Wayne Magazine Holiday 2017 | Page 45

sports medicine Stay Off the Disabled List Follow the same habits and procedures the pros use to heal after injuries WRITTEN BY CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER Exercise helps. It improves our memories, mood, sleep habits, heart health and even social lives. But as with most pursuits, too much of a good thing — especially when the movement is repetitive — can lead to problems. Fortunately, developments in the field of sports medicine are helping not only pro athletes, but amateurs of all ages, to recover from complications of stress injuries and other byproducts of regular athletic activity. We asked three members of the local health care community to bring us up to speed. A native of New Jersey, Dr. Rajaram returned to practice in the state two years ago, after completing his ortho- pedic surgery residency at Yale University, and a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. His training at the Texas Medical Center gave him the opportunity to serve as assistant team physi- cian for professional teams including the Houston Rockets and the Houston Astros. His expertise earned him a spot as a sports medicine consultant for CBS sports radio WFAN, which posts his commentary online. Though Rajaram now treats athletes who aren’t professionals, the injuries his patients present to him are the same. “I’ve noticed over the last decade that people are exercising intensely and regularly, and they’re getting the same repetitive use injuries as the pros,” he says. “This happens with kids, too, who play the same sports year round. I see a lot of high school students now, especially for tennis elbow, and meniscus and cartilage injuries.” He names two procedures that are getting good results within the general population, and helping them to heal faster. PRP (PLATELET RICH PLASMA) INJECTIONS “PRP has been available to athletes for decades,” Rajaram says. “Now we use it for everyone.” In this out-patient procedure, blood is drawn and put into a centrifuge, where it is spun; the platelet-rich plasma that rises to the top is then injected back into the area that is experienc- ing the problem — for example, at the location of injured ligaments and muscles. The platelets help reduce inflammation. “Depending on the severity of the problem, it can ta ke three-to-12 weeks for a full recovery,” he says. DR. ARUN RAJARAM ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON SPECIALIZING IN SPORTS MEDICINE AND ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY PARTNER AT ELITE ORTHOPEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE IN WAYNE MINIMALLY INVASIVE ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY Another out-patient procedure, this practice allows surgeons to make a small incision, insert a tiny camera and use it to project images on a high- definition monitor. “We can repair meniscus and large rotator cuff tears using this medical technol- ogy,” Rajaram says. “We can see every corner of the inside of a joint that we couldn’t see before. The surgery can be done more quickly because it doesn’t require a big incision, and recovery is faster.” A PRP injection at the site where the camera is introduced can also help the injury heal. > WAYNE MAGAZINE HOLIDAY 2017 43