Smashed Your Finger? I've Got Your Back

December 7, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE

Good morning. This week I learned that 'the smell after rain' is called petrichor. It's actually made by bacteria that hang out in porous soil and release the compound when wet.

We also can detect this smell better than sharks can smell blood in the water. So that's pretty awesome.

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Ever slammed your finger in a door or had an unfortunate encounter with a kitchen knife? You're not alone. While fingertip injuries are incredibly common, they can also be incredibly confusing - especially when trying to decide if you need surgery or just time to heal.

The good news? Your fingertip has an almost supernatural ability to bounce back, even when the initial injury looks horrific.

In today's guide, we'll explore the complex anatomy of your fingertip, reveal why these injuries often look worse than they are, and talk through what you need to about recovery. Whether you're currently nursing an injury or want to be prepared for the future, understanding these principles could save you unnecessary worry - and maybe even a trip to the operating room.

Read It Here ↗

👀 X-ray of the Week 👀

Here's one of the least fun orthopedic injuries you can have.

Most of these occur in car accidents and are known as acetabular fractures. It's a special kind of pelvis fracture.

Basically, the femur is driven into the pelvis with impact. So much so that the ball at the head of the femur pushes through the pelvic bone (or acetabulum), as you can see outlined in yellow on the right.

These require hours of surgery and multiple plates/screws to put back together.

As I said. No fun at all.

🙋 Raise your hand if you're in the holiday spirit 🎅

Trust me, I'm just as excited as you are to get the holiday season going. But I wouldn't be a good orthopedic surgeon if I didn't say my little PSA piece.

Please be careful with those ladders.

I'm begging you.

The number of ladder injuries we see as orthopedic surgeons every year seems to be steadily rising. And they almost NEVER turn out to be minor injuries.

It's one of those weird things where we all have this super dangerous thing in our house that has sort of been normalized. Need to get to a high spot? Just get out the ladder from the garage and hop on up.

And yet, if you could see the other side of these, the side that exists in the bloody ER trauma bays, the operating rooms, and the months of rehab thereafter, all just to get back to somewhere close to your former self...you'd look at ladders a bit differently.

So yes. Get in the holiday spirit. Decorate the house, the tree, whatever suits your fancy. But know the dangers and at the very least, respect those ladders for the menaces they are.

🕰️ Meme Time 🕰️

@dearvotion

type of vibe i’m on

5:41 PM • Nov 18, 2024

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🩸 Finger on the Pulse 🩸

🥱 Sleep Science: Not that it's news to anyone how important sleep is. But do you know why you feel so much better when you wake on your own rather than to your alarm?

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