’s a dependable...

It might start as a mild tingling sensation or annoying numbness in your hand. Down the road, however, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) could produce pain or weakness across your thumb and first three fingers. Left untreated, CTS can result in permanent damage to your wrist and hand.  CTS is commonly...

Over 300,000 people receive hip replacement surgery each year in the United States, enjoying a procedure that reduces pain, improves mobility, and in general creates a positive impact on the recipient’s quality of life.  At Southern Westchester Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we’re familiar with the life-changing potential of joint replacement surgery. It’s one of our specialties....

It’s easy to blame pain on muscles, particularly after a day of physical exertion, or you may blame tender joints as the source of discomfort. Often, though, neither of these is the primary culprit. Instead, look to myofascial tissue, connective layers that surround and support blood vessels, bones, muscles, nerves, and...

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has a high profile in the aesthetics community as the basis of many dermal filler formulations. It makes sense, because it’s a substance that’s found throughout the body serving a variety of functions — in the skin, it attracts and holds moisture while providing support for the...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 58 million Americans have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis. Many more could be coping with conditions for which they’ve not yet seen a doctor.  With over 100 forms of the disease, arthritis has an enormous impact...

Nutrition, training, and protective gear provide the baseline of health for anyone involved in sports. For young athletes, the thrill of participation in their chosen sports may be more exciting than eating vegetables or stretching their hamstrings, but these support activities remain important, particularly when they’re facing the rigors of...

Hip pain is a common complaint, with roughly one in 10 American adults reporting some level of experience with the problem. As the population ages, so does the proportion of hip issues. There are a wide range of conditions and injuries that can cause pain in these ball and socket joints.  Sometimes,...

Shoulder pain is common when you have hobbies or a job with repeated overhead motion. Playing sports with repeated shoulder motions can create pain, too. It’s common to develop biomechanical habits that may not cause day-to-day problems but that wear down joint components over time. The shoulder is a strong joint...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over 32 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, the most common wear-and-tear condition affecting the joints of your body. To date, there’s no cure for this condition, which is one of over 100 types of arthritis.  The team at Southern Westchester Orthopedics & Sports Medicine recommends hyaluronic...

There’s plenty going on in your hand. Your hands are capable of incredible articulation and detailed work, made possible by the 27 bones and joints, 34 muscles, and over 100 ligaments and tendons. One of the most common hand injuries occurs at the wrist where many components of the hand pass...

What you think of as muscle pain may not, in fact, originate with your muscles but with the fascia. These layers of thin, white tissue surround all groups of muscle tissue, including muscle fibers, individual muscles, and muscle groups.  Fascia holds muscles together, but it also aids movement, because it’s...

Elbow injuries can be distressing because you may lose use of your hand during recovery, too. Overuse injuries generally respond well to rest and home care. Traumatic elbow injuries, however, vary substantially in severity. This could be due to playing sports, falling, or being in an auto accident. Knowing how...

Arthritis is a collection of conditions that affect the joints in your body, typically causing inflammation and tissue breakdown. The most common form is called osteoarthritis.  It’s usually a slow-developing condition arising from long-term wear-and-tear on your joints. Osteoarthritis is common in the knees, hips, and shoulders, although it can...

Sports participation is often fun. That’s the appeal of it, particularly when it’s the basis for your physical fitness efforts. Instead of the impersonal and uninteresting use of weights and machines, playing a sport can engage your mind in a way that a treadmill or exercise bike may not.  As...

While there are over 100 different types of arthritis, two of them account for most of the cases affecting the knees. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common of those two, a wear-and-tear condition that often occurs later in life. Though it seems to be age-related, OA isn’t inevitable, and there...

Simply stated, sports medicine focuses on injuries and prevention in a sports context. Certain types of injuries tend to cluster within various sports activities, such as sprains, joint problems, or repetitive strain injuries, like the notorious “tennis elbow.”  None of these problems is exclusive to sports participation, though. Your job...

Your shoulder is aching, and it’s not getting any better. Now, it’s time to see a specialist to diagnose the issue. You think it may be your rotator cuff. Could it be torn?  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons with Southern Westchester Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, located in Yonkers and Mamaroneck, New...