Dr. Starr emphasized that bone is not a static structure. "We think of bones as a hard substance that's just there. But bone is very much alive," she said. "Bone is constantly changing; it's building up, and it's breaking down at different rates throughout life."

She highlighted the importance of adequate calcium and vitamin D, regular weight-bearing and resistance exercise, and evaluation for underlying conditions that can accelerate bone loss, including menopause, diabetes, thyroid disorders, and certain inflammatory diseases. Dr. Starr also noted that fragility fractures, such as a broken hip after a minor fall or a vertebral fracture from coughing, can be a telling sign of weakened bones. 

For individuals at higher risk, Dr. Starr recommends discussing bone density testing with their healthcare provider, even before the standard screening ages. She also encourages patients to seek guidance on prevention and treatment options. "It's definitely worth having a discussion with a healthcare provider," she said

To read the full article, visit HealthRadar.com. A subscription is required to access.

Bergen now prioritizes her own health after a stroke and bike accident left her with lingering, but manageable, issues. “The bike accident — I fractured my pelvis, which was a new kind of pain. I actually saw stars. You can’t move for a long time; it’s too painful,” she recalled. “I had great care at a hospital in New York called HSS [Hospital for Special Surgery], which is for people with orthopedic injuries.”

Read the full article at people.com.

Watch the video at giants.com. 

Brian Joseph Page, MD, orthopedic trauma and limb reconstruction surgeon at HSS, provides insight on the recovery process, and what Holmgren might face as he works toward returning to the court.

“There are many factors associated with the injury that can influence his recovery timeline. If the injury does not extend into his acetabulum or disrupt his pelvic ring his recovery will be much more reliable and quicker. He will likely be unable to return to the court for at least 3-6 months, but the injury and recovery is variable. Returning too soon increases the risk for refracture,” explained Dr. Page. 

“His potential return later in the season will depend on the nature of the injury, however it is difficult to assess without reviewing his imaging studies. The timeline for recovery is highly contingent on the specifics of the injury,” said Dr. Page. 

Read the full article at okcthunderwire.usatoday.com. 

“The manuscript Racial and ethnic disparities in providing guideline concordant care after hip fracture surgery” represents an important cog in the effort to understand and effect improvement in racial and ethnic patient outcomes following orthopedic surgical procedures. The study underscores the existence of disparities in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery despite a standardized care protocol. With the implementation of guidelines to promote postoperative venous thromboembolic prophylaxis, early weight-bearing and bone protective medications, non-Hispanic white patients were more likely to receive guideline concordant care than their racial and ethnic minority counterparts. Minority patients often encounter surgical delays, longer hospital stays and a burden of medical comorbidities," explained Michael L. Parks, MD, hip and knee surgeon at HSS. 

Read the full article at healio.com. 

Read the full article at nba.com. 

"Injury prevention is certainly an a vital part of being an athlete regardless of what level you're participating at. In order to minimize injury, the athlete should understand the importance of having a well-rounded approach. That includes everything from stretching to the appropriate nutrition, giving yourself the appropriate amount of time to rest or recover. Another important part is the utilization of protective gear or equipment. Here in Florida in particular, we have to be cognizant of staying well hydrated as well,” explained Dr. Sama.  

This episode aired live on June 11, 2024. Listen to the podcast at podcasts.apple.com.

Dr. Gomoll said recovery time likely depends on the severity of the injury. “Some fractures are more like a bruise that hurts. You can ‘repair’ it by injecting some bone marrow but not putting screws in or anything like that,” he noted.

He explained a more severe meniscus surgery would require stitches while the more serious plateau fracture repair might require a screw or implant.

“Mixing those two scenarios with the information we have … it could be eight weeks. But if this is ‘real surgery’ — something that needs some time to heal — then eight weeks is quite optimistic,” he noted.

When asked if it was common for the two injuries to occur together, Dr. Gomoll said the meniscus tear is more common than a fracture in the upper shin.

According to Dr. Gomoll, “Sometimes you get these tiny little compression fractures. It’s more like if you push hard with your thumb on styrofoam and you see the little indent. In my reports, that’s called a fracture. But it’s not the kind of fracture where the tibia snaps like a dry twig, where you have to put screws and plates in. That’s more like, when you hear people have ACL tears and, oh, he had a bone bruise.”

He continued, “That’s sort of the best-case scenario. She could have very easily torn the meniscus and had one of these bone bruises. It’s the meniscus tear moreso than the fracture that will determine when you can go back to playing.”

Read the full article at CTinsider.com.

Dr. Strickland explained, “It’s basically, she’s breaking her leg with just running which is pretty uncommon. Typically, a broken bone, which is what a tibia plateau fracture is, is typically from some kind of trauma, like real trauma, not running on a basketball court and hyperextending your knee. ... Her knee hyperextended and then it looked like it, at least from the video, looked like it buckled and that force right there was too much for her bone and broke the bone.”

Strickland said the eight-week timeline released by UConn’s statement on Tuesday would likely entail Bueckers recovering by wearing a brace and on crutches.

“It must not be a particularly bad tibia plateau fracture because saying a tibia plateau fracture could mean that you get two plates and 20 screws or it could be that you’re just in a brace,” she added.

Read the full article at CTpost.com. Additional coverage: CTInsider.com.

The study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected hip fracture patient outcomes, including: hospital stay, admission to an intensive care unit, use of mechanical ventilation, 30-day readmission, discharge disposition and postoperative complications.

Dr. Memtsoudis explained, “Studying this topic is important because events that stress the healthcare system, like this pandemic, allow us to gain rare insights into what happens to medical care when resources become scarce.”

Overall, researchers found that the number of hip fracture cases during COVID-19 decreased by 50% compared to the same time period the year before. And those patients who were admitted to the hospital were discharged earlier and were less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit.

Dr. Memtsoudis said, “One of the major takeaways from this study was we saw that fractures were more commonly treated nonoperatively, and how outcomes differed.”

He added, “These results should make us reevaluate our practice going forward to make sure we do not waste resources but also affirm interventions that truly are beneficial.”

Read the full article at Ryortho.com.

Huack’s pain worsened over the next several months and he came to see Edward S. Yoon, MD, chief of interventional radiology at HSS. Dr. Yoon performed an innovative procedure called a kyphoplasty in which acrylic cement was injected into Huack’s spinal fracture.

"It's one of the most satisfying procedures I perform. Patients come in not being able to stand or walk and immediately after the procedure, they don't have any pain," said Dr. Yoon. "My colleagues and I are huge proponents of this procedure. Sometimes patients are told by doctors that there's nothing you can do [for an ailment] and just take pain medication, which is not a good solution for an underlying problem. I'm glad he is now able to be up and about."

Huack is now enjoying a variety of activities that he participated in such as walking on the boardwalk, eating blueberry pancakes for breakfast, doing chair exercises with his aide and watching the golf game on TV. He now looks forward to his 95th birthday in June.

Read the full article at Patch.com/new-jersey/wall/.

Dr. Nwachukwu advised beginners to ease into it, otherwise the risk of overuse injuries increases. He recommended starting with 30 seconds of jumping, interspersed with similar periods of rest, and to gradually increase the length of the interval.

Jumping rope can help build bone density as a result of the impact of jumping, noted Dr. Nwachukwu. This matters because bone density tends to decrease with age, he explained, which can lead to conditions including osteomalacia (pronounced softening of the bones) and osteoporosis, and predispose you to fractures. By building bone density through activities like jumping rope, you can reduce your risk of these issues, added Dr. Nwachukwu.

Read the full article at Self.com

Dr. Metzl said it might be too early to count Woods out, because his injuries, from a traumatic high-speed crash, are so uncommon for a pro golfer. "It's not a sports injury, per se, that we typically see," explained Dr. Metzl. "I think that's an important point, because when someone strains their hamstring, tears their ACL or breaks their wrist sliding into second base, we can give a very accurate timetable." Dr. Metzl theorized that even some severe lower-leg injuries could be overcome as long as Woods' joints, tendons and nerves, employed in a golfer's twisting motion while striking the ball, survived major damage. "It's unknown, but if there were an area that could potentially have the chance "to be overcome" with all the unforeseen hurdles and all the potential complications going forward, "his lower-leg trauma" could be potentially one of those areas," noted Dr. Metzl.

Read the full article at NBCnews.com.

Additional coverage: Golf Central during the 6pm news hour on February 24, 2021. 

“There’s no way he’s making the Masters in April, zero chance,” said Dr. Ricci. “Masters next April? Maybe.” Dr. Ricci, who is well versed in the trauma sustained in high-speed car crashes, said Woods’ mangled ankle and foot could prove to be the hardest to overcome, depending on the severity of the injuries, which hasn’t been disclosed. “It’s going to impact his ability to pivot on that leg, to pivot normally and to flex the ankle and foot normally,” he cited, of the pins and screws Woods had installed.

Woods’ mature age as a professional athlete also doesn’t help in speeding up the recovery process. “He’s an incredible athlete, but as you get up into your 40s and beyond, the healing times slow down and it takes longer to recover from injuries,” noted Dr. Metzl. “This is going to take months. We can’t think about golf yet.”

Dr. Ricci estimated Woods will face a year of rehabilitation and physical therapy focused on restoring his mobility, range of motion and strengthening his calf, ankle and foot muscles — all key areas for a professional athlete. “I don’t know Tiger Woods personally but everything I see and read about him, he’s a pretty motivated person,” he said. “If anyone could [rebound,] it would be him but it’s going to be a battle.”

Read the full article at NYpost.com. This article also appeared in print on February 25, 2021.

Because of the “open” nature of Woods’s fractures, sometimes also called compound fractures, the risk of infection is significant and the likelihood of additional surgeries is high. “This is not a one-surgery [condition]. This is a multiple-surgery [condition],” explained Dr. Helfet. With an open fracture, he said, protocols call for multiple debridements — the removal of dead, damaged or infected tissue. Additionally, Woods “may need soft-tissue procedures, maybe a skin graft. He may need multiple, additional procedures to stabilize the bone perfectly, to restore the length, alignment and rotation of the leg,” noted Dr. Helfet.

“The risk of an injury like this is not necessarily lifesaving; it’s limb-saving. And the sooner you get the patient into … a trauma center, the better,” noted Dr. Helfet. “ … To get one of these injuries healed — the bone healed, the soft tissues recovered, [and] assuming there’s no nerve and artery damage and the muscle is recoverable, you’re talking about, until he can walk and put weight on his leg and actually have function, two to three months, at least."

“Golf,” added Dr. Helfet, “is immaterial.”

Read the full article at Washingtonpost.com. This article also appeared in print on February 25, 2021.

Additional coverage: Newsmax TV’s “Wake Up America” during the 7am news hour on February 25, 2021. Watch the segment online at Newsmaxtv.com (appearing from 01:18:18-01:26:35).

The primary differences in the design of the DAC system from predicate devices are Nitinol wires which create compression across the fracture as the release pins are removed during surgery. The system will be labeled as magnetic resonance, conditional on performance testing submitted for support of the claim. HSS foot and ankle surgeon and RTI consultant Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, MD, said the plate "is designed to improve fusion procedures in the foot by combining the rigid stability of a plate with Nitinol's ability to provide continuous compression and ensure apposition of the bony surfaces during healing."

Read the full article at ryortho.com.

Dr. Ricci discussed the latest techniques and science in fracture healing. “In orthopedic trauma, we treat all different types of fractures, and we customize the treatment method to the particular fracture type and the particular patient. One thing that's relatively new is customizing the treatment to a particular subtype of fracture. Every fracture that we treat involves, to some degree, a race between the fracture healing and our implants failing,” said Dr. Ricci.

To enhance the healing process, Dr. Ricci underscored the importance of proper nourishment, and explained his practice for pain management, and weight bearing. “Good nourishment is needed to heal a fracture. We're particularly interested in making sure that patients have normal vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with healing problems and nonunion,” noted Dr. Ricci. He cited, “There is some controversy about treating patients with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) after a fracture. Some data indicate that NSAIDs can slow down fracture healing, and other, conflicting data indicate that they may not. In my practice, in patients with fractures that are at high risk for nonunion, I like to avoid NSAIDs and use other methods for controlling pain. Inflammation is a necessary and important part of the healing process.” Dr. Ricci concluded, “For certain fractures, weight bearing is absolutely safe and can augment the fracture healing process; but for other fractures, weight bearing is detrimental. That's why it's so important that we customize the postoperative protocol per patient per fracture.”

Read the article at Medscape.com.

Health Day spoke to Richard S. Bockman, MD, PhD, chief of endocrinology at HSS, who was not involved with the study, to provide commentary on the findings. “Get out there and walk,” advised Dr. Bockman. Dr. Bockman explained that while bone density matters in hip fracture risk, other factors are also involved, which include muscle strength in the lower body, balance and agility, as broken hips are almost always the result of a fall.

Read the article at Consumer.healthday.com.

Additional coverage: USNews.com.