Orthopedic Surgeon, Eric J. Potthoff, DO, Discusses Musculoskeletal Care In North Iowa

August 22, 2023

Your musculoskeletal system helps you move, hold your body weight and maintain your posture. An injury or an underlying medical condition that affects this part of your body can cause acute pain, limit your range of motion and severely impact the quality of your life. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders.

As we age, physical changes occur that can impact our mobility and overall well-being. At Mason City Clinic, we have a group of six orthopedic surgeons that are all board certified and five board-certified Physician Assistants. Our team excels in diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating these conditions, restoring mobility and enhancing the overall quality of life for people at every stage of life.

In this video, Dr. Eric Potthoff discusses the type of orthopedic treatment available in the local area and shares a story of an eighty-year-old woman whose quality of life was restored thanks to orthopedic intervention.

With more than 200 bones in the human body, Orthopedic doctors cover a tremendous number of injuries and diseases including (but not limited to):

* Dislocated joints
* ACL Injuries
* Knee Pain
* Hip or Back Pain
* Hand or Wrist Pain
* Arthritis
* Carpal Tunnel
* Shoulder Pain
* Shoulder Replacement
* Rotator Cuff Issues
* Hip Pain
* Ankle and Foot Pain

Transcript

Eric J. Potthoff, DO:

As orthopedic surgeons we diagnose and treat the musculoskeletal system:  bones, fractures, joint pain, tendons, tears, whatnot, the spectrum there. And at the Mason City Clinic, we have a group of six orthopedic surgeons that are all board certified and we have five PAs who are board certified as well. So, we have a total of 11 providers to see patients, and we see people from infants to over 100 years old.

I see mostly hip, knee and shoulder pain. That ranges from sports injuries to arthritis. Typically, somebody comes in with knee pain, as an example. We examine them, we start out conservative care. We don’t jump into surgery. We will talk to them about anti-inflammatory medications, ice, physical therapy, cortisone injections, if it’s applicable. And then if none of that works, that’s when we explore surgery. And the surgery would depend on what exactly the problem is, whether it’s an ACL tear in somebody younger where we do an ACL reconstruction, or an older patient with arthritis where they get a joint replacement.

The reason you do the surgery is so they get better mobility and function out of a joint. So the sooner you can get it moving and get them moving, the better off they are. And you reduce the risks of blood clots and other problems by getting them up out of bed and moving as well. And then the goal is for people to go home in two days, or three.

I was on call this last weekend and we had an individual in their 80s that fractured their femur, and really, the prognosis is very poor if they don’t have surgery, because then they’re going to be laid up in bed and get pneumonia and likely be the end of things. But we got consent to go ahead and fix her. So I just saw her just 10 minutes ago and she’s wide awake eating and not in any pain or anything. So it gets her back in the game to resume her life.

Mason City Clinic delivers world-class comprehensive orthopedic services from a team of board-certified orthopedic physicians with subspecialties in sports medicine, hand and upper extremity surgery and foot and ankle surgery, among others.  Orthopedics patients come to us from Albert Lea, Algona, Belmond, Britt, Buffalo Center, Charles City, Clarion, Cresco, Emmetsburg, Forest City, Garner, Greene, Hampton, Iowa Falls, Lake Mills, Mason City, New Hampton, Northwood, Osage, Waverly and nearby areas.

To learn more about our orthopedic services or to schedule an appointment please call 641.494.5210