Story by Jeanette Wages
With so many of us trapped behind a desk, or sometimes in even less optimal conditions working from home (no judgement I move my laptop to my couch too) it’s sometimes hard to get movement worked into our schedules. When the weekend rolls around, we want to get out and play sports, go for hikes, and workout harder to make up for a week of sitting.
We are the Weekend Warriors.
We recently caught up with Dr. Lonny Nodelman, a Harvard-trained and board certified podiatrist, at his District Foot and Ankle office to learn about this population and the injuries he treats at his clinic. Walking into this brand-new clinic immediately puts you at ease with its warm, welcoming but industrial feel which is not the standard of most medical offices.
The first common VIP weekend warrior injury we discussed is “plantar fasciitis”. This is an injury to the plantar fascia, a strong band of connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. Pain–– typically occurs on the bottom of the heel and commonly presents with “first step pain”, especially when getting out of bed in the morning. It can be debilitating and disruptive to not only day-to-day activities but also can limit sports activities. Treatments range from simple (stretching recommendations, custom made orthotics) to more advanced (radial shockwave treatment and injections).
The second most common VIP weekend warrior injury we discussed are “stress fractures”. These are different from regular broken bones like a broken ankle. Stress fractures are also known as insufficiency fractures and occur after repeated loading of the bone. With overuse, the bone structure starts to deteriorate and eventually results in a crack in the bone. Dr. Nodelman said these are pretty common in certain foot bones. Typical treatment is immobilization in a fracture shoe or boot and cessation of athletics until healing is achieved. Dr. Nodelman reports that it normally takes about 6-8 weeks to recover from such an injury. Progress can be tracked with the digital x-ray system conveniently located at his clinic.
Other common VIP weekend warrior injuries treated by Dr. Nodelman include achilles tendonitis, tendon ruptures, ankle sprains, shin splints and ingrown nails. Dr. Nodelman is welcoming new patients and is available to treat these weekend warrior injuries as well as other foot and ankle issues.
Meet Dr. Lonny Nodelman
Dr. Lonny Nodelman is originally from Ottawa, Canada and moved to the USA after completion of his undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa. He attained his medical training at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine where he graduated in the top 4 of his class. He underwent residency training at Cambridge Health Alliance, where he was a fellow in surgery at Harvard Medical School. Along the way, he met his beautiful wife, who is originally from the Northern Virginia area and they relocated back to NOVA and call it their home.
TESTIMONIAL
'Dr. Nodelman was exceptional. Both visits were extremely efficacious. He saw me quickly and safely with no one else in the office for maximum social distancing/ safety. He was extremely professional and has greatly improved my quality of life with the recommended orthopedic inserts. I highly recommend Dr. Nodelman!'
