"An invisible patch of ice is an accident waiting to happen," said Dr. Dvorzhinskiy. "People often forget how dangerous a fall can be, especially when they’re in a hurry to get somewhere."

Hidden ice can linger in shaded areas, near curbs and between parked cars long after most snow has melted, Dr. Dvorzhinskiy pointed out.

These slicker spots can lead to serious injuries, especially for older adults.

To lower your risk, he recommends slowing down and wearing shoes or boots with good traction like ones with rubber or neoprene soles.

Smooth leather or plastic soles, and high heels, should be avoided.

If you must walk on icy ground, take short steps or shuffle to stay steady. Always look where you’re going and stick to cleared walkways. Avoid shortcuts over large piles of snow, and use handrails on stairs whenever you can.

Read the full article at healthday.com.

Muscle imbalances can rob you of speed and power—or worse, lead to injury, explained Anil Nandkumar, D.P.T., physical therapist at HSS. 

Unfortunately for runners, many common signs of muscle imbalances go unnoticed until you end up sidelined. This is why it’s important to know how to spot and address them, so they don’t get in the way of you reaching your full running potential. Here’s what to look for and how to address your weak spots.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access. 

It was one of many accolades that Dr. Dines has earned throughout his 45-year career, in which he has served as medical director of the HSS Education Institute and has held the position of co-chief of the shoulder fellowship at HSS since 2017.

Dr. Dines is also well known for his work with professional athletes, working with the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour, the Long Island Ducks minor-league baseball team and the New York Mets.

In 2024, he earned a lifetime achievement award from the Middle Atlantic Shoulder and Elbow Society. 

Dr. Dines spoke with Becker’s about his long career, his achievements and the advice he would give to other surgeons coming up in the field. 

Read the full article at beckersspine.com. 

As a sports medicine physician, he specializes in the nonsurgical treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries to help patients return to activities they enjoy. 

Dr. Sikina joins more than 40 physicians at HSS Long Island, which is located in The Omni professional building off Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale. The practice offers various orthopedic subspecialties, pain management, and rheumatology. 

Read the full article at longislandpress.com. 

Commuting can be mentally taxing, but sitting in traffic can cause pain and stiffness, too, said Dr. Charnoff. When he drives to work, he often places a small rolled-up towel behind his lower back for lumbar support.

If he’s stopped at a light (or stuck in standstill traffic), he’ll stretch by squeezing his shoulder blades together or rolling both shoulders, which alleviates tension and helps to counteract slouching.

If you’re sitting on a bus or in the subway, Dr. Charnoff added, flex your feet up and down 10 times to combat stiffness.

And if you’re looking at your phone while you’re sitting on a train or a bus, try to hold it in front of your face at eye level so you’re not hunching or gazing down, which can strain your back and neck.

Dr. Charnoff often treats patients who don’t consider how the way they sit during their commute can lead to or worsen back pain, he said. So try, as much as you’re able, to get into ergonomically friendly positions during your commute, he said, and move frequently if you can.

Read the full article at nytimes.com. 

“If you have a job that requires being on your feet all day, look for the most cushioned shoe you can find,” explained Dr. Drakos. “You want a thick layer of foam to cushion the area and absorb shock.” Look for shock-absorbing foams like EVA, TPU and PEBA, “and carbon plates can increase comfort too.” 

Stability shoes are a good choice for people with flat feet, because they offer more support and keep feet in a neutral position—which can prevent foot pain when standing. “Stability shoes tend to have thicker soles and more arch support, and this is all helpful when standing for long periods of time,” said Dr. Drakos.

Read the full article at Forbes.com. 

Becker's Spine reports on what HSS has been up to since Dr. Kelly's appointment one year ago.

Read the full article at beckersspine.com. 

1. HSS named Tara McCoy as CEO of its Florida division. She was previously division chief executive of GenesisCare. As CEO of HSS Florida, she will focus on expanding orthopedic care in the state.

2. Bryan Kelly, MD, succeeded Louis Shapiro as president and CEO of HSS. Dr. Kelly is a recognized leader in the field of hip preservation. He launched the hip preservation service at HSS in 2010, which is now the largest in the nation. In 2019, Dr. Kelly was named surgeon-in-chief and medical director.

3. Douglas Padgett, MD, was named  HSS's surgeon-in-chief and medical director following Dr. Kelly's promotion to CEO. Dr. Padgett is chief emeritus of adult reconstruction and replacement services, and he works as a professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. He was named HSS' associate surgeon-in-chief in 2019.

4. Spine surgeon Frank Cammisa, Jr., MD, and Brooklyn Nets and NY Liberty owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai were honored by HSS in June. Dr. Cammisa was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in the spine surgery industry.

5. HSS received a $10 million grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to support expansion of its main campus and construction of the HSS Kellen Tower.

6. HSS named Mary Cassai, RN, executive vice president and COO.

7. David Helfet, MD, orthopedic trauma surgeon at HSS, was named executive medical director of HSS at NCH in Naples, Fla.

8. HSS named Answorth Allen, MD, and Mathias Bostrom, MD, as associate surgeons-in-chief.

9. HSS appointed David Mayman, MD, and Daniel Green, MD, to its leadership team. Dr. Mayman will serve as chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service, and Dr. Green will serve as chief of the pediatric orthopedic surgery service.

10. HSS opened a location in Southampton, N.Y. The location is the first office in Suffolk County and the second outpatient location on Long Island.

11. Researchers at HSS and Weill Cornell Medicine discovered a new stem cell that could affect spine care. The findings, published in Nature, uncovered vetebral stem cells that are uniquely present in the spine. It was previously believed that all bones formed through ossification, but the collaborative research team found that certain vertebral skeletel stem cells have a key role in the development of spinal vertebrae.

12. HSS at NCH in Naples, Fla. named Justin Blohm as vice president of the musculoskeletal service line. 

13. Healthgrades included HSS on its best hospital lists for orthopedics, spine surgery and joint replacement.

14. OrthoVentions invested in Gemini, a company created in partnership with HSS. Gemini is focused on developing MRI imaging and volumetric analysis products to create interactive views of joints. The investment will fund product development and an initial commercial launch.

15. HSS and Naples, Fla.-based NCH Healthcare have started construction on an 80,000-square-foot orthopedic care facility on the NCH North Naples Hospital campus.

16. HSS received support from Schmidt Futures to advance artificial intelligence and machine learning efforts.

Read the full article here: beckersspine.com. 

Dr. Drakos had a fellowship with the Giants and was on the committee charged with making a recommendation about different synthetic turf surfaces for MetLife Stadium -- home of the Giants and Jets -- before its inaugural season in 2010. Dr. Drakos said grass wasn't an option. The two teams had played on synthetic turf for all but three seasons since they began sharing the old Giants Stadium when it opened in 1976. Dr. Drakos wasn't in the room when the surface was chosen, but he gave his opinion ahead of time. "Me and probably six or seven other doctors were sitting there listening to all these different presentations [from turf companies]," Dr. Drakos said. "And at the end, I said, 'Listen, from a medical standpoint, we should do grass.'"

MetLife stuck with synthetic turf because natural grass did not hold up for the busy fall schedule with two teams, 20 NFL home games and the Northeast climate.

But then and now, Dr. Drakos' research found grass is best for players' health, particularly when it comes to ankle and noncontact knee injuries. He said: "The data is pretty conclusive." He also said turf is stickier and less forgiving, which can cause the foot to catch and send torque up to the knee.

Read the full article at ESPN.com. 

It’s a young athlete’s worst nightmare—a dreaded popping sound followed by sharp pain in the knee. If it’s a torn anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, it could sideline the player for the rest of the season...or longer. 

“Serious knee injury involving the ACL is a major problem among high school sports participants,” explained Stephen Fealy, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at HSS Long Island, the Uniondale location of HSS. “Adolescents playing team sports that require cutting or a sudden change of direction, such as soccer, basketball, football and lacrosse, are at greatest risk of an ACL injury.” 

“There has been a 300 percent increase in ACL injuries and reconstructive surgeries in young people over the past 20 years,” explained Peter Fabricant, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in the care of children and adolescents with sports-related injuries at HSS Long Island. “An ACL tear can be devastating to a young athlete who needs reconstructive surgery with a subsequent recovery that takes about a year.”

This article appeared in the October 11-17 issues of Nassau Illustrated Newspaper.

The location is the first Suffolk County outpost for the New York City-based health system that is a nationally ranked academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health.

“We look forward to continuing to serve active communities on Long Island by expanding our physical and digital reach to advance their musculoskeletal health and overall quality of life,” said John Finger, senior vice president of HSS regional markets.

The Hamptons location is HSS’ second on Long Island. It expanded its Uniondale location last year.

Physicians at the Southampton location will offer patients care in sports medicine, foot and ankle surgery, hand surgery, pain management, physiatry, spinal care and orthopedic trauma, the company said. The physicians are the same as those who patients see at the main hospital in NYC.

Read the full article at danspapers.com. 

Justin Oppenheimer, executive vice president for the hospital, said the decision to open an East End location was based on the number of patients HSS serves on the Island already.

“Every year HSS doctors treat tens of thousands of patients from Long Island,” Oppenheimer said. “So, we owe it to the community to continue to be able to serve them as best as we can.”

While surgeries will not be performed at the Southampton facility, physicians there will triage patients and X-ray for sports-related injuries, provide pain management, offer spinal care and help treat orthopedic trauma, Oppenheimer said.

"The Southampton location is really an access point when people either need an initial diagnosis or a follow-up," Oppenheimer said.

Surgeries will primarily be done at HSS’ Manhattan hospital, he said.

Oppenheimer said surgeons at HSS, which has just over 20 locations mostly in the New York metro area and south Florida, perform roughly 1% of all knee and hip replacements in the U.S. 

“We are pleased to make better quality care more convenient for the Long Island community,” said Dr. Mark Drakos, foot and ankle surgeon and medical director of HSS Long Island. “HSS Southampton responds to a steady increase in demand for our highly specialized orthopedic care from eastern Long Island.”

This article appeared in September 5 issue of Newsday.  

Read the full article at Newsday.com

The trip was sponsored by the Adaptive Sports Academy at the hospital’s Lerner Children’s Pavilion. The academy organizes local, regional and national adaptive programs for kids and teens with a range of disabilities, to help them learn new skills, develop new interests, reinforce therapy goals and socialize with other patients.

The academy allows young patients with movement-impacting conditions to dive into athletic activities once believed to be beyond their reach, said Jessica H. Heyer, MD, pediatric orthopedic surgeon at HSS.

“A lot of times, these kids and their families would never be able to participate in the activities,” Dr. Heyer said, “so we get them out there, and they learn that they could do something if they just had the right adaptive equipment.”

Read the full article at liherald.com. 

Dr. Jones specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation in children and teenagers. Her practice is dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and management of physical conditions and impairments present at birth or that develop during childhood. She has worked at HSS since 2020. 

Read the full article: https://www.pageturnpro.com/.

Dr. Rodeo said, “Hospital for Special Surgery, which recently expanded HSS Long Island in Uniondale, conducts clinical trials to evaluate new treatments and better understand musculoskeletal disorders. These are conditions that affect the muscles, bones and joints. Our patients often participate in a clinical trial to help generate knowledge that will improve their own treatment or will one day benefit people with the same condition. As a foremost center for orthopedic surgery, we conduct research on new technologies and techniques such as robotic-assisted, less invasive spine surgery and joint replacement; the use of a biologic treatment during rotator cuff surgery to enhance healing, and a new technique for ACL repair, to name a few. Basic science research in the laboratory at HSS lays the groundwork for many of our clinical trials, and we have a robust infrastructure in place. This synergy between basic science researchers and those conducting clinical trials is one of our greatest strengths. In the area of rheumatology, HSS physicians and investigators are involved in vital research to find new and better treatment approaches to improve quality of life for people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma and other autoimmune diseases. HSS is leading the way in clinical trials focusing on pain management after orthopedic surgery. Researchers have published a number of studies on ‘multimodal analgesia,’ which targets multiple pain pathways to reduce the amount of opioid medication needed after surgery. Patient registries are a critical part of our research at HSS. These extensive databases enable us to track patients and evaluate outcomes over the long term. More than 70 registries follow well over 100,000 HSS patients. Along with clinical trials, this gold mine of patient data will enable us to improve patient care.”

The full article appeared in a special print edition of Newsday TopDoctors on Long Island on July 19, 2022.

Dr. Drakos said, "The Rehabilitation and Performance Center at HSS Long Island in Uniondale offers physical and occupational therapy and other specialized services. Our goal is to enable individuals of all ages and fitness levels to be the best they can be. To that end, we also offer one-on-one sports and fitness training and nutrition counseling. These personalized programs are designed to improve performance,  prevent injuries, and help individuals achieve their fitness goals. Moreover, our strength is helping those who have had an injury, or a surgery return to the activities they love. One such advance is the DARI 3D motion analysis system, which tracks a patient’s movements and provides valuable data on muscle, bone and joint health. The physical therapist or exercise physiologist can then establish a program to address any deficits or imbalances, minimize the risk of injury and track progress over time. We have the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, which uses positive air pressure to reduce gravitational forces on the body. While walking on the treadmill, the legs feel lighter, there is less pressure on the joints, and each step takes less effort. It allows for easier, pain-free movement, while restoring and building muscle strength, range of motion and balance. It is a phenomenal transitional device to help those individuals return to sports. Our physical therapists are also well-versed in blood-flow restriction training. An inflatable band is commonly wrapped around the arms just under the shoulder or around the legs below the hip to decrease blood flow to the limbs to gain strength while lifting lighter loads. All of these modalities have been shown to help people get better faster, safer and more efficiently. HSS has always been at the cutting edge of research when it comes to rehabbing our patients. And now those services are closer to home right here on Long Island.”

This article appeared in June 7 issue of Newsday in the special HealthLink section.

• Patch.com
• Beckersspine.com
• Ryortho.com

A gradual return to exercise is key to avoiding injury. “The challenge is that when you have been inactive for a long time, the body gets weaker and cannot handle an activity at the previous intensity,” explained Dr. Wang.

“The foot is particularly vulnerable [to stress fractures],” said Dr. Drakos, “When people think of bones, they think they are hard like metal, but the bones in the foot are more like tree branches. They can bend a little bit and if you bend them enough times, they can crack.”

Dr. Wang recommended seeing a doctor if pain persists after a few hours of continuing an activity, or if people start experiencing pain on days when they not working out. “The ‘no pain, no gain’ mantra should be banished from our vocabulary. Pain is our body’s way of telling us that something is wrong,” he noted.

“It is also important to figure out what led to the stress fracture in the first place,” noted Dr. Wang. “The prevention part is just as important as the treatment part.”

A deficiency of vitamin D can affect healing, according to Drs. Wang and Drakos. Dr. Starr explained the daily recommendations for calcium and vitamin D, and noted that at least half of our calcium intake should come from foods such as dairy products, dark, green leafy vegetables and high-calcium fish like salmon and sardines.

Dr. Drakos emphasized the importance of wearing the right shoes for activity and supportive footwear when not exercising. “Most of us take more than a million steps a year. So, if you take 5,000 to 10,000 steps a day in shoes that are not giving you support, it is that much extra stress on your feet with every step you take.”

This article appeared in the June 2021 print edition and online at Omagdigital.com.

"Right now, it's critically important to allow hospitals to focus their resources and medical personnel on the crisis at hand so they can treat the influx of patients with the coronavirus," said Mark C. Drakos, MD, foot and ankle surgeon and site director of HSS Long Island. "As experts in orthopedic care, we can help take some of the load off overwhelmed hospitals by treating orthopedic injuries that would otherwise require a trip to an emergency room."

"Our service is available to people with an acute injury or orthopedic issue that needs to be evaluated promptly for the proper diagnosis and treatment, and to avoid a bigger problem later. It is not for an ongoing or chronic problem that someone may have had for a while," added Joel M. Press, MD, physiatrist-in-chief at HSS.

Read the full article at Patch.com/New-York/Gardencity.