In The News

Dr. A. Lee Osterman Interviewed about Thumb Injuries Like Joel Embid’s

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will need surgery in the offseason, but he vows to continue to play even though he’s in a lot of pain. Doctors say Embiid’s thumb injury is common and the surgery to fix it is pretty basic.

Embiid says he’ll find a way to adjust, noting that this is the NBA playoffs and that nothing will stop him.

You can see Embiid grabbing his hand, wincing in pain as he continues to play through the playoffs after his thumb was injured Wednesday during Game 3.

“I think it must have been during those physical battles, pushing each other,” Embiid said. “Maybe I think my hand or my finger must have gotten caught on someone’s shirt. I mean, it’s painful. In basketball, you need to use your hand a lot.”

An MRI on Sunday confirmed Embiid has a torn ligament in his right thumb.

“A ligament is a structure made of collagen that goes from bone to bone,” said Dr. A. Lee Osterman, a surgeon and president of the Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center. “It’s what gives your joints stability.”

Osterman is not treating Embiid but says he has a common sports injury.

“It will hurt his effectiveness a bit but not completely,” Osterman said, “and obviously 90% of him is better than no percent of him. Every time he grabs the ball, it hurts. It’s not like it’s a dainty thing. He’s grabbing it and so it hurts a fair amount. And he’s played with a bunch of injuries this year. He’s been a warrior and continues to be this year.”

The question, though, is it safe for Embiid to continue to play?

“Fortunately, you can tape it and splint it as Mr. Embiid is, and that will often give you some protection and stability,” Osterman said.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers says Embiid will continue to play and have surgery to reattach the ligament in the offseason.

“This is an injury which is absolutely recoverable to all the things that he can be, so this is not a career-ending injury,” Osterman said.

Recovery from surgery to repair a torn thumb ligament can take four to six weeks.

The 76ers aren’t saying when or where the surgery will take place, only that it will be in the offseason when Embiid will have plenty of time to recover.

Trigger Finger: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

No matter what you do for a living, chances are that your hands are essential to your job. From busy contractors to food service professionals to office workers, most people use their hands all day, every day. And because you rely so much on your hands, if you’ve ever experienced any medical conditions causing hand pain, you know that hand pain can range from anywhere to distracting to debilitating.

Read more “Trigger Finger: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options”

PHSC Physicians Present at AAOS Annual Meeting

Drs. A. Lee Osterman, Randall Culp, David Zelouf, Mark Rekant, Meredith Osterman, Rick Tosti, Adam Strohl and Matthew Wilson presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Annual Meeting recently held in Chicago. Dr. Meredith Osterman was the program chair for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand / American Association for Hand Surgery Specialty Day.

Dr. David Zelouf, Dr. Meredith Osterman and Dr. Matthew Wilson Named 2021 Top Doctors by Main Line Today magazine

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What Is Mommy’s Wrist, and How Can It Be Treated?

As a new mother, you expected to be a bit sleep-deprived and sore in those first few weeks, but you never imagined that your wrists would start hurting. Why is this happening, and is there anything you can do to lessen the pain you feel in your thumb and wrist? You’re experiencing Mommy’s Wrist (or Mommy Thumb, as it is sometimes called), which is a condition mothers develop from repetitive awkward movements involved with picking up, holding, and nursing an infant.

Read more “What Is Mommy’s Wrist, and How Can It Be Treated?”

The Three Most Common Types of Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints that can cause debilitating pain. Though it’s most commonly diagnosed in those over the age of 65, arthritis can also trouble children and younger adults.

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The Five Best (and Worst) Exercises for Your Rotator Cuff

The human body is a complex machine with many moving parts that work in unison to get us through our daily lives. One of the most integral components of this system is our rotator cuffs. The rotator cuff consists of a large group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint, which allows our arms to perform various actions. Injuries to the rotator cuff can result in loss of motor function and require months of ongoing rehabilitation. There are exercises that you can do to help strengthen your rotator cuff muscles and lessen the chance of injury and some exercises that, if done incorrectly, can lead to an injury.  Read more “The Five Best (and Worst) Exercises for Your Rotator Cuff”

Can Children Get Arthritis?

Kids care about having fun, learning, and making friends. However, pediatric arthritis causes pain and discomfort, making it challenging to even get up in the morning, let alone stay active. Unfortunately, nearly 300,000 American children have joint disease, and one-sixth of them suffer from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), according to the Arthritis National Research Foundation. Your child can receive treatment and relief for arthritis at Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder, which serves clients at 17 offices throughout Philadelphia and South Jersey.

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What Does It Mean When Your Hand or Arm Falls Asleep While You’re Sleeping?

The tingling sensation in your hands and arms that happens after you first wake up from a long nap can prove disorienting. The inability to perform even the simplest of tasks until you get full feeling back in your extremities is a minor inconvenience, but what causes the sensation? Does the fact that your arm falls asleep more frequently than others mean that there is a larger issue at play? What is the actual cause of your arm falling asleep at night, and is there any way for you to stop it from happening?

Read more “What Does It Mean When Your Hand or Arm Falls Asleep While You’re Sleeping?”