Spring has sprung, and with that comes one thing that we can count on every year: America’s Pastime making its return after the long winter months. Baseball is a wonderful sport that can be played by very young children and people into their later adult years as well. However, despite being a low-contact sport, baseball still carries a potential for injury because of the unnatural motions that are commonplace during gameplay, as well as stress-related injuries from repeated motions.

At MidAmerica Orthopaedics, we're dedicated to providing our patients with the most advanced and effective treatments to help them recover from injuries and conditions that alter their quality of life. One area of medicine that has seen significant progress in recent years is orthopedic implant technology. With new materials, designs, and techniques, orthopedic implants are becoming safer, more durable, and more functional than ever before. In this post, we'll discuss some of the latest advancements in orthopedic implant technology and how they're helping patients get back to the activities they love.

Basketball is a sport that combines intensity with finesse, and when played the right way, it can be played casually into the later years in one’s life. But with that intensity comes the risk of injury, which is what this blog will discuss. Basketball is a year-round sport, but with winter being the season where most basketball leagues are played – at the youth, high school, and collegiate level especially – there’s no better time than now to highlight some of the most common basketball-related injuries we see at MidAmerica Orthopaedics, and how you can best treat them and prevent them.

What do you know about Electrodiagnostic Testing? If the answer is not so much, then you will want to read this blog in full!

Electrodiagnostic testing is a method of evaluating the electrical activity of muscles and nerves to diagnose conditions such as Peripheral Neuropathy, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and Radiculopathy. These tests typically involve the use of electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) to measure the electrical activity in the muscles and nerves, helping to identify the location, cause, and severity of nerve or muscle disorders, and also monitor the progress of treatment.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a very common condition that affects the hand and wrist in a few distinct ways. It occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes compressed or squeezed at the wrist. The result of this nerve compression is numbness, tingling, and sometimes pain in the hand and fingers.

There are a variety of treatment options for CTS, and the best option for a particular patient will depend on the severity of their symptoms and the underlying cause of the condition.

If a doctor has advised that you receive surgery to treat your chronic hip or knee pain, you’re likely contemplating what a total replacement would mean for you. It’s a daunting phrase in itself, the thought of having a major joint completely replaced. Even if your daily routine has become difficult and other treatments have been ineffective, just the idea of a prosthetic hip or knee can be scary. However, the procedure has a strong track record of reducing pain and restoring hip function to patients throughout the country. The success rate 10 years post-surgery is between 90-95 percent and continues to be highly effective long after.

When we hear the phrase “minimally invasive,” it is most often referring to significant surgeries such as spinal procedures. However, this terminology can be applied across the board, and this blog will discuss the myriad of benefits that these kinds of procedures can have when compared to invasive procedures, also known as “open” surgeries, etc. A few of the conditions that MidAmerica Orthopaedics treats using minimally invasive techniques are Degenerative Disk Disease, Herniated Disc, and Scoliosis. On a broad level, minimally invasive means that the area being operated on is not opened nearly as wide as it is in open procedures. This allows for many benefits, both during and after the procedure is over. Now that we know the difference between open surgeries and minimally invasive procedures, let’s discuss why minimally invasive methods are becoming the increasingly popular choice for patients and doctors alike.

With the winter in full swing, we want to provide you with some insights regarding the most common winter sports injuries that we at MidAmerica Orthopaedics have seen over our decades of being open for business in Chicagoland, and how you can best position yourself to avoid them and limit their effects if you happen to suffer one.