John Roberts
Stress Fractures
I ran into a college athlete recently who complained of shin pain. He had been upping his running mileage in preparation for the cross country season. His pain was due to a stress fracture. It is estimated that between 5 and 30 percent of athletes develop a stress fracture each year. Briefhaupt first described the…
Read MoreEverything That You Need To Know About Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are a topic near and dear to my heart as I’m a member of the club. Stones are also known as calculi, from the Latin for pebble. They can be found in the kidneys (renal calculi or nephrolithiasis) or move down the ureters, the tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder (ureteral calculi…
Read MoreCold Sores
I saw a patient with a rather large “cold sore” on his upper lip just before I retired and he asked me to write a column on this unsightly condition. People use the term “cold sore” to describe different types of lesions that occur on the lips or inside the mouth. I’m not sure of…
Read MoreHeat Illness
Since our temperatures are predicted to be near 100 early this week, it’s time to start thinking about the dog days of summer. Although I don’t see a significant number of heat-related emergencies in my office, many patients suffering from heat illness will start filling the beds in emergency departments. Heat illness accounts for tens…
Read MoreLyme Disease
Warmer weather means we have to start thinking about ticks and Lyme Disease. Most people are aware of the association between tick bites and Lyme disease, but few know exactly what Lyme disease is or what causes it. The number of cases in Indiana has varied over the years, but generally has increased since around…
Read MoreFood Poisoning and How to Avoid It
Barbecue season is in full swing and it’s a good time to review food safety. Foodborne illness, commonly referred to as “food poisoning,” is something that almost all of us have experienced at some point in our lives. Foodborne illness is defined as more than two people having a similar illness with evidence of food…
Read MoreSummer Safety – Part 2
Last week I went over some sun and water safety topics. This week I want to write about wheeled conveyances that appear in the spring and summer months. It’s great to see kids and adults out on their bicycles now that the weather has warmed up. The downside is this will undoubtedly result in more…
Read MoreSun and Water Safety
We finally got a taste of some warm weather which means it’s time to starting thinking about summer activities. Most people enjoy a good day in the sun. Whether it’s lounging by the water , participating in sports or working outdoors, we all get our fair share of sun every summer. This week, I want…
Read MoreMuscoskeletal Injuries and How to Take Care of Them
Summer sports will be beginning soon and gardening and other outdoor chores are well underway. If they haven’t already, weekend warriors will soon be doing all sorts of things to keep doctors who treat musculoskeletal injuries busy. I want to give everyone some pointers in how to take care of the inevitable sprains and strains…
Read MoreShoulder Pain Part 2
Welcome back to my two-part series on shoulder pain. First, I want to do a quick review of shoulder anatomy (see the diagram the right shoulder looking from the front). The upper arm bone (humerus) joins to the scapula at the glenoid and is held in place by two structures: (1) a rim of cartilage…
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