Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow, medically termed as lateral epicondylitis, is a condition which causes painful inflammation of the elbow joint. Due to this condition, straightening or fully extending your arm is likely to be painful. Tennis elbow is a common injury, especially among sports people, that weakens the tendons that join your forearm muscles to your bones due to repetitive motion.

What causes Tennis Elbow?

Tennis elbow occurs when repetitive stress weakens a specific muscle in the forearm, i.e. the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscle. As the elbow bends and straightens, there occurs microscopic tears in the muscle’s tendon at the point where it attaches to the bone of the elbow. The inflammation and pain are caused due to these minute tears. Playing racquet sports like tennis can often cause this condition. Other activities which may put you at risk for tennis elbow are swimming, golfing or frequently using a screwdriver, hammer, or even computer.

Know the Symptoms

•     Elbow pain
•     Radiating pain from the elbow to the forearm and wrist
•     Weakened grip
•     Pain while lifting objects or using force

Treatment

Tennis elbow requires a considerable healing time and rest for good recovery. It can be treated with physical therapy, anti inflammatory medications, steroidal injections and various other therapies. At Regencare, we specialize in non surgical, regenerative medicine using PRP  (Platelet-rich plasma) injections. High concentration of platelets and growth factors in PRP treatment (Orthogen P) enhances the healing process and can save you from being surgically treated.

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment

Tennis Elbow Treatment in Malayalam from Regencare

Disc Prolapse

A prolapsed disc, often known as slipped disc, brings with it chronic pain in the lower back. The disc doesn’t slip in any way but the inner part of the disc bulges out through a weakness in the disc’s outer part. This causes inflammation and also irritates nerve/nerves. The size of the prolapse varies, and the bigger the prolapse the more painful it may be.

Who can get a Disc Prolapse?

Slight back pain is common and experienced by many people, however, the percentage of people who may suffer from a prolapsed disc is one in twenty. Generally, it happens to people who are aged between 30 to 50 years of age. This problem is found more commonly in men than in women.

What can cause a Disc Prolapse?

There are no certain causes of a disc prolapse, and it is not really known why it happens to some people and not to some. It has been observed that the tender and soft inner portion of the disc protrudes over the outer ring due to activities like:

• Lifting objects
• Sitting for long periods of time
• Weight-bearing sports

Factors like:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Increase in age, can also lead to disc prolapse.

What symptoms should I look out for?

Most people who suffer a disc prolapse, experience neck pain and back pain, as the outer ring of the backbone becomes weak and starts to tear down. Another common symptom is numbness and pain in one side of the body and extends to the arms or legs. Sometimes the pain can get worse at night. In some cases, the symptoms ease in a few weeks, but for some people, it continues.

What are the effects of Disc Prolapse?

A disc prolapse may have the following effects:

• A delay in the treatment can cause damage to the nerves
• If the prolapsed disc cuts off nerve impulses, it can lead to loss of bladder or bowel control
• The compression of nerves can cause loss of sensation in the inner thighs and back of the legs

How to Deal with a Disc Prolapse?

If you have had persistent back pain consulting a doctor would be the right thing to do. As discussed, delayed treatment of prolapsed disc can cause more harm. Your doctor would be able to diagnose if you are suffering from a disc prolapse or not.

In consultation with your doctor, you can do light exercises as being fit and active will strengthen your muscles and offer support to your spine.

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment

Shoulder injuries in sports and their treatment

The human shoulder joint is a Ball and Socket Joint. The upper arm has a ball-like structure fitting into a depression in the shoulder blade. Unfortunately, in every sport, the shoulder is asked to perform tasks involving repetitive activities that put great stress on the structure leading to injuries.

Sports medicine has come up with treatment involving very little hospital stay or invasive methods of treatment. Of these, Orthogen P is one of the most successful. This is a Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment, patented and popularised by Regencare, a Kochi, Kerala, India based health centre for sports medicine, regenerative therapy and rehabilitation. Platelets are blood cells that cause blood clots and provide healing functions; and plasma is the liquid portion of the blood. PRP involves taking the patient’s own blood, concentrating the platelets and reinjecting it back into the body releasing grown factors stimulating growth.

Some common sports injuries and their treatment:

Sprains and Strains are most common. A sprain occurs when the tissue connecting two bones is stretched and injured, and a strain involves injury to a muscle or tissue attached to a bone. These respond well to R.I.C.E., and Rehabilitation. R.I.C.E. -- REST from activities; ICE application to reduce pain; COMPRESSION to decrease swelling; ELEVATION to keep the injured area higher than or level  with the heart. Rehabilitation involves specialised exercises.

Rotator Cuff Injury - another common sport injury caused by repetitive movement of the upper body. Common in swimming and tennis. Rotator Cuffs are the muscles and tendons that keep the ball/head of the upper shoulder bone firmly in the shoulder socket. The main cause is wear and tear to the tissue and is treated with rest, pain control and rehabilitation. Extreme cases may need surgery and/or PRP treatment.

SLAP (Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior) Injury - Labrum is the ring of cartilage surrounding the shoulder socket and the injury is usually in the form of a tear. Repetitive overhead motion is the main cause of this injury. Treatment involves anti-inflammatory medication;physical therapy to strengthen the shoulder, restore movement and function. Serious cases may involve surgery to remove or repair the torn area.

Shoulder Instability is common in contact sports like football. When this occurs the shoulder joint is not securely held and the upper arm bone may partly or fully pop out of its socket. Immediate treatment is to put it back quickly, followed by pain and anti-inflammatory medication and a sling. Long term treatment involves identifying the cause of the instability and treating it.

Impingement is when the bones of the shoulder rub excessively against the shoulder muscles. Again excessive overhead motion is the cause. Here also, rest, anti-inflammatory medication and therapy are the most common treatments; with extreme cases needing surgery to widen the space around the rotator cuff, allowing free movement.

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment

Sports Injuries

Whenever an injury occurs during a sporting/athletic activity or even exercising, it can be classified or called a sporting injury. Almost all involved in such activities have suffered such injuries at  one time or the other.

These can occur because:

1.     They participate in what are called ‘contact sports’ like football or similar.
2.     Did not do a proper warm up before the activity.
3.     Have not been regularly active.

They are classified as:

1. Sprains & Strains: overstretching/tearing of ligaments/muscles or tendons.
2. Knee injuries.
3. Swollen muscles caused as a reaction to other injuries.
4. Achilles Rupture: achilles is the thin and powerful muscle at the back of the ankle which can break or rupture.
5. Fractures - breaking of bones and, Dislocations - forcible pulling of bones out of their joint sockets.
6. Rotator Cuff injuries. These are the four pieces of muscles that keep a human shoulder moving.

R.I.C.E. is the most common treatment procedure for such injuries. It stands for: REST - to prevent further movement/injury; ICE -  to reduce swelling and pain; COMPRESSION - to prevent swelling, but not too tightly; ELEVATION - to raise the injured part above the level of the heart, to reduce pain and swelling.

Common Injuries:

1. ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury - this is one of the major ligaments in the human knee and can tear/sprain. This occurs when fast movement is suddenly stopped or reversed putting enormous strain on the joint and ligaments. This causes the knee to swell, become unstable and very painful. 
2. Meniscus injury - another very common injury caused very much like ACL. The meniscus is a tough ‘C’ shaped piece of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between the thigh and shin bones.
3. Ligament injury / tear - ligaments are the tough, rope-like tissue that connect the bones to the body and also to limit the movement between the bones. During vigorous activities like sports they are under enormous stress. Injuries are very common, but the knee and ankle are the most vulnerable.
4. Rotator Cuff Injury - these are the muscles that surround the shoulder keeping the arm firmly in the shoulder socket. Injury occurs when one or more of  the four muscles here is damaged or torn. In sports this is due to repetitive overhead use of the arms or a sudden trauma like a fall or impact into something hard.

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment

Regenerative Medicine For Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of arthritis that occurs when the flexible tissue at the ends of the bones wears out. This is a very challenging disease, with really limited treatment options. Traditional therapies relieve pain but do not repair the physical damage done. But, of late, research is providing very promising new alternatives and Regenerative Medication is one such. Some of the more  widely used methods are:

STEM CELL THERAPY:

This has been in use since 1980 and offers long term solution in repair, regeneration and possible delay of progression of OA. Called the Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation / Transplantation (ACI / ACT) it involves three steps. First a small mass of healthy tissue is collected from a healthy area, then a type of cell called the Chondrocytes are removed, isolated and cultured to generate enough cells for reimplantation in the damaged area in an open knee procedure. 

Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell (BM-MSCs) is now considered a more attractive method as this type of stem cell can be collected more easily from bone marrow and other areas. All other steps remain the same.

Overall MSC based therapy has been found to be more effective in reducing pain and improving the function of OA patients.

TISSUE ENGINEERING:

This involves the use of cells, support structures and biologically active factors to enhance mechanical properties of tissues; promote cell migration and growth of the desired cell types. The idea being to rebuild/repair the damage from the cell upwards. While these methods are new, there is hope for the future.

GENE THERAPY:

This is the molecular method of replacing defective or absent genes, or counteracting the effects of increased quantity of genes. This therapy enables control and consistent production of gene products in the desired area and several preclinical studies have confirmed its efficacy and safety. There are three methods: Gene Isolation, Gene Manipulation and Gene Transfer. The most common method involves replacing an abnormal gene with a normal one; others involve gene repair and changing how a gene is turned on or off. This can take place either inside or outside a patient’s body. However, outside is preferred as it is much safer.

If you are an OA patient or diagnosed as one, and would like a second opinion, may we suggest consulting with Dr. Vineeth M. B., M.B.B.S., MS (Ortho) of Regencare, Cochin, Kerala. While he specialises in sports medicine and trauma, he has a passion for research in newer areas of science with particular interest in regenerative medicine.

He can be contacted at:

REGENCARE,

46/352, 

Opp. Rock House Tourist Home,

NH Byepass, Vennala P.O.,

Cochin, Kerala, India.

Pin: 682028.

Phone:  + 91 73065 67548

Email :    info@regencare.in

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment

Regenerative medicine from Regencare

What happens if osteoarthritis is left untreated?

You may dismiss the constant stiffness or pain in the knees and hips as ordinary signs of ageing. But what you may not realize is that these can be the symptoms of a deteriorating condition of the joint called Osteoarthritis. This condition occurs when the cartilage of our weight bearing joints slowly wears away bringing the bones to rub together. Although it is more common in the elderly, the young and middle aged group is also prone to osteoarthritis. If medical intervention is given at the right time as soon as the symptoms develop, this condition can be managed successfully. If you choose to ignore the pain, you could be setting yourself up for much more serious complications like:

• Damage to the tendons and ligaments of the joint
• Restricted range of motion
• Curved out knees (bow-legged appearance)
• New growth on the ends of the bones called bone spurs which causes severe pain
• Infection in the joint called Septic Arthritis 
• Osteonecrosis, i.e. break down and death of bone cells due to poor blood supply

To avoid these complications, it is very important to consult an expert orthopaedic to diagnose and treat osteoarthritis at its early stage and undergo monitoring regularly.

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment

Why opt for an Orthogen P for your arthritis?

If you experience pain in joints, stiffness in your body, or trouble moving around, you might have arthritis. Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints in the body that limits everyday activities such as walking, dressing, and bathing. 

What causes arthritis?

The exact causes of arthritis are not known. However, the following are some of the major factors that contribute to the development of arthritis:

• Genetic 
• Age 
• Gender (Women are more likely to develop arthritis than men)
• Hormones
• Weight 
• Work factors 

Types of arthritis

• Osteoarthritis: Arthritis, often related to aging or an injury.
• Autoimmune arthritis: A type of arthritis that develops when your body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in your body. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of these kinds.
• Juvenile arthritis: Arthritis that develops in children.
• Infectious arthritis: This is due to an infection that spreads from another part of the body to the joint.
• Psoriatic arthritis: Arthritis that affects people with psoriasis.
• Gout: A type of arthritis that develops due to higher levels of uric acid accumulated in the body. This is a painful condition.

PRP for arthritis

PRP or platelet-rich plasma is one of the effective methods of treating arthritis and many other conditions. It is more effective than hyaluronic acid injections in treating arthritis.

PRP or platelet-rich plasma is a substance that helps to heal the injured or damaged area when injected. PRP shots use blood's natural healing properties to repair damaged cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscles, or even bone.

Orthogen care offers effective management of arthritis using PRP. In mild cases of arthritis, PRP treatment can prevent further degeneration. In the case of severe arthritis, PRP treatment can help to minimize the pain and also to improve the functioning. This can help to avoid surgery in the case of spinal fusion and joint replacements as well. If you are worried about your joint pain and stiffness of your body, book an appointment at Orthogen care.

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment

Word of advice sooner

Sports injuries are quite common these days, and a torn shoulder tendon can be treated under rotator cuff surgery. Commonly, a rotator cuff injury occurs due to some disease, natural wear-and-tear, or from a traumatic injury. Proper rest and therapy or surgery at times could allow anyone to enjoy sports again.

A rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles that surrounds the shoulder joint and which keeps the shoulder stable and mobile. People who are into tennis, golf, baseball, and volleyball tend to involve in repetitive shoulder movements, which cause issues in the rotator cuff. Certain factors such as age and family history also play a role concerning shoulder injuries.

Based on the type and severity of the condition, the doctor can recommend the apt treatment. Certain treatments would include:

• Proper rest
• Ice and heat therapy 
• Pain relievers or pain killers 
• Physical therapy 
• Cortisone injections 
• Surgery

5 tips before returning to sports after rotator cuff injury 

Proper rest and treatment would help anyone to return to sports or activities at the same level after rotator cuff injury. However, various tips would be recommended to avoid further issues in the long run. 

• Let the pain and inflammation disappear completely - one could return to sports completely if the pain and inflammation have completely gone. Proper rest and treatment could bring out the expected outcome with some amount of physical therapy for the apt results. 
• Give it a slow start and rebuild the intensity - it is better to begin slowly to avoid further injuries. Once the muscles are strong enough, then one could rebuild the intensity incrementally. 
• Strengthen the muscles - the muscles would need proper care to get back the strength, especially around the shoulder or rotator cuff. To prevent further injuries in the same shoulder, it is better to perform exercises that would strengthen the shoulder muscles. Physical therapy can bring back the mobility and flexibility of the shoulder. 
• Warm-up and cool down - before beginning any exercise or strenuous activities, it is good to warm up the body for the muscles would not fall into any wear-and-tear. Warming up the body would make the muscles less likely to get strained or torn. 
• Give it a break if pain persists - performing any exercise or activities might cause pain, then it is better to take a break. Apply ice and take pain killers if the doctor has prescribed it. But never play or do any activities while in pain as it could damage the shoulder again. 

At Orthogen Care, PRP treatment would be recommended to treat severe sports injuries. Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP treatment is a substance that will help reduce the pain when injected in the required area. It is suggested to take rest for a while after the injections. These injections will help in the growth and healing of the cells.

Blog reviewed by: Dr Vineeth MB
Mail Us: info@orthogencare.in
Book an appointment: regencare.in/book-an-appointment