Orthopedic surgeons in the Chicago area are seeing an increase in the number of orthopedic injuries due to people cooking and exercising more at home, the Chicago Tribune reports.
David Garras, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Midwest Orthopedic Consultants in Oak Lawn, Ill., typically treats runners and gunshot victims during the spring, but is experiencing an uptick in orthopedic injuries due to people trying new activities while stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
John Fernadez, MD, a hand, wrist and elbow surgeon at Chicago-based Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, has seen an uptick in flexor tendon injuries, primarily due to people using knives while cooking at home.
However, across the board, Dr. Fernandez has seen a significant decrease in the number of orthopedic injuries he treats, which he attributes to people not working or traveling.
The practice has also been ramping up its telemedicine services, since state authorities advised against all nonemergent procedures, but is a lot less busy than usual.