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The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute

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Frederick - 86
Address
86 Thomas Johnson Ct Frederick, Maryland 21702
Opening Hours
Mon-Thu: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Fri: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sat: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Contact Numbers
Phone
(301) 694-8311
Fax
(301) 694-3537
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Frederick - 161
Address
161 Thomas Johnson Drive Suite 100 Frederick, Maryland 21702
Opening Hours
Mon-Thu: 6:30 a.m. - 7:15 p.m. Fri: 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Contact Numbers
Phone
301-694-8311
Ext. 1135
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Frederick - Hand Center
Address
184 Thomas Johnson Drive Suite 104 Frederick, MD 21702
Opening Hours
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Contact Numbers
Phone
301-694-8311
Fax
301-694-3537
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Frederick - Hand Therapy
Address
184 Thomas Johnson Drive Suite 104 Frederick, Maryland 21702
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri: 6:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Contact Numbers
Phone
301-694-8311 x1187
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Frederick - Workers' Comp
Address
165 Thomas Johnson Drive Suite E Frederick, MD 21702
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Mon & Wed: 6:30 a.m. - 7.p.m. Tue & Thur: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fri: 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
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Phone
301-694-8311
Ext. 1160
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Hagerstown
Address
1829 Howell Rd Suite 4 Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
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Mon-Thu: 8a.m. – 4p.m. Fri: 8a.m. – 3p.m. Closed Sat. & Sun.
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Phone
(301) 694-8311
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(301) 797-0731
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Hagerstown
Address
1829 Howell Rd Suite 4 Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
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Mon & Thur: 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tue: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wed: 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Fri: 8 am - 4 pm
Contact Numbers
Phone
(301) 694-8311
ext. 1191
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Urbana
Address
3280 Urbana Pike, Suite 105 Knowledge Farms Office Park Ijamsville, Maryland 21754
Opening Hours
Mon- Fri: 6:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Closed Sat. & Sun.
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Phone
(301) 694-8311
Fax
(301) 874-5154
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Urbana
Address
3280 Urbana Pike, Suite 105 Knowledge Farms Office Park Ijamsville, Maryland 21754
Opening Hours
Mon & Wed: 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tue & Thur: 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fri: 6:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Contact Numbers
Phone
(301) 694-8311
ext. 1196
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    • MMI is now The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics
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August 16, 2016

Back to school with healthy backs and healthy bellies

Written by John Kelvey of Carroll County Times

Yes, the back-to-school season is here already, and with it comes the recommendation that kids watch their backs, their backpacks that is.

"One of the biggest concerns at least for me as a spine surgeon is if the patients are carrying so much weight, and it's not properly stationed and equally distributed across their back and their shoulders," said Dr. Jocelyn Idema, a spine surgeon with the Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics in Frederick, where she frequently treats children complaining of neck and back pains.

Kids and parents both may gravitate toward cool, stylish backpacks in their back-to-school shopping, Idema said, but "they are not really functional. We really need backpacks that look more like a hiking backpack: They have a chest strap in addition to the shoulder straps, and they have a waist strap, so they can evenly distributed all of the weight."

Carroll County takes advantage of tax-free week with back-to-school shopping
Carroll County takes advantage of tax-free week with back-to-school shopping

It is recommended that students carry no more than 10 percent of their body weight in a backpack, Idema said, and that the heaviest objects be centered in the middle of the bag. Bags should also be worn as high as possible, rather than dragging around the buttocks, she said.

Beyond selecting a backpack with proper supports and not overloading it with materials, Idema said it is important for parents to discuss the topic with their children.

"The biggest problem, even with the backpacks that have all those straps, is compliance," she said. "The kids are just going to throw it over one shoulder and off they go. That's going to put a lot of weight on one side as opposed to both sides of the back."

In the case where a child develops a problem, a recurring neck or back strain for instance, Idema recommends seeing a doctor and getting a note to take to the school in order to request an accommodation.

"I do write those types of notes: 'Please allow the child extra time between classes to utilize their locker more efficiently'; 'Is there a way to obtain, at least for a short period of time, books for the home and books for the class so the patient is not dragging them back and forth to every class?' " she said.

While thinking of the health of student's backs, parents should also consider the health of their stomachs, according to Carroll Hospital Community Nutrition Educator Melanie Berdyck.

"Make sure healthy heating is a family endeavor," she said. "Go to the store together, pick out a different food each week. It's fun for kids to try a new food or veggie each time they go to the store to expand their horizon."

Making sure to pack lunches with nutrient dense food will give kids the fuel they need to get through the school day, Berdyck said, and some simple substitutions to certain classics can make them a whole lot healthier.

"Peanut butter and jelly is just fine, depending on if the school allows you to have peanut butter, but try going from white bread to a whole grain bread or whole grain pita," she said. "People even use apple butter or some different variations of that. One little change could actually create a whole new lunch."

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