Carving Safety Tips for this Holiday Season

Carving article photoThanksgiving is just around the corner and almost everyone is planning a big feast, strategizing for the family football rematch, watching the Macy’s Day parade and of course, NFL football on TV.

With all these things going on in one day, there is no bigger star than the Thanksgiving turkey as it is paraded from the kitchen into the dining room where someone will be carving the revered bird. This holiday season, Orthopedic Specialists would like to caution all the carvers out there as they carve the main course and not their hands.

People sustain hand injuries during Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season. When friends and family are watching you as you carve the turkey, you may feel a little overwhelmed, so focus; don’t let your turkey day celebrations go fowl this year because of a hand injury.

Safety Tips for Thanksgiving Feast

Follow these easy tips and get your bird on the table in time so guests can start gobbling:

  1. Never cut towards yourself. One slip of the knife can cause a horrific injury. While carving a turkey or cutting a pumpkin your free hand should be placed opposite the side you are carving towards. Don’t place your hand underneath the blade to catch the slice of meat.
  2. Keep your cutting area well-lit and dry. Good lighting will help prevent an accidental cut of the finger and making sure your cutting surface is dry will prevent ingredients from slipping while chopping.
  3. Keep your knife handles dry. A wet handle can prove slippery and cause your hand to slip down onto the blade resulting in a nasty cut.
  4. Keep all cutting utensils sharp. A sharp knife will never need to be forced to cut, chop, carve or slice. A knife too dull to cut properly is still sharp enough to cause an injury.
  5. Use an electric knife to ease the carving of the turkey or ham.
  6. Use kitchen sheers to tackle the job of cutting bones and joints.
  7. Leave meat and pumpkin carving to the adults. Children have not yet developed the dexterity skills necessary to safely handle sharp utensils.
  8. Lastly, should you cut your finger or hand, bleeding from minor cuts will often stop on their own by applying direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth.

Visit an emergency room or a hand surgeon if:

  1. Continuous pressure does not stop the bleeding after 15 minutes
  2. You notice persistent numbness or tingling in the fingertip
  3. You are unsure of your tetanus immunization status
  4. You are unable to thoroughly cleanse the wound by rinsing with a mild soap and plenty of clean water

Dr. Weil states, “I often see patients whose holiday season has been ruined by an accident in the kitchen. The most common kitchen injuries that I treat are lacerations. Lacerations sustained while carving pumpkins, turkeys, and other holiday fare can be quite serious. These injuries can include cut nerves, arteries and tendons. These types of injuries require immediate surgical management to restore function. Treatment can include microscope assisted nerve repairs, artery repairs, and tendon repairs. If you sustain a laceration where you lose sensation to your finger or hand or are unable to bend your finger please seek medical treatment immediately.”

These simple tips will help you enjoy that bird and the rest of your holiday season. If you would like more information on specialty care of the hand, call Orthopedic Specialists and make an appointment with one of our expert, orthopedic doctors at (206) 633-8100.

Fall Clean-Up and Rake Safety

Fall is a beautiful time of the year when the leaves turn color and in the Pacific Northwest, it is sometimes also wet because of the rain. Preparation and taking a common-sense approach to raking the beautiful leaves is important and raking requires a number of different activities, including twisting, bending, lifting, and reaching, that use several different muscle groups. Improper use of lawn tools along with the potential for tool-related accidents further compounds the risk of injury to the bones and muscles.

Fall leaves and Rake
Raking leaves is a vigorous exercise, and you need to warm up for at least 10 minutes with some stretching and light exercise. You also need to:

—Do some form of light exercise (such as walking) for 10 minutes to warm up the muscles before raking or other yard clean-up

—Use a rake that’s comfortable for your height and strength. Wear gloves or use rakes with padded handles to prevent blisters. If you have a rake that is too short you will have to bend over which will cause strain on your back. It is the repetitive movement in raking, not the weight that can strain the muscle.

—Don’t wear hats or scarves that interfere with vision and beware of large rocks, low branches, trees stumps and uneven surfaces.

—Alternate your leg and arm positions often. When you pick up piles of leaves, bend at the knees, not the waist. Use your legs to shift your weight rather than twisting your back. Do not throw leaves over your shoulder or to the side while raking as this involves twisting movements that can overly strain the muscles in your back. As a reminder from Dr. Shapiro, “Take care of your shoulders and use more bags, filled ¾ full. Lifting and throwing heavy, wet bags is a common way to hurt your shoulders and neck.”

—Wet leaves can be slippery. Wear shoes or boots with slip-resistant soles.

—Don’t overfill leaf bags, especially if the leaves are wet. To avoid back injury, you should be able to carry the bags comfortably.

—When raking, don’t throw leaves over your shoulder or to the side, because that kind of twisting motion places too much stress on the back.

—Don’t overdo it. Raking is an aerobic activity – you may need to take frequent breaks or slow your pace if you are an infrequent exerciser.

If you do experience a new strain or sprain, proper care can be easily remembered by using the acronym, RICE:

  • Rest (minimize movement of the injured body part)
  • Ice (apply a cold pack)
  • Compression (light pressure wrap to the affected body part can help minimize leakage of blood and swelling)
  • Elevation (raise the body part up so that the pressure from the blood and tissue swelling the affected area is reduced as the fluids drain from the area by gravity)

If you do experience an injury during your Fall clean-up, call Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle and make an appointment to see one of our expert doctors.

Orthopedic Injuries of Celebrities

On Sundays while reading the sports page or perusing through the Internet, you come across articles regarding athletes who have been injured during a sporting event, but did ever stop to think about the entertainment industry? Well, if you think about it, there are quite a few injuries that occur while on stage, or even in their off time while they were horseback riding. We compiled a list of orthopedic injuries in both the sports and entertainment genres to note that sometimes, unexpected injuries can occur, even to famous sports and entertainment legends.

Pink – During her Funhouse Tour in 2009, the famous singer-songwriter separated her shoulder while on a trapeze.

Jennifer Grey – She had back surgery in 2012 to repair a ruptured disc in her back while performing on Dancing with the Stars season finale.

Liza Minnelli – Years of dancing caught up with her and had knee replacement surgery in 2010.

Bono – U2 singer Bono underwent emergency back surgery in May 2012. His injury – Severe compression of the sciatic nerve and a serious tear in the ligament and a herniated disc.

Dana Torres – Olympic Medal Swimmer had undergone a cutting-edge procedure on her knee to repair severe arthritis in 2010.

Phil Collins – He had surgery to repair a dislocated neck vertebrae in April 2009.

Soledad O’Brien – She injured herself on a horseback riding excursion and tore out her knee and had reconstructive surgery.

Big Boi – The Rapper hurt himself in a performance at the Summer Camp Fest in Chillicothe, IL. He jumped and landed badly and had torn a patella tendon.

Peyton Manning – During the 2011 NFL season, he had neck surgery.

Lance Armstrong – He had a cycling accident in 2009 with a clavicle fracture.

Tom Brady – In the 2008 NFL season had an ACL tear.

Joe Paterno – Former football coach of Penn state had a tibial plateau fracture.

Floyd Landis – The cyclist had surgery for his hip osteonecrosis.

Frankie Hejduk – MLS player had an ACL tear repaired.

Ronald Reagan – Former President of the United States had work done for his hip fracture.

Donovan McNabb – During the 2005 NFL season, he had work done to repair his sports hernia.

Drew Brees – In the 2005 NFL season he had a shoulder dislocation.

Gwyneth Paltrow – She had broken her knee and it was discovered that she had osteopenia, a pre-cursor to osteoporosis.

Kobe Bryant – Basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers underwent surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon back in April 2013.

Misty May-Treanor – Olympian and volleyball superstar underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon back in October 2008 when she injured herself while rehearsing a dance routine for the television series Dancing With The Stars.

Dr. Reed notes, “Even celebrities have orthopedic ailments. From sprains, to fractures, to arthritis no one is immune. At Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle we treat all orthopedic conditions, from the everyman to the celebrity.”

Save the Dates for OSS Physicians Speaker Series!

Save the Dates! OSS physicians will be speaking about several orthopedic health and information topics from October – December 2013 at Swedish Ballard. Below is a list of dates and times for you to choose from:

October 2, 2013
Dr. Peterson: Joint Replacement: The Right Choice for You? 6-8 p.m. at the Swedish Ballard Campus. Free hip- and knee-replacement seminar. If you have arthritic joint pain and are considering joint replacement, you’ll want to attend this important class. If you have arthritic joint pain and are considering joint replacement, you’ll want to attend this important class. Dr. Peterson will discuss hip- and knee-replacement surgery, as well as the latest in robotic-assisted surgery for those who have advanced arthritis in part of their knee. There will also be a question and answer session with Dr. Peterson.

Find out more and register here!

October 9, 2013
Dr. Weil: Relief from Your Hand and Wrist Pain. 6-8 p.m. at the Swedish Ballard Campus. Learn about treatments for different types of fractures; ways to treat arthritis in the wrist, thumbs and fingers; and how to prevent and treat carpal tunnel syndrome and other overuse conditions.

Find out more and register here!

November 13, 2013
Dr. Reed: Relief from Your Foot and Ankle Pain. 6-8 p.m. at the Swedish Ballard Campus. The foot and ankle are two of the most often under-treated structures of the body. Dr. Reed, who specializes in the care of the foot and ankle will discuss the anatomy and common injuries and disorders of the foot and ankle, and treatment options for the conditions. There will be a question-and-answer session with the surgeon included in the class.

Find out more and register here!

December 4, 2013
Dr. Ruhlman: Relief from Your Hand and Wrist Pain. 6-8 p.m. at the Swedish Ballard Campus. Learn about treatments for different types of fractures; ways to treat arthritis in the wrist, thumbs and fingers; and how to prevent and treat carpal tunnel syndrome and other overuse conditions.

Find out more and register here!

Seattle Seahawks WR, Percy Harvin and His Hip Labral Tear

Percy Harvin, Seattle Seahawk’s Wide Receiver is waiting out another week before he can return to the football playing field. NFL Spinzone reports, “Harvin was able to return to practice a couple of weeks ago, but the Seahawks have prudently decided to rest him. He has recovered quickly and well from off-season hip surgery, but Pete Carroll is 100% correct in being as cautious as possible with their new star receiver. The last thing they need is for the oft-injured Harvin to have a setback, especially since the 8-1 Seahawks clearly have their eyes set on a Super Bowl-winning season.”

The labrum is a unique structure found in the hip. The labrum is a specialized structure that lines the edge or rim of the hip socket. The shape and function of the labrum can be most easily understood as being similar to a bumper cushion on a pool table. The shape of the labrum is triangular in cross-section. The labrum acts as a cushion between the ball and socket of the hip joint during flexion of the hip.

The labrum is filled with nerve fibers that make tears in the labrum very painful.

What causes a labral tear?hip-labral-tear

Labral tears typically occur from:

  • Repetitive motion. Physical activity that requires one to repeatedly pivot the body can lead to joint wear and tear. This is common in athletes such as golfers and baseball players, who must repeatedly twist their bodies to hit a ball.
  • Osteoarthritis. Increased friction from osteoarthritis symptoms inside the hip joint may lead to labral tear.
  • Trauma. Dislocation or violent, direct impact to the hip joint may cause labral tears. This is common in athletes and victims of car accidents.
  • Birth defects. Some people are born with abnormal hip structures, which increase the progression of wear and tear on the hip joint. These problems may lead to labral tears.

What does it feel like?

Some labral tears cause no signs or symptoms; however, when symptoms are present, they include:

  • Radiating pain in the hip and groin
  • A catching or locking sensation in the hip joint
  • Stiffness in the joint
  • A limited range of motion

How do I know if I have a labral tear?

A physical examination by your doctor will help diagnose the cause of your symptoms. X-rays will allow your physician to take a closer look at the bone and rule out other possible underlying conditions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may also be used to further examine the soft tissues.

How are labral tears treated?

The level of treatment depends upon the severity of the condition. Some patients recover in only a few weeks using conservative treatments. However, patients with severe labral tearing may require surgery. One or a combination of these treatments may be used:

  • Rest and activity modification. By resting and allowing the inflammation of the joint to settle down, symptoms may be alleviated.
  • Medication. Anti-inflammatory medicines may help alleviate the pain and inflammation associated with labral tears. Your doctor may also recommend cortisone injections.
  • Physical therapy. Learning new exercises can help maximize hip range of motion, strength, and stability.
  • Surgery. In general, labral tears can be either repaired or trimmed during an arthroscopic procedure. Depending on the severity of the tear, the surgeon may cut out and remove the torn piece of labrum or repair the torn tissue by sewing it back together.

According to Dr. Watt, “Hopefully Percy will continue his recovery and return to the field soon. If you think you have labral tear or hip condition that is not getting better, I would be happy to evaluate your hip and devise an appropriate treatment plan.”

 

In the words of Russell Wilson, “Go Hawks!”