Often, symptoms will worsen over a matter of days, and it is common for new symptoms to appear in the days following the injury. Symptoms may also worsen when the brain is stressed, for example, when a child is doing schoolwork or participating in a physical activity.

Age and pre-existing conditions

The following pre-existing conditions may be worsened or more difficult to control during a concussion. Concussion symptoms may also be more severe or prolonged in those with these underlying conditions.

• Migraine Headaches
• Learning disabilities
• Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Psychiatric Problems
• Mood disorders (anxiety, depression, etc.)
• Motion sickness
• Eye problems

Pediatric/adolescent concussions take longer to recover from. Those with prior concussions may take longer to recover.

For more information, you can see the following link:
CDC: Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports -

http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html

Acknowledgement – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Concussion Website

It is estimated that 1.8-3.6 million concussions occur annually. Approximately 650,000 children and youth are diagnosed with concussion each year—only half are sports related.

A significant number go undiagnosed and untreated.

Concussions can occur even when a child does not lose consciousness. In fact, only 10 percent of children with concussions report being “knocked out.” Some of the symptoms of a concussion can appear immediately after the injury, while others may not show up for several days. Symptoms may last days, weeks or months. Sometimes symptoms may be subtle and not obvious.

For more information, you can see the following link:
CDC: Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports – http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html
Acknowledgement – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Concussion Website

In addition to specializing in chronic exertional compartment syndrome, pediatric injuries, and fracture repair, Dr. Ng will lead the newly launched Comprehensive Concussion Program at Coastal. From diagnosis, to treatment, and recovery, the program will consist of a full spectrum of concussion management services.

Dr. Ng specializes in pediatric and adult sports medicine, as well as acute and chronic concussion management. Prior to joining Coastal, Dr. Ng was a fellow physician for the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Flyers, and a Team Physician for the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Charter School and Rowan University. He has helped train football players for the NFL Combine, 67 of whom were selected in the NFL Draft. He also currently works in a similar capacity at IMG Academy’s 2013 NFL Combine/Draft Training Program in Bradenton.

Dr. Ng received a medical degree from Boston University and completed his residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center. His fellowship was completed in Primary Care Sports Medicine at the combined Pennsylvania Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Program. Dr. Ng is Board Certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

“Expanding our practice to include a Comprehensive Concussion Program allows our team to further provide quality care to our patients,” says Coastal Orthopedics CEO, Paige LeMay. “With the addition of Dr. Ng and his concussion management expertise, we can effectively further our role as leaders in providing cutting-edge medical care.”

Patients in the Comprehensive Concussion Program can be seen at two of Coastal Orthopedics’ Bradenton-area locations: Pointe West Medical Plaza, 6015 Pointe West Blvd. and Lakewood Ranch Medical Park, 8340 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

Past presidents such as Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush are among the millions of Americans who have undergone some form of joint replacement/repair surgery. While we see presidents come and go, advancements in joint replacement technology are up for reelection much more often.

As computers continue to become an integral part of our lives, so has their importance in the operation room. With the assistance of computer-guided technology, surgeons use an infrared camera to accurately implant prosthetic joints.

Since the first performed joint replacement surgery in 1960, even the artificial joint has gone through its own set of revisions. From ivory to titanium, as its main components, the artificial joint can now last anywhere between 12 to 15 years or even more.       

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 1 million people a year sustain a concussion injury. If left untreated or undiagnosed, a concussion may lead to long-term brain damage, like sleeping problems, mental disorders and depression. To assist patients in lowering their risk of the lasting effects of a concussion, we’re announcing the launch of a Comprehensive Concussion Program lead by our newest Physician and Concussion Management Specialist, Jeremy Ng, MD.

From diagnosis, to treatment, and recovery, the program will consist of a full spectrum of concussion management services, which include:

• Complete medical evaluation
• Physical and comprehensive neurological exam
• Computerized neurocognitive assessment using the ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) Testing System.

Dr. Ng is the first and only Credentialed ImPACT Consultant (CIC) in Bradenton.

In addition to treatment, the Coastal Orthopedics Concussion Management Team will also counsel patients on returning to school and athletic activities, as well as provide recommendations for academic accommodations during recovery and rehabilitation. Awareness is key to prevention, which is why the Concussion Program will also offer presentations and educational materials for school officials, coaches, and parents to help them recognize the symptoms of a concussion and how to respond properly when a head injury does occur.

“Expanding our practice to include a Comprehensive Concussion Program allows our team to further provide quality care to our patients,” says Coastal Orthopedics CEO, Paige LeMay. “With the addition of Dr. Ng and his concussion management expertise, we can effectively further our role as leaders in providing cutting-edge medical care.”

]]> http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/2013/02/06/coastal-orthopedics-launches-comprehensive-concussion-program/feed/ 0 coastaldocs impactLogo (2) http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/2012/10/29/ortho-after-hours/ http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/2012/10/29/ortho-after-hours/#comments Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:21:05 +0000 Coastal Orthopedics Blog http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/?p=914 ]]>

Receive Specialized, Convenient Care with Bradenton’s Only Walk-In Orthopedic After-Hours Service

In an ongoing commitment to preeminent, patient-focused healthcare, Coastal Orthopedics will launch Ortho After Hours on November 1, 2012.  The walk-in clinic will allow patients the opportunity to receive full-service orthopedic care, from physicians with advanced specialties in orthopedic medicine. Ortho After Hours is a convenient option for patients who may not be able to take off work or school during regular business hours, as well as those who suffer an unforeseen injury during school athletics, playground activities or D.I.Y projects.

Ortho After Hours is located at Coastal Orthopedics State Road 64/Axcess Medical Plaza, 5101 4th Ave. Circle East Bradenton.  The facility will remain open on Monday and Thursday evenings, from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, for walk-in patients only.  No appointment necessary.

“Ortho After Hours was conceived by listening to our patients’ needs,” said Coastal Orthopedics CEO, Paige LeMay.  “We learned that the typical business hours do not always fit into everyone’s schedule, let alone their need for immediate, orthopedic specialty care.”

Ortho After Hours offers a fully staffed facility, including:

• Evaluation & Treatment of bone & joint injuries
• X-Rays
• Casting & Bracing

Balance-related falls account for more than half of accidental deaths of older adults.

“Balance issues and falls can be a problem for people of any age,” says Coastal Pain Management specialist Dr. Laura Ottaviani. “For older patients this can stem from lack of muscle strength, and for younger patients, injury or surgery is the usual cause of equilibrium loss. Restoring all around strength is our ultimate goal here at Coastal’s Balance Center.”

Coastal Orthopedics Balance Center provides patients afflicted with balance disorder a unique therapy program that can have them regain stability, mobility, and reduce pain.

Studies have shown that patients over the age of 80 do not consistently exercise; therefore they lose their ability to balance and increase the chance of falling. Patients who undergo treatment as a result of living with Parkinson’s, spinal stenosis, or joint pain are also consequently left with weak muscle function and poor balance. According to the CDC, well over a half-a-million people are hospitalized each year because of falls, which often lead to traumatic brain injuries, fractures or a life of enduring pain.

Drs. Boyette and Simmons

Coastal’s new team members bring a broad range of expertise to the table.

Melissa M. Boyette, M.D.

Boyette specializes in endoscopic carpal tunnel releases, fractures, sprains, ligament tears, tendon injuries, as well as joint replacement & reconstruction of the hand and wrist. She received a doctor of medicine from the University of South Florida College of Medicine and completed a Fellowship in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery from State University of New York – Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, her Residency in Orthopedic Surgery was completed at Orlando Health. Boyette is a current member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, and American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

Sara P. Simmons, M.D.

Simmons’ specialties include acute and chronic conditions of the wrist and hand, hand and wrist trauma, joint reconstruction for thumb arthritis, total wrist and elbow joint replacements, and Xiaflex injections to treat Dupuytren’s contracture. She completed her undergraduate education at Harvard University, and received a doctor of medicine from Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel.  Her intern year in General Surgery was completed at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, her residency in Orthopedic Surgery in Fort Worth, TX and her Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Simmons also worked under the Massachusetts Arthritis Foundation in the orthopedic gene therapy lab for the Harvard Center for Molecular Orthopaedics.

]]> http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/2012/09/24/hand-and-wrist-specialists-join-the-coastal-team/feed/ 0 coastaldocs Image http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/2012/08/27/backpack-safety-prevent-back-pain-for-kids/ http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/2012/08/27/backpack-safety-prevent-back-pain-for-kids/#comments Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:29:43 +0000 Coastal Orthopedics Blog http://blog.coastalorthopedics.com/?p=872 ]]> When choosing a student’s backpack should be based on safety rather than only style and color.

Here’s some tips for properly wearing a backpack:

1. Use both shoulder straps and tighten the straps so that the backpack is close to the body to help distribute the weight, rather than having one strap slung over the shoulder.
2. A backpack should not weigh more than 15% of the child’s weight
3. Pack heavier items towards the center
4. Utilize all compartments will help deter back, neck, and shoulder pain as will as posture problems

Every year from May through August, emergency rooms across the country see about an 18 percent increase in the number of people walking through their doors with fractures, strain injuries, and more.

Whether you’re a weekend warrior, recreational enthusiast, or vacationer, here are a few important tips to help you have a safe and injury-free summer.

1. Always wear protective eyewear, gloves, long pants, and closed-toed shoes when operating outdoor power equipment.
2. Gardening shouldn’t be “back-breaking”. Bend your knees (not your back) and use your legs when lifting heavy objects.
3. Before engaging in summer sport activities, take the time to stretch. This will loosen muscles, joints, and ligaments, as well as help prevent activity-based injuries.
4. To prevent overuse injuries, condition and strength train your body so it can become accustomed to increased levels of outdoor activity.
5. Consuming water not only keeps our body temperature normal, it also keeps muscles lubricated. When you sweat, your body is depleted of fluids which can cause muscle cramps, so stay hydrated.
6. Take frequent breaks during activity – allow your body to rest and restore.