Blog Archive

Ankle injuries are one of the most common orthopedic problems. It’s easy to twist an ankle when you’re out running, playing tennis, stepping off a curb, or simply walking on uneven ground.  But would you know whether you’ve sprained your ankle or fractured it? If you have a mild sprain,...

Is your chronic back pain becoming the bane of your life? That makes you part of a large group, because chronic back pain is a leading cause of workplace disability, the top cause of lost workdays, and a leading cause of trips to the doctor’s office.  Orthopedic practices have a...

As a woman, you’re more susceptible to bone loss that leads to osteoporosis, especially after menopause. About 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and 8 million of them are women. Every woman over age 50 has about a 50% chance of a bone break because of the condition. That’s a good...

Do you have chronic shoulder pain from years of overuse? Until your shoulder mobility is limited, you may not realize how much you depend on it on a daily basis — for example, to reach items on the shelves of your kitchen cabinets or turn your arm to put on...

An ankle sprain can really change your plans for the week. It may be difficult or impossible to walk depending on the severity of the sprain.   If you have an ankle sprain, you’ve hurt a ligament. Your ankle ligaments are connectors; they’re strong bands of tissue that join your foot...

Pregnancy is an exciting time. You’re full of anticipation for your little one’s arrival. However, pregnancy can also trigger some health conditions that need treatment. One of them is carpal tunnel syndrome.  Although carpal tunnel syndrome is fairly rare in the general population, it’s quite common during pregnancy. Researchers estimate...

You’ve noticed twinges in your knee for a while, and lately, the discomfort has morphed into more than a minor annoyance. You’re in pain.  Your knee joints have a tiring job; they carry the weight of your body. Pain is a signal that something in the joint is hurt and...

You’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Now what? While the bone disease isn’t reversible, you can take proactive steps to lessen future bone loss and strengthen your bones.  Our osteoporosis specialist, Jennifer Childers, PA-C, and our board-certified orthopedic surgeons treat many patients who are dealing with osteoporosis.  We’re proud that Delta...

You’ve got arthritis. Perhaps it’s in your hips or knees, which makes getting around difficult. Pain and stiffness are your frequent companions.  Maybe you have arthritis in your wrist or hand, so working on the computer isn’t easy. Arthritis can limit your activities and shrink your world.   Our board-certified orthopedic...

You have lower back pain — again. Maybe the pain isn’t only in your lower back. You may feel severe pain running down your leg. It feels like your leg is on fire.  You have sciatica again. Once you’ve had one bout with sciatica, you know what it feels like....

You’re scheduled for rotator cuff surgery, and you’ve heard that recovery takes time. You’ll be off the court or field for a while, but you want to continue to play your favorite sport. Even if you’re not an athlete, you want to regain full range of motion and strength.  Dr....

You’ve sprained your ankle. It happens. Perhaps you missed the curb when you had your arms full of packages. Maybe it was a slip on icy pavement. Ankle sprains are also common sports accidents.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine treat many patients...

Do you think you might need surgery to repair a damaged joint? Whether your joint damage is from years of playing a sport or an injury from a fall, you want to recover safely as soon as possible. Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Hood at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine...

You’ve seen older adults have trouble moving and know that arthritis is associated with age. You’re wondering if it can be prevented.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons and physical therapy team at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine treat many patients who have arthritis symptoms and help relieve the pain and stiffness...

You’re having a problem with your hand — specifically, one or more fingers or your thumb. Maybe you have a tender, painful spot at the bottom of the finger or thumb. Perhaps when you try to flex your finger, it sticks in a bent position. These may be describing a...

Are you suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain? Whether it’s low back pain or painful knee arthritis, you’re seeking an answer that provides more relief than a six-hour pain pill.  Doctors and scientists are seeking the most effective therapies in treating chronic low back pain and arthritis, in part because of...

Do your hands, fingers, or wrists ache at the end of a long session on the computer? Is it getting difficult to hold a coffee cup? You may be experiencing numbness or tingling that’s worse at night. These are all symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. At Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, our...

You’re scheduled for arthroscopic surgery. It may be on a knee, a hip, or in the area of another joint. Today’s modern arthroscopic surgery has many benefits. This minimally invasive surgical technique results in faster healing than traditional open surgery.  Board-certified Dr. Michael Hood at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine...

Your knee is a complex joint, bearing much of your body weight day after day and year after year. The joint relies on bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles to give it strength and help it twist and rotate, as well as bend and straighten. That’s quite a job.  Our...

It’s typical for running to raise your endorphins and leave you feeling great. However, lately you’ve been plagued by bouts of shin splints. Running has become painful, and you’ve had to take big breaks in your exercise routine.  Why is this happening, and what can you do to prevent shin...

You’ve injured your ankle. You may have slipped on uneven ground or tripped while walking. Sports injuries and car accidents are other common reasons for ankle injuries. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine treat many patients who have ankle sprains and ankle fractures. Our sports medicine...

When it comes to osteoporosis, the bone disease that causes fractures when bones weaken, some risk factors are uncontrollable, like your age and sex. Other factors depend on your lifestyle.  Approximately 20% of women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis — and that doesn’t count those who are undiagnosed and don’t...

You have uncomfortable symptoms in your hand. Perhaps part of it is numb. On the other hand, you may feel pain and a tingling sensation in your thumb and some of your fingers. Your hand may be so weak that you feel like you might drop your cup of coffee....

When you have unexplained musculoskeletal pain, it’s time to seek the help of an orthopedic specialist.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in West Memphis, Arkansas, and Collierville, Tennessee, have years of experience treating orthopedic injuries and conditions. We treat many elbow injuries, and two of the most...

Sciatica can be a disabling condition; simply moving your leg can hurt badly. At Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists treat many cases of sciatica, providing needed relief for your painful lower back and/or leg.  What is sciatica?  Sciatica is a nerve injury. Your sciatic nerve is the...

You’ve hurt your shoulder and learned you may have a torn rotator cuff. Shoulder injuries can be disabling, and it may be difficult to lift your arm. Your shoulder is weak, and you can’t carry anything with the injured arm.  Our board-certified orthopaedic surgeons with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine...

You’re experiencing pain in your hand. You haven’t been in an accident. What’s causing this unexplained symptom?  Our board-certified orthopaedic surgeons with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine are the experts you want to see for musculoskeletal problems. We provide prompt diagnosis and develop an individualized treatment plan based on your...

You’ve been hurt and have a musculoskeletal or nervous system injury. Perhaps you’ve had a traumatic accident like a sports injury or a fall. You may be experiencing recovery from a heart attack or stroke or the trauma from surgery.  On the other hand, you may have an overuse from...

Arthritis isn’t only one condition. You may be surprised to learn that there are more than 100 kinds of arthritis. However, the two most prevalent types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.  About one-quarter of the adult population in the United States has arthritis, and osteoarthritis strikes 10% of men and 13% of women who...

Today’s orthopedic practices are using new techniques to lessen and eliminate musculoskeletal pain. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is another tool that many orthopedic specialists use for some soft tissue injuries and some cases of osteoarthritis.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine use PRP therapy when indicated to improve your mobility and relieve...

You’re having elbow pain. At first it was just now and then, but lately it has been more frequent.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in West Memphis, Arkansas, and Collierville, Tennessee, are the specialists you need to see for any type of musculoskeletal pain. We provide prompt diagnosis...

You want to be able to really move again and do things you haven’t been able to do for a while because of your knee pain. You’ve scheduled that knee replacement. Now what do you do?  Having a knee replacement procedure requires advance planning so your recovery goes smoothly. Our caring staff at Delta Orthopaedics...

You’ve received a diagnosis of osteoporosis. That means your bone mass and bone density are lower than normal. Your bones have become porous, so they’re weak, and you’re at increased risk of a fracture. You still want to exercise, but does osteoporosis limit your options?  At Delta Orthopaedics & Sports...

You know that childhood is full of scrapes and cuts, and sometimes children get an injury a bit more serious than that.  Now your child has an arm fracture. It’s likely to be a forearm fracture; almost half of broken bones in children are forearm fractures, and most of those...

Ankle sprains are one of the most frequent musculoskeletal problems due to falls and sports injuries. Any time you can’t walk normally is disabling, especially if the healing period involves weeks instead of days, as is often the case with ankle sprains.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Delta Orthopaedics &...

You love being physically active, and you’re on your legs a lot. You’ve noticed an ache in your lower legs that comes and goes, but lately, it’s been present more than it’s been absent. What’s going on? You may have developed shin splints.  Our board-certified orthopaedic surgeons and sports medicine...

Orthopedic practice is changing rapidly as new medical advances emerge.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine keep abreast of the research on musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. We’re using regenerative medicine to help heal several musculoskeletal conditions, including some cases of osteoarthritis and soft tissue injuries.  Regenerative...

Have you had joint problems for some time? Perhaps it’s painful osteoarthritis. It may be a painful back or knee joint. Orthopedic surgery today uses minimally invasive methods, led by arthroscopy, to diagnose and treat a variety of joint problems.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine...

Your shoulder is the most flexible joint in your body. It enables you to move your arms 360 degrees in a circle, turn them inward or outward, and more. You can’t make all of those motions with any other joint.  Because it’s the most flexible joint, it can be easily...

No one wants to break a bone, of course, but you’re more prone to do so if you develop osteoporosis, a bone disease. The condition leaves your bones porous; they lose their normal tissue structure and density. Then your bones become brittle and weak, breaking easily.  Delta Orthopaedics & Sports...

More than 50 percent of American adults have a musculoskeletal injury each year that causes some degree of impairment for more than three months. Orthopedics and physical therapy work together to help you heal from musculoskeletal accidents or disease.  Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine offers physical therapy at our Collierville...

Good orthopedic health is necessary to your overall well-being. Osteoporosis is an all-too-common orthopedic condition that affects many older Americans.  At Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, we’re thrilled to have Jennifer Childers, PA-C, National Osteoporosis Foundation ambassador, and nurse Christy Jones, APRN, on our team. Both provide expert bone health...

The practice of orthopedics is undergoing a sea change. Regenerative medicine holds great promise for increased use and will likely become a standard of care for at least some orthopedic injuries.  You may have read articles about Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez using platelet-rich plasma therapy for ACL and hip...

If you’ve had problematic elbow pain for several weeks and it’s not resolving, it’s time to see an orthopedic specialist. Pain is your body’s way of telling you there’s a problem that needs attention.  Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioner and physical therapists at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in...

Whether you’re an everyday athlete or weekend warrior who loves to stay in the game, you’re at risk for injuries commonly associated with the sport you play.  Tennis players are prone to tennis elbow (chronic tendonitis), rotator cuff, and ankle injuries; basketball players often experience jumper’s knee, or patellar tendonitis;...

If you have pain in your fingers and thumb for no apparent reason, it’s time to see an orthopedic specialist. Whether it’s osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or something else, it’s always best to diagnose and treat conditions before they worsen. Unexplained pain is a sign that your body needs medical attention. ...

When you have musculoskeletal pain, it can stop you in your tracks. Knee pain can make walking difficult, and a tender elbow can make driving or cooking dinner difficult.  Pain medication only masks your symptoms instead of helping you to get better. Plus, taking pain relievers for long periods of...

Orthopaedics is entering an exciting new era. Regenerative medicine is revolutionizing orthopaedic practice. Scientists have found ways to engage your own body in helping it heal more quickly.  In a nutshell, regenerative medicine helps stimulate your body to initiate a healing response itself.  Dr. Michael Hood, board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with...

Are you a runner? Perhaps you play a team sport. Maybe you have a job that involves a lot of stress on your legs. If you develop pain in your foot, ankle, or shin, you could have a stress fracture.  Dr. Michael Hood, board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Delta Orthopaedics &...

Is the arthritis in your knee getting you down? Perhaps you can no longer engage in work or recreational activities because it’s just too hard to bend the knee. You miss the camaraderie when playing tennis. Perhaps your gardening is going by the wayside.  Today’s knee replacement surgery can be...

Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens your bone density. It’s important to seek early treatment, because when osteoporosis progresses without intervention, your bones are prone to breaking easily.  About 44 million US women and men aged 50 and older are estimated to have osteoporosis. In fact, one-third of women over...

Maybe you’ve fallen when playing sports and landed on your elbow, or perhaps you were hit directly on the elbow. Have you been playing tennis or racquetball several times a week, and now your elbow hurts so much that you can’t play. In any case, you should seek orthopedic treatment...

ACL injuries have reached epidemic levels in high school, college, and professional sports. Between 100,000 and 200,000 athletes sustain this knee injury each year, and up to one-third of them will reinjure the ACL again.  ACL injuries, when severe, are career-ending events. One study concluded that one-third of those with...

If you’re a tennis player, you’re likely familiar with an injury known as tennis elbow. Maybe you’re experiencing it yourself. Tennis elbow isn’t only the result of playing a lot of tennis, however. The repetitive-motion injury can develop from an array of activities beyond the sports realm.  When you repeat...

You’re having problems with your hand and arm and can’t figure out the reason. Perhaps you’re experiencing shooting pains down your arm into your hand, or your ring and little fingers are numb. What’s going on? It may be a compressed nerve.  Cubital tunnel syndrome, also called ulnar nerve entrapment,...

If you play tennis or golf, you know how important your arm strength is to consistency in competing, much less to having a winning season. But using any part of your body repeatedly can result in injury. You may have heard of tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, and now you...

Your knees are essential to your health. They have an incredibly important job of supporting and stabilizing your body as you walk, run, dance, or play sports. You don’t think about them until they start hurting.  Sports injuries and aging are common reasons for knee pain. Dr. Michael Hood, a...

You love sports and play to win. However, all of those overhead tennis serves may have your shoulder hurting. Perhaps you were a track and field athlete in college and still love to run, but your knees are aching. As an active sports enthusiast, you can benefit greatly from forming...

Almost one-quarter of all American adults suffer from arthritis. Its debilitating effects are a leading cause of workplace disability claims.  Arthritis treatments can help you regain lost mobility and keep your independence. Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Hood of Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has treated hundreds of patients who...

If you’re suffering from a joint injury or are experiencing chronic joint pain, it may be time to consider arthroscopy to diagnose and treat your condition. At Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine with offices in Collierville, Tennessee, and West Memphis, Arkansas, we can help. Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Michael Hood, MD,...

About 200 million people worldwide suffer from osteoporosis, a condition characterized by low bone density and increased risk for bone fractures. Women and the elderly are at a higher risk of developing it. Statistics show that one in three women over 50 and one in five men will develop fractures...

Getting back into the game you love after a rotator cuff injury requires time, patience, and the guidance of a skilled orthopedic specialist, like Michael Hood, MD, and the team at Delta Orthpaedics & Sports Medicine. While your customized treatment plan for surgery and beyond likely focuses on your return...

For most patients, the question of whether to get a knee replacement is a big decision that requires a lot of thought and consideration. Among the considerations for this procedure are whether there’s someone to help you with aftercare, the length of your recovery, and when you can return to...

Your body is an incredibly complex structure that relies on each component to, quite literally, carry its weight. So when something goes wrong, say in a major joint or a tendon, your life can be limited in some serious ways. Until recently, the solution has been to bypass Mother Nature...