Health and Nutrition after Orthopedic Surgery

Patients have gone through orthopedic surgery for a myriad of reasons or injuries to their bodies. Such damages are generally for fractured bones, torn ligaments and tendon repairs. Even with non-invasive techniques, Orthopedic surgery can put stresses on the body. During post-op and the repair period, ensuring that you eat the right food after surgery is vital, which can greatly assist in speeding up the recovery process. Follow your doctor's suggestions and rehab closely. Recovering does not only mean that you get enough rest or take it easy with your injured area. You need to adapt a well-balanced diet filled with nutrients which are good in boosting the immune system and speed the recover time. Orthopedic surgeons often recommend some dietary elements which may be included in their suggested post-surgery regimen:

Low residue diet

After you have undergone surgery, it may be recommended to follow a low residue diet, which consists of food with low fiber like vegetables, fruit, eggs, and tender meat. This diet can assist in easy digestion which will aid and slow down bowel movements.

Protein rich diet

A protein rich diet can help assist the body repair and build organs and muscles. If you have a deficiency in proteins, you might suffer from fatigue. Proteins act as fuel for the body repair and it may be advisable that you consume at least three servings of pork, fish, beef, chicken, milk or cheese during the first stages of your healing.

Iron

Iron is recommended as it helps prevent a patient from suffering from anemia. Our bodies need a regular supply of iron so as to help in the creation of hemoglobin, which allow the red blood cells to transport oxygen all over the body. Constant and unobstructed flow of oxygen helps in promoting the healing process. Food high in iron include liver, sesame seeds, and dried apricots.

Vitamin A

This special vitamin assists in repairing the tissues, as well as aiding in the over healing process after surgery. In addition, it encourages new tissue generation and new skin growth. Foods which are rich in vitamin A include, fish oil, liver and cheese. Vitamin A is also important as it raises the body's resistance to infections.

Vitamin C

This vitamin assists in stimulating the manufacture of collagen, and also assists in healing wounds. It promotes the production of elastin, which is substantial in allowing the wound to stretch without causing any further damage. High levels of vitamin C can be found in fruits like oranges and lemons.

These post-surgery foods can be crucial in the healing process. If you have a diet that is rich in nutrients, you will recover faster and your immune system will remain strong even after going through orthopedic surgery. Having a good health and nutrition after surgery is a vital component to a quicker recovery.

Remember to live life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

ACL Injury Causes, by Dr. Kevin Crawford, premier ACL Doctor in Lubbock TX

An Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is the tearing or over-stretching of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. 

The injury may be a partial or complete tear. Either way, an ACL injury can be painful, especially when you try to put weight on the injured knee. Swelling in the knee can occur, and one might have heard a "popping" sound at the time of injury.  Mobility can become moderately to severely impaired, and First Aid for an injured ACL may include: 

• Putting ice on the knee

• Raising the injured leg above the level of the heart

• Pain relievers, such as anti-inflammatory drugs

             Consult a medical professional for treatment and care.   

According to Wikipedia, "The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. They are also called cruciform ligaments as they are arranged in a crossed formation.  In the quadruped stifle joint (analogous to the knee), based on its anatomical position, it is also referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament. The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four main ligaments of the knee, and the ACL provides 85% of the restraining force to anterior tibial displacement at 30 degrees and 90 degrees of knee flexion."

In less technical jargon, the ACL is one of two ligaments that cross in the middle of the knee, and connects your thighbone to your shinbone. The ACL helps to stabilize the knee joint, and is made up of strong bands of tissue that connect one bone to another.

Many ACL injuries happen during fitness or sports activities, where jumping, running, high-stress knee movement, or impacts are involved.  The ligament may become compromised or tear when there is a sudden change of direction or pivot. The stress to the knee (and ACL) could be enhanced when the foot is firmly planted during the sudden movement, possibly causing twisting or hyperextension of the knee.

Landing off-balance or awkwardly from a jump can also injure the ACL, as can falls during fitness activity, such as downhill skiing.  Impacts such as those from a football tackle or motor vehicle accident also can cause a knee and ACL injury.  However, most ACL injuries occur without such contact.

Lubbock Sports Medicine

Dr. Kevin Crawford, MD
4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79409
(806) 792-4329

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How to Avoid Sports Injuries

While "warming up" before the championship football game or our afternoon jog is a must to help avoid Sports Injuries, there are many other precautionary steps that we could take.  A comprehensive approach can be the key for prolonged sports fitness, while keeping our bodies strong and flexible to help meet the demands of whatever sports activities that we undertake.  

Let's start with the basics:

The Warm Up

A critical need to help avoid sports injuries is The Warm-Up.  How vigorous your sports activity is will determine the recommended time to properly warm up your body.  A typical warm-up session could be 5-10 minutes, and should involve gently stretching, and increasing the blood flow to the muscles throughout the body, and then build the warm-up to a more brisk pace through light to medium cardio. A proper warm-up will allow for increase body flexibility of joints and muscle fibers, which will help help mitigate the risk of pulling or straining a muscle or incurring a painful joint injury. 

Technique Rules!

Doing a sport activity, such as weight lifting, working out quickly and unfocused, rather than with purposeful and proper technique, has caused many strained or torn muscles.  Methodical technique rules the day with regard to minimizing sports injuries, and is a must to ensure your desired results.  If you don't know a proper technique for any sports activity, simply ask a qualified sports medicine expert or trainer. Most gyms have certified trainers on hand just for this purpose.  They are there to help.  Remember...  "A perfect game requires perfect practice".

Crawl before you fly

Whether you are a sports beginner or a top professional, learn to listen to your body.  The only way to get better, stronger, and faster is to push yourself.  However, there's a big difference in taking that extra step or cranking out that last rep. verses hitting it so hard that your body starts to break down. Increased fitness and improved results take time and consistency to achieve, but when a shoulder or hip or knee starts sending your pain signals (or "something is not right" signals), maybe it's time to cool off to train for another day.  So, test yourself and push yourself.  Unless you are training to become an elite athlete, just don't go all for broke, especially at the beginning of your fitness journey, and always under doctor consultation.

Correct Equipment

Virtually all sports requires some form of equipment, with some sports requiring more equipments than others. Even sports activities such as jogging requires quality running shoes, and even apparel that 'breathes" and doesn't chafe.  On the other end of the spectrum is football, that requires a full body of equipment (certified helmet shoulder pads, mouthpiece, knee, thigh, and butt pads, quality cleats, and other items depending your your position.  Any of these pieces could be the weak link the chain, so select quality equipment to help avoid injury to the most vulnerable parts of the body.

Liquify

Water is absolutely your best friend to help avoid sports injuries, and helps keep you in peak performance during your strenuous sports actively.  Taking in enough fluids is vital to your body's wellbeing, and is necessary to your muscles' recuperatory stage after a killer workout or after a demanding match.

Cool it Down

Like the warm-up, but in reverse, the cool-down is essential to complete your sports activity.  A 5-10 minutes cool-down would include a more gentle exercise, like walking and stretching, and allows for the heart to return to its normal rate. It also lengthen the muscles, to help alleviate some of their bulkiness and tightness. Additionally, a proper cool-down allows the body to remove the bad waste-products created during the workout, and replaces them with oxygen and needed nutrients.

Modify your Intake

You want better performance on and off the field?  Change your diet, and of course no smoking.  Simple as that.  A good engine does not work so well with a poor source of energy, right?  So, eat your greens and fruits, and make sure you are getting sufficient protein, especially if you are strength training.  Keep it natural and healthy.  Stay away for the processed foods, which can be heavy on sodium, fats, preservatives, and sugars with minimal nutritional benefits. 

Get your Zzzz...

Help ensure that your body recuperates and heals from a day of hard activities by getting sufficient sleep - every night!  This is the main time when your muscles have a chance to mend themselves and get stronger. Besides all the health benefits to a good night's sleep (7.5 - 8 hrs for an adult), it also allows for higher productivity during the day.  Here's to your Zzzz, and start getting better:

• Daytime Performance

• Muscle Recuperation

• Brain Function

• Emotional Outlook

• Safety & Alertness

Disclaimer:  This information has been provided by Dr. Kevin Crawford, Lubbock Sports Medicine as general information only. It is not intended for any patient or specific situation.  Exercise with care and under a doctor's supervision.

Dr. Kevin Crawford, MD
Lubbock Sports Medicine
4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410
Tel. (806) 792-4329

Meniscus Injuries of the Knee

Reliability, Validity, and Responsiveness of the IKDC Score for Meniscus Injuries of the Knee

 Kevin Crawford, M.D., Karen K. Briggs, M.P.H., William G. Rodkey, D.V.M., and J. Richard Steadman, M.D. 

Arthroscopy Association of North America’s Research Essay Award Winner

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score for meniscus injuries of the knee. Methods: Testretest reliability, content validity, construct validity, and responsiveness to change were determined for the IKDC score. Knees were excluded if they had ligament pathology or a chondral defect greater than Outerbridge grade 2. All patients had meniscus pathology requiring treatment. The study comprised 4 subsets of patients. Group A consisted of 31 patients who completed an IKDC form at least 2 years after surgery for meniscus pathology and were then retested within 4 weeks of the primary questionnaire. Group B contained 264 patients with preoperative IKDC scores that were used for construct and content validity. Group C contained 50 patients who had a preoperative IKDC score and completed a short form 12 survey. Group D contained 100 patients with preoperative and postoperative IKDC scores used to measure responsiveness. Results: The overall IKDC score showed acceptable test-retest reliability with an interclass correlation of 0.95. There were acceptable floor and ceiling effects. All constructs tested showed significant differences. These included lower IKDC score with the following: lower activity level, difficulty with activities of daily living, difficulty with sports, abnormal knee function, and complex/degenerative meniscus tears. Responsiveness to change showed a large effect size (2.11) and a large response mean (1.5) for the overall score. The SE of the measurement was 3.19, and the minimum detectable change was 8.8 points.

Conclusions:

The overall IKDC score showed overall acceptable psychometric performance for outcome measures of meniscus injuries of the knee. Level of Evidence: Level III, testing of previously developed diagnostic criteria in nonconsecutive patients.

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Lubbock Sports Medicine

Dr. Kevin Crawford, MD
4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79409

(806) 792-4329