The keys to healing lies within your own plasma !

Unfortunately, in this ever changing healthcare model, we are seeing less and less coverage by insurance companies for excellent treatments. However, at FFLC, we continue to strive in order to maintain a high level of care for our patients, and will continue to do so. We will use this excellent modality as a means to either augment a surgery, prevent a surgery, or improve outcomes of previous surgery by other physicians (revisional care) and painful ankle and first metatarsal phalangeal joint arthrosis. This technique is available on site at our EAST OFFICE, and we have had numerous patients undergo this with good or excellent results. Ask me about your PRP procedure today.

- Dr Timm

Platelet activation plays a key role in the process of wound and soft tissue healing. The use of platelet rich plasma (PRP), a portion of the patient’s own blood having a platelet concentration above baseline, to promote healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints, can be applied to various musculoskeletal problems such as Achilles tendonitis, peroneal tendon tears/tenosynovitis, plantar fascial pain, post operative arthrodesis and post operative edema, tendon repair procedure augmentations, and even fracture healing.

Ultrasound and photograph of a PRP injection into a patient's tendon tear.

It was used as early as the 1990s in maxillo-facial and plastic surgery. PRP injections are prepared from one to a few tubes of the patient’s own blood with strict aseptic technique. After being centrifuged, the activated platelets are injected into the abnormal tissue, releasing growth factors that recruit and increase the proliferation of reparative cells. Ultrasound imaging may or may not be used to guide the injection.

Several clinical studies have demonstrated that PRP injections have improved function and decreased pain to various maladies, including - but not limited to - elbow, wrist, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle tendonosis. Early work is also showing promise for osteoarthritis.

The side effects of PRP injections are very limited as the patient is utilizing their own blood, which they should have no reaction to. Some relative rest is needed immediately following the procedure, then usually followed by a progressive stretching and strengthening program.

Cancer and your foot.

Most people are unaware of every little pigmented lesion they may have on their foot or toes. Sometimes, a pigmented lesion may be falsely presumed to be a bruise, or a scar. If there are any questions about skin lesions, one should note that a skin biopsy is a relatively small amount of discomfort to gain a relatively large amount of information and essentially a diagnosis which can be used to effectively treat any number of skin cancers which may present as old bruises underneath a thick toenail, or even a rash on the top of the foot. Please understand, that although relatively rare (5% of all skin cancers such as melanoma are found on the foot) this is still high enough to get it looked at.

- Dr Timm

MRSA

As scary as this sounds, MRSA can be found almost anywhere in the community today. It used to be mainly a hospital acquired infection but this has drastically changed more recently. With the advent of outpatient infusion centers, outpatient wound care, and irresponsible prescribing and noncompliance of duration of time taking antibiotics we will be left with an enormous amount of new cases of community acquired MRSA each year. This is not unusual, and at FFLC we are determined to treat all cases of foot and ankle concerns, and this includes suspicious cuts, scrapes, and blisters which could ultimately be a serious staph infection. See us right away if you have any concerns.

DR TIMM 

What you need to know about your wounds:

ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WOUND HEALING:

After we rule out vascular disease or have improved this by proper referrals, and properly offload a wound, there are still factors at play which significantly alter the potential of wound healing. Often this is seen with patients who have low protein counts in their routine blood tests.

When you have a wound, sometimes called a pressure sore, getting in higher amounts of high quality protein is so important. Your protein needs roughly double compared to your normal amount. 

Recent research has shown good results healing wounds with protein consumption of 0.84 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Overall, depending partially on the severity of the wound, medical recommendations range from 0.55 to 0.84 grams per pound of body weight per day. 

NOTE: The quality of the protein is important. 

Depending on your overall status, the recommendations above would be: *

• Between 70 and 105 grams of quality protein per day for a 125 pound person
• Between 84 and 126 grams of quality protein per day for a 150 pound person

Please note that if you believe you might have a pressure sore, you definitely should be consulting a physician for advice that is specific to your individual needs. 

HOW TO GET THAT MUCH PROTEIN? 

An ounce of meat (the weight after the shrinkage of cooking) provides about 7 grams of protein. 

An egg contains about 7 grams of protein.
Milk contains 8 grams of protein per 8 ounce cup

Example: To get 90 grams of protein from meat, you would need to eat 13 ounces of cooked meat each day. 


There are protein supplement options and ask FFLC doctors about this today.

-Dr Timm