Entries by John Papilion, MD

Does chronic shoulder pain mean it’s time for a shoulder replacement?

If recurrent shoulder pain is interfering with your daily life, it may not mean that you need a Shoulder Replacement but you may benefit from being seen by an orthopedic shoulder specialist.  Because shoulder pain can have multiple causes, your physician should include a complete medical and personal history in evaluating your shoulder concerns. Causes […]

Avoid the Most Common Skiing Knee Injuries When Hitting the Slopes

It’s time to hit the slopes! Crested Butte has gotten 112 inches of snow in January alone, and most of Summit county has at least a 60-inch base. But with all that fresh powder, it’s easy to get bogged down in a turn or just plain worn out. Common skiing knee injuries happen when people […]

Shouldering the Load: Relieving Shoulder Pain is Easier than You Think

Did you know that the shoulder is the body’s most flexible joint? Despite it’s amazing ability to rotate in almost every direction, we rarely appreciate the shoulder’s hard-working, universal role until pain disrupts your normal routine. Fortunately, finding and relieving shoulder pain is often easier that you might think. Our team always starts with non-surgical […]

Time to Shovel Again! 4 Tips to Protect Your Spine and Joints

  Keep your arms close to your body and use your core for strength and stability. Make small scoops, especially with heavy, wet snow. Avoid throwing snow great distances. Instead, push the snow. Pace yourself. Shoveling is cardio and strength training rolled into one.

BE ACTIVE On-The-Job

This time of year, it’s easy to find reasons to become a couch potato. Cold temps, snow and cloudy days put a damper on even the most motivated among us. Thankfully here in Colorado we’ve had more than our share of mild and even warm days so far this month, and we’ve seen people everywhere […]