Blogs & News

Each October 6-12, we celebrate PA Week nationwide – the licensed medical providers who are truly extenders of our physicians. There are more than 100,000 PAs nationwide and over 100 at OrthoCarolina.

For JaQuan King, senior at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, football was life. He was set to be a top-ranked college football prospect in 2016; he had scored four touchdowns during a jamboree scrimmage and had high hopes of being recruited until he found himself on the ground holding a swollen ankle surrounded by trainers and players. He had a season-ending ankle injury and wondered if he’d ever get to play again.

Each year during the first week of October we celebrate Physician Assistant Week nationwide. This week recognizes the PA profession and its contributions to the nation’s health, and it is also an opportunity to raise awareness and visibility of the profession.

We now offer several areas of specialized care in Boone.

Now in its fifth year, the H100 recognizes companies who achieved success in improving the health of their employees through wellness programs.

OrthoCarolina hand surgeons Glenn Gaston, M.D., and Bryan Loeffler, M.D., pioneer a targeted muscle reinnervation surgical procedure to help amputee patients like shark attack victim Tiffany Johnson.

What are the chances that two Charlotte-area triathletes from the same team qualify for the Ironman World Championship in the same year?

In this web extra, meet the doctors who are giving her a prosthetic arm so she can return to life and her routines.

Here’s everything you need to know to SUP in Charlotte.

I’m a mom of two active boys who love soccer. They’ve been playing since they were five years old. As a former athlete and a physical therapist, I know how important it is to give your body time to rest and recover from overuse of the muscles and joints. When my kids came to me and said they wanted to take a break this season, I understood.

Are you a die-hard roady who puts in mile after mile on pavement? Do you crave the off-camber footing of a technical trail? Or maybe you're a new runner just getting into the swing of this running thing?

Exploring Gaston County, N.C., by bike is perhaps the best way to gain an appreciation for what makes this the go-to spot for outdoor recreation in the region. Spencer and Crowders Mountain burst skyward from the surrounding piedmont and miles of creeks and rivers carve pathways through the tree canopy on their journey from mountains to sea.

Many of us have a lot on our plate when it comes to the day-to-day. We work hard, and we play hard. Or try to, anyway. Aaron Hewitt, PA-C is a physician assistant with OrthoCarolina who works long hours, but loves his job. Outside the clinic, he thrives on keeping his body active and staying healthy. You can typically find him at CrossFit, doing yoga, or running (even marathons!). Aaron joined us for a Twitter chat and took your questions, offering his best advice on how to incorporate activity into your daily routine. If you missed the chat, here’s what he had to say.

Working on a NASCAR pit crew isn’t an easy job. Fast-paced, physically demanding working conditions mean pit crew members must be in top physical shape.

Swimming for the high school and collegiate athlete is a year-round commitment that demands hours in the pool each week. Here are five exercises that target mobility of the shoulder and upper back, strength of the rotator cuff and surrounding core muscles.

With the constant barrage of info through television and social media, we are more aware than ever about injures that surround football. From concussions to ACL tears, it seems like there is always some drama and controversy surrounding how best to prevent and manage these issues. For those of us who have children playing sports, these issues are much more important than just making sure our fantasy football lineups are competitive each week.

Dr. David Anderson, an orthopedic surgeon with OrthoCarolina, has a philosophy about our modern ethos.

"We all work a little too much," he says. “We spend too much time inside, glued to computer screens and mobile devices.”

Stop by Foothills Brewing on a Wednesday evening around 6 p.m. and you’ll find the crowd chugging electrolytes instead of beer. Each week, the Foot Soldier Run Club hosts a group run that usually draws about 40 people of all levels and abilities, from aspiring couch-to-5K athletes to marathon runners.

Most people with osteoporosis do not even know they have it which is why it is often called the “silent disease.” It may show up as a broken bone in the spine, hips, wrist or another bone in the body.

With everything from mirror-like flatwater to Class III rapids, Gaston County, N.C., features a place to paddle for everyone from novice to expert. Spring has arrived and summer’s not far behind, so stock your dry bag, strap down the kayaks and SUP boards, and head to the launch for a day on the water. Here are some of our favorite destinations.

A unique combination of geology and history—multiple rocky monadnocks rising 1,500 feet above the surrounding Piedmont and a longstanding community-wide commitment to natural preservation—earns Gaston County its reputation as a regional hiking destination. Check out these trails to understand what makes Gaston the go-to training ground for runners, hikers, backpackers, and weekend warriors throughout the southeast.

Staying active in the peak of the Charlotte summer is tough. The humidity on those steamy, Southern days feels like a backpack, weighing you down while you hike or run. Finding the trails that offer some respite is an essential strategy for outdoor enthusiasts here.

Being an NFL athlete is no easy feat. Those guys are constantly training, but not all NFL players focus on the same areas. It largely depends on the position they play.

Dr. Drew Henderson, MD, MSc joins OrthoCarolina Winston-Salem and Clemmons locations.

If you could increase your soccer skill level efficiency, drastically reduce your chance of injury, and help your body feel better before and after soccer, would you want to know how?