Genesisplus Laser Treatment

Nail fungus. We just don’t talk about it. It’s unsightly and it can be painful. Treatment options are limited and unreliable. Topical medicines don’t touch the fungi and oral medications can have serious side effects. Many patients choose to remove the toe nail because of the pain they experience when walking or even just wearing shoes.

But now, if you’re a sufferer, Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics’ Parkwest Podiatry office is giving you something to talk about – effective nail fungus treatment! Finally, there is a real solution for this common problem that provides great results with no side effects! It’s the Genesisplus laser treatment and it’s the answer to this rarely discussed problem.

Dr. Kendale Ritchey, DPM proudly announces the addition of the Genesisplus and is already seeing tremendous results. “This laser treatment literally has no pain or side effects, at all. Most patients will feel a warm, tingling sensation during treatment. Laser light passes through the nail heating the fungi, effectively killing it. Almost 70% of all patients have shown improvement.”

If you’ve been of the millions battling nail fungus and infections, then you need to start talking! Call TOC Podiatry and set up your first appointment. It will be the beginning of a beautiful conversation.

Patient satisfaction and successful outcomes have motivated TOC to move their physical therapy facility from 113 Lafayette Square, Building A, Suite 101 to the current TOC Oak Ridge Physician’s Plaza location at 988 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 100.

This improvement will allow for better communication among our physicians, therapists and our patients, And better communication means better, more cohesive treatment plans. Additionally, patients who need items such as braces or post-op equipment can conveniently pick those up now at one central location.

We hope you enjoy our new and updated physical therapy facility! Please contact us at 865-483-8478 for more information.

Kendale L. Ritchey, DPM

You are invited to join us for a presentation & discussion on the new GenesisPlus System, an effective treatment solution for nail infections by Board Certified Physician Kendale Ritchey, DPM.

When: Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where: Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics’ Parkwest Clinic
9430 Park West Boulevard, Suite 130, Knoxville Tennessee 37923

Refreshments served.

Regular Office Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For medical appointments at the Parkwest Podiatry office call (865) 692-1260.

The 63-year-old Kimbrough had endured knee pain for decades after injuring his knee playing sandlot football in college. Although he had his knee operated on back in 1975 and had been active for decades, in recent years Kimbrough’s knee pain returned.

“It really started hurting,” says Kimbrough. “Some mornings the bottom of my knee would move and the top would stay in place. It was enough to drive you nuts!”

Kimbrough consulted with Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Michael Casey at Fort Sanders Regional.

“Dr. Casey told me I had two choices,” remembers Kimbrough. “I could keep doing cortisone shots and wear a knee brace, or get it fixed. I chose to get it fixed!”

Dr. Casey performed a total knee replacement on Kimbrough at the Joint Center at Fort Sanders Regional. Kimbrough is thrilled with the results.

“He went in and he did it! I’ve got a whole new knee. I can walk farther, with less pain than I’ve had in years,” says Kimbrough. “I can’t do cartwheels anymore, but it’s great to be able to walk around now without worrying my knee may pop out of place.”

Choosing Fort Sanders for his knee replacement was a perfect fit for Kimbrough. He was already familiar with the Fort Sanders Joint Center program from serving as a volunteer surgery patient coach at the hospital.

“It was great because I already knew the nurses and therapists. My experience with “Dr. C”, the nurses and physical therapists at Fort Sanders was totally positive!”

Kimbrough continues to coach and encourage Joint Center patients at Fort Sanders.

Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics is TSSAA’s 2011 Contributor of the Year

The award is named for A. Foster Bridges, the first full time executive secretary of the TSSAA, who exemplified the importance of fairness, integrity and ethics in athletics.

On hand to receive the award were Board Member and orthopaedic surgeon Randall Robbins and Earl Anderson, Tennessee Orthopaedic Executive Director, who had this to say about the recognition, “It’s an honor to be recognized for this prestigious award, but it’s equally an honor to serve local high school student athletes.  Since our clinic began, our physicians, athletic trainers and staff have been dedicated to providing athletes with accessible, quality care.  We are grateful to the TSSAA and to the schools we serve.”

TOC’s Sports Medicine Program supports local high school athletic programs with both physicians and athletic trainers who work closely with high school teams, Saturday Morning Sports Clinics that allow injured athletes the opportunity to see an orthopedic physician for evaluation and sponsorship of the Loudon County, Anderson County and Sevier County jamborees.

Bernard Childress, Executive Director of the TSSAA stated, “Being recognized for one of these awards as a school or individual should be seen as one of the highest honors in high school athletics in our state.  Those who receive the awards truly reflect what high school athletics should be about, and that’s good sportsmanship and good citizenship.” 

Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics have nine locations and 24 board-certified and board-eligible physicians on staff to serve the East Tennessee area.

Close up of Dog Bone Implant

“Want to see one?” Brady asked, fishing his car keys from a pants pocket. The quarter-inch-long metal implant dangles from a string to his key fob, and by virtue of its shape is called the “Dog-Bone.”

A sports fan, Brady graduated with honors from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. During his residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, he was assistant team physician for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team. His sports medicine background inspired the Dog Bone when Brady learned of the AC joint injury suffered by Oklahoma Sooners quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford in 2009. AC joint dislocation is a relatively common injury in football and hockey players. Similar injuries have affected NFL quarterback Eli Manning and Michigan’s quarterback Tate Forcier. “Conventional repair to this type of injury involves drilling 4- to 6-millimeter holes in the clavicle (collarbone), which weakens the bone, involves persistent pain during recovery and has a mediocre success rate. I knew there had to be a better way,” Brady said. So he headed to Home Depot.

Parkwest orthopedic surgeon Paul Brady uses a medical model of the human shoulder to show where Dog Bone implant would be placed.

Brady purchased several metal washers at the home supply retailer and went to work in his garage, milling a prototype which would become the Dog Bone. Then, he tested the Dog Bone on fake shoulder bones, and results were outstanding. The concept was pitched to Arthrex, a company that specializes in orthopedic products and education. With input from Brady, Arthrex engineers tweaked the design, which now has been perfected and is in the process of being patented. The first Dog Bone implant was released in April 2010 on a limited basis. Brady expects wide distribution within coming months.

“There are a couple of major benefits of using the Dog Bone,” Brady explained. “First, it’s an arthroscopic procedure that involves three 1/4-inch incisions which is a significantly decreased risk from open surgery. The holes that are drilled into the bone are so much smaller than conventional repair that four times less bone is removed.”

Brady said that with shoulder or AC separations, the joint between the collarbone and shoulder blade is injured. The ligaments and capsule connecting the bones can be injured to variable degrees depending upon the severity of the injury. It is commonly caused by a fall directly on the “point” of the shoulder. This type of injury can cause significant pain and tenderness at the front of the shoulder joint, especially when an athlete attempts overhead movements such as throwing. Diagnosis is made with a physical exam and x-rays.

“Sometimes, the patient will notice something sticking up in his or her shoulder,” Brady said. “The Dog Bone implant is a type of washer that will secure the clavicle back down to its the body’s torn ligaments to heal.”

“With surgery and this implant, patients will experience improved function, improved, if not eliminated, pain and get back to sport within six months,” Brady said. Brady performed the first Dog Bone implant in July. The patient is recovering well.

Harold E. Cates, Jr. M.D.

Have you ever wanted to lose some weight? Perhaps your motivation to shed those extra pounds was an upcoming vacation, wedding or class reunion.

Well, if you experience knee pain associated with osteoarthritis, now there is another great reason to lose that weight. Studies show that people can significantly decrease knee pain by losing as little as 10 pounds.

Let me explain how this works. Our knees are designed to work perfectly under the proper conditions. If we start adding on extra weight, we increase the force we put on our knees which results in those joints literally wearing out. As that cartilage wears away our knee pain increases. Additionally, as our pain increases, our activity levels tend to decrease which can lead to more weight gain! This is a serious cycle that needs to be broken.

So let’s get started losing those pounds! Begin with low impact cardiovascular activities like walking, biking, or swimming at least 3 times per week. These exercises not only help us shed those pounds, they also help strengthen the muscles in our knees.

As you lose those pounds and strengthen those muscles, you can begin to add in more weight bearing exercises and increase your cardiovascular activities as well.

Stay focused! Stay active! Stay informed! Always consult with your physician before starting any new exercise or diet regimen.

I’ve been a physical therapist at TOC since 2005 and I’ve seen many patients looking for ways to minimize the discomfort of osteoarthritis.

With OA, the main complaints are pain, stiffness or even a change in the way a joint functions. For instance, you may feel your knee giving away or you start experiencing limited motion. These are all signs and symptoms of OA.

And yes, there are exercises that can help improve the discomfort and pain! From a physical therapy standpoint, I recommend low intensity and low impact exercise.

There is a saying in orthopaedics that motion is lotion for the joints. As we get older, we don’t develop as much synovial fluid (lubrication) for our joints. And what little fluid we do develop isn’t absorbed as well by the articular cartilage. To help minimize these joint changes, it is important to gradually increase activity and perform lower impact exercises such as water aerobics, bike, and treadmill activities. My experience has shown that even making small changes in your daily activities results in major improvements in your overall health.

Strength training exercises are immensely effective as well. Patients should begin with basic isometric exercises. These exercises, which do not increase the force on the load-bearing joint, are a good way to start building your muscle tone.

As your muscle tone improves, you should work on closed chain exercises (where your foot is in contact with the ground) to build strength in your quadriceps. These exercises include small step- ups and ‘sit and stands’ that are performed on an elevated surface such as a tall chair. Strengthening the quadriceps is very beneficial as they have the ability to cushion the knee by absorbing forces.

Rob Seahorn earned his BS PT (Physical Therapy) 1994 from UT Memphis and is also a CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist). He can be reached at 865-633-0259.

P. Merrill White III, MD

Jeffrey A. Uzzle, MD

Please join us Monday, September 19, 2011 from 6:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. at the Parkwest Physicians Plaza as Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics, P. Merrill White and Jeffrey A. Uzzle, discuss the diagnosis and treatment of back pain.

Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP by Friday, September 16, 2011
Email hottopics@tocdocs.com or call (865) 694-0062, ext. 241, list event, your name, organization, phone number & number attending.

Basically, OA is caused by natural wear and tear on a joint. The joint cartilage that cushions our bones breaks down. When it wears away, all that’s left are bones rubbing together. Ouch!

The causes of OA are usually unknown, however if you are over the age of 50, overweight, have a family history or have had a fracture or break in a bone, you will probably experience OA symptoms in your lifetime.

Those symptoms include pain and swelling of the joint, difficulty moving, loss of range of motion and a crackling noise when you move the joint.

If you exercise on a regular basis, you may notice pain and inflammation during your exercise, but that it diminishes when you are resting. Occasionally, you may even experience joint pain at night when you are asleep.

Harold E. Cates, Jr. M.D.

Sadly, there is no cure for any type of arthritis, although there are ways to control the symptoms and reduce the discomfort. Over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and NSAIDS are helpful in controlling pain. Steroid injections are also an option and of course, surgery for those whose quality of life has been seriously affected by OA.

Many folks find comfort in massage therapy, physical therapy and by taking daily doses of the dietary supplements chondroitin and glucosamine. Mostly, we simply have to find the right mix of these symptom-controlling measures to determine what works best for us individually.

Overall, the best way to avoid OA is to eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and to know your own body’s limitations.