| Reminder
about forum
St. Mary’s Hospital is reminding coaches, athletes, parents and weekend warriors to attend this week’s Health Matters forum on ACL tears at Prairie Middle School this Thursday, June 26th, at 7:00 p.m. The forum is being coordinated by Dr. Teel Bruner, SMHC. Presenters include Dr. Edwin Tingstad, Orthopedic Surgeon; Bob Bashaw, Physical Therapist and members of the SMHC Physical Therapy staff. “ACL tears occur much more frequently in females than males. More and more girls are involved in sports these days and we’re seeing an increase in the number of ACL tears,” said Dr. Bruner. “This forum is designed for females and males, but also coaches. We’re hoping to train our athletes and their coaches about these injuries and, more importantly, the exercises that can be done to prevent them. Any one who is concerned about protecting the integrity of their knees is encouraged to attend.” The anterior cruciate ligament is located in the front of the knee. It prevents the shinbone from sliding forward beneath the thighbone. The ACL can be injured in several ways including changing direction rapidly while running, stopping suddenly, slowing down while running, landing from a jump or through direct contact or collision. According to the American Association of Orthopeadic Surgeons, an ACL injury may not cause immediate pain, but the person might hear a popping noise and the knee may give out. Within 2 to 12 hours the knee will swell and standing will cause pain. Their advice is to apply ice to control the swelling and elevating the knee until medical attention is provided. Depending on their severity, ACL injuries can be treated non surgically or surgically. “The secret of ACL injuries is to not get them in the first place,” said Dr. Bruner. “The purpose of the forum is to educate people about prevention, first and foremost.” Studies have shown that neuromuscular training programs for females reduce the risk of serious knee injuries by as much as 72% compared to untrained females. Dr. Tingstad has been with Inland Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Clinic, Pullman and Moscow since August, 2000. He received his Medical Degree from the University of Washington in 1993 where he also completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine. Bashaw received his Bachelors of Science of Physical Therapy at Eastern Washington University in 1989 and is the head athletic trainer for Pullman High School. He has also worked for the Denver Broncos Football Club and the Colorado Foxes professional soccer team. He is also certified as a strength and conditioning specialist. No preregistration is necessary for the public forum which will be held in the cafeteria of Prairie Middle School, 1916 East Street, Cottonwood beginning at 7:00 p.m. 
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament in the center of the knee that prevents the shin bone (tibia) from moving forward on the thigh bone (femur). This Thursday’s SMHC Health Matters forum at Prairie Middle School will discuss ACL tears and how to prevent them. |
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