- Orthopedics, Senior CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogJoint replacement surgeries are some of the most successful and popular operations in the medical field. These procedures have helped countless people achieve more mobility and less pain with brand new hips or knees. Sounds like the perfect solution to joint pain, right? But how do you know if you’re ready for joint replacement surgery? It’s not a simple answer, and the timing of your surgery can greatly affect your result. An orthopedic surgeon who specializes in these operations can help you decide if and when to have surgery. A surgeon will talk to you about your pain level and mobility, examine how you walk and evaluate your x-rays before recommending a plan. If you’re experiencing joint pain and thinking about surgery, it will help to be familiar with the following points before you start a conversation with your surgeon: Arthritis and cartilage The most common form of arthritis is called osteoarthritis, a degenerative process which causes your cartilage cushion to wear down. Since cartilage covers the bones in your joints, this can affect how your joints move and feel. If your x-rays show that your cartilage cushion around your joints is gone, it may be time for surgery. Patients call this state “bone on bone.” If your x-rays show you still have your own cartilage, it’s probably too soon for replacement surgery. Hip vs. knee replacement Deciding on hip replacement can be easier than choosing to have a knee replacement. Here’s why: Hip pain is constant, and non-surgical methods of relieving pain aren’t as effective as with knees. Knees are more difficult. Knee pain will come and go, so it’s harder to recognize your pain level. Also, there are other effective ways to relieve pain for knees besides surgery. Injections and physical therapy tend to work better for knees compared to hips. Knee replacement patients often don’t expect the pain that comes with rehab after surgery. Your symptoms: A personal choice Ice and heating packs, joint injections, weight loss, over-the-counter medications and physical therapy can all help reduce pain. However, if you’ve tried these methods and you still have severe pain in your groin or around your knee, it’s time to see a surgeon. While we can make medically based recommendations, remember that having joint surgery is a personal decision. My patients often make the choice to have surgery when their pain is so bad they can’t even sleep or it prevents them from traveling or doing something they love. Patients ready for surgery often stop asking what they can’t do with a total joint, and start looking forward to what they can do after surgery. Still not sure? If you have daily pain that limits your activities, you may benefit from surgery. Surgeons can certainly guide your decision, but the final choice is yours. We want you to feel a big enough improvement after your surgery to be glad you went through the procedure. And remember, joint replacement surgeries have been helping people for decades and most patients are very happy with their results. To learn more about joint replacement surgery, visit https://www.luminishealth.org/en/services/joint-replacement-surgery. Author By James MacDonald, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Luminis Health. To reach his practice, call 410-268-8862.0
- News & Press Releases, OrthopedicsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogFor six straight years, the Center for Joint Replacement at Anne Arundel Medical Center has been Maryland’s busiest hip and knee replacement program, drawing patients from all over the country. Recently the Center received national attention through these notable rankings: U.S. News and World Report recently named AAMC a high-performing hospital for hip and knee replacements. Orthopedic Network News ranked AAMC among the top 10 hospitals in the country for Medicare knee and hip replacements. Center for Joint Replacement’s annual report Two years ago, Anne Arundel Medical Center became the first hospital in the state to top 2,000 knee and hip replacement surgeries in one year — a pace that continued last year, when surgeons performed 2,221 joint replacements. Other findings from the Center for Joint Replacement’s annual Joint Outcomes Report include: High quality at a low cost: The Center provides the highest quality care at the lowest possible cost. The average cost of joint procedures at AAMC is 13 percent lower than Maryland’s average. Shorter hospital stays: The average joint replacement patient stays at AAMC for 2.16 days. This is 21 percent less than the average length of stay at Maryland hospitals and 23 percent less than the national average. Our patients want to get back to their homes, and to their lives, as soon as they are ready. Our extensive research shows that early discharge does not lead to an increase in complications or people needing to return to the emergency room. Plus, we see that patients are much happier to be out of the hospital and home with family and friends as quickly as possible. High patient satisfaction: The Center for Joint Replacement’s patient satisfaction scores have remained in the top 5 percent of the nation for the past six years. “We know our patients demand transparency about our outcomes,” says Paul King, MD, orthopedic surgeon and medical director of AAMC’s Center for Joint Replacement. “We believe publishing our joint outcomes enhances our culture of continuous improvement and increases value for our patients. Our patients know we’re a trusted, expert partner in their care.” You can find the full 2016 Joint Outcomes Report at askAAMC.org/JointOutcomes. To learn more about hip and knee arthritis, sign up for our free Hip and Knee Pain 101 class. You’ll learn how to get relief and have your questions answered by the doctors at the Center for Joint Replacement at AAMC.0
- OrthopedicsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogGoing for a joint replacement or spine surgery can change your life in many positive ways. Freedom from pain and improved mobility are two main advantages, and who wouldn’t want that? There are 719,000 total knee replacements and 332,000 hip replacements performed annually in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, more than 7 million people in the country have had a knee or hip replacement surgery. And about 400,000 people in the U.S. undergo spine surgery each year. If you’re planning for either of these surgeries, it is likely your recovery could take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months. Now, a joint replacement or a spine surgery is a big decision and you’re probably thinking about it quite a bit. But it’s also important to think about your comfort after you return home. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your time spent healing: Clear your walking paths! You need enough room to navigate comfortably to all the areas in your home you frequently use. Pick up rugs, remove animal and baby toys, clothing, totes or any other items from the floors. Choose your best chairs. Have a firm, comfortable armchair with an ottoman or a recliner chair to rest in and get your legs up. Low furniture is difficult to move in and out of, so you may need to raise the seat height. Secure railings. If you have to take the stairs to get to your bedroom, bathroom or anywhere else in your home, make sure you have a good railing to use. Loose or incomplete rails will not provide the stability you need to navigate safely your stairs. Adjust your bed height. Have a bed that you can get into and out of that is not too high. If this is not an option, make sure you have a good footstool handy to use as a step to allow you to sit back in your bed when getting into it. Be careful with pets. Keep pets secured away from you when you are moving around your home. Pets can trip you when they are underfoot! Prepare the bathroom for your limited mobility. If you can, install a grab bar next to your toilet and in the shower to assist you with balance and rising from a seated position. Since challenged mobility is a temporary limitation, you may opt to purchase a raised toilet seat with arm rests or a commode seat with multiple uses (like the 3-in-1 commode) in lieu of grab bar installation. A seat for the shower is also helpful and can be as simple as a plastic lawn chair or a specialized bathtub bench to slide into the shower in a seated position. There are a lot of thoughts that cross your mind when you are going to go through surgery, but it’s also important to take some time to think about how you can best take care of yourself once you’re home. Pay attention to the little things that you usually overlook and make sure that the layout will give you the safest and most comfortable environment. But most importantly: make sure you can reach the jar of cookies in the kitchen! A little sweetness always makes things a little better. Author Marilyn Pfeiffer is an outpatient home visit therapist at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Physical Therapy. You can reach her at 443-481-1140.0
- News & Press Releases, Physical TherapyGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG), a multi-specialty physician group that is part of Anne Arundel Medical Center, announced today the opening of its new combined primary care and physical therapy location in Cape St. Claire. The unique, integrated model is designed to conveniently meet the needs of Cape St. Claire patients. Primary care includes preventive and screening services to patients of all ages – from babies to seniors. Through physical therapy, patients are offered a comprehensive range of services, including orthopedics, spine rehabilitation, aquatic therapy (at the Severna Park Community Center), balance and fall prevention. Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) has announced the opening of its new combined primary care and physical therapy location in Cape St. Claire. The new clinic is located at 1332 Cape St. Claire Rd, Annapolis. Morning and evening appointments are available — from 6:30 am to 8 pm Monday through Thursday and 6:30 am to 5 pm Friday — with convenient free parking. To schedule an appointment, call 443-951-4280. READ MORE: AAMG Physical Therapy opens new Kent Island clinic0
- Location229781tel:(301) 599-95004000 Mitchellville Rd, Ste B116, Bowie, MD 20716Whether your goal is returning to the sports field or keeping up with your grandchildren, our orthopedic specialists have helped many people reduce or eliminate their orthopedic-related pain and discomfort. With a focus on the care and comfort of each patient, a team of board-certified orthopedic surgeons, fellowship-trained surgeons and skilled physical therapists develop personalized plans to help accurately evaluate and effectively treat a wide range of minor and complex orthopedic conditions. These conditions impact bones and joints in the arms, legs and spine as well as other structures such as ligaments, tendons and muscles., Our comprehensive program offers expert orthopedic care throughout the Luminis Health network. Working collaboratively to ensure that you understand your diagnosis and treatment options, the team provides specialty orthopedic services that include:Arthroscopic surgery, Foot and ankle surgery, Fracture care, General orthopedics, Hand and upper extremity surgery, Shoulder and elbow surgery, Spine surgery, Sports medicine, Total hip and knee replacement, Total joint replacement0
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