49er Looks For an Edge in Greensboro

2007 Pro Bowl cornerback Walt Harris, a native of LaGrange Georgia consulted with our Sports Performance doctor, Lou Pack this week. Recovering from an ACL injury to his right knee, Harris, drafted by the 49ers in 2006 where he led the team with a career-high of eight interceptions, has also played for the Redskins, Bears and Colts.

According to the good doctor, “Walt ranks right up there as being one of the nicest pros” he has ever treated. “He’s a religious fellow with great values and a real passion for people,” says Pack.

Bedsides treating Walt, Pack says he used the opportunity to discuss his Rotary Club’s 2nd Harvest Food Program. Harris was apparently touched and will work with Pack on seeing if he can get a similar program started in his home town of LaGrange.

Dr. Pack evaluates athletes at all levels, finding the inherent structural problems we all have (like a longer leg or flattened foot) and corrects those problems to increase performance, decrease injuries and risks of arthritis.

Athletes of all types seem to make their way to his office. He’s had Olympic Gold medalists, world record holders in various sports and a British Open and Master’s golf champion seek him out. And distance doesn’t seem to be a problem. Timberwolves, “Mad Dog” Mark Madsen, (formerly with the L.A. Lakers NBA Champions 2002, 2002) flew in from a trip in Barcelona, while World Champion Skier, Steve Omischl made the trek from Canada.

Dr. Pack practices full time at the MCG Medical Clinic at Reynolds Plantation. For further information please see his web site at www.drloupack.com or his blog at drloupack.blogspot.com. He can be reached at 706-454-0040.

Young Gymnast Before and After

Arthritis - case report with pictures

Sports Performance

Are Leg Length Differences Important?

Although certainly not on a par with cancer or heart disease, the importance of equalizing leg lengths is greatly underestimated, poorly evaluated, and if found, usually left uncorrected; especially if less than a quarter of an inch, which is considered normal.
But “normal,” means average. And the average person also has high cholesterol, weighs more, and is less active and more stressed than a healthy person should be. So I don’t think we really want to be average.
Unequal leg lengths can be due to structural or functional causes, and it’s important to differentiate these causes and treat them appropriately.
Now, after treating arthritic patients for over thirty five years, I’m still amazed at the powerful, positive impact of equalizing leg lengths. For example, when a patient with an arthritic hip or knee does a simple squat with the proper amount of correction under their short leg, often there is an immediate decrease in pain.
That’s because abnormal alignment causes excessive wear on the joints, which results in destructive arthritic changes and subsequent pain. A recent study showed that those with an above average leg length difference had almost twice the incidence of knee arthritis. But by equalizing leg lengths, arthritic patients can often be made to function on the part of their knee or hip joint that still has cartilage. This occurs in the same way that realigning the tires on your car enables you to ride on the tread that is still there, thus improving ride quality and extending the life or your tires.
Although often overlooked, it’s even more important after a knee or hip replacement because this type of surgery very often results in a leg length that is longer or shorter than it was before the joint was replaced! This causes additional stress on the new joint, as well as the other weight bearing joints of the feet, ankles, knees, hip and back.

Unequal leg lengths have the same powerful affect in sports. In golf for example, equalizing leg lengths can increase performance and decrease injuries.

So if you’re interested in preventative health, decreasing the stress on your weight bearing joints, or improving sports performance, equalize your leg lengths. Sometimes it’s as simple as putting a lift in your shoe on the shorter side!

A former reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon and past Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Emory, Dr. Pack practices at MCG in Greensboro. He specializes in biomechanical structural analysis and works with patients who have arthritis and wish to decrease joint symptoms and remain active. Dr. Pack also treats athletes at all levels. In the 2004 Olympics he had a silver and gold medalist. He also helps the UGA Golf Team (2005 NCCA National Champions). For further information please see www.drloupack.com, drloupack.blogspot.com or contact him directly at 706-454-0040

Is Arthritis Medication Safe?

Osteoarthritis, has reached epidemic proportions. One in every two seniors is now at risk of developing arthritis of their knees. Last year there were over half a million knee and hip replacements.

Since it’s generally believed that there is no known cause or cure (other than age and excessive weight), a physicians goal is to keep you pain free and active as long as they can. And while it’s wonderful that we have medications, remember that pain is something we’re designed to have as it warns us that if we keep doing the activity that caused it, not only will the pain worsen, but so will the damage.

In pharmacy school I learned one lesson above all else; the less medication you take the better! Remember that anything you put into your body that isn’t supposed to be there has risks. And even if the risks are one in a thousand, they’re 100% if they happen to you!

If prescription drugs were as safe as we’re often led to believe, we wouldn’t need a signed document (prescription) that only a licensed physician can write, to purchase them. If you read the precautionary information about these drugs you would be much more reluctant to take them. But serious complications can occur with non-prescription medications too, and this is validated by an overwhelming amount of studies.

Despite this, there are over 13 million Americans taking anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil, Motrin and Aleve, that results in 16,500 deaths each year! In some cases, drugs like Vioxx and Celebrex have also been shown to actually make your arthritis worse! And unfortunately, you can’t always depend upon the validity of research studies, many of which are sponsored by the drug companies who make and sell these drugs.

Despite the commonly accepted theories that osteoarthritis has no known cause or cure, it does. Abnormal friction and pressure wears away joints in the same way that poorly aligned tires wear abnormally and prematurely. You don’t simply get pain in your knee or hip because you reached a certain age. And the latest research now confirms this.

Sometimes drugs are needed and necessary but having yourself structurally evaluated to eliminate simple things like a longer leg or flattened foot can go a long way in saving your joints and helping you avoid drugs that can indeed have serious implications.

A former reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon and past Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, Dr. Pack practices at MCG Medical Associates, Lake Oconee Village in Greensboro. He specializes in biomechanical structural analysis and works with patients who have arthritis and wish to decrease joint symptoms and remain active. Dr. Pack also treats athletes at all levels. In the 2004 Olympics he had a silver and gold medalist and helps the UGA Golf Team (2005 NCCA National Champions). For further information please see his web site at www.drloupack.com or contact him directly at 706-454-0040.