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The adult spine encompasses five main areas: degenerative, trauma, tumors, deformity, and infections. With his training, Dr. Schmitz at Alpine Orthopedic and Spine in Spokane addresses all of these aspects of spine care. The non-operative techniques that are utilized to address patients with spine problems involve consulting pain and injection specialists, neurologists, physiatrist's, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, athletic trainers, and other qualified professionals in the Spokane, WA, area in an attempt to avoid surgical intervention when it is appropriate to do so. If these techniques are not successful or if the condition simply does not lend itself to non-operative management, then surgical intervention with spine surgeon, Dr. Schmitz at Alpine Orthopedic and Spine, is considered. Simple and complex spine conditions are treated by the clinic in all anatomical areas of the spine, including cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacro-coccygeal zones with optimal approaches and validated techniques.
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Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy often complement each other because the minimally invasive aspect of arthroscopy allows patients to return to sporting activities sooner. Arthroscopy at Alpine Orthopedic and Spine in Spokane, Washington, entails the use of a camera that has a caliber less than the size of a #2 pencil to visualize the inside of joints through small incisions over the joint while using other small tools to work inside of the joint to resolve the condition inside of the joint. The recovery after Arthroscopy surgery is typically faster than the traditional open approaches. Sports Medicine encompasses arthroscopy and traditional open surgery, but it also involves a healthcare provider’s appreciation for the non-operative aspect of musculoskeletal healing that involves physical therapy, chiropractors, massage therapists, athletic trainers, and others with core interests in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. As with the Adult Spine, Sports Medicine is practiced in our clinic to encompass these other healthcare disciplines in the care of extremity conditions.
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