From Thought to Movement

Having received a bionic leg at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, man engages in physical therapy

A bionic leg increases mobility by responding to brain power   Fact checked by Shannon Sparks   Stephen Littig had to have his left leg amputated above the knee when he was 65. Afterward, he went to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for rehabilitation. The goal: to increase his strength enough to use a prosthetic leg — […]

How Surgeons Can Show Respect for a Patient’s Tattoos

Portrait of a middle aged woman with tattoos

At the Center for Reproductive Care, our mission is to provide you the best opportunity to create the family you dreamed of. Each patient is different and we do our best – using advanced science – to understand the unique circumstances of each patient and develop an individualized treatment plan suited to a patient’s needs.

Finding the Pain

Sofía Stutz during her trip to Argentina after Surgery. Advanced imaging helped diagnose and treat pre-arthritic knee pain

How orthopedic specialists go beyond imaging to diagnose and treat pre-arthritic knee pain Sofía Stutz went bouldering for the first time in September of this year, when she suffered an injury that left her reeling with pain.  After Stutz, 22, climbed an indoor rock wall to the top and started slipping, she did what many climbers do: […]

Managing Pain in Orthopedics

Orthopedic doctor consulting patient with wrist pain

People tend to seek orthopedic care for one root reason: They’re experiencing pain. Whether from an acute sports injury or after enduring years of joint aches and stiffness, orthopedic specialists see people looking for relief. But when should you seek care? How do you figure out the cause of your pain? And what options do […]

The Most Advanced Orthopedic Care Unit in Chicago Opens at Weiss Memorial Hospital

Chicago Center for Orthopedics at Weiss Memorial Hospital

It’s a historic milestone for Uptown and the surrounding communities. A new wing at Weiss Memorial Hospital is now home to the latest advances in medical technologies and Chicagoland’s renowned experts in orthopedics. The Chicago Center for Orthopedics at Weiss Memorial Hospital has opened its doors for patients seeking joint replacements, spine care, and sports […]

Millennial Movement

Young woman holding her ankle, joint pain concept

Despite a tendency to put off healthcare, younger generations can benefit from addressing joint pain now As a former high school volleyball player and competitive dancer, Evanston resident Stephanie Smith-Schellhorn has always been an active individual. Even now, the 37-year-old spends much of her time on the go, whether taking care of her teenage son, […]

Advancements in Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic Surgery Scope

Whether stemming from a disease or an injury, many of us have orthopedic conditions that affect our joints, bones, and ligaments. Fortunately, recent advances in orthopedic care are making a difference for many Chicagoans. Orthopedic surgeons are innovators, constantly adopting new technologies — whether robotic-assisted surgery or 3D motion-analysis technology — to refine their approach, giving […]

Anthony A. Romeo, MD

Anthony A. Romeo, M.D., Shoulder & Elbow Surgeon

At the Center for Reproductive Care, our mission is to provide you the best opportunity to create the family you dreamed of. Each patient is different and we do our best – using advanced science – to understand the unique circumstances of each patient and develop an individualized treatment plan suited to a patient’s needs.

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Understanding ‘Golfer’s Elbow’

Golfer's Elbow, Chicago Health Magazine Online

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: About a month ago, I began experiencing pain in my elbow. I experience this almost constantly, but it is worst whenever I try to lift anything, no matter how heavy. The pain moves from my elbow down my inner forearm, and if I twist or turn my wrist or arm, it worsens. […]

Op-Ed: Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Orthopedics

black family on porch social determinants of health

Chicago Health is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. The opinions expressed in this op-ed article are the author’s own. Many nonmedical issues affect our health — such as the conditions in which people grow up, work, live, and age, as well as the systems that shape these conditions. Together, these social determinants of […]

A Secondary Healthcare Crisis?

Backlog of orthopedic surgeries due to Covid-19 may have long-lasting effects

Backlog of orthopedic surgeries due to Covid-19 may have long-lasting effects When the Covid-19 pandemic began to pick up speed in the U.S. in March 2020, Chicago seemed to turn upside down. In a matter of mere days, hospitals greatly decreased their operating capacity to respond to the corona-virus threat. But the decrease in surgeries […]

Instead of Battling Knee Pain, Defeat It

Orthopedic. Joint pain and knees. Knee strength shown through yoga pose.

From the first evaluation through rehabilitation, NorthShore Orthopaedic & Spine Institute is enhancing the patient experience and improving outcomes with highly specialized surgeons, physicians, nurses and therapists all under one roof.

Surgeons Are Doing Fewer Knee Surgeries

Knee arthroscopy

When knee arthroscopy became widely available in the 1980s, it represented a major advance. Today orthopedists evaluating and treating common knee problems often recommend arthroscopy, during which they insert an instrument into the joint and, with a light and camera on its tip, directly inspect the knee from the inside. While there, he or she […]

Bioprinting Bones

Loyola Medicine orthopedic surgeon Adam Schiff, MD, replaces Deborah Stoneburner’s damaged talus bone. Her new metal talus bone was made with 3D-printing technology.

3D printing could be the answer to better replacements In 2017, Deborah Stoneburner was driving back from the Illinois State Fair in Springfield when a horrific accident occurred. She and her boyfriend struck a tree near their home, and Stoneburner suffered numerous injuries, including a crushed talus.  The talus is the primary link between the lower leg and […]

Tennis Elbow: How to Avoid It and What to Do if You Can’t

Tennis Elbow: How to Avoid It and What to do if You Can’t

Last summer, I picked up tennis after a 30-year hiatus. I joined a summer tennis club and headed to the store to buy a new racket and shoes. I eagerly signed up for lessons and drill groups and played with whoever would have me. But after three weeks of playing, I felt the first twinges […]

Scoping Out Relief

Orthopedic Surgery Scope

Arthroscopic surgery provides minimally invasive option for joint injuries Hardly a week goes by without a report that a professional athlete’s season is in jeopardy because of a torn ACL or rotator cuff. But these joint injuries are not just for athletes; they can occur in laborers or weekend warriors who push themselves too hard. Since the […]

Rebuilding Man

Mechanical man illustration

Ankle replacements give patients more viability By Brett Dworski It’s been over 40 years since Dan Chesman, a former ROTC Naval Officer at Miami University in Ohio, shattered his ankle in a toboggan accident. At the time of the accident, back in 1972, the latest surgical treatment was to fuse the ankle bones together, which would have […]

This Is Not Your Grandparents’ Back Surgery

skeleton showing spine

By Heidi Lading Kiec Some of you may recall a grandparent or elderly neighbor constantly stooped over and in pain after an open-back spinal surgery. Previously, patients having surgery to treat lumbar stenosis, essentially a spur or bony callus on the spine, had muscles cut and bones and ligaments removed in order for the surgeon […]

I Don’t Want to Be Like Derrick

injured basketball player

We want to play like our favorite sports stars, but we don’t want to be injured like them By Laura Drucker You don’t have to be a serious athlete to get a serious sports injury. Strains, sprains, tears and general pain can happen to weekend warriors and elite athletes alike. In fact, nearly two million […]

Repeat After Me: “Do Not Repeat”

repetitive strain warning

Carpal tunnel syndrome is not just the plague of the typistBy Karen Schwartz You’re writing an e-mail, aware of a constant tingling in your wrist as you type. Or maybe you’re a musician jamming with some buddies, and you notice that there’s some numbness in your hand and wrist as you strum your guitar. It […]

Flex Time

hip replacement xray

More patients are spending less time recovering from joint-related surgeries By Nancy Maes Ron Allen was born with an improperly formed hip joint. While the problem didn’t stop him from going to college on an athletic scholarship, it was causing him such excruciating pain that by age 40, he opted for replacement surgery on his […]