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When winter brings ice and snow, slipping, sliding and falling become a problem.

"And immediately, if you think when you fall, you're going to put your wrist out. And what will happen is that will brace your fall, and all your body weight goes through there," Dr. Kakar says.

Dr. Kakar always sees an increase in wrist injuries immediately after winter storms, especially among older people whose bones may become weak over time because of conditions like osteoporosis.

In most cases, Dr. Kakar says four to six weeks in a cast to let the bone heal is the best treatment, assuming it's lined up properly, but sometimes surgery is necessary.

But avoiding a wrist injury when you fall on ice is difficult.

"I think when we fall, it's a split-second decision on how we're going to fall," Dr. Kakar says. "And the problem is if you fall onto your wrist, there's a high chance of a wrist fracture. If you fall down, for example, on your hip, then there's a hip fracture."

Dr. Kakar says if you have to walk in snow or on ice, it's best to slow down and have something or someone to hold onto in case you start to fall.

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

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Whether it's the serve, forehand, backhand or volley, tennis puts a lot of stress on your wrist.

"There are about 18 million tennis players in the United States. And when we talk about injuries in the upper extremity, about 30% in tennis players are wrist injuries. That's a high number," says Dr. Sanj Kakar, a Mayo Clinic hand and wrist surgeon.

Many of those injuries are caused by chronic overuse.

"In the average tennis match, there are over 1,000 ground strokes. Now if you're practicing three, four times a week, for two, three hours, maybe not hit 1,000 shots. Maybe just practice on volleying," says Dr. Kakar.

How you grip the racket and hit the ball plays a major role, too, which is why Mayo researchers recently studied tennis players' strokes in a motion analysis lab.

"With our research, we've learned — just by looking at the various muscles and motion capture technology — we can really break it down to the millisecond to see which muscles are firing appropriately and which ones aren't," says Dr. Kakar. "I've actually had patients who we've operated on, and they've gone through this program to see that actually, when they're hitting a topspin, their wrist is in the wrong position. That can't be picked up with the naked eye. And now they can work with their tennis professionals to improve their form to hopefully prevent further injury."

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — This time of year, Sanjeev Kakar, M.D., a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon, starts seeing many injuries among people inspired by watching golf and other stick-handling sports.

''The weather is changing. Major golf tournaments are on television. Local courses have opened. People are excited to be playing again,'' says Dr. Kakar, who specializes in hand and wrist injuries. ''People run to the range and hit hundreds of balls in a short period of time, and they do this without warming up and stretching. In addition, players may have poor mechanics and use old equipment, which can all lead to an injury.''

Being active is good for the body, but sports that use sticks can be especially hard on the hands and wrists. The hamate bone at the base of the palm below the little finger can be injured, especially if hitting a golf shot ''fat'' (when the club hits the ground before the ball) or with repetitive hitting with a baseball bat. Another common injury involves the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon or triangular fibrocartilage complex on the pinky side of the hand. Injuries result in wrist pain, especially with twisting and forearm rotation and loss of grip strength.

Dr. Kakar also advises people to be aware that aches in one region of the body can lead to pain elsewhere.

''The golf swing is comprised of dynamic motion,'' Dr. Kakar says. ''If you're compensating for a back injury and you're not turning, then to generate extra strength, you compensate with another part of the body. For example, you may just have an arm swing and suddenly you're impacting the elbow or the wrists.''

To prevent injury in the first place, Dr. Kakar offers the three Ps:

• Purposeful practice
  Before you start golfing, perform basic stretching moves that loosen your back, hips, shoulders, arms and wrists. Work up to your desired level of activity. Instead of hitting hundreds of balls at one time, focus on one skill for a shorter amount of time. Work on your short game or work on your long game rather than both at the same time.
• Proper equipment
  Equipment continues to get better and better, so seek out equipment that is appropriate for you now versus hand-me-downs from long ago. Be sure clubs are the right length and the grip is thick enough. Avoid old steel-shafted clubs. Newer clubs have lighter graphite shafts and cavity backs that can better absorb shock.
• Proper mechanics
  Whether you're a rookie or veteran, taking lessons from knowledgeable PGA instructors can create a good foundation or correct bad habits.

Learn more by reviewing these resources:

• "Golf injuries: Play it safe with these tips."
• Slideshow: Golf stretches for a more fluid swing.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Rhoda Madson, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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Out with the old and in with a new, more hygienic way to heal, thanks to 3D-printing technology.

In about 90 minutes, a scan of the injured area is turned into a digitized model, then printed using specialized equipment and supplies.

"With traditional casting, we have to keep it dry," says Dr. Daniel Montero, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon. "That can be a pain, especially for bathing and hygiene. But with newer 3D splints and casts, they are allowed to get wet."

Dr. Montero says that includes sweating, which will allow someone wearing the cast to stay physically active. Unlike a fiberglass cast, which transmits the force of impact to the bone, the polymer material used in a 3D-printed cast disperses force evenly across the surface, making it more durable.

"I'm excited to use this with our athletes and keep them in the game and minimize some of the downtime exercise-wise," he says.

For now, patients 10 and older with traditional wrist fractures are candidates for the new cast.

"There'll be other applications in the future as we continue to study and fine-tune the technology," says Dr. Montero.

Currently, 3D casts are only available at Mayo Clinic in Florida, as other Mayo locations explore its use.

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

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Studies show playing tennis is one of the healthiest things you can do. It's good for you heart and brain, and can even help you live longer. But it also can be quite rough on your wrists.

"We see a lot of tennis injuries, especially in younger patients," Dr. Kakar says.

He says there are two main causes of most tennis wrist injuries.

"Some are poor mechanics," he says. "Some have the wrong equipment."

Dr. Kakar says it's common for young children to have wrist injuries from using racquets and tennis balls that are too big or heavy for them. More commonly for adults, injuries come from mechanics issues.

"One of the most common [injuries] that we see, especially with the double-handed backhand or the single-handed backhand, is injury to the ulnar side of wrist," he says.

A bad swing can put too much pressure on certain ligaments, causing significant pain and soreness.

Treatment can range from simple rest, to hand and physical therapy, to corticosteroid injections to — in the worst cases — surgery.

But he says your best option is to avoid injuries in the first place.

"That means taking lessons with a licensed professional about how to, for example, serve, hit certain shots in a particular way with correct technique," Dr. Kakar says. "I think that's first and foremost. [Also,] having the correct equipment."

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“The problem is it’s very confusing,” says Dr. Sanj Kakar, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon. “And one of the key things is that each of these is not mutually exclusive. If you treat the conditions individually and don’t appreciate the spectrum of injury, that’s when you can get into some difficulty in terms of recovery.”  Where do you start in finding relief? Ian Roth gathered some expert advice.

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Dr. Kakar says wrists are one of the body’s most underappreciated load-bearing joints.  “Absolutely. If you think of your forearm, basically you have an ulnar bone and everything rotates around this,” he says as he points at the arm bone adjoining the heel of the palm.

Add in the mechanics of gripping or heavy lifting when an injury exists, Dr. Kakar says, "and [patients] classically have pain right in this area and this is something that really causes them to stop what they’re doing and, sort of, to seek treatment.”

Diagnosis involves isolating the problem to bones, cartilage, tendons ligaments or muscles, perhaps even multiple tissues. If surgery is required, there are many minimally invasive options.

Although, Dr. Kakar says surgery can generally be avoided. “Hand therapy with a dedicated hand therapist can work very well in doing stretching exercises, for example, ultrasound or therapies such as [the mild electrical current] of iontophoresis. Those things can help.”

Immediately after a wrist injury, Dr. Kakar says to remember the acronym RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression with a wrap or splint, and elevating the joint. Dr. Kakar says if wrist pain continues to get worse or lingers beyond a few days without improvement, it’s a good idea to have it checked out by a health care professional.

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The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system. It produces fluid to nourish and protect sperm. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. Usually prostate cancer grows slowly and initially remains confined to the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm. While some types of prostate cancer may need minimal or no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly. So how do patients make decisions about screening and treatment?

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, general internist Dr. Jon Tilburt and retired Col. Jim Williams, a prostate cancer patient, will explain a pilot study at Mayo Clinic to help patients make informed decisions when it comes to prostate cancer treatment. Also on the program, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sanj Kakar will discuss wrist injuries. And anesthesiologist and human performance expert Dr. Michael Joyner will explain rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that causes muscle cells to break down.

Listen to the program on Saturday, April 29, at 9:05 a.m. CDT, and follow #MayoClinicRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Making decisions about prostate cancer treatment appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, general internist Dr. Jon Tilburt and retired Col. Jim Williams, a prostate cancer patient, will explain a pilot study at Mayo Clinic to help patients make informed decisions when it comes to prostate cancer treatment. Also on the program, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sanj Kakar will discuss wrist injuries. And anesthesiologist and human performance expert Dr. Michael Joyner will explain rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that causes muscle cells to break down.

Listen to the program on Saturday, April 29, at 9:05 a.m. CDT.

Miss the show?  Here's the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

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The post Take a Minute to Check Your Golf Swing appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

There's more to golf than your golf swing. Use common sense to lower your risk of injury:

1. Warm up. Before you golf, walk or jog for a few minutes. Then try a few gentle stretches.

2. Start slowly. Work up to your desired level of activity.

3. Think overall fitness. Include aerobic activity, stretching and strength training in your fitness routine.

4. Lift your clubs carefully. Keep your back straight and use the strength of your legs to lift your clubs and other heavy objects.

Golf injuries: Play it safe with these tips

Slide show: Golf stretches for a more fluid swing

Protect your elbows

To keep your game on course, think prevention:

1. Strengthen your forearm muscles. Use light weights or squeeze a tennis ball.

2. Do some dynamic stretching (half swings) before you golf. Walk or jog for a few minutes to warm up your muscles first.

3. Fix your form. Ask an instructor to check your grip and swing technique.

4. Know when to rest. At the first sign of elbow pain, take a break.

Golfer’s elbow

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