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Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists (ONS), the leading provider of multi-specialty orthopedic and neurosurgery services in Connecticut and Westchester, announced today a growth capital investment from Kohlberg & Company, L.L.C. (“Kohlberg”), a leading private equity firm headquartered in New York. Kohlberg is partnering with ONS to continue expanding its extensive offering of clinical care capabilities and ancillary services while serving a broader base of patients in the Tri-State area.

ONS, headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, is a multi-specialty physician group with three locations in Greenwich, Stamford, and Harrison. The Company’s clinical offering covers a wide range of sub-specialties including orthopedic, sports medicine, joint replacement, neurosurgery, physiatry and ancillary services such as physical therapy and MRI. ONS partners operate an ambulatory surgery center and an urgent care center, providing the highest quality of care through a full continuum of care.

Seth Miller, MD, Co-Founder and Executive Committee member of ONS, remarked, “We are incredibly excited to partner with Kohlberg and to pursue the next chapter of the Company’s growth. Kohlberg brings extensive industry experience and financial resources with a proven track record of investing in leading healthcare services companies.” Mark Camel, MD, Co-Founder and Executive Committee member of ONS, stated, “We believe Kohlberg will be the ideal partner to help implement our plans for strategic growth and to expand our clinical model to better serve our patients today and going forward.”

“ONS is a clear market leader in orthopedic services with an unparalleled reputation for providing best-in-class patient care and delivering industry-leading clinical outcomes,” commented Robert A. Cucuel, Operating Partner of Kohlberg. “We are thrilled to partner with ONS, and we look forward to supporting ONS’ continued expansion as well as their unwavering commitment to delivering the highest-quality patient care.”

About Kohlberg & Company, L.L.C.

Kohlberg & Company, LLC (“Kohlberg”) is a leading private equity firm headquartered in Mount Kisco, New York. Since its inception in 1987, Kohlberg has organized eight private equity funds, through which it has raised over $7.5 billion of committed equity capital. Over its 32-year history, Kohlberg has completed 76 platform investments and nearly 200 add-on acquisitions, with an aggregate transaction value of over $15 billion.

For more information visit: www.kohlberg.com.

CRIPPLING KNEE ARTHRITIS AT A YOUNG AGE. 

No one expects the pain of arthritis to affect a thirty-something adult, but that’s what Westchester middle school teacher, Mallory Chinn, was faced with.  For 5 years, Mallory tried every non-operative treatment available to ease the worsening pain in her knees. Some treatments would work for a while. Others did not work at all. By the time Mallory turned 40, her pain was debilitating. She had trouble walking and climbing stairs, and missed out on family activities such as bike rides and hikes in the woods.

“I was pretty much immobilized,” recalled Mallory, now 43.  The defining moment came one day when her youngest child, then 7 years old, ran ahead of her.  “When I tried to chase up the hill after him, I was stopped in my tracks by an excruciating stab in my knee.  I thought ‘this is ridiculous. How can I be so young and not mobile?”

By this time, Mallory’s arthritis was severe, often referred to as bone-on-bone. She looked ahead to the life she wanted to have going forward and it didn’t include constant pain and physical limitations.

“I wanted to be able to live an active life and keep up with my kids, so I decided to go for it,” she said of her decision to undergo a double knee replacement procedure.

ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MALLORY: DOUBLE KNEE REPLACEMENT

On August 11, 2017, Dr. Demetris Delos of ONS performed the surgery at Greenwich Hospital. The procedure went according to plan. However, as anyone who has recovered from a knee replacement can attest, the road to recovery is a slow, challenging process that requires months of rehabilitation.

Following surgery, Mallory recuperated for a few weeks at an in-patient rehabilitation facility.  Upon release, she went to a number of local physical therapy centers to continue her rehab program. Time after time, she was disappointed by the therapists’ indifference to her concerns and pain. As soon as Mallory learned that ONS had a state-of-the-art physical therapy center at the Harrison office, she made an appointment. At ONS, she found the physical therapists were kind and highly-skilled at helping joint replacement patients get moving again.

THE ONS ADVANTAGE

“Everyone made it a happy, safe place to heal. I actually looked forward to going to therapy because it felt like I was a part of a big family,” she said. Mallory praised the therapists and PT Techs and the integrated care she received.  Once when there was a concern about one of her wounds, the therapist, Robert Spatz, PT, reached out to Dr. Delos and received a reply within a minute.

“Dr. Delos and the Physician Assistants were always there if I had questions or needed a prescription refill.  Whenever Dr. Delos was at the Harrison office, he always came over to PT to see how I was doing,” she said.  When it came time to come off the narcotics, Dr. Alex Levchenko, an ONS physiatrist, introduced Mallory to alternative pain management strategies.  “I didn’t even know ONS had doctors that could do that,” she said.

Mallory was particularly impressed by the amount of time Spatz, who is also the director of PT at that office, spent working with her.

“In other places, I’d see the therapist for a minute and then I’d be handed over to a tech for the rest of the hour.  Robert always gave me a big chunk of his time,” she said.  “He was respectful of my tolerance and goals. He went out of his way to educate me about each step of the recovery process.”

Mallory went to PT three times a week until she “graduated” in December of that year. She was strong and stable enough to continue her strengthening using a tailor-made workout she could do at the gym.

REGAINING INDEPENDENCE WITH NEW KNEES

Since then, Mallory has fully reclaimed mobility in her life and enjoys activities with her friends and family.  She has hiked in the mountains of Colorado, and can spend an entire day walking around New York City.  At a summer camp last year, Mallory led a group of 30 girls through a physically challenging Ninja Race course.  In May, Mallory picked up a jump rope during her school’s Wellness Week, and got hopping.  “I wasn’t the bounciest person out there, but I could never have done it before my knee replacements.”

Although Mallory is completely recovered, she has had occasions to visit ONS.  She brought her husband to the Harrison office when he needed treatment for back pain. She was back again when her daughter sustained an athletic injury. Each time, she has been welcomed with the same kindness she first experienced during her time there. “I tell everyone that ONS is the best.  I’ve sent family members and friends there. I wouldn’t even think of going anywhere else,” she said.

Take your first step toward an active life.   Schedule an appointment online with an ONS total joint replacement specialist or call 203-869-1145.

By Katherine Vadasdi, MD, director of the ONS Women’s Sports Medicine Center

WHAT IS THE FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD SYNDROME?

It is well known the students of all ages benefit from sports and exercise. However, when girls and young women become too intense with training and overly restrictive with their diet, their health may be at serious risk.

Relative energy deficiency syndrome (RED-S), more commonly known as Female Athlete Triad Syndrome, occurs from a gross imbalance between the nutritional needs of a maturing female body and the amount of energy that is expended during sports or exercise.  Triad refers to three resulting conditions: disordered eating, amenorrhea, or the cessation of menstruation, and osteoporosis.

Many girls who develop this disorder try to lose or maintain a low body weight to improve their athletic performance.  Sadly, the opposite is more likely to happen.  Athletes with RED-S become more easily fatigued and their concentration is diminished.  If a girl doesn’t have enough fat on her body,  the muscles will be starved to supply energy to the body, making them weaker.

At a time in life when girls should be building bone mass that will support them throughout life, girls with RED-S have lower levels of estrogen. When combined with poor nutrition,  her bones to become thin and possibly deformed. Girls with early onset osteoporosis are more vulnerable to season-ending stress fractures, broken bones and other injuries. Internal organs, including the heart, also suffer.

Intense exercise and caloric restriction can decrease the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. This may compromise her reproductive system later in life.

Schedule an appointment with an ONS women’s sport medicine specialist or call (203) 869-1145

WHO IS AT GREATEST RISK? 

The girls at greatest risk for developing RED-S tend to participate in sports that classify athletes by weight, or those where there is a perceived advantage in appearing thin. Low self-esteem, a tendency toward perfectionism, and stress from school, peers or at home are compounding risk factors.

TREATMENT IS A TEAM EFFORT 

Because RED-S has physical and psychological factors, the most effective treatment is a team effort among doctors, coaches parents, nutritionists and professional counselors.

If you suspect someone you know is at risk for female athlete triad syndrome, it is important for her to see a sports medicine specialist who can recognize the signs of the disorder.  Left untreated, the toll on her body will have lasting effects that in extreme cases, can lead to death.

Girls can be protected from developing this serious condition if they are empowered to set realistic expectations for themselves. Moreover, they need to be educated about the healthy nutritional and hydration requirements for their level of daily activity. They should also understand the importance of sleep and rest to allow the body to recover. Stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga or other calming activities will help them build healthy coping skills that will be useful for a lifetime.

Schedule an appointment with an ONS women’s sport medicine specialist or call (203) 869-1145

Following last month’s successful launch of ONS Urgent Ortho Care (OUOC) during business hours at the ONS Harrison, NY office, ONS has introduced walk-in, daytime hours for emergency musculoskeletal treatments at its offices in Stamford, CT at 5 High Ridge Road, 3rd floor. ONS is in network with all major insurances.

IMMEDIATE ORTHOPEDIC CARE DURING THE DAY

As with OUOC in Harrison, Stamford area residents now have a fast, cost-effective and convenient alternative to the long waits and expense that can accompany a trip to a hospital emergency department for treatment of sprains, fractures or other musculoskeletal injuries. 

During the hours of 8:00 am through 5:00 pm, patients with injuries to a bone, joint, ligament, muscle or nerve can receive immediate treatment from the region’s leading orthopedic and spine professionals in Stamford.

According to ONS President, Seth Miller, MD, the addition of the daytime ONS Urgent Ortho Care services in Stamford now provides residents in and around Stamford with convenient access to emergency orthopedic care, day and night.

“We have found that patients prefer the high standard of specialized orthopedic care that ONS delivers, where and when they need it most,” said Dr. Miller.  

AFTER HOURS, WALK-IN ORTHO CARE IN GREENWICH

After hours, walk-in care has been available at ONS Greenwich, 6 Greenwich Office Park, for nearly one year. In Greenwich, no appointment is necessary from Monday through Friday from 5:00 – 8: 00 pm and from 12:00 through 4:00 pm on Saturdays. 

8:00 am – 5:00 pm WALK-IN EMERGENCY CARE FOR SPRAINS, FRACTURES AND OTHER INJURIES

Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists (ONS) has launched walk-in emergency orthopedic services during weekday business hours at its office at 500 Mamaroneck Avenue in Harrison, NY.  No appointment is necessary.

FAST. CONVENIENT. COST EFFECTIVE. SPECIALTY URGENT CARE. 

ONS Ortho Urgent Care provides patients with a fast, cost effective and convenient alternative to hospital emergency room visits in the event of a sudden, acute musculoskeletal injury.  During the hours of 8:00 am through 5:00 pm, patients with injuries to a bone, joint, ligament, muscle or nerve can receive immediate treatment from the region’s leading orthopedic and spine professionals. ONS is in network with all major insurances.

ORTHOPEDIC URGENT CARE WHERE AND WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST 

By offering daytime hours to emergency patients, ONS is expanding on the success of the after hours. Further, walk-in urgent orthopedic care that has been available at the ONS office in Greenwich at 6 Greenwich Office Park in Greenwich since June 2018. ONS Urgent Care in Greenwich is available from Monday through Friday from 5:00 – 8: 00 pm and from 12:00 through 4:00 pm on Saturdays. 

According to ONS President, Seth Miller, MD, the introduction of the daytime ONS Urgent Ortho Care services in Harrison provides patients with the convenience of emergency care options, day and night.

“Accidents can happen to anyone at any time,” said Dr. Miller, “With ONS Urgent Ortho Care available during the day in Harrison and after hours in Greenwich, ONS is continuing its mission to provide patients with convenient, specialty care where and when they need it most.”

It has become well known that an active lifestyle plays an important role in a person’s health and well-being.  But is one physical activity more beneficial than another? A group of Danish  researchers conducted a study to find out. The answer was yes.

The study was based on 25 years of data collected from 8,577 participants in the Copenhagen City Heart Study, sponsored by the Danish Heart Foundation.  Among the study group, 12 percent reported a sedentary lifestyle with no physical activity, while 66 percent participated in at least one type of physical activity.

When compared to the sedentary group, sports that were associated with the greatest gains in life expectancy involved interval bursts of exercise. It engaged large muscle groups along with full body movements, according to study author and cardiologist Peter Schnohr, MD, DMSc of Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen. Dr. Schnohr and six co-authors published the report in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Activities associated with the longest life expectancy were racket sports. On average tennis players lived 9.7 years longer than the sedentary group and badminton players gained 6.2 years. Following was soccer (4.7 years), cycling (3.7 years), swimming (3.4 years), jogging (3.2 years), strength and toning or calisthenics (3.1 years) and health club activities (1.5 years.)

Interestingly, length of time engaged in an activity didn’t increase life expectancy.  For example, people who used gym equipment like treadmills, stair climbers and stationary bikes had the shortest lifespan benefit even though they worked out an average of 2.5 hours per week. In contrast, tennis players who played an average 1.7 hours per week had the greatest gains.  Moreover, sports that involved social interaction, whether team sports or sports with partners and opponents, were associated with the greatest improvements in longevity. However, because this is an observational study, the authors caution that the relationship between certain sports and longevity warrants further investigation.  People who don’t play tennis or badminton shouldn’t lost heart, though.  Noted Sports ONS Medicine Specialist, Dr. Marc Kowalsky, “The best exercise is the one you actually do.”

If you’ve ever experienced a long wait in an emergency department when you’ve suffered a sudden sprain or broken bone, you will appreciate the new orthopedic urgent care service that ONS launched on Monday, June 18.

ONS Urgent Ortho Care offers after-hours emergency orthopedic care at the ONS Greenwich office at 6 Greenwich Office Park, between the hours of 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday and Saturday from 12 – 4:00 pm.  No appointment is necessary.

“Orthopedic injuries can happen to anyone at any time,” said Seth Miller, MD, president of ONS. “ONS Urgent Ortho Care gives patients a fast, convenient and less costly alternative to a visit to an emergency room.  Patients can walk in and be seen right away by a professional orthopedic team who are trained to deliver state-of-the-art-care for musculoskeletal injuries.”   Studies show that sprains and fractures rank among the top ten reasons for a visit to an emergency department.

“ONS Urgent Ortho Care is a continuation of our mission to provide our surrounding communities with the highest standard of specialized orthopedic and spine care,” Dr. Miller said.  ONS is in network with all major insurances.

Further, ONS currently offers same day appointments during business hours for patients who experience a sudden, acute musculoskeletal injury between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.  Patients can request same day appointments by calling 203-869-1145.

With 25 sub-specialty trained physicians in orthopedics, neurosurgery, sports medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation, ONS has been the one of the most comprehensive and advanced practice of its kind in the region for more than 20 years. ONS has offices in Greenwich and Stamford, CT and Harrison, NY which offer a state-of the-art medical facility, onsite physical therapy centers, digital x-ray and MRI.  Note: ONS Urgent Ortho Care is currently available at the Greenwich office only.

When Greenwich High School senior, Alex Mozian, accepts his diploma in June, he will be celebrating the culmination of a remarkable year as Greenwich High School’s hockey star.  After leading the Cardinals to the finals of the state championship, the 18-year senior was awarded team MVP as well as the Division 1 MVP and 1^st Team All State by the CT State Hockey Coaches Association, among many other honors.  What’s even more impressive about the young athlete’s accomplishments during his final year on the ice as a Cardinal is the fact that he was sidelined during his junior year for the entire season after sustaining consecutive injuries, any one of which could have ended his career.

“Before the injuries, Alex was getting noticed by college scouts.  He was also selected for the USA hockey regional showcase camp, where college recruiters check out the talent,” explained Joe Mozian, Alex’s father. “Junior year should have been his year.”

Instead, Alex faced the daunting task of recovering and rebuilding his strength to get back on the ice as quickly as he could, working with a team of ONS specialists and physical therapists to help get him there.

Alex’s troubles began in December, 2016, when the skate of an opposing player lacerated Alex’s lower right leg.  Alex collapsed on the ice and was taken to the nearest hospital emergency department where the injury was stitched up. Once at home, the pain and swelling increased hourly. It became apparent to parents and player that something more serious had occurred.  Alex was able to see ONS foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon, Sean Peden, MD, the next morning.

Based on the nature of the cut and Alex’s inability to lift up his leg, Dr. Peden determined that a critical tendon had ruptured – the anterior tibial tendon. This tendon is responsible for lifting the foot during activities. A prompt MRI was obtained which confirmed the diagnosis.

“The tendon was completely severed and had retracted, meaning the cut edges had separated from each other significantly,” said Dr. Peden. Knowing how important return to play was to Alex, Dr. Peden performed a procedure that would allow him to maintain strength as much as possible to support a quicker recovery. He was in a cast for just 2 weeks.

Alex showed the same determination off the ice as he so regularly did on the ice.  When he wasn’t working on post-surgical rehabilitation with his ONS physical therapist, Courtney Kirellis, to regain strength and mobility in his lower leg, Alex focused on building his upper body and core strength.

Remarkably, Alex was back on the ice by mid-March, and scored a hat trick and an assist at his first game in April, which was a national championship game.  The family’s excitement was short lived, however. During his third game back, Alex suffered a knee-on-knee collision with an opponent that resulted in a lateral meniscus tear to his left knee.  Once again, the Mozian family turned to ONS.

“After the fantastic experience we had with Alex’s first surgery, Alex insisted that he wanted to go back to ONS,” said Joe. “We had every confidence he would get the best care there.”

“Everyone at ONS made me feel like I was their most important patient.  I felt like they were working with me so I could achieve my goals,” Alex explained.

Sports medicine physician and knee specialist, Dr. Katherine Vadasdi, surgically repaired the injury.  The procedure went without a hitch, but Alex was in for the long haul with physical therapy rehabilitation. Not only did he miss the rest of the Nationals tournament, he had to sit out the US hockey showcase, and all the spring and summer showcase tournaments for colleges.

Understandably, the second injury took an emotional toll on the young athlete, as he watched his peers get accepted to college teams. But with Courtney’s help, Alex regained his strength and determination to stay active and ready to play. On his own, Alex lifted weights in his basement and practiced shooting 100 pucks a day while standing on one leg – the leg Dr. Peden had repaired.

“Alex was an ideal patient,” said Dr. Vadasdi, “He did everything in his power to stay strong and positive throughout a tough healing process.

Alex was cleared to skate in August, and when the school year began that fall, he was ready to reach out to recruiters.  Then, the unthinkable happened.  A freak collision with an opponent brought Alex crashing to the ice with the hockey stick still in his hand.  The injury?  A broken scaphoid bone in his right wrist, a particularly difficult bone to repair.  While most upper extremity fractures take about 6 weeks to heal, scaphoid fractures typically take at least 12 weeks and sometimes as long as 6 months to heal.

This time Alex trusted the skilled hands of ONS’s Dr. Mark Vitale, an award-winning hand and wrist surgeon. Dr. Vitale understood how desperately Alex wanted to get back on the ice, and surgically inserted a tiny compression screw to stimulate healing.

“The surgery was personalized to Alex to allow for early range of motion and durable protection to the bone in the earlier healing periods, which is much more important to a high level athlete looking for rapid return to play,” explained Dr. Vitale.

Alex returned to the ice in October stronger and better than ever, scoring a season high 60 goals and assists to lead the Greenwich Cardinals to the state finals for the first time since 2014. And while Alex is sad to leave behind his Cardinals teammates when he graduates in June, his career will continue. Alex’s story and his post-surgical successes of the past season caught the attention of a number of coaches from elite prep schools. As a result he will pursue a post-graduate year at The Hotchkiss School, starting in the fall and his dream of playing NCAA hockey still alive.