One
of the easiest ways to ensure your body is at full strength to battle
potential orthopaedic ailments is to remain physically active throughout
your entire life. That’s right—get up and get moving!
Physical activity encourages orthopaedic health
“Physical activity creates stronger bones and muscles,” says Dr. John
Hoffman, a fellowship-trained Sports Medicine Specialist and Total
Joint Replacement Surgeon at Orthopaedic Specialists (OS). “Even when an
injury or chronic issue arises, we see people who engage in exercise
are typically more likely to heal and get back on their feet faster.”
Dr. Hoffman adds that it’s important to remember that physical activity has many other benefits beyond orthopaedic health.
“Staying active is important on so many levels,” says Dr. Hoffman. “For
example, exercise boosts serotonin levels that elevate mood and helps to
relieve stress.”
Boost recovery time with minimally invasive surgery
Former OS patient, Emily Podschweit, was a freshman in high school when
she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), one of the most important
of four strong ligaments connecting the bones of the knee joint.
Despite the serious injury, Emily was back to training with hopes to
someday make the USA National Beach Volleyball Team only six months
after the surgery, when other doctors in town had predicted an 18 month
recovery time. Her speedy recovery was due to her physical conditioning
as well as Dr. Hoffman’s knowledge of minimally invasive surgery
techniques that repaired the ACL. With over 1,600 ACL reconstructions
in his career, Dr. Hoffman is recognized as one of the leaders in
sports-related reconstruction surgeries in the Quad Cities.
Minimally invasive repair of Emily’s ACL meant Dr. Hoffman used tiny
incisions instead of one large opening. Because the incisions were
small, Emily had a quicker recovery time and less discomfort than with
conventional surgery—all with the same benefits.
“After her ACL surgery was done using minimally invasive techniques,
Emily was able to get back to playing the sport she loves, volleyball,
much quicker than we predicted. She was very determined with a tenacious
attitude to get back to the game. Another big part of her speedy
recovery was her high level of fitness,” says Dr. Hoffman.
The combination of physical activity and minimally invasive techniques has also helped older patients.
“I’ve been doing total joint procedures for more than 10 years, and in
the last decade, improvements in surgical techniques, anesthesia and
joint technology means more patients return to their active lives much
faster than before,” said Hoffman. “Minimally invasive techniques help
everyone recover quicker, and those that are focused on physical
activity and healthy before and after the surgery tend to see even
faster results.”
Physical activity improves orthopaedic health at every age
No matter your age, physical activity improves orthopaedic health. For
children and teens, exercise is especially important. Whether it is
through participating in sports, doing chores, or playing outside with
friends, kids should ideally be physically active for at least 60
minutes per day.
Adults with families often have busy schedules, so exercise can be hard
to squeeze in. But physical activity will improve your mood and give you
more energy throughout the day, aiding in getting activities and tasks
done with more ease. Going on family walks or bike rides or going to the
gym for a short workout can provide adequate amounts of exercise.
As an older adult, moderate and low intensity aerobic activities for 30
minutes a day can help keep joints strong and active. Another benefit of
physical activity is that it can help prevent falls and make daily
tasks easier.
Activities such as walking and biking are great ways to get in daily
physical activity and keep your body moving for people of any age. It
limits strain and pressure on your joints.
Faster Recovery
Minimally invasive procedures and new advancements in care get patients
of all ages back to an active lifestyle more quickly. Even if you find
yourself in need of an orthopaedic treatment and are currently not a
physically active person, pledging to become physically active
post-procedure will improve your odds for a faster recovery.
If you do have orthopaedic concerns, the orthopaedic surgeons at
Orthopaedic Specialists (OS) in Davenport, Iowa, are board-certified and
fellowship-trained, which means they have the body of knowledge needed
to provide patients with a better experience, and better results. With
access to the latest advances in orthopaedic medicine, they use
minimally invasive techniques to get patients back up and moving faster.
To learn more about the procedures that the surgeons at Orthopaedic
Specialists perform, call 563.344.9292 or visit their website at osquadcities.com.