Warm Up is Key
Whether you're biking, running, weightlifting, swimming, or dancing, a thorough warm-up and cool-down can prevent many injuries.
Doing low impact plyometrics (jump training) can loosen up stiff muscles. When muscles are tight there is a greater chance of strains, sprains, and tears. Consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program.
Recovery
After an injury, consuming the right nutrients and proper hydration helps your muscles repair themselves. Going for a walk or jog the next day can help release lactic acid from the muscles, a culprit of muscle soreness. Talk to your NWOS provider if you have any concerns during your recovery. We want to get you back to your desired level of activity and can answer any questions.
See a Specialist
To consult a sports medicine provider, please request an appointment online, or call 888-660-2663.
Appointment Resources
Once you have scheduled your appointment, please use the link below to obtain our new patient forms and browse through our tips and preparation suggestions for your appointment.
“Dr. Kody was my surgeon to repair an MCL, ACL rupture, & a torn meniscus. I am doing so well because of the superior care that I've been so lucky to have received!! I am an avid swimmer/scuba diver and my complete recovery was tantamount to my mental and physical well-being. I sure was a mess when I first saw Dr. Kody, but now, am swimming with the fastest fish! I am so thankful to Dr. Kody and the excellent staff at Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists.” — Shari K.
“I am 66 years old. During the summer of 2014 the osteo arthritis in my left hip became nearly unbearable. I could barely walk. Getting up from sitting was extremely painful. Getting in and out of my car was nearly impossible. In the end of October of 2014 I had hip replacement surgery. Dr. Reichard performed the surgery. David Baca was his PA. They and the nursing staff did a great job. The post-surgical pain was never really all that bad. I recovered quickly and fully. My hip is much better now than it has been in a long time. I can walk, sit, climb stairs, hike, get in and out of my car, and ride my bicycle without pain. This summer (2015) I went on a bicycling trip to the French Alps. Don't get me wrong—climbing the mountain passes was not easy. They were long and often quite steep. But I was able to get up them all. I had no hip pain or any problems whatsoever with my hip. The trip was awesome.Attached is a photo of me climbing up the most famous mountain pass of the Tour de France, L'Alpe d'Huez. I would never have been able to do this during the summer of 2014. I didn't even have a problem getting through airport security with my new hip. I have had what feels like a miraculous recovery. Dr. Reichard was not only an excellent surgeon, but very personable and an easy person with whom to deal. David, too, was very helpful all through the process. I would highly recommend Dr. Reichard to anyone needing hip replacement surgery.” — Ted M.
“I feel like a new man! In some respects, I am thanks to Dr. Reichard and Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists. In August of 2013, I had my right hip replaced due to severe osteoarthritis. The left hip was in the same condition, just slightly better so I had to wait to get the left one replaced until I was fully recovered and able to fit another surgery into my rather hectic schedule. I had such a positive experience with the right hip, there was absolutely no hesitation about doing the left one. I scheduled the left hip surgery for September 22, 2014. I made sure that I was in the best possible condition for recovery when I went into surgery. Having been a long distance runner for most of my life, I missed being able to hit the roads and run a 5 or 10 miler whenever I felt like it. My hips had deteriorated to the point that just getting out of bed was difficult. Having virtually no lateral flexibility in either hip I couldn't even get on my bicycle so that form of exercise was out as well. The one exercise I could do with comparatively little pain was using an elliptical trainer. I was ready and hoping the surgery and recovery would go as well as the previous one had. I wasn't disappointed. Just like the right hip, when I awoke from surgery, the normal and customary hip pain I had lived with for so many years was gone. The muscles were pretty tight and sore from the wrenching that occurred during the procedure, but that was nothing compared to what I had been experiencing. I was on my feet and using a walker 3 hours after getting back to my room from the recovery room. The following morning the physical therapist and I went for a walk around the entire 4th floor of Sacred Heart, climbing the practice stairs forward and backward to make sure I could. I was released right after that and went home just 30 hours after checking in for surgery. I didn't use the walker again and was able to walk without the cane on day 5 post-op. I went back to work the following Wednesday and Thursday. I went back full time at the beginning of week 3, climbing the stairs to my office just 14 days after surgery. My progression from that point on has been nothing less than phenomenal. As I told Dr. Reichard at my 6 week post-op appointment; “This entire experience was almost a non-event.” I couldn't believe how quickly I was able to progress. As I write this just 7 weeks out of surgery, I will be running my dog in agility training this weekend, having already jogged for short distances for the past couple of weeks. I am sure the universal question from hip replacement patients is: “Why did I wait so long?” At 61 years of age, I was not going to wait any longer and miss out on what are the best years I have left. So a huge thank you goes out to Dr. Reichard and the Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists team along with the wonderful staff at Sacred Heart. You have given me a couple of new hips and with that a wonderful opportunity to enjoy life without the pain.” — Jim A.