SPRING 2024 NEWSLETTER
from the Orthopaedic Foundation

Dear Family, Friends, and Esteemed Colleagues,

As we kick off the summer season, we hope this newsletter finds you well. We are excited to share some updates from the Foundation. We hope you enjoy!

2024 Manhattan Medical Immersion Camp

We are putting the final touches on the schedule for the 3rd Annual Manhattan Medical Immersion Camp July 7-13, 2024! This one-of-a-kind program brings students right into the operating room alongside surgeons, providing hands-on experience in a wide variety of medical specialties. The program’s small-group format offers students the opportunity to work together in a personal setting directly with surgeons and medical professionals from some of New York’s top hospitals. This year, we are proud to announce that we have put together a star-studded class of 20 students!

Be sure to like our Instagram at @ortho_foundation for live posts from our Executive Director and camp faculty during the program and for information about next year’s camp!

20th Anniversary Gala – Update

Following the success of last year, we are thrilled to announce this year’s highly anticipated milestone 20th Anniversary Gala, Sunday, November 24, 2024. This year’s event will be held with a commemorative Board dinner at L’Escale in Greenwich, CT! We will celebrate two decades of research and education, recognizing notable award recipients and top athlete honorees over the years. This year’s event will also be held in memory of our honorees who have unfortunately passed away. Make sure to stay tuned for future communications about the 20th Anniversary Gala event on our Instagram at @ortho_foundation.

Updates from our Fellows

Dr. Michael DiVella, D.O. (left) and Dr. David Beaton Comulada, M.D. (right), our two ACGME Plancher Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine fellows, and Dr. Christopher Spolarich, M.D. (center), our Plancher Shoulder & Elbow fellow, attended the annual Shoulder360 Conference in Miami Beach earlier this month.

Special Shout-Outs

We would like to give our biggest congratulations to two friends of the Foundation: Dr. Grace Plassche and Danielle Dunham.

Grace graduated from the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons with her M.D. degree! We are proud to call you Dr. Plassche! We would also like to congratulate Grace for matching into the Columbia Orthopaedic Residency program at New York Orthopaedic Hospital. Grace was a Research Assistant with the Foundation from 2019 to 2020.

Congratulations to Danielle for graduating from the School of Nursing at Northeastern University’s satellite campus in Charlotte, NC with her Bachelor of Science and Nursing degree! Danielle was a Lab Technician at our BioSkills Lab from 2018 to 2019 and is currently working for Northeastern’s Emergency Department.

Best of luck, Danielle and Grace – we are so proud of you!

Research Corner

We are so proud of our research team who recently published an article in the May 2024 issue of Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty Improves Mental Health In Patients With Single Compartment Knee osteoarthritis. One-hundred Sixty-three patients that underwent partial knee replacement completed questionnaires their mental health and physical function at a mean of 10-year follow-up. Patients that underwent partial knee replacement for single compartment osteoarthritic knee pain demonstrated significant improvement in mental health scores after partial knee replacement, resulting in normal mental health in a majority of patients (87%). The resultant improved mental health scores were associated with improved patient pain and activities of daily living.
 
The team has a busy summer ahead hosting several interns – Felix Flakstad, Christina Zhang, and Hillary Huyhua from Greenwich High School, Dan Coplan from Rochester Institute of Technology, Serena Kothari from Drexel University College of Medicine, Harshill Patel from New Jersey Medical School, and Cameron Whitacre from USC School of Medicine Greenville.

Are you suffering from mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis? The Orthopaedic Foundation is currently seeking patients who are experiencing knee pain and have been diagnosed with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis to participate in a clinical trial using sustained acoustic medicine (SAM) to alleviate knee pain. You will be compensated for your time.

For more information about this clinical trial, please reach out to our Director of Research, Dr. Stephanie Petterson, at spetterson@ofals.org or by calling our office at (203) 869-2002.

Hey Doc…

I was diagnosed with biceps tendonitis and went through 8 weeks of physical therapy but still feel pain. What should I do? Can this take months to heal, and if so, why does it take so long?

“If you have completed 8 weeks of physical therapy for biceps tendonitis, but are still experiencing pain, it’s important to follow up with your doctor or physical therapist. Tendonitis can take several months to fully heal, depending on the severity of the condition and individual factors such as age, overall health, and adherence to treatment. Tendons have a relatively low blood supply compared to muscles, which can slow down the healing process. If we do not address the underlying causes of tendonitis—such as overuse, improper technique, or muscle imbalances—the healing process may take longer, or the pain may return.

Recent studies indicate that gradual loading of tendons can have positive effects on individuals suffering from chronic tendonitis. Gradually increasing the load on the affected tendon through specific exercises promotes tendon remodeling and enhances the tendon’s structural integrity. Working closely with a healthcare professional is crucial to safely and appropriately load the tendon. Besides progressive tendon loading exercises, your physician may recommend additional treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications, relative rest, ice, or modifications to your activities and exercise routine. Sometimes, further imaging tests like an MRI may be necessary to rule out more severe tendon damage. It’s essential to be patient and consistent with your treatment plan and to avoid activities that make your symptoms worse until your tendon has fully healed.”

Many thanks to David Potach, PT, for this Newsletter’s segment of “Hey Doc!”. David is a board-certified sports physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist who founded the Injury Prevention Project, a 501(c)3 non-profit focusing on promoting activity and health. He is currently the Director of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at Beth Israel Lahey Health in Massachusetts.

Do you have a question for one of our fellows, surgeons, or medical professionals? Feel free to submit your questions to Max Pagano at mpagano@ofals.org.

We hope you enjoyed this newsletter, and we hope you have a safe, healthy, and active summer!

Warm regards,

Janine Bahar
Executive Director