Blog Archive

Arthritis is a term that describes almost 100 different conditions that affect the joints. Each type of arthritis damages the joint space differently, leading to pain, stiffness, and sometimes disability. Although arthritis seems hopeless some days, there are many ways to manage the symptoms without surgery. A few lifestyle tips...

Injuries are an unfortunate part of life that happens most inopportunely. Whether you sprained your ankle stepping off the curb or broke your leg sliding into third, you need immediate treatment for your injury. Do you head to the nearest orthopedic walk-in clinic, or do you have to wait in...

Sleep is essential for a healthy life, but it’s sometimes difficult to get the rest you need when your hip aches all night. Unfortunately, the Arthritis Foundation reports that up to a third of adults in the United States can’t sleep because of hip or leg pain. Nobody should have...

The joints in the body are essential for movement, everyday activities, and sports — but they take a lot of force and wear throughout your life. One of the critical components of the joints is the rubbery tissue that protects the bones — cartilage. Cartilage is a tough type of...

Sometimes, shoulder pain creeps up on you unsuspectingly, causing days, weeks, or months of discomfort and disability. Whether your pain started after an injury or happens because of wear-and-tear, relief is crucial to prevent further complications. Physical therapy, medications, and ice or heat are helpful treatments for various forms of...

A hip replacement used to be a daunting and painful procedure that was scary for many people — until now. New technology allows doctors to perform a total hip replacement using minimally invasive techniques to speed up recovery and reduce discomfort. If you’re tired of dealing with arthritis and trouble...

Sprains, strains, and broken bones are orthopedic injuries that happen quickly but can leave you sidelined for weeks to months. After an injury, your head is probably spinning, and you're wondering what to do next. Fast and efficient treatment is the best way to prevent an orthopedic injury, but emergency...

The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is a crucial component in the knee joint. Along with the posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL, the ACL provides stability to the knee and allows it to move without rotating too much. An ACL tear is a prevalent injury among young athletes, but it...

Aches and pains happen, whether from an injury or simply as a part of aging. Your body takes on a lot of stress throughout your life, so it’s not surprising when you have painful knees or discomfort after a long day. However, is knee pain a definite part of your...

The body contains many joints that allow you to move around, and the hips are two of the most important. They stabilize the lower body and enable you to walk, climb stairs, and run. Over time, it’s common to have hip pain and discomfort from conditions like arthritis or normal...

Knee pain is a real drag, mainly when it affects your normal enjoyable activities. Rest, ice, and over-the-counter medications can help, but what if you're still in pain? A diagnostic arthroscopy is often the next step in knee pain treatment after trying various conservative measures. It’s a surgical procedure that...

The rotator cuff consists of four muscles that work together to keep the shoulder joint in the socket. The muscles come together as four essential tendons that cover the humeral head to provide stability and prevent dislocations. The other function of the rotator cuff is to attach the upper arm...

Sports injuries aren't uncommon; the National Safety Council reported 3.6 million sports and recreational activities in the US in 2022. Many people visit the emergency room after a sports injury, but these visits can be expensive and time-consuming. What if you could get specialized treatment for your sports injury without...

Women go through many things that men don’t; childbirth and menopause are just some of the few. However, women are also more susceptible to specific injuries, including their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). The ACL is a strong ligament in both knees that provides rotational stability and support to the knee...

Osteoarthritis is one of the main causes of chronic knee pain, leading to difficulty walking and doing everyday activities. However, knee pain has various causes, some of which are easier to treat than others. If you've tried conservative treatments with little to no relief or your pain is so bad...

Ankle sprains are prevalent, accounting for over two million injuries in the United States yearly. Of these injuries, over 70% of people have long-lasting effects on the affected ankle, including chronic instability. There are ways, however, to prevent chronic instability after a severe ankle sprain. Taking care of the sprain...

Severe hip pain severely inhibits your ability to perform everyday activities, including walking and getting dressed. If your life has changed due to pain in your hip, you should consider hip replacement surgery; but are you too young? If you’re struggling with hip pain, Dr. Brian Snow and Dr. Jon...

Hip pain can pop up anytime, especially when carrying a new baby's weight around. Being a new parent is especially trying on some regions of your body, including your back and hips. Before you end up with chronic hip pain, you must learn how to hold your baby correctly to...

Sports are an excellent way for your child to have fun, form friendships, and get regular exercise to stay healthy. Whether your child plays for their school or is involved in a traveling team, keeping them healthy and uninjured is a crucial aspect of their athletic career. If you're worried...

Your legs are vital to your body, allowing you to move around and enjoy activities like running and walking. Your knee joints, feet, and ankles are the brunt of your daily activities. One of the best things you can do for your legs and knees is to wear properly fitting...

Baseball is an excellent sport for people of all ages. It’s an enjoyable activity for your body, whether you’re a pitcher, catcher, or infielder. However, if you’re not careful, you could have a shoulder injury that keeps you on the bench. Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine team are experts in sports medicine and...

When you play sports, you’re at an increased risk for specific injuries, including sprains and tendon injuries. Many sports injuries heal with conservative measures, while others become chronic. After suffering an injury that doesn’t seem to get better, the team at Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine offers stem cell therapy...

Knee pain is a real drag that often leads to missing out on your normal activities. Sometimes, knee pain goes away on its own, while other types of pain stick around for the long haul. If you suffer a knee injury, you must get evaluated as soon as possible to...

Your shoulders contain several essential structures, including your rotator cuff. You could have shoulder pain if you injure any of these components or have a degenerative condition. Some shoulder pain goes away on its own, while other conditions stick around for a while. There are lifestyle tips you can use...

When your hip hurts, it affects every part of your day. Hip pain can be chronic or acute and come from an injury or disease process. If your pain keeps you from your everyday activities, it could be from a common problem — inflammation. Inflammation in your body causes various issues, including...

Joint pain can keep you away from your normal activity. If you’ve tried home treatments and still haven’t found relief, you may need a procedure known as arthroscopy. Arthroscopic joint surgery is a procedure that helps our team not only diagnose the problem in your joint but fix any issues that...

Living an active lifestyle means you’re going to get hurt at some point. However, thinking of sitting in a busy emergency room (ER) for a minor injury is painful. That’s why our state-of-the-art walk-in injury clinic is the place to be if you’re dealing with a minor issue. At Alpha Orthopedics and Sports...

Knee replacement surgery is often needed when your knee pain is so bad it interferes with your normal activities. If conservative treatments haven’t helped, a knee replacement eases pain in your joint and restores your mobility. The recovery process isn’t easy but it is vital to a good surgical outcome in...

Your anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is a vital component to your knee joint. When you’re active in sports or exercise, it’s a bigger risk that you’ll suffer an injury to your ACL. But this type of injury doesn’t always mean you have to have surgery to get back on the...

Hip pain is common as you get older, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. Pain comes and goes, but it’s especially aggravating when you’re trying to rest and your hip flares up. There are several culprits to hip pain, including osteoarthritis, that make it difficult to...

Physical therapy is often overlooked as a first-line treatment, because it may not offer immediate results. However, this form of treatment is necessary for many orthopedic problems, as it provides your body with the tools to become stronger and reduce injury in the future. There are a number of orthopedic...

If you have pain in your joint that hasn’t been relieved with conservative treatments, you may need a procedure called an arthroscopy. This procedure is a minimally invasive surgical technique that allows our doctors to see into your joint, and fix or diagnose any problems within.  At Alpha Orthopedics and...

Athletes young and old participate in sports not only as a way to stay in shape, but also to have fun and create friendships. These sports take a lot out of your body, between training and games, which can lead to different types of injury. Without the proper care, these...

When you find yourself down-and-out after an injury, it’s hard to know when you’ll be back on your feet. Depending on the severity of your injury, you could be sidelined for weeks to months. When you need to get quick relief and back into the daily grind, platelet-rich plasma (PRP)...

Your knees are a vital part of getting through each day, or enjoying exercise or sports. So when you injure your knee, it makes it hard to do your day-to-day tasks. And forget about the game — you’ll likely be out for weeks, especially with an ACL injury. But is...

Whether you’re playing a sport or you’re out for a run, injuries are bound to happen at some point. Getting hurt is never part of the plan, making it a time-consuming inconvenience when you need to get treatment. The emergency room (ER) may be your first thought, but that can...

There are a lot of different types of surgery available today, especially for orthopedic problems. While open surgery was the best option in the past, newer and less invasive options are now available. One of these types of surgeries is known as arthroscopic surgery. At Alpha Orthopedics and Sports Medicine,...

While it’s obvious that women and men are able to play the same sports, there is a difference in each sex’s risk of injury. Even the strongest and most elite female athlete is at risk for sports injuries; maybe even more than her male counterpart. Understanding common sports injuries in...

If you’re an active person, you’ve probably felt the discomfort of an achy knee. Sometimes, it’s simply an overuse injury, while other times, it’s something a little more severe. No matter what the cause, there are right things and wrong things to do when your knee is hurting. At Alpha...

It’s a fact that injuries happen; especially if you’re involved in sporting activities. Whether you’re a professional athlete or you just play sports with friends, an injury can really affect your game. If you’re dealing with a sports injury, a sports medicine specialist is your best option for a speedy...

At some point in your life, you’ll probably suffer an injury that’s completely unexpected. To get treatment, you have to go to the emergency room (ER), right? The truth is, there are many types of urgent care facilities out there that not only save you hours of your precious time,...

Pain is unfortunately something you’re going to experience during your life. This is especially true when referencing your joints, as they wear down with age. Your hips are one of the joints that suffer from breakdown, which eventually leads to debilitating pain. At Alpha Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, our team...

Joint pain is something you never want to have to deal with; however, when it becomes a problem that interferes with your life, it’s time to get help. There are many treatments out there, but if your joint problem is severe, you might benefit from joint replacement surgery. The upside...

Injuries can happen to you at the most inconvenient of times — and when pain strikes, you want to get relief as quickly as possible. There are a lot of different options out there to get your pain under control, but sometimes surgery is the only option that fully heals...

You use your shoulders more than you realize throughout the day; so when you suffer some kind of injury, the pain can knock you down pretty quick. Some injuries only involve a pulled muscle and should get better in a few days — but what if it doesn’t? If you’re...

Sports are a great way to pass the time, stay in shape, and have fun. However, sometimes injuries happen, especially knee injuries. If you’re an athlete and have suffered an injury to your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), effective treatment is essential to getting back on the field. At Alpha Orthopedics...

When you’re dealing with any kind of pain, even the simplest of tasks are difficult. That’s especially true when your elbow begins to cause you trouble, because you use your arms all day, every day for a variety of activities. But how do you know if the elbow pain is...

At some point in your life, you’ll likely experience some kind of injury — whether it be a broken bone or a ligament sprain. There are also degenerative diseases that can affect your bone and joints that can affect you as you get older. In any case, when conservative treatments...

Are joint problems completely ruining your life? If that’s the case, you need to find a treatment that works — and fast. Conservative treatments for joint pain may only get you so far, until the pain wins yet again. So what options do you have to get your active lifestyle...

Sports are a great way for you to keep in shape and enjoy time with friends. Living an active lifestyle has so many health benefits, and keeps your body young. However, with any activity, you can become injured if you're not careful. These injuries can keep you sidelined for weeks...

When pain strikes, it leaves you lost and looking for relief quickly. Shoulder pain is especially tricky, because you use your arm for so many activities throughout the day. But how do you know when that pain is just a nuisance or something more serious? At Alpha Orthopedics and Sports...

If you’re an athlete, you know that knee injuries, such as an ACL tear, can really sideline your game. However, did you know that ACL injuries don’t just happen to athletes? There are many myths that you might not be aware aren’t true about this kind of injury. At Alpha...

If you’re dealing with joint pain and stiffness, you’re no stranger to how it affects your everyday life. There are many conditions that can cause joint problems, but did you know that it might actually be a decrease in cartilage that’s causing problems? At Alpha Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, our...

Sports have long been a fantastic way to stay healthy while also bonding with friends. If you’ve ever been involved in any kind of sporting event, you know how intense and satisfying playing a game can be. You also know that injuries go hand in hand with any type of...

In the past, if you had an injury that required surgery, it was a big deal with an even bigger scar. However, with arthroscopic surgery, treatment of your orthopedic injuries is much easier and a lot less invasive. If you are in need of surgical treatment, the skilled surgeons at...

No matter what sport you’re involved in, any injury can immediately sideline you for the season. An ACL injury can put you on the sidelines, so knowing what to look for and how to prevent it can really be beneficial to you and your lifestyle. If you find yourself with...

Sports are a great way for you to stay in shape, have fun, and spend time with friends. However, if you aren’t careful, they can also lead to injuries and time on the bench. Don’t be discouraged though, because there are many things you can do to prevent injuries on...

Medicine has certainly come a long way over the years. If you are suffering from chronic pain and immobility due to injury or disease, there are new treatments available that use regenerative cell therapy to get your mobility back. This therapy uses stem cells to heal tissues and joints from...

When you have been suffering with chronic hip pain for a long time with minimal relief from conservative treatments, you may need a hip replacement. Learning all you can before surgery can make the experience less overwhelming. If you’ve had chronic hip pain or injuries that aren’t getting better, and...

Weight is an issue that plagues many people, and we all know that being overweight is not healthy, but one implication of your weight that you may not dwell on is how it affects your joints. It’s simple physics, really: The more weight pushes down on something, the more force...

Arthritis is sadly a very common type of chronic joint inflammation that will only increase as the population grows and ages. So if you suffer from arthritis, you’re far from alone. In the U.S. annually, nearly 55 million people develop some form of arthritis or other joint inflammation, and that...

Do your joints ache? Did you hurt yourself playing sports? The discomfort you experience may stem from a new or old injury that damaged a joint’s surrounding tendons or ligaments, sprained or strained some muscles, or you may have arthritis. In any case, you may experience relief from a PRP...

So, you need an excuse not to work out, take a walk, or otherwise stay physically active. It’s easy to shrug your shoulders and say, “I can’t. I have arthritis.” But the truth is, staying active is one of the best things you can do to help you deal with...

Would you trust your joints to a robot? Robotic-assisted surgery, especially joint replacement surgery, has ushered orthopedic surgery into a new era, but don’t worry. Medical doctors still make decisions in the operating room. The most common robotic-assisted joint replacement procedures are partial knee resurfacing and full knee and hip...

A rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that surround and stabilize the joint in your shoulder. Because a rotator cuff tear is generally the result of repetitive movement, it’s a fairly common injury.  At Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, your joint health is our top priority....

We use our hands every day, so it’s easy to take them for granted. But many of our everyday tasks put stress on our hands and wrists. Over time, this can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful condition that causes numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hands. The physicians...

According to the United States Bone and Joint Initiative, musculoskeletal disorders affect more than one out of every two people in the US age 18 and over, and nearly three out of four people age 65 and over. The musculoskeletal system provides support, posture and stability, permits movement, protects vital...

Arthritis Overview The knee is a large weight-bearing joint comprised of the femur (thigh bone), patella (kneecap), and tibia (shin bone), all of which are held together by ligaments and tendons. This joint is broken down into three compartments: lateral (outer), medial (middle), and patellofemoral (below the kneecap). Located on...

The MAKOplasty Total Hip Arthroplasty is a surgical procedure that uses the assistance of the RIO (Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic) system, which is a robotic arm that takes the patient’s data, creates a unique surgical plan, and assists the surgeon in accomplishing unparalleled precision before and during the procedure. Utilizing the MAKOplasty...

  Dr. Charles Toulson performed robotic hip and knee replacements with former professional athletes James Scott from the Chicago Bears and Mike Henneman from the Detroit Tigers. Hear what they thought about the experience for yourself! IT’S JUST AMAZING WHAT HE DID FOR ME. ALPHA ORTHOPEDICS CAN REALLY HELP YOU...

New Medical Director of Baylor Plano Joint Replacement Center Plano, Texas – Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano is proud to announce Charles Toulson, M.D., orthopedic surgeon, as medical director of the Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano Joint Replacement Center. Read more.

Living Magazine’s Best Of McKinney/Allen McKinney, Texas – Dr. Toulson was voted among Living Magazine’s Best Doctors In McKinney/Allen again this year. Congratulations to not only him, but the entire staff and team at Alpha Orthopedics that made this possible. You can read more about Dr. Toulson’s achievement in the official article!

McKinney, Texas – Dr. Toulson and Dr. Thompson were voted among D Magazines Best Doctors In Dallas again this year. Congratulations to not only both of them, but the entire staff and team at Alpha Orthopedics that made this possible. You can read more about Dr. Toulson and  Dr. Thompson as well as read the official...