Trash Talk

Introducing OAM NOW – Urgent Orthopaedic Care

February 8, 2013

OAM Now

 

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan Opens First-of-its-Kind Urgent,
Specialized Orthopaedic Care Program in West Michigan

OAM NOW gives patients a choice for timely, affordable and quality urgent orthopaedic care

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Feb. 18, 2013 – All it takes is one sports injury or twisted ankle from a slip-and-fall accident to realize that receiving urgent, specialized orthopaedic care can be a long, painful and expensive process – until now.

Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan(OAM), Michigan’s largest independent orthopaedic practice, has launched OAM NOW, a new program dedicated to providing urgent, specialized orthopaedic care requiring no wait and no referrals. The program – which features extended hours
until 9 p.m., a dedicated triage nurse and on-site support services such as MRI and physical therapy – is the first of its kind in West Michigan.

“Almost everyone at some point will experience an orthopaedic injury, whether through a household accident or sports injury. The immediate question is: ‘Where do I go for help?’” said Dr. Jim Ringler, president of OAM. “Our goal with OAM NOW is to take out the guesswork and give people the timely, specialized treatment they deserve – even if it’s after 5 p.m.”

The concept behind OAM NOW is that if patients suspect they have an orthopaedic injury*, they can bypass a hospital ER or med center and see an orthopaedic specialist, even in the evening – saving time, cost and discomfort. OAM NOW patients will be seen promptly for urgent needs by one of OAM’s 30 fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons who specialize in specific areas of motion, including spine, joints, hands and feet. Patients can receive most diagnostic and treatment services for acute conditions on-site, including MRI and radiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy and custom splinting.

“Anyone who has been to an ER for an orthopaedic injury knows you get in line with people who have the flu and everything else under the sun, and you wait,” said Ringler. “Even if you are seen fairly quickly, you won’t meet a specialist until the next day or longer. Meanwhile, you have paid the high cost of an ER visit, and you are still in pain.”

The OAM NOW program, located at 2680 Leonard St., NE in Grand Rapids, gives patients access to OAM’s established specialized orthopaedic services, with the following convenient features:

  • Evening hours: OAM NOW is open until 9 p.m. to treat after-hours urgent orthopaedic injuries, since many orthopaedic accidents
    happen in the evening.
  • Triage nurse: OAM NOW has a full-time triage nurse reachable at 855-OAMNOW1 dedicated to answering questions, managing urgent orthopaedic injuries and scheduling urgent care visits.
  • On-site support services: Most diagnostic and intervention services are available on site, including advanced diagnostic technologies such as MRI and radiology equipment, physical therapy, occupational therapy and custom splinting.

While it is the first of its kind in West Michigan, the OAM NOW concept follows a growing national trend where more than 50 orthopaedic practices have added urgent care programs in major metropolitan areas around the United States.

* Orthopaedic injuries usually consist of non-chronic sports injuries, back and neck pain, muscular pain, strains, sprains, pinched
nerves and fractures. OAM NOW is not available for chronic conditions, chronic pain, acute paralysis, missed appointments, second opinions or narcotic medication refills.

About Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan
Founded in 1935, Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan (OAM) is the largest independent orthopaedic practice in Michigan and one of the most comprehensive practices in the state. OAM is comprised of eight specialized centers of excellence, providing total orthopaedic care – from diagnosis, to surgical and nonsurgical intervention, to rehabilitation therapy and wellness. OAM has four convenient locations throughout Grand Rapids, Mich., including its main campus at 1111 Leffingwell Ave. NE. Visit www.oamichigan.com to learn more.

About OAM NOW
Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan (OAM) features OAM NOW, a program dedicated to providing urgent, specialized orthopaedic care requiring no wait and no referrals. The program features extended hours until 9 p.m., a dedicated triage nurse and on-site support services such as MRI and physical therapy and is the first of its kind in West Michigan. Visit www.OAMNOW.com to learn more.

###

Topic: Haiti | Comments (0)

Safe Exercise Guidelines

January 30, 2013

If you’ve headed back to the gym or are trying to stick to a 2013 resolution, make sure you are taking the proper safety precautions. Please take a moment to read the safe exercise guidelines below.

Take Your Time

Remember, moderation is the key to safe exercise. If you take off a month or two from exercising, don’t expect to pick up where you left off. Getting in shape takes time and it’s important to listen to your body to avoid injury.

Diet + Exercise = Success

Proper nutrition and exercise complement each other well. Staying on track with nutrition can be difficult, but it’s important to give your body plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and water.

Warm Up

It’s important to prepare for an exercise even before stretching. You can do this with a few jumping jacks, breathing slowly and deeply, or slowly going through the motions of the exercise.

Stretch

Stretching can help decreases muscle stiffness and increases range of motion. Never stretch to the point of pain and always maintain control. After a hard workout, stretching the muscles will keep them loose to avoid post-workout aches and pains.

Safe Equipment

When exercising in cold weather, dress in layers that can be removed and wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that are light are better for releasing body heat. Use shoes that provide you with support and are not too worn. Make sure you know how to properly use a piece of exercise equipment before trying it out.

Multiple Exercises

When you work out you should try to incorporate cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility exercises to keep you from getting bored. This combination of exercises will also lessen your chances of injury.

Drink Water

Always have enough to avoid dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. It’s a good idea to drink one pint of water 15 minutes before you start exercising and another pint after you cool down. Have a drink of water every 20 minutes or so while you exercise.

Cool Down

A good cool down should last twice as long as your warm up. Slow down and lessen the intensity of your exercise for at least 10 minutes before you stop completely.

Rest

Scheduling regular days off helps your body recover. Fatigue and pain are also good reasons to avoid exercising.

For questions or to schedule an appointment with an OAM physician, please call 616-459-7101 weekdays 8 am – 5 pm.

Topic: Seasonal Insights, Sports Medicine | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Preventing Falling on Ice and Snow

December 21, 2012

Today is the official beginning of winter, and although we have not had much snow in West Michigan, undoubtedly plenty is on the way. With snow and ice comes slips and falls. It is important to take precautions to ensure your safety.

Following are several tips to help prevent falling while walking on the ice.

  • Select proper footwear. No single shoe sole material is perfect under all conditions, however, footwear with rubber or neoprene composite soles provides better traction on ice and snow than leather or plastic.
  • Walk consciously. Be alert to the possibility that you could quickly slip on an unseen patch of ice. Avoid the temptation to run to catch a bus or beat traffic when crossing a street. You can test your travel path by sliding your shoe or boot on it to see if it is slick.
  • Walk cautiously. Your arms help keep you balanced, so keep hands out of pockets and avoid carrying heavy loads that may cause you to become off balance.
  • Walk “small.” Avoid an erect, marching posture. Look to see ahead of where you step. When you step on icy areas, take short, shuffling steps, curl your toes under and walk as flatfooted as possible. Spread your feet our slightly like a penguin. Walking like a penguin on ice increases your center of gravity.
  • Many injuries occur when entering or exiting a vehicle. Be particularly careful and hold onto you vehicle to help support yourself.
  • Be sure you remove snow immediately, before it becomes packed down and turns to ice. Pay special attention to your porch stoops, steps, sidewalk and driveway by applying ice melt. This is the best way to prevent the formation of ice patches.

The most common injuries we see at OAM due to winter slips and falls are neck and back strain and broken wrist, elbow or hand. While falling, it is instinctive to try and catch yourself, which is why so many patients we see have landed on their hand incorrectly, causing the wrist, hand or elbow to break. If you experience an injury while falling, or develop pain that persists after falling, it is important to see a doctor to determine the type of injury and its severity.

If you feel yourself starting to fall, try to avoid landing on your knees, wrists or back. Try to fall on a fleshy part of your body, such as your side. If you are able to relax your muscles when you fall, you may injure yourself less.

Senior citizens are particularly susceptible to slipping and falling. If you have an elderly relative or neighbor, be sure to check on them often, see if you can help keep their walkway and driveway clean and safe. Consider helping your elderly neighbors or family members by running errands for them so they do not have to go outside during icy conditions.

If you have fallen and are experiencing pain or have an injury, the doctors at Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan can help. Please contact OAM at 616-459-7101 for an appointment.

Sources:
SeniorYears.com, WebMD, http://safety.lovetoknow.com/snow-safety-falling

 

Topic: Orthopedic care, Seasonal Insights | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)