Active
Keeping you...
Spring 2012
Active
Keeping you...
… is a quarterly
newsletter from
West Tennessee
Bone & Joint Clinic.
The clinic’s ten
physicians specialize
in sports medicine
and orthopedic
problems. For
copies of the
newsletter, contact
Adam Kelley, Marketing Director, at
731.661.9825.
In this
issue:
True or False? What
do you know about
baseball injuries?
Meet our doctors:
They see patients in
your communities
Overuse injuries
caused by repetition
• Prevention tips
• Age-appropriate
pitching charts
Like us
on Facebook!
Sports Medicine • Orthopedic Excellence
ACL surgery, rehab put Middle
School athlete back in the game
She doesn’t like sitting
on the sidelines.
“I’m really ready to
play,”
Martin said. “I miss
pain.
my
team.
I really just
She knew right away she was hurt, but it was an
want
to
get
back.”
important game against Bradford Middle School. She
Martin
and
wanted to stay in.
her mom met
“It just popped,” said 14-year-old Martin. “It kind
with
Dr.
of scared me. I tried to run on it. I never thought that
Pearce,
who
I would get hurt to the point I couldn’t play.”
specializes
in
She didn’t know it at the time, but Martin tore her
sports
medianterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It’s a common but
cine and ortraumatic injury that will sideline an athlete for
thopedic
months.
surgery, as well as
Martin and her mother, Kimberly Manning, went
arthroscopy
and joint
to West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic shortly after
replacement
and reconstruction. He performed surthe injury to get an official diagnosis from Dr. David
gery
to
repair
Martin’s knee on December 22, and
Pearce. An X-ray was negative, but an MRI proved
then
she
began
the long road to recovery.
what they had suspected.
Despite
her
daughter’
s tough situation, Manning
The ACL was torn. Martin was out for the season.
said
the
clinic has made her daughter
“That’s not anything a parent
feel
comfortable
and strong.
wants to hear,” Manning said.
“Everybody
there
has been great,”
The ACL is one of the knee’s
Manning
said.
“Dr.
Pearce
has been
four major ligaments. It attaches to
awesome.”
the femur and the tibia, and helps
Martin visits the clinic three times
keep the knee stable, preventing it
a
week
for physical therapy. Manfrom bending in the wrong direcning
expects
Martin to continue the
tion. You can’t play sports with a
rehab
until
July
or even August. And,
torn ACL.
maybe
her
daughter
will be back on
The news was difficult for Marthe
field
in
September.
tin. She plays basketball in the winMartin said she feels good about
ter and softball in the spring,
her
prognosis, and she expects to be
summer and fall.
back
on the field as soon as she can.
And, she’s good.
She
said
the doctors and therapists at
At 5 feet 9 inches, she’s a standIn softball, Kaitlyn Martin is a West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic
out on the middle school basketball
power hitter and pitcher.
have helped her tremendously.
court, earning MVP honors in the
“They’ve
been
great,” Martin said. “If you feel bad,
Gibson County Athletic Conference her sevenththey’re
there
to
support
you. They’re like a new team
grade year. In softball, she’s a power hitter and a
away
from
my
team.”
pitcher who was named MVP of the USGF World Series in the 12U division.
Continued, Page 3…
K
aitlyn Martin, an eighth grader at Medina
Middle School, was midway through her basketball season when her knee exploded with
731.661.9825 n 888.661.9825 n www.wtbjc.com
Meet our doctors: They see patients in
Dr. Lowell Stonecipher
Dr. Kelly Pucek
Sees patients at Main Clinic only
24 Physicians Drive, Jackson
Dr. Stonecipher, board certified in orthopedic
surgery, started the West Tennessee Bone & Joint
Clinic in 1973. His medical degree is from Tulane
University School of Medicine, New Orleans.
His residency was at Greenville, South Carolina,
General Hospital. Dr. Stonecipher specializes in general orthopedic
surgery, spine surgery, arthroscopy and joint replacement. He was
the first physician in Jackson to do endoscopic surgery to relieve
carpal tunnel pain.
See patients in Selmer every two weeks
McNairy Hospital Outpatient Dept.
705 E. Poplar Ave.
Dr. Pucek’s medical degree is from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. His internship and
residency were with UT at Erlanger Medical
Center in Chattanooga. He received special
training in trauma and is board certified in orthopedic surgery. Dr.
Pucek specializes in general orthopedic surgery, joint replacement,
arthroscopy and trauma surgery.
Dr. Harold M. “Trey” Antwine III
Dr. Michael Cobb
Sees patients in Brownsville every two weeks
Haywood Park Community Hospital
2545 N. Washington Ave.
Dr. Cobb earned his medical degree at UT
Health Science Center in Memphis. His internship and residency were at the City of Memphis
Hospital; his residency in orthopedic surgery was at the Campbell
Clinic in Memphis. He is board certified in orthopedic surgery. Dr.
Cobb specializes in general orthopedic surgery, arthroscopy, sports
medicine and joint replacement and reconstruction.
Sees patients in Lexington every week
Family Physicians of Lexington, 250 Boswell St.
Dr. Antwine, board certified in orthopedic surgery, graduated from Tulane University School of
Medicine. His internship and residency were at
Greenville Memorial Hospital and Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children in Greenville, South Carolina. He has a
subspecialty certificate in orthopedic sports medicine. He specializes
in orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, arthroscopy and joint replacement and reconstruction.
Dr. David Johnson
Dr. David Pearce
Sees patients in Parsons monthly
Decatur County Hospital, Outpatient Dept.
969 Tennessee Ave. S
Dr. Johnson earned his medical degree at the
UT Health Science Center, Memphis. His internship was at Methodist Hospital; his residencies were at Methodist Hospital and the
Campbell Clinic, all in Memphis. He is board certified in orthopedic
surgery. Dr. Johnson specializes in general orthopedic surgery, sports
medicine, arthroscopy and joint replacement and reconstruction.
Sees patients in Union City every week
Doctor’s Clinic of Union City
1020 E. Reelfoot
Dr. Pearce, a graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine, completed his residency
at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond
and then had a fellowship in sports medicine at Thomas Jefferson
University in Philadelphia. Dr. Pearce, who is board certified in orthopedic surgery, specializes in sports medicine, general orthopedic
surgery, joint replacement and reconstruction and arthroscopy.
For an appointment at a satellite clinic, call 888.661.9825
How much do you know about baseball injuries?
rue or False? Knee injuries are the
most common injuries in baseball.
False: Shoulder and elbow injuries are
the most common Little League injuries,
particularly among pitchers.
T
rue or False? Shoulder and elbow
injuries usually occur in youth baseball due to poorly conditioned throwing
arms and poor throwing/pitching mechanics.
True: Generally, muscles of the shoulder are underdeveloped and then become
T
overused, resulting in increased strain
placed upon both the shoulder and the
elbow.
rue or False? If a young athlete is
throwing too hard, too much and
without rest, a serious elbow or shoulder
injury may be on the horizon.
True!
T
rue or False? A young athlete should
begin throwing breaking pitches at a
young age in order to master the technique
T
before playing high school baseball.
False: Introduction of breaking
pitches to a young pitcher’s repertoire
too early can actually result in permanent
damage of immature soft tissue structures,
as well as growing parts of the bone
(growth plate). Growth plates are the
areas of developing cartilage where bone
growth occurs in children. The growth
plates are weaker than the surrounding
ligaments and tendons, making them
more susceptible to injury.
By Marty Grooms, OTR/L
your communities
t
t
Dr. Jason Hutchison
Sees patients in Dyersburg every week
Med-South Clinic, 1700 Woodlawn
Dr. Hutchison earned his medical degree
at UT Health Science Center in Memphis.
His internship was at Methodist Hospital
and his residency was at the Campbell
Clinic, both in Memphis. Board certified, he
specializes in general orthopedic surgery, sports medicine,
arthroscopy and joint replacement and reconstruction.
Dr. Adam Smith
Sees patients in Bolivar every two weeks
Bolivar General Hospital, 650 Nuckolls
Dr. Smith earned his medical degree from
the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. His internship and residency were at
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina. He did a fellowship at
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Smith is board certified
in orthopedic surgery. He specializes in shoulder and elbow reconstruction and has a strong interest in hip arthroscopy.
Dr. Doug Haltom
Sees patients in Ripley every week
Ripley Medical Clinic, 202 Tucker Avenue
Dr. Haltom earned his medical degree at
UT Health Science Center in Memphis. His
internship was at UT at Chattanooga and
his residency was at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He did a fellowship at the
Indiana University/Methodist Sports Medicine Center. He is
board certified in orthopedic surgery.
Dr. John Everett
Sees patients in Dyersburg every two weeks
Med-South Clinic, 1700 Woodlawn Ave
Practicing at West Tennessee Bone &
Joint Clinic since 1978, Dr. Everett received
his medical degree from UT Health Science
Center in Memphis. His intership was at
Parkland Hospital, Dallas, and his residencies were at Methodist
Hospital and the Campbell Clinic in Memphis. He has a special
interest in osteoporosis and sees patients with the condition
every other Monday at the main clinic in Jackson.
Kaitlyn Martin Continued from front cover…
Martin is expected to make a full recovery. And when she returns to sports, she won’t be playing for Medina Middle School
anymore. It will be a new challenge with a new team, but Martin can’t wait to get back in the game.
“High school is a totally new competition that I feel I’m
ready for,” Martin said. And she will be ready — thanks to West
Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic.
Little League shoulder describes an injury to the growth plate in the shoulder. This occurs from repetitive microtrauma from overhead activities, such as throwing. X-rays,
above, often show widening of the growth plate.
Overuse injuries
Prevention tips
Recommended
veruse injuries, especially those
Average Age
related to the shoulder and ulnar
for Various Pitches
collateral ligament in the elbow, are
Pitch
Age
preventable.
Fastball
8
Here are some tips to keep you
Slider
16
healthy and in the game…
Change-up
10
n Warm up properly with stretching,
Forkball
16
running and easy, gradual throwing.
Curveball
14
n Rotate playing other positions beKnuckleball
15
sides pitcher.
Screwball
17
n Concentrate on age-appropriate
pitching. Master the fastball first
Source: James R. Andrews, M.D.,
and Glenn S. Fleisig, Ph.D.
and the change-up second, before
considering breaking pitches. (See
box, top right.)
Maximum Pitch Counts
n Adhere to pitch count guidelines.
Age
Pitches/Game
(See box, at right.)
7-8
50
n Don’t pitch with elbow or shoul9-10
75
der pain; see a doctor if the pain
11-12
85
persists.
13-16
95
n Don’t pitch on consecutive days.
17-18
105
n Don’t play year-round.
Source: Little League Baseball
n Never use a radar gun.
n CommuniRest Periods Required
cate reguNo.
of
Pitches
for ages...
Required
larly about
14
&
Under
15-18
No.
of Rest Days
how your
66+
76+
4 days
arm is feel51-65
61-75
3
days
ing and if
36-50
46-60
2
days
there is
21-35
31-45
1 day
pain.
1-20
1-30
None
n Avoid pitchSource:
Little
League
Baseball
ing on multiple teams with overlapping seasons.
n Emphasize control, accuracy and good mechanics.
n Speak with a sports medicine professional or athletic trainer if you
have concerns about baseball injuries or injury prevention strategies.
These sports tips provide general information only and are not a substitute for your
own good judgment or consultation with a physician. Information is provided through
the website, www.STOPSportsinjuries.org.
O
Overuse injuries caused by repetition
A
s we move into
By Doug Haltom, M.D.
spring and then
summer, baseball is back. Sports requiring repetitive overhead motion, such as baseball, can lead to shoulder and elbow overuse injuries, especially in children and adolescents.
Unique to children and adolescents are their developing physes, or growth plates. These areas are inherently weak and are
therefore susceptible to overuse injuries.
Growth plates are the areas of bone that contribute to the
growth of that particular bone.These areas are weaker
than the tendons and ligaments that attach to them,
making them more susceptible to overuse injuries.
The proximal (upper) part of the humerus at the
shoulder and the medial (inside) part of the elbow
are the most common areas for these types of injuries in
adolescents.
Little League shoulder is the term used for
this type of injury to the growth plate in the
shoulder. This occurs from repetitive microtrauma
from overhead activities, such as throwing. Patients
complain of shoulder pain, made worse with throwing.
A recent increase in the amount of throwing often precedes
the symptoms. Patients usually have tenderness of the shoulder
and weakness of the shoulder muscles. X-rays often show widening of the growth plate. (See image, inside.)
Likewise, Little League elbow is a term
used to describe an overuse injury to the inside part of the elbow’s
growth plate and its surrounding structures. This area does see
significant tension during a portion of the throwing motion. (See
picture, below.)
Patients complain of elbow pain, decreased throwing velocity,
and decreased throwing distance. X-rays can be
normal or can show several distinctive growth plate
abnormalities around that part of the growth plate.
Treatment for both of these conditions is rest. The initial period of rest and avoidance of throwing is usually four to eight
weeks, followed by stretching, strengthening and a
throwing progression. Athletes usually return to their
pre-injury level of play, and long-term consequences are rare. Proper throwing mechanics and careful attention to pitch counts
(specific for age) are very important in
preventing these overuse injuries.
See inside for a chart on pitch
counts for each age and information on how
to prevent these
injuries.
Keeping You Active
The physicians and staff at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C.
specialize in comprehensive orthopedic care.
They diagnose and treat diseases and injuries of the bone,
muscles, tendons, nerves and ligaments in adults and children.
Jackson • Brownsville • Selmer • Lexington • Parsons • Dyersburg • Union City • Bolivar • Ripley
24 Physicians Drive, Jackson
n
731.661.9825
n
888.661.9825
n
www.wtbjc.com