LEADING MEDICINE
DON’T GET SMASHED: HOW TO AVOID A PICKLEBALL INJURY
Dr. Melissa Arief
By now, you or someone you know is probably obsessed with pickleball, the sport that’s a cross between tennis and pingpong. It’s a fun, easy and great exercise for all athletic levels to enjoy! But with increasing popularity comes more doctor visits due to a spike in pickleball injuries.
Dr. Melissa Arief, an orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in The Woodlands who specializes in hand and upper extremity surgery, said pickleball isn’t particularly dangerous.
“There’s a risk of injury with any sport. Pickleball is fun, easy to learn and popular. But like any sport where you are chasing something, there is the chance of stumbling or falling so it’s not surprising that we’re seeing more hand, wrist and other injuries as a result,” she said.
Pickleball has many benefits, ranging from exercise to socializing. Understanding how to reduce your risk of injury can help keep you on the court and having fun.
COMMON PICKLEBALL INJURIES
Pickleball injuries typically come from a fall. However, injuries from overexertion and improper technique can cause issues as well. A few risk areas include:
■ Eye injuries from direct contact with the ball or paddle
■ Fractures of the upper or lower extremity from a fall
■ Knee injuries and lower back strains from stopping and starting, frequent bending and sudden changes in direction
■ Wrist, elbow or shoulder injuries from swinging the paddle repetitively
PREVENTING INJURIES
The best way to stay on the court is to avoid or minimize a pickleball injury in the first place. Arief offered a few tips to help.
Know your physical limits. Not everyone who plays pickleball is a regular exerciser, so to avoid injury start slowly and listen to your body. “If you are beginning to tire and notice that you may trip or stumble, take a break and reassess if you feel ready to continue,” Arief suggested.
Be sure to warm up. Try 5-10 minutes of warm-up exercises
before any pickleball match. “A light jog and stretching can do the trick to get the major muscle groups ready to compete,”
Arief said.
Get the right gear. Pickleball-specific shoes can significantly decrease your risk of injury. “Properly fitted shoes that are not loose can prevent tripping or stumbling. Take the time to make sure your shoes are tied tightly. Additionally, a correctly sized paddle handle will decrease the strain on the wrist and elbow,”
Arief explained.
Mind your form. It’s easy to pick up a paddle and play, but proper technique matters. “Take a few lessons to get your footwork right and you’re less likely to get injured,” Arief said. Don’t skip recovery. Cooling down after the match with several minutes of stretching or running can help minimize soreness in out-of-condition muscles. “And, don’t forget to stay hydrated — dehydration can lead to cramping and be a risk factor in heat stroke, especially in the Texas weather,” Arief added.
If you become injured or have a new pain, talk to your doctor right away. “Having your potential issue addressed early may prevent it from getting worse and ensure proper treatment,” Arief stressed. •
STAYING ACTIVE EVENT
Learn tips and tricks on how to stay active from our orthopedics and sports medicine panel. Join us Oct. 23, 2024, to have your questions answered and more. Visit join.houstonmethodist.org/ stayingactive-tw to learn more and register.
Stay in the Game
If you’re experiencing hand or wrist pain, we can help. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit houstonmethodist.org/orthopedics or call 936.321.8000.
Dr. Stacy V. Smith
Headaches happen. For some people, unfortunately, they happen a lot.
But when are frequent headaches the result of a behavior you can identify and correct on your own and when do they warrant a doctor’s attention?
“Headaches can be more than just a nuisance that disrupts an hour or two of your day and then goes away,” said Dr. Stacy V. Smith, a headache medicine neurologist at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital. “In some cases, headaches can be chronic, debilitating and affect your quality of life.”
WHAT CAUSES HEADACHES?
While the underlying reason behind headaches might be somewhat murky, we do know that several factors can trigger the everyday headache, including:
■ Alcohol
■ Caffeine (too much or too little)
■ Dehydration
■ Missed meals
■ Poor posture
■ Poor sleep
■ Stress
■ Too much screen time
■ Weather changes
“A headache can often be traced back to one of these triggers, but not always,” Smith said. “Headaches can sometimes be a sign of an underlying health issue, which is why it’s important to talk to your primary care doctor.” Smith highlighted four signs when it’s time to talk to your doctor about headaches.
1 . OVER-THE-COUNTER PAIN RELIEVERS NO LONGER HELP YOU
“Consulting a neurologist is the first step in determining whether you might benefit from a prescription migraine medication,” Smith said.
2. YOUR SLEEP, JOB OR ACTIVITIES ARE TAKING A HIT
“Stress and lack of sleep can lead to headaches, and then headaches can cause poor sleep and stress — it’s a cycle that can disrupt your life,” Smith noted.
3. YOU HAVE A NEW OR DIFFERENT HEADACHE
“Experiencing a new or sudden change in headaches without a trigger can be a symptom of an underlying health issue,” Smith explained.
4. YOU GET HEADACHES MORE OFTEN
“Uncontrolled headaches can actually lead to continued worsening of the headaches,” Smith warned. “We recommend adding a preventive medication if headaches occur once a week or more.”
GETTING HEADACHE HELP
Patients can benefit from the expertise of a neurologist who is familiar with the latest research and treatment options for headaches and other neurological conditions. “Your doctor can help pinpoint which type of headache you’re likely experiencing and help to counteract or even prevent them,” Smith said. Headaches may hurt, but you don’t have to suffer. Neurologists are here to help. •
WHEN IS YOUR HEADACHE AN EMERGENCY?
Seek immediate medical attention if a headache:
■ Begins right after an injury, particularly a head injury.
■ Comes on suddenly and quickly becomes severe.
■ Feels like the worst headache of your life.
■ Is accompanied by a stiff neck or fever.
■ Is accompanied by a seizure, fainting, confusion or personality changes.
■ Is accompanied by weakness, numbness or vision changes.
Brainstorm With a Neurologist
To learn more about headaches and other neurological conditions treated at Houston Methodist The Woodlands, visit houstonmethodist.org/ neuro-woodlands or call 936.270.3900.
Beating the Odds: FIGHTING BACK AGAINST BREAST CANCER
When it comes to breast cancer prevention, knowing the common breast cancer risk factors is key, including:
■ Age
■ Being overweight
■ Family history
■ Genetic mutations
“The average risk is one in eight for women who do not have a family history. It’s important to know that your risk increases with age, so the risk never goes down,” said Dr. Kelli Ha, a breast imaging and diagnostic radiology specialist at Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center at The Woodlands.
While you cannot change risk factors such as age or family history, you can take preventive actions to modify your risk.
GET YOUR ANNUAL MAMMOGRAM
Since your breast cancer risk increases with age, it’s important to have a yearly mammogram starting at age 40. At age 25, talk to your primary care provider or gynecologist to help determine your risk level and if you should start getting screened sooner. “This helps us detect your breast cancer earlier, which decreases your chances of needing chemotherapy,” Ha explained.
Dr. Kelli Ha
STAY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
Getting 150 minutes of exercise a week is recommended. Although this can sound overwhelming, breaking up the time helps. “Thirty minutes a day over five days will decrease your risk of developing breast cancer,” Ha suggested.
LIMIT ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
While abstaining from alcohol altogether is the best thing to do for your health, limiting it to three or fewer drinks per week can still lower a woman’s risk. Women who consume two to five alcoholic drinks a day have about 1.5 times the risk of developing breast cancer. “Try to limit yourself to one alcoholic drink a day,” Ha stressed.
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT
“Women with more fat cells produce more estrogen and tend to have higher insulin levels, which are linked to increased breast cancer risk,” Ha said. Regular exercise and a diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help keep your weight at a healthy level. Maintaining your weight after menopause is especially tough, but if you gain even just 15 pounds, you increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
BREASTFEED LONGER
The longer you can breastfeed your baby, the better it is for your long-term breast health. The more you breastfeed, the more it decreases your risk of developing breast cancer. While the reasons aren’t clear, one possible explanation is women who breastfeed have fewer menstrual cycles throughout their lives, and, therefore, less estrogen exposure.
ADD SUPERFOODS
Studies indicate consuming more monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, may protect against breast cancer. Olive oil has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce breast cancer risk. “These studies are showing that people with a diet higher in antioxidants have promising results,” Ha said.
KNOW YOUR BREAST DENSITY
Breast density is usually based on age. However, some post-menopausal women continue to have dense breasts. If you know you have dense breasts, ask for an ultrasound with your 3D screening mammogram. “This is a minimally invasive way for us to screen a dense breast and detect breast cancer,” Ha said.
CONSIDER GENETIC TESTING
Talk to your doctor about whether genetic testing is right for you, especially if you have a strong family history of breast cancer. Mutations in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, increase breast cancer risk. Women with this gene mutation may need to have more frequent screenings and may want to consider prophylactic surgery (breast removal).
EARLY DETECTION IS KEY
Most breast cancers have no signs. This is why mammograms are so important. “By the time you feel a lump in the breast, it’s half an inch. We can detect those much sooner, even at zero, with a mammogram,” Ha emphasized. •
WHAT TO DO IF YOU FEEL A BREAST LUMP
Your first action after feeling a breast lump is to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider. Your doctor will look for a variety of features and characteristics to answer questions such as:
• How large is the lump and does it change in size?
• Does the lump move under the fingers, or is it attached to the skin?
• Is the lump painless or painful and accompanied by red, itchy or inflamed skin?
• Is the lump affecting the nipple, causing inversion or creating discharge?
• Does the lump become more painful around your period?
• Is there more than one lump on one or both breasts?
Schedule Your Mammogram
To schedule your mammogram at a Houston Methodist Breast Care Center, visit houstonmethodist.org/mammogram-scheduling or call 346.356.PINK (7465).
How an Irregular Heartbeat Impacts Your Health and WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
About one in four adults over age 40 are at risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common type of irregular heart rhythm that happens in the atria, the upper chambers of the heart.
“AFib is a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time,” explained Dr. Michael Koeckert, a cardiac surgeon at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital. “This can lead to problems like heart failure or stroke, so it’s important to seek treatment.”
WHAT IS AFIB?
AFib is caused by changes to the heart’s tissues or electrical signaling system that cause it to beat irregularly. Symptoms include:
■ Chest pain
■ Heart palpitations (skipped beats)
■ Pounding sensation in the chest
■ Racing heart
Some people experience more subtle symptoms of AFib, especially women. These can include anxiety, dizziness, fatigue and shortness of breath. However, 30% of people don’t experience any symptoms at all.
“If you have these symptoms, it’s important to speak with your doctor right away,” Koeckert said. “Make sure to keep your regular appointments to stay on top of your heart health, whether you have symptoms or not.”
TYPES OF AFIB
The risk of developing AFib increases after age 65, and if you have a family member with AFib, your risk is higher. Alcohol consumption, smoking and stress can increase your risk, as can existing conditions like high blood pressure, sleep apnea, diabetes and coronary disease. Athletes who compete in endurance events like running and cycling are also at higher risk.
According to Koeckert, AFib can come
in three main varieties, depending on how you experience irregular heartbeats:
1. Paroxysmal AFib: Brief events that come and go, lasting 24 hours to one week.
2. Persistent AFib: Irregular rhythms that last more than one week, and don’t go away on their own.
3. Long-term persistent AFib: Abnormal rhythms that last longer than a year without getting better.
TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR AFIB
AFib can get worse if it’s not treated. “AFib can damage the heart over time, causing the muscle to stretch and pump less efficiently. It can also lead to blood clots in the heart. In fact, your chance of heart failure or stroke is five times higher if you have AFib,” Koeckert explained.
Treatment options include medication to prevent or shorten episodes, therapy to shock the heart into a regular rhythm, and procedures called ablations that can disrupt the malfunctioning cells to stop them from sending irregular electrical signals.
Blood thinners are also an important part of the treatment strategy in most patients to decrease the risk of stroke. For those who cannot take blood thinners, there are also both surgical and percutaneous treatment options that can reduce stroke risk.
Don’t ignore the symptoms of AFib. Working with your doctor to develop a treatment plan can help decrease the risk of a dangerous blood clot and improve your quality of life. •
Your Heart Care Team
When it’s time to talk to a specialist about your heart, the cardiac surgeons at Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery Associates in The Woodlands are here to help. Visit houstonmethodist.org/debakey/woodlands or call 936.270.3933.
Dr. Michael Koeckert
How to Get Better Qualit y Sleep
Getting enough sleep is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. And that’s because the amount of quality sleep you get affects everything.
“Restoring your sleep quality is crucial for your mental well-being, daytime productivity, quality of life and overall health,” said Dr. Kyle Mueller, a family medicine doctor at Houston Methodist Primary Care Group in Spring. “Getting less than seven hours of sleep each night puts you at risk for serious, chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.”
But the real victim of a lack of sleep is your brain.
When you are asleep, your brain catches up on tasks it can’t do while you are navigating your day, such as cleaning out waste, saving new information and filing away memories. Without enough sleep, the brain can’t complete all these tasks, which can lead to memory problems and serious brain disease.
If you don’t get enough sleep because you have trouble falling and staying asleep, below are a few tips for healthier sleep habits.
DEVELOP A WIND-DOWN ROUTINE
“Your routine should include simple tasks such as brushing your teeth, taking a warm shower, listening to relaxing music or reading a book,” said Mueller.
Combined with a set bedtime and wake-up time, your routine will train your brain to recognize this pattern as signals that it is time to relax, releasing hormones to help you fall asleep when you get into bed.
Mueller recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night — and maintaining that regular sleep schedule.
NO DEVICES IN THE BEDROOM
Avoid stimulating activities, such as watching TV or staring at
your phone before bed. Create a sleep environment that’s cool, dark, quiet and free of distractions.
“If you must have your phone by your bed, don’t use it once you’ve begun your wind-down routine,” stressed Mueller. “Light can affect how the brain prepares for sleep, so don’t pick up your phone or turn on the TV if you wake up at night.”
If you do wake up, go to another room, drink a warm, noncaffeinated beverage and read for a few minutes.
EAT AND EXERCISE EARLY
Consume your last meal of the day no later than 7 p.m.
“Since the brain runs the digestive system, it will not be able to settle down and prepare for sleep until the digestive system does as well,” Mueller explained.
People who exercise during the day tend to sleep better. Mueller recommends exercising as early in the day as possible, since exercising releases the stimulating hormones adrenaline and endorphins, which may keep you awake if you exercise in the evening.
“Many people can get enough sleep naturally if they develop good sleep hygiene and stick with it,” noted Mueller. “But sleep problems differ from person to person, so it is important to get to the bottom of any you are experiencing.”
If you’ve tried all the above but still aren’t consistently getting enough quality sleep, it’s time to talk to your doctor. •
Get Help Catching Z’s
If you are ready to take control of your sleep, we can help. To schedule an appointment, visit houstonmethodist.org/pcg/north or call 713.441.7965
Dr. Kyle Mueller
The recommended age to start your annual mammogram is 40.
Schedule yours today.
At Houston Methodist Breast Care Centers, our board-certified experts use the latest imaging technology to provide you with cutting-edge breast screenings — such as 3D mammograms — to detect even the smallest lumps and abnormalities with accuracy. We offer:
• 10+ convenient locations across Houston
• Online scheduling with readily available appointments
• Expanded hours available at most locations
• Access to medical records and test results through MyChart
Scan Code to Schedule Your Mammogram houstonmethodist.org/mammogram-scheduling 346.356.PINK (7465)
We do not require a doctor’s order for your annual screening mammogram.