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Sports Injury

Phoenix Orthopedic Surgeon Offers Saturday Clinic Hours for Valley Athletes

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As Arizona high school basketball heats up and training for the upcoming baseball season begins, Dr. Shelden Martin, an orthopedic surgeon with one of the Valley’s leading orthopedic practices, OrthoArizona – Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, has announced Saturday clinic hours for February 15 and March 8 in an effort to help Valley athletes who experience sports injuries on the weekend.

According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 2 million injuries occur among high school athletes every year. In order to help people avoid high emergency room bills on the weekend, Dr. Martin, who is fellowship trained in sports medicine and shoulder/elbow surgery, will perform physician duties on those who find themselves in an orthopedic emergency on specific Saturdays.

The Phoenix orthopedic surgeon’s office is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Loop 101 and Warner Road at 2905 W. Warner Road, Suite 23 in Chandler, AZ 85224. To schedule an appointment, please call (480) 685-2850.

“The most common cause of injury-related ER visits by children are due to sports activities,” Dr. Martin said. “With football season slowing down, basketball heating up and baseball season around the corner, sports-related injuries are more likely to occur, especially during the weekends when athletes attend tournaments with multiple games played back-to-back. That’s why I have added Saturday clinic hours.”

Phoenix Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Shelden Martin Offers Advice on Youth Sports Injury Prevention

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With so many choices of youth sports each season, kids and young adults can play sports year round, making them susceptible to a multitude of sports injuries.

While physical activity is necessary for growing children, too much or too intense activity can cause damage or injury to their bodies.

According to an article by USA Today, 1.35 million youths, age 19 and under, attain serious sports injuries that lead to emergent hospital visits each year. Among the most popular sports, football, basketball and soccer are the most common for injury, although not understating others.

Strains and sprains, fractures, and contusions and abrasions are the most common forms of injury, with concussions not far behind.

Dr. Shelden Martin of OrthoArizona encourages his patients to take every step necessary before and during the season to prevent serious injuries.

It is essential to get a pre-participation physical, appropriate equipment and perform necessary conditioning before beginning the season to make sure that they are ready in regards to physical and safety preparedness.

During the season, early recognition of injuries and possible treatment is critical to preventing further damage. Any injury that involves swelling, discoloration, loss of function however minor, or visible deformity should be seen by a physician.

While some of these injuries can heal on their own or with remedies like ice and ibuprofen, others can worsen and cause serious damage if ignored or played on without proper healing.

Dr. Martin specializes in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine for any injury. He has worked with professional, collegiate and high school sports teams.

Currently, Dr. Martin is the head team physician for the world champion Arizona Rattlers and team physician for Desert Vista High School. Previously, Dr. Martin served as part of the team medical staffs for the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Knights, Joe Gibbs Racing Team and the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Martin specializes in complex arthroscopic surgery, including ligament reconstruction, cartilage transplants, shoulder and elbow joint replacements, and reverse shoulder replacements.

“We use the latest nonoperative and surgical treatments for a wide range of orthopedic problems and sports related injuries,” Dr. Martin said. “Our job is to get you back to activity as soon as possible.”

Phoenix Orthopedic Surgeon Explains UFC Legend Anderson Silva’s Devastating Injury

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On December 28, Brazilian icon and former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva faced American MMA fighter Chris Weidman in a Dec. 28 battle that ended with a gruesome injury, shattering his lower leg and possibly his career.

Silva, who is known as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, lost his nearly seven-year title reign at UFC 162 in July 2013 to Weidman. The rematch in December, at UFC 168, was Silva’s chance to reclaim his title belt.

Instead, the former champion lost with an upset only a little over a minute into the second round when his leg kick was checked by Weidman’s knee, fracturing his tibia and fibula. He was carried out of the UFC Octagon on a stretcher, screaming in agony.

Needless to say, Silva lost the fight against Weidman, and his knee.

The two bones that Silva fractured span between the knee and ankle. The tibia is larger and bears most of the weight while the thinner fibula acts as support on the outside of the leg.

Orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Shelden L. Martin, MD of OrthoArizona, explained the repercussions of this type of injury.

“Typically, these are very severe injuries,” Dr. Martin detailed. “They can sometimes have other associated injuries to either the nerves or the arteries traveling through the leg.”

Dr. Martin further described how this type of injury can cause increase risk of infection and healing problems should the skin open, creating an open fracture. In this instance, sometimes soft tissue coverage with skin grafts or rotational or free flap muscle grafts is necessary.

Unless the fracture is minimally displaced, or in normal alignment, injuries of this kind are generally treated with surgery.

During surgery, a rod can be attached down through the middle of the tibia bone with interlocking screws at the ends of the fracture, to keep the fracture stabilized and to allow patients to bear light weight on the leg after the fracture is completely healed. Plates and screws can also be used, however this causes longer healing time as weight bearing must be limited.

In Silva’s case, he was taken into surgery at a local hospital in Las Vegas, where an intramedullary rod was inserted into his left tibia. Although Silva’s surgery was a successful one, there can be complications with these types of injuries.

According to Dr. Martin, in injuries with extensive fractures or multiple fracture pieces, nonunions can occur where the fractures do not heal. Nerve or vascular artery injuries can occur in open fractures, requiring additional repair from neurosurgeons or vascular surgeons, as well as extending healing time or requiring additional surgeries later on.

Recovery time for these injuries vary person-to-person. For all, extensive physical therapy is necessary to regain motion of the knee and ankle, as well as normal gait and strength of the leg. Some may require up to a year to fully recover, but athletes can typically return to sport within 6-9 months.

As for Anderson Silva, the UFC fanbase will be watching these next few months in his journey to recovery, awaiting a statement on his future plans.

Currently, Dr. Martin is the head team physician for the world champion Arizona Rattlers and team physician for Desert Vista High School. Previously, he served as part of the team medical staffs for the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Knights, Joe Gibbs Racing Team and the University of North Carolina.

Chandler Orthopedic Surgeon Announces November Saturday Clinic

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Chandler orthopedic surgeon Dr. Shelden Martin, part of one of the Valley’s leading orthopedic practices, OrthoArizona – Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, has announced his Saturday clinic hours for November.

Dr. Martin, who is fellowship trained in sports medicine and shoulder/elbow surgery, will perform physician duties on those who find themselves in a Phoenix orthopedic emergency on November 16.

According to Dr. Martin, who also serves as team physician for the Arena Football League World Champion Arizona Rattlers, one in six trips to the emergency room on the weekend results from a sports-related injury.

Dr. Martin’s office is located on the southeast corner of Loop 101 and Warner Road at 2905 W. Warner Road, Suite 23 in Chandler, AZ 85224.

Instead of incurring the high cost of weekend ER bills and trips to the emergency room, schedule an appointment by calling (480) 685-2850.

Rotator Cuff Injuries and Orthopedic Surgery

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One of the most common orthopedic injuries that we operate on here in Phoenix is directly related to the rotator cuff in the shoulder. Phoenix orthopedic surgeons are  very familiar with rotator cuff repair, surgery and recovery, and Dr. Martin is highly trained to not only treat related injuries, but diagnose them properly as well.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

The rotator cuff consists of the muscles and tendons that make up your shoulder. This region is not only intricate, it is extremely important in shoulder movement, range of motion, and strength. The rotator cuff quite literally is the cuff of ligaments holding the ball of your upper arm bone in your shoulder socket.

Injury to this area is quite common among athletes, specifically those in repetitive motion sports like tennis, and weekend warriors. Rotator cuff tears can be from a bad fall, lifting, or repetitive activities. Pitchers are quite often seen by Phoenix orthopedic surgeons for rotator cuff injuries due to the repetitiveness of that position.

In many cases, nearly 50% of all rotator cuff injuries, treatment involves some good, old R and R. However, there are instances with a Phoenix orthopedic surgeon is needed to repair a tendon or muscle tear.

Rotator Cuff Repairs

Conditions such as tendinitis and/or bursitis, left untreated, can lead to necessary orthopedic surgery, but in most cases you will need to see a Phoenix orthopedic surgeon for tears in the rotator cuff.

Orthopedic surgery on a rotator cuff involves either making more room for the irritated tendons and muscles or sewing torn edges of a ligament tear. Your Phoenix orthopedic surgeon will make an incision 2 inches to 3 inches in the shoulder. Any lose fragments of tendon will be removed and shaving or removing bone spurs might be executed, depending on the condition or injury.

Your Phoenix orthopedic surgeon will sew any torn tendons, repairing the injury.

Recovery involves a short stay in the hospital, followed by immobilization of the arm for a defined period of time to allow for healing. Many times, physical therapy is needed for a full recovery, especially for athletes. 

If you are suffering from chronic shoulder pain, Dr. Martin can help. If you’ve just experienced a recent injury to the shoulder, give Dr. Martin a call today to have the injury and shoulder examined by the best orthopedic surgeon in Arizona. Waiting to have pain in the shoulder properly examined can lead to greater complications and more pain down the road.

Floyd Mayweather’s Injured Hand – Dr. Martin’s Comments

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Did you happen to catch the ‘Money’ Mayweather vs ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero fight over the weekend? If so, you might have noticed how the fight stalled a bit towards the final rounds – many blaming Mayweather for watching the clock and protecting his obvious victory. But others, particularly those in the Phoenix orthopedic surgery industry, noticed a holding back from Mayweather, indicating a possible injury sustained in the prize fight. And if you’ve kept an eye on boxing news today, you’ll notice that Mayweather did indeed sustain a hand injury sometime during the middle rounds. 

As an Arizona orthopedic surgeon, it wasn’t difficult to ascertain the extent of the injury based on the final rounds of the fight, but let’s dive into hand injuries that boxer’s most often endure, and how the injury might affect Mayweather’s September fight.

Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather’s Hand Injury

Floyd Mayweather is a beast of a fighter. With a record of 44-0, this young man has successfully established himself as one of the best, holding titles in five weight classes. And while his fight over the weekend may not have been one of the most exciting or entertaining for any orthopedic surgeons watching, it was a lesson in boxing that many found compelling. And, later in the evening, when we found out that Mayweather was boxing with an injured right hand, it became even more apparent how remarkable this boxer is.

According to Bryan Armen Graham of Sports Illustrated, Money said that he hurt his hand somewhere in the middle stages of the fight and felt the injury is what prevented the undefeated champion from knocking Guerrero out.

After a visit to the hospital after the fight, Mayweather’s camp is telling the press that his hand is fine, no factures, simply soreness, dispelling fears regarding Mayweather’s September fight. From a Phoenix orthopedic surgeon’s perspective, the injury is most likely soft tissue contusion from multiple traumatic impacts. Something that you might expect after a boxing match that lasted as long as this one did.

Dr. Martin, Phoenix’s best orthopedic surgeon, suggests simple symptomatic treatment including rest, ice, NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and progressive return to boxing as symptoms allow.

While the extent of the injury is still unknown, as an Arizona orthopedic surgeon I can tell you the most common boxing injuries and what Mayweather could possibly be facing.

Common Boxing Hand Injuries

Boxing wreaks havoc on the body, from the spine to the knees to the neck, head, arms, shoulders, elbows, and hands. In this instance, where Mayweather experienced ‘soreness’ during and after the recent fight, we’re taking a look at common boxing hand injuries that can cause pain such as Mayweather’s, many of which Phoenix orthopedic surgeons see quite often.

Boxer’s Fracture – A Boxer’s Fracture occurs when the clenched fist is collided with a skull or hard, immovable surface. The great impact results in compression of the knuckles, which snaps the metacarpal bone. This fracture can lead to orthopedic surgery to realign the fractured metacarpal bone, casting, and rehab. In the mildest cases of Boxer’s Fracture, recovery time can be up to 3 months.

Boxer’s Knuckle – This is an injury to the prominent metacarpophalangeal joints of the hand, also known as the knuckles. Because the knuckles are highly vulnerable, this is a quite comment injury and as an Arizona orthopedic surgeon it is something that I’ve often treated. 

Finger Fractures – These types of fractures are also very common among boxers, especially those just starting out because they most often occur when a punch lands wrong. This type of injury could require treatment from an Arizona orthopedic surgeon, as well as physical therapy.

Bruising and Sprains – Boxing bruises and sprains are also very common, but as an Arizona orthopedic surgeon I have seen these simple injuries become something far worse if not treated properly. While these injuries are not considered emergencies, they can lead to a fracture or major break if left untreated.

Prevention

As Dr. Shelden Martin always promotes – prevention is truly the best medicine for boxing injuries, or any injuries related to the hand, for that matter. Hand injuries can interrupt every single aspect of your life, and as an Arizona orthopedic surgeon who has operated on many hand fractures and hand injuries, Dr. Martin suggests treating any hand injury immediately. From the smallest scrap to the most painful fracture, seeking proper treatment immediately will reduce recovery time and get you back into the ring, or on the playing field, must faster.

Call today for an appointment with the best orthopedic surgeon in Arizona! 480.685.2850

Arizona Orthopedic Surgeon’s Take On Kobe Bryant’s Achilles Tendon Rupture

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If you watch basketball, or perhaps like to tune in to ESPN during your afternoon workouts, you’ve not doubt heard about Kobe Bryant’s Achilles injury. While it might not be big news in your household, sports enthusiasts all across Arizona are weighing in on Bryant’s future in basketball, his teams’ future without him, and what it’s going to take to heel a torn Achilles tendon. It’s a good thing that we have Dr. Shelden Martin, Arizona Rattlers Team Doctor, to clear some things up for us!

According to Dr. Martin, Achilles tendon ruptures are commonly seen in older athletes, most notably over 30 years of age and weekend warriors. Kobe Bryant is definitely not a weekend warrior, although he does cross the age threshold at 34 years old.

Eccentric Contraction 

In clinical terms, the mechanism of Bryant’s injury is an eccentric contraction, where the ankle and knee are bent so the gastrocnemius and Achilles tendon are maximally stretched and then forced to lengthen resulting in the rupture of the tendon. If you happened to catch the Lakers vs Warriors game back on April 5th you might have seen Bryant crumble to the floor after making a move to the basket. It was in this moment that you can see the Achilles tendon stretched in the seconds before he hit the ground.

Achilles Tendon Rupture Treatment 

Initially after the injury, Kobe Bryant received nearly immediate surgery to repair the torn tendon. According to Dr. Martin, who has seen this injury many times treating Arizona weekend warriors, treatment options for such Achilles damage can range from non-operative to surgical repair to reconstruction using patients own donor tendon grafts to cadaveric grafts to biological graft substitutes to “bridge the gap” and reinforce the repair when the injury is chronic and long standing. As you can see, there are a variety of options for Achilles tendon rupture, many of them non-operative in the cases of our weekend warriors. 

Surgical repair is usually recommended for the more active individuals, especially high-level athletes such as Kobe Bryant, says Dr. Martin.

And, in Bryant’s case, depending on the location of the tear, surgery would have involved an orthopedic surgeon sewing the two ends of the tendon together with high tensile permanent sutures or reinserting into the calcaneious bone tendinous insertion site using various techniques, usually suture anchors or sewing the tendons through bone tunnels.

For the most innovative techniques, Dr. Martin says that biologic stimulants have more recently been used to augment repairs and aid in healing in hopes of stimulating faster and more complete healing with the hope of promoting a faster, more complete and reliable return to the sport, especially for high-demand athletes like Bryant.

Recovery

Dr. Martin goes on to say that in instances like Kobe Bryant’s injury, recover time no matter what the procedure or treatment method typically requires six to nine months and involves extensive physical therapy. 

However, with that said it is not impossible for Bryant to return sooner than that, although it is highly unlikely. Whether or not he returns before six to nine months, he will return. Many high-profile professional athletes like Bryant who have ad similar injuries have returned, Dr. Martin points out.

For example, Elton Brand, Dominique Wilkins and Chauncy Billups are just a few professional athletes who ruptured their Achilles tendon and returned successfully the sport they love.

Kevin Ware and Tibia Shaft Fractures – View From a Phoenix Orthopedic Surgeon

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If you saw it live, you’ll never forget it. If you caught the horrific sports injury on Youtube afterwards, you’re probably still feeling the ill effects in the pit of your stomach. Kevin Ware’s gruesome sports injury during last Sunday’s Regional Final was one of the worst in basketball history, bringing not only fans to tears but players and coaches as well. This is not the type of sports injury that is often seen in Phoenix, or anywhere else for that matter, which is why it’s so important to discuss how and why this happened. After seeing the video, many Phoenix athletes are understandably nervous about getting back out there on the court.

The Sports Injury

During Louisville’s Regional Final basketball game, Kevin Ware went up to contest a 3-point shot. It was a routine defensive action taken by players hundreds of times during these games, and yet there was nothing routine about what happened. As Ware came down from his leap, he landed on one foot, which locked his knee. When his knee locked, the natural shock absorption that our bodies are made to process completely disappeared. The pressure on his tibia was too much, and it literally snapped beneath him.

Studies have shown that it takes 900 to 1,000 pounds of pressure to break a human bone. With that said, it’s amazing to imagine just how intense Ware’s leap was, and how forceful his landing was to cause such an injury.

Ware told the media that when he leapt in the air to contest the shot, he didn’t know where he was on the floor, or worse yet, where the floor was as associated with his landing. Therefore his body was not prepared for the shock.

The open, or compound, fracture broke through the skin, exposing roughly 3 to 4 inches of tibia. Thankfully, Ware told the media that he did not feel any pain, an amazing and wonderful thing.

Tibia Shaft Fracture

Medically speaking, a tibia shaft fracture is not uncommon in Phoenix orthopedics. As a sports orthopedic surgeon, I’ve seen these fractures quite a few times, however in different circumstances. In reality, the tibia shaft fracture is one of the most common long bone fractures, but is more often seen in motorcycle accidents, snowmobile or car accidents, as well as extreme sports injuries. It is rare to see this type of sports injury on the basketball court.

In Ware’s case, where his body underwent extreme trauma, Dr. Walter Virkus, director of orthopedic trauma at Methodist Hospital where Ware underwent immediate surgery, it could take anywhere from three to ten months for a full recovery. With an elite athlete like Ware, his body may recover quicker.

If you’re a bit anxious about getting back on that Phoenix court or field, call Dr. Martin. If you’ve had shin splints in the past, give us a call. Our best medicine is preventative.

Summary:

If you caught the horrific sports injury on Youtube afterwards, you’re probably still feeling the ill effects in the pit of your stomach.

During Louisville’s Regional Final basketball game, Kevin Ware went up to contest a 3-point shot.

With that said, it’s amazing to imagine just how intense Ware’s leap was, and how forceful his landing was to cause such an injury.

Medically speaking, a tibia shaft fracture is not uncommon in Phoenix orthopedics. As a sports orthopedic surgeon, I’ve seen these fractures quite a few times, however in different circumstances. In reality, the tibia shaft fracture is one of the most common long bone fractures, but is more often seen in motorcycle accidents, snowmobile or car accidents, as well as extreme sports injuries.

With an elite athlete like Ware, his body may recover quicker.

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Dr. Shelden Martin Joins Arizona Rattlers as Team Physician

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OrthoArizona Physician, Dr. Shelden Martin Joins Arizona Rattlers as Team Physician

CHANDLER, ARIZ. (January 6th, 2013) – OrthoArizona is pleased to announce sports medicine and shoulder, elbow specialist, Dr. Shelden Martin, as the official 2013 Head Team Physician for the Arizona Rattlers. Dr. Martin will serve as the team’s head orthopedic surgeon and will be assigned to oversee the medical team that provides orthopedic and medical care for the Rattlers’ athletes and coaches.

Dr. Martin is a full-time orthopedic surgeon with Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, a division of OrthoArizona, specializing in sports medicine, and shoulder elbow surgery. He will be joining the Rattler’s staff this year with the season’s kick-off on March 1st, 2013. Dr. Martin has experience working with many professional, collegiate and high school athletic teams including the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Knights, Joe Gibbs Racing team and the University of North Carolina athletic department. He currently provides care for the Chicago White Sox during baseball spring training and the local Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe High Schools.

Born in Lancaster, PA, Dr. Martin received his Undergraduate Degree at LaSalle University in Philadelphia. He then received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed his General Surgery Internship and Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. He completed his training with a one-year fellowship specializing in Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Shoulder, Elbow Surgery with OrthoCarolina at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.

Dr. Martin is a board-eligible orthopedic surgeon with the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, and specializes in sports medicine, shoulder, elbow and knee surgery. Research conducted by Dr. Martin at the University of Pennsylvania led to the discovery of the gene responsible for a rare, debilitating, genetic bone disease. His research has been presented both nationally and internationally, and published extensively in peer-reviewed literature.

Dr. Martin is proud to begin his duties with the Arizona Rattlers this spring. In conjunction with this announcement, Dr. Martin would like to announce the merging of his solo practice with Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, a division of OrthoArizona and the launch of his official website http://www.OrthopedicArizona.com.