Protect Your Joints through the Holidays

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The holiday season is fast approaching and while it will look different this year depending on where you are and how serious the pandemic is, there are steps you can take to make sure that your holiday habits don’t impact your joint health.

Holiday Eating

We all indulge a bit over the holidays, and that’s not a problem, as long as you strive for balance. If you just have to have the gravy, be sure to add in an extra walk that week. If you choose to splurge on Grandma’s homemade pumpkin pie (and you should), try to have a smaller slice or increase your strength training. And instead of a nap after your turkey dinner, enlist your family in a game of basketball or touch football and get moving. The biggest risk to your joint health is sodium intake, because that causes you to retain water, puts extra pressure on your joints, and can increase the amount of pain you are experiencing.

Keep Moving

Our routines tend to get disrupted over the holidays, but if there is any way to maintain your exercise routine – even if you’re doing different activities – it can be good for your joints. Alternatively, if you’re supposed to be staying off your feet as part of your therapy, don’t let holidays be the excuse you use to not take care of yourself. All it may take is one more wrong twist and knee replacement surgery will be how you greet the New Year.

Keep Arthritis Pain at Bay

Being mindful about what you eat, striving for balance, and getting some exercise can all be good for managing your arthritis pain, too. In addition, be sure to stay hydrated and don’t go overboard on the alcohol. You can enjoy the holidays and have a little fun without overdoing it to such an extent that you suffer more.

If your arthritis or joint pain is no longer responding to traditional therapies, you should make an appointment to see Dr. Moore. For More information about, contact our Pinehurst, NC office, call us at (910) 295-0224, or check out our orthopaedic surgery blog.

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Alternatives to Knee Replacement Surgery in NC

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Whether you’re trying to put off your knee replacement surgery until you meet your deductible, or you simply can’t take the time off, are there alternatives to knee replacement surgery? While the damage to your knee may something you can live with for some time, eventually, knee replacement surgery will become necessary to prevent you from losing too much mobility in your leg. Until then, we can help you manage the pain and discomfort until you are ready for surgery.

Preventing Aggravation to Your Knee

One of the best ways to minimize your knee pain is to stay off your knee as much as possible. You’ll need to avoid the activities that stress your knee the most, whether it’s racquetball or biking. You can replace your activity with something more congenial to your knee joints, like swimming, because it is still going to be important that you exercise and maintain your health.

Options for Managing Knee Pain

We can help you manage your pain in a variety of ways. Icing and heating the knee can help reduce swelling and stiffness. NSAIDs like ibuprofen can also help to keep your pain and swelling to a minimum to reduce the level of discomfort you experience. If those therapies don’t work, we can give you a steroid injection. You may also benefit from visco-supplementation (a series of injections to the knee joint). Between treating the pain and preventing aggravation to your knee that further exacerbates the old damage, we can extend the time you have left before you are forced to have knee replacement surgery.

Patient Testimonial

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“They were so quick with my appointment without me feeling like I was being rushed out. I only waited a few minutes before being called in, my nurse and doctor were so nice and listened fully to any and all of my concerns or questions. I found this to be such a great experience, and am very happy with my choice to go here for my care!”  -Christina P.

When Is It Time for Knee Replacement Surgery?

For many of our patients, the final determinant of when to have knee replacement surgery is a decision based on how much pain you are in and how much you can tolerate. It also depends on your mobility. When your quality of life is more impacted by not having surgery, it’s time to have the surgery.

For More information about Knee Replacement Surgery with Dr. Moore, contact our Pinehurst, NC office, call us at (910) 295-0224, or check out our orthopaedic surgery blog.

How to Avoid Knee Replacement Surgery

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The knee is a joint that takes a lot of brutal punishment over the course of a person’s life. It doesn’t matter what activity you’re doing – walking, running, biking, tennis, football, soccer, weightlifting – they all depend on your knees. So how do you avoid damaging your knees enough that you require knee replacement surgery?

What Is Total Knee Replacement Surgery?

Knee replacement surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve the knee pain caused by injury, age, or arthritis in the knee.  Here at our Pinehurst, NC surgical center, Dr. John Moore uses a metal-on-plastic artificial knee joint to replace the hinged joint of the knee. While you may not be able to prevent age-related deterioration of the cartilage or arthritis, you may be able to prevent knee replacement surgery from athletic injury and prolong the life of your knee joints through practicing good joint health.

The Key to Healthy Joints Is Exercise

It may seem counterintuitive, but the more you move, the better it is for your joints. Exercise not only keeps you flexible and keeps the tendons and muscles that support your joints in shape, but it helps to keep your weight at a healthy level. Carrying extra pounds makes your knee joints work that much harder.

Protect Your Joints with the Right Gear

Knee pads and knee braces should be worn when needed, whether they’re part of your sports gear or just a precaution. Biking, inline skating, and other activities may not require the gear, but a single accident can injure your knee sufficiently to require knee replacement surgery.

Stretch and Strengthen

Stretching is important, but if you do it at the wrong time, you put your joints at risk. Warm up first and loosen up your muscles with a walk or a 10-minute jog – then stretch. Work on strengthening your core, your leg muscles, and increasing your range of motion.

You may not be able to prevent the need for knee replacement surgery, but you can give your knees their best chance by incorporating these healthy joint habits. For More information about Knee Replacement Surgery with Dr. Moore, contact our Pinehurst, NC office, call us at (910) 295-0224, or check out our orthopaedic surgery blog.

Benefits of Outpatient Joint Replacement Surgery

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There are many benefits to choosing outpatient joint replacement surgery at our facility over traditional outpatient surgery at the hospital. Not only do you get to recover primarily from your own home, but there are a number of additional benefits to choosing our outpatient surgery center instead of a hospital.

Patient Experience

You’ll spend one night in our outpatient facility after your joint replacement surgery. That night you will be cared for by our skilled nursing team with a concierge setting. We provide a 2:1 ratio of nurses to patients, so you are more closely monitored and cared for than the standard 1:8 ratio in the hospital.

Reduced Infection Rate

Because you’re not exposed to a hospital setting, you reduce your risk of exposure to everything from staph to COVID-19. Our facility only takes in healthy patients having outpatient surgery and nothing else. Dr. Moore has successfully completed over 100 outpatient joint replacements in the past four years with ZERO hospital re-admissions after outpatient surgery. The Surgery Center at Pinehurst has six operating rooms, two pain management rooms, and provides outpatient surgeries for joint replacement, plastic surgery, ENT, gynecology, and more.

Improved Recovery Times

Because outpatient joint replacement surgeries performed in the centers like the one at Pinehurst require smaller incisions, the risk of infection is reduced, and recovery time is accelerated. Accompanied by our more intimate, concierge-like post-surgical care, detailed communication, and support for both the patient and the family the overall experience and satisfaction of patients is higher, too.

Who Qualifies for Outpatient Joint Replacement Surgery?

Most private insurances will cover the cost of outpatient joint replacement surgery. The facility is limited to healthy, privately insured patients. Unfortunately, Medicare will not cover the outpatient center for this reason.

The Surgery Center of Pinehurst is located across the street from our practice and provides easy access to the facility for patients and their families. Dr. Moore’s team has created a structured guideline and protocol for impeccable preoperative and post-operative care to all of our patients. For more information about Outpatient Joint Replacement Surgery with Dr. Moore, contact our Pinehurst, NC office, call us at (910) 295-0224.

Avoid Injury This Summer

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With the warmer weather and we all start spending a little more time outside, it’s a good time to be mindful of the injuries we can sustain after a long, inactive winter. To avoid injury as you resume summer activities, sports, and exercise, heed this advice.

Ease Back into Your Training

Whether you’re an athlete getting ready for a new season of baseball, track, or soccer or a jogger ready to get off the treadmill and back out in the fresh air, there are precautions you should take to avoid an injury that would keep you inactive for weeks or longer.  Be sure to warm up and stretch your muscles before your activity. Listen to your body – if you feel pain or discomfort, moderate the activity or stop.

Wear the Right Shoes

One of the most important ways to prevent injury is to wear the right gear. While that means wearing the proper equipment for your chosen sport (including proper visibility), nothing is more important than the shoes you wear – the right size, the right type of shoe, and the right support structure.

Don’t Overexert Your Body

Unless you’ve been conditioning in preparation for resuming your activities, it’s important to ease into the activity slowly and build up your stamina and strengthen the muscles that support your joints. Early season injuries can be serious – serious enough to require significant downtime or even knee or hip replacement surgery.

Don’t Just Get Physical – Get a Physical

Summer is a great time of year to schedule an annual physical, so that you can clear up any medical issues and make sure you’re in good shape to handle the uptick in exercise you’re planning.

There’s no reason you can’t spend your summer doing things that you love in the outdoors. Just be sure you’re taking steps to take care of your joints along the way so that you don’t get injured. If you are suffering from a knee or hip injury, contact us at our Pinehurst office today or call us at 910-295-0224.

Managing Hip Bursitis without Narcotics

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The pain from hip bursitis can limit your mobility, reduce your ability to exercise and stay active, and impact your quality of life. In the past decade, it’s become more common for narcotics to be prescribed to alleviate the pain of hip bursitis.  You don’t need to turn to narcotics to manage your bursitis – there are several other steps you can take to keep the pain under control. Any initial treatment for hip bursitis at Pinehurst Surgical Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Center is nonsurgical. Certain lifestyle changes can calm the inflammation and relieve the pain.

Switch Up Your Exercise Routine

If you typically jog or play tennis or other impactive sports for exercise, consider switching to a form of exercise that isn’t so hard on the joints – just until the inflammation is under control. Since extra weight can exacerbate hip pain, continuing to exercise is important. Try swimming or cycling.

Ice and Heat Can Improve Hip Bursitis Pain

When symptoms first occur, ice can help reduce pain and swelling, and moist heat is very beneficial during a bursitis flareup. You can soak in a tub or hot tub or use a moist heat heating pad.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can help improve hip bursitis. There are a number of exercises and stretches that can improve your mobility and alleviate hip pain.

Ibuprofen Can Help Reduce Inflammation

Ibuprofen is very effective for reducing inflammation. Ibuprofen is not addictive, but care must still be used when taking it. You should not drink alcohol or take more than the recommended dosage, as it can harm your liver.

Cortisone Shots

Pinehurst Surgical Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Center can provide injections of a corticosteroid along with local anesthetic to relieve your pain. Cortisone injections can provide months of relief or even permanent relief, but this treatment can only be used on a limited basis because it can damage surrounding tissues.

If nonsurgical treatment doesn’t relieve your symptoms of hip bursitis, Dr. Moore may opt for surgery. With hip bursitis, surgery is rarely needed, but in some cases the bursa remains inflamed and painful despite physical therapy and other treatment. Surgery involves removing the bursa. This doesn’t affect the function of the hip and it doesn’t damage the hip.

Dr. Moore prefers to perform this surgery arthroscopically, if possible. He makes a small incision over the hip and a small camera, an arthroscope, is inserted. This provides guidance for miniature surgical instruments to be inserted through a second small incision to cut out the bursa.

For more information about Hip Replacement Surgery with Dr. Moore to reduce your joint pain or improve its function, call our office in Pinehurst, NC at (910) 295-0224.

How to Prepare for Knee Replacement Surgery

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Knee replacement surgery is a common joint replacement surgery that can increase your ability to remain active and improve your quality of life. If you’ve been living with knee pain or have needed knee replacement surgery but have been nervous to proceed, you can stop living in pain. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. John R. Moore and his staff offer relief from the pain with total knee replacement surgery at their surgical center in Pinehurst, NC.

How Is Knee Replacement Surgery Performed?

During your knee replacement surgery, Dr. John Moore will replace the hinged joint of the knee with an artificial knee joint. The surgery will only last about an hour. Recovery time, including physical therapy to build up strength in the leg and range of motion, usually takes about three months.

Before Your Surgery

Before your surgery, you will need to see your primary care physical to review your medical state and ensure you are healthy enough to undergo anesthesia. You may be asked to stop taking medications and supplements up to a week before the surgery, especially supplements like fish oil, vitamins, iron tablets, and calcium supplements as well as anti-inflammatory medications and NSAIDs. You will be asked to attend a patient information class a few days before your surgery to help you prepare.

The Day of Your Knee Replacement Surgery

Most knee replacement surgeries are outpatient procedures, so you will go home after you are sufficiently recovered. This means you do need someone to come with you for the surgical procedure who can drive you home. While the surgery itself only lasts about an hour, you will be in the operating room, pre-op, and recovery room for several hours. Your doctor will work with you to develop a pain management plan that limits or avoids the use of opioids.

After Surgery

In the days after your total knee replacement surgery, you will see a physical therapist the day of your surgery or the next morning in order to develop a therapy plan to regain your mobility and flexibility as quickly as possible. Complying with the therapists recommended exercises is vital. It won’t be long until you are up and moving again and back to your regular activities.

For More information about Knee Replacement Surgery with Dr. Moore, contact our Pinehurst, NC office, call us at (910) 295-0224, or check out our orthopaedic surgery blog.

Dr. John Moore IV

Am I a Good Candidate for Hip Replacement Surgery?

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Hip Replacement Surgery

Living with hip pain is something many people think they must do – that hip pain and other joint pains are simply a sign of aging. But if your hip pain is affecting your quality of life, preventing you from doing the activities you would normally enjoy doing, or more than just an occasional occurrence, you may want to consult with orthopaedic surgeon Dr. John R. Moore and his staff at their surgical center in Pinehurst, NC.

What Is Hip Replacement Surgery?

A hip replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces the abnormal or worn surfaces of the hip joint. The replacement hip joint is created using a plastic-in-metal socket made of high-density polyethylene. More than 90% of patients who have hip replacement surgery report significant improvements in their ability to be active. The goal of the surgery is to alleviate pain and improve mobility.

Should I Have Hip Replacement Surgery?

If you suffer from osteoarthritis of the hip, have fractured your hip, or are suffering from increasing levels of hip pain, you should consider having hip replacement surgery. You will be required to complete a medical clearance, be in generally good enough health to withstand the operation, and for the best success, be committed to the required post-surgical physical therapy to help you regain your mobility.

How Long Does It Take to Recover?

The typical recovery time for hip replacement surgery is 8-12 weeks. After that time, we encourage patients to resume activities such as walking, swimming, and golfing. Full recovery and adjustment to the new hip joint may take up to six months.

Will I Be Able to Resume All Activity?

We encourage most activity and anticipate that your replacement hip will improve your mobility significantly. However, certain activities are not recommended, such as downhill skiing and singles tennis. Hiking, biking, walking, swimming, and golfing are all highly encouraged.

This surgery can help you live an active life without constant pain. For more information about Hip Replacement Surgery with Dr. Moore to reduce your joint pain or improve its function, call our office in Pinehurst, NC at (910) 295-0224.

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Avoiding Knee and Hip Injuries in the Winter

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This time of year, Pinehurst experiences a wide range of weather, from delightfully sunny to torrential rains. And while North Carolina has a more moderate climate than some of our neighbors, we still get our fair share of icy days. Icy walks and parking lots can result in slips and falls that are bad for hips and knees.

Caution Pays

Especially if you already suffer from joint pain in your hips or knees, caution is the best way to prevent an accident that would result in a serious injury or the need for hip or knee surgery. If it’s an icy, cold day and you don’t have to go out in it, stay home and wait – here in Pinehurst, it can be ice rain in the morning and sunny and blue skies in the afternoon.

Wear Better Shoes

There’s a time for fashion but walking on icy surfaces or snowy conditions isn’t it. Choose a pair of boots that are waterproof and insulated. Pay special attention to the sole of the boot. Look for one that has good-sized treads and offers superior traction.

Avoid Injury

One way to protect your joints from injury is to strengthen them. The healthier you can be – through weight loss, exercise, an strengthening the muscles that support your joints – the less likely a slip and fall will cause serious damage to your knee or hip.

If you have sore joints or if you just recovered from an injury that we saw you for, don’t be afraid to simply avoid the worst conditions. Giving yourself a little bit of time to relax and breathe, will help you avoid getting injured. Our truly wintry days are few and far between, so there’s no need to get injured unnecessarily. Ask for help, wait for a sunnier day, and if you do have to go out, dress appropriately with supportive boots.

To make sure that you don’t get injured this winter, use the tips listed in this article. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact our Pinehurst office at 910.295.0224.

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Thanksgiving Foods that Feed Your Joints

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The holidays are just around the corner, and with them, tempting foods that will have you testing your self-discipline. One way to encourage your healthy eating habits through the holidays is to remind yourself how THANKFUL you will be to avoid the joint pain that bad habits can cause.

T – Turkey is a lean meat filled with protein that can help you feel full and have enough energy to get through the day of festivities. Just don’t overdo it – a 3-ounce portion (about as much as you could fit in your fist) is all you need.

H – Hazelnuts and other nuts like walnuts are also a great source of protein and polyunsaturated fats, making them good (in small quantities) for your joints and your heart. Studies show that all nuts reduce inflammation.

A – Appetizers can be a great way to keep you from overeating at the Thanksgiving meal. Focus on veggie and fruit trays, which will deliver healthy vitamins and minerals and fiber to fill you up.

N – Navy beans, lentils, and other beans can be added to soups and salads for additional fiber. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin B.

K – Kale and other dark leafy green vegetables should be a staple in your diet if you are trying to keep your joints healthy. Kale a great source of calcium, too, for healthier, stronger bones.

F – Figs are unique in their ability to alleviate joint pain, containing a singularly beneficial flavonoid called luteolin, which is known for its effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory.

U – Unagi, Japanese eel often found in sushi restaurants, is an exceptional source of vitamins. It is also high in Omega-3, essential in the prevention of arthritis.

L – Lemon, whether added to your drinking water or used in other recipes, can help reduce the acid in your joints that can cause pain, especially in people suffering from gouty arthritis.

Your diet is an essential component in joint health and can be instrumental in alleviating joint pain. As Thanksgiving approaches, being mindful about your diet can help you avoid the pain that keeps you from enjoying the day with your family.

It can be hard to know exactly what you should and shouldn’t eat for your joint health. Use the tips in this article to ease swelling and discomfort this Thanksgiving. To learn more, schedule an appointment with us at our Pinehurst office today and call us at 910.295.0224.