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February 15, 2025 | SUBSCRIBE | SHOP | ARCHIVE
Written by Dr. Nick Golinvaux
Good morning. It's been a big week for Rules of Thumb (more on that soon). Welcome to our 2,326 new readers — we are so grateful to have you here!
This feels like an appropriate time to reiterate the primary objective of Rules of Thumb. This newsletter exists for one purpose — to deliver digestible orthopedic knowledge meant to empower you. Once you better understand your bones, muscles, and joints, you can make informed decisions about how to care for your musculoskeletal system.
We all know there's a lot of sterile, overly processed health information on the web. With this newsletter, I'm doing my very best to cut through the BS and bring you what's new, what's evidence-based, and what you must know. I won't always succeed, but that doesn't mean I won't keep trying.
I appreciate you being here.
**This newsletter has occasional affiliate links (at no cost to you). These small commissions will always be re-invested into Rules of Thumb to improve the experience for all.
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FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE
Could you define arthritis at a cocktail party?
Spoiler alert: We're all going to get arthritis, one way or the other.
But could you explain what arthritis is in two sentences at a cocktail party? What would you say if your kid asked you?
I know you'd like to ignore it (I would too), but you can't afford to. So I put together your new go-to 5-minute guide to understanding arthritis.
This is basic knowledge so you can better understand those aches and pains. Whether you need it now or later.
Once you understand it, then you can make informed decisions about what to actually do about it (stay tuned for future articles on those strategies).
Let's go.
PS. Chances are you have a friend or family member who needs this information too. If you find it helpful, consider sending it along.
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X-RAY OF THE WEEK
Arms and legs inside the vehicle
Did your mother ever tell you not to drive with your arm out the window? Well, sadly, there was a reason.
This patient was in a rollover car accident that occurred when they were 'joyriding' with their arm out the window.
What are the chances? Low.
What are the consequences? Not good.
This arm did not survive the 12-hour surgery intended to save it. 😔
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NEWSLETTER JUNKY**
If you like them as much as I do
To me, email newsletters are like having access to experts, right from the comfort of my own home. Nowadays, there's a newsletter for just about anything, no matter how small the niche.
The only problem is, how to find them? If you like newsletters as much as I do, you can use this free tool to browse what's out there for you and subscribe to your heart's content. Explore Here.
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GREY'S ANATOMY MADE-FOR-TV CASE OF THE WEEK
A love story fit for Valentine's Day
It's not a good piece of drama without a bit of a love story right?
Somewhat recently, a middle-aged patient came to clinic to see me about his partially webbed fingers. Sure enough, between the middle and ring fingers of both hands, he had partial webbing. Meaning, they were completely connected up to the level of the first knuckle.
But he only wanted to talk about his left hand. And he barely wanted to talk — all he wanted to know was how fast he could get the fingers surgically separated and what the recovery would be.
Sometimes being a doctor forces you to ask the uncomfortable questions that would seem rude in other situations. So I asked him "Why now? You were born with this and have presumably made it this far without any real drawbacks?"
His answer was perfect.
"I just proposed last week. We're getting married next year, and I'd like to be able to wear a ring on my left hand."
❤️ Happy Valentine's Day, to those who celebrate ❤️
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RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU: SPRAINED YOUR ANKLE
A counterintuitive path to healing
My guess is you've suffered an ankle sprain at some point in your life. But did you know that the treatment for the vast majority of ankle sprains is immediate rehab?
Until I went through orthopedic training, I assumed it was best to rest, use a boot, crutches, the whole nine yards.
But.
Relatively recent research has shown the benefit of early rehab...over and over again. Here's the gist (adapted from this simple informative post):
- Draw 50 circles with your injured ankle
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Ankle isometrics (Google this if you need), 5 in each direction for 10 seconds each
- Push foot inward against other foot
- Cross legs and push foot outward against other foot
- Push your foot away from you against your other heel
- Pull your foot towards you against your other heel
- Balance on the injured leg for 3 minutes (this is the most important exercise)
- Do 25 single-leg heel raises on the injured leg
If you repeat this routine 3-5 times a day, your ankle sprain will heal itself in nearly all cases.
Repeat until healed!
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MEME TIME
What made me laugh this week
Further proof that all you need to do is dream big in this world :)
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🩸 FINGER ON THE PULSE
Why your nose is springy
As I wrote in this week's article on arthritis, cartilage is a highly elastic body tissue that easily springs back into place. But researchers actually only recently discovered why. It turns out, there's a special type of fat cell we have to thank.
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***Please do not use this email to try to obtain medical advice. I cannot legally or ethically provide that. If you are having a medical emergency, please call 911 and do not attempt to contact me through email.***
DISCLAIMER
Because, you know, lawyer stuff
If you are having a medical emergency, call 911. Do not attempt to contact or obtain medical services through this site. This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this site or materials linked from this site is at the user's own risk. The content of this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. The content is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
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