Website development has become essential for all types of businesses to achieve their online marketing objectives. An experienced web development company in New York can design a website in line with each client’s business and needs.
The website is the face of your business to the world. It’s how people get to know the kind of business you are and the products and services you offer. It is important for search engine optimization (SEO) and an essential aspect of SEO link building services. Only if you have a well-optimized and user-friendly website can it appear in the search results when users search for relevant products and services in Google or the other search engines. For eCommerce businesses, their website is the main channel for transactions and revenue.
What It Takes to Develop a Website
Website development is carried out by companies offering website design services. Such companies have talented web designers who are experts in programming languages for web development. It takes a great deal of time, effort and resources to design a customized website for a business.
Web development is a continuous process involving many stages. A lot of coding and graphics skills are required to design a website and get it up and running, with all the specific features required by the business. Developers need to choose a programming language first and then the framework that is appropriate for the client’s requirements. You need a web server that is supportive enough to host your application.
Simple Tools Available for the Non-technical Minded
However, for the non-technical minded business heads, there are many tools out there for developing a website. All they need to do is select the template and design from the ones already available. They also allow for a certain level of customization. These tools can help design professional looking websites with many features.
More technical front end web development tools can streamline and simplify the development lifecycle, reducing the effort and simplifying the process a bit. So, what are some simple and more technical tools out there that can help you design a website for your business?
We have decided to present some of the most popular and reputed web development tools. The first three are more user-friendly and designed for those who aren’t too well versed in programming and web designing. We shall explain them in detail.
We then discuss more technical and developer-oriented tools. We won’t be explaining them in detail, rather just mentioning them, because developers can anyway delve into them and figure out what works better for them or their clients.
Now though, let’s start with the simplest tool that even someone without web development technical knowledge can use to design a website.
Wix.com is a popular web development platform used by various web development companies as well as businesses directly. It has a range of solutions and tools to create a website.
To start with, you can select a template and customize it. Wix also puts forward some questions which you can answer. Based on those customization questions, Wix can appropriately design a free website. It also enables you to add features accepting bookings online as well as adding an online store. You can also start your blog and keep adding features.
You also get a mobile-optimized version, which you can personalize with the Mobile Editor. Wix offers more than 500 customizable templates. You can choose from these templates and customize the template you select, or start right from the beginning. Scroll effects, animation and video backgrounds can all be added. Wix also helps you create web applications without a server and coding. You can get all your content managed from integrated databases and even add your code in the IDE that is built-in. The Wix Editor also provides you with design freedom.
From the simple, anyone-can-do-it website creator we move to the slightly more technical tool – Bootstrap.
Bootstrap
Bootstrap is dedicated to creating mobile-first websites. It features Sass variables, mix-ins, pre-built components, JavaScript plugins and a responsive grid system. It also supports JQuery and Sass, which are other web development tools. This makes the tool even more flexible and functional. Its user interface (UI) toolkit is quite extensive. As a result, it gives you access to various built-in elements. Though Bootstrap can be set up easily, an experienced developer can work faster and give you quite a functional website layout. Being fully customizable obviously gives you a lot to play with. Bootstrap also offers you many premium themes with their extended frameworks. They come with new plugins and components, strong build tools and documentation. Bootstrap also has a great SVG icon library that is open source – Bootstrap Icons.
Remember, we talked about the web development tool Sass. So let’s dive straight into it.
This is something you would want to consider if you’re looking for a CSS site with many designs and customization options for a more engaging user interface. Sass is a CSS professional grade extension language. Being compatible with all the CSS versions, developers can use any of the CSS libraries that are available. Sass compiles into the CSS codes and enables you to extend a CSS site’s functionality. Among the features that can be added are multilevel inheritances, nesting and variables. There are also advanced features offered such as autoformatted outputs, external libraries and control directives. From the user interface perspective, Sass provides many tools for customizing colors, fonts, etc on your website. Sass is also great for design sharing across projects and with the project as well. It scores high in smooth project management.
We have focused on more user-friendly tools. Now we move to tools that are more technical and developer oriented – the heavy duty ones. We will just mention them and their main features. Web developers can check them out directly.
AngularJS
This is a JavaScript MVW framework that reportedly works best for small, medium-sized and large businesses. Like the services described above, this is also free and also open source. It provides options such as localization, data binding, directives, deep linking and localization.
Web.com
This paid tool works best for small and medium-sized businesses. It is CSS compatible, is supported by FTP accounts, features unlimited MySQL databases, is supported by FTP accounts and offers automated restoration and backup of your site.
If you are a manufacturer and want to showcase your products through unforgettable user experiences, you would be interested in InVision Cloud. It features many great web design tools, one of which is the Element Library. It also offers various other design elements including navigation flows and a photography board. With its Prototype tool, developers can create animations and clickable elements for desktop as well as mobile apps.
For hardcore developers, this open-source software offers cross-platform editing for code, markup and prose. With multiple markups and programming languages, developers can almost customize anything as per their project needs. It provides quick navigation for symbols, lines, variables, and files as well as multiple keyboard shortcuts. All these features help inflexible and smooth application design.
Envato
This website development tool supports CSS, HTML and JavaScript. Various web frameworks are supported, with over 1000 HTML5 templates as well as components available for creating a graphical user interface. With multiple web frameworks supported, templates are provided for Bootstrap, Angular, Laravel and Vuejs. Optimized JavaScript and CSS coding techniques are also offered that can help improve your website’s page speed scores.
NPM
NPM refers to Node Package Manager. It works for JavaScript and enables NodeJS developers in discovering reusable code packages and assemble them in more powerful ways.
Let’s not forget WordPress. This is one of the most popular blogging platforms out there, with millions of free as well as paid users. Developed with PHP, WordPress not only provides the platform to host your website but also enables hosting on your server through MySQL or PHP.
Grunt
This JavaScript task manager is a backend web development tool written on NodeJS. It helps automate repetitive tasks in web development.
CodePen
This online tool provides the functionalities for designing front end development and sharing it. CodePen can help create the whole project. It has a customizable editor, and it enables dragging and dropping of images, JSON files, CSS, media files, SVGS, etc.
The most popular open-source relational database in the world is easy to learn, user-friendly and free. It’s an excellent choice for backend development. It can handle massive databases and support multiple users.
GitHub
This software development platform enables you to manage projects and review your code to get it tucked in your workflow. It offers integration with the tools you already use. You can deploy it as a cloud-hosted or a self-hosted solution.
Microsoft has created this free and open source code editor for use in Windows, Linux and macOS systems. It features smart functionalities such as code refactoring, code completion, embedded Git, syntax highlighting, etc.
As you can see, there is a wide variety of tools to meet web development goals. Some developers find certain tools more suitable than others. It depends on what the requirements of the business are. Professional web application development services can ensure secure, scalable solutions to meet the needs of various kinds of businesses.
Knowing what gets your visitors to engage with your content is a major skill that’s needed to survive online with organic search traffic. But how do you create a website development strategy? Let’s dive a bit into what website development strategies for small businesses are key to focus on to increase leads and sales.
Let’s start off with how many people use desktop vs mobile. Knowing this will help you get one step closer to achieving your site’s goals.
According to techjury, here are some results on desktop vs mobile consumption.
Over the course of a year, mobile users share increased by over 10%.
Mobile vs desktop usage stats in 2020 reveal 50% B2B inquiries are made on mobile.
Social media takes 25% of all digital media consumption and it is mainly accessed on mobile.
51% of the time spent online in the US is on mobile devices.
Mobile market share worldwide is 52.1% compared to the desktop market share of 44.2%.
40% of people search only on a smartphone.
More than half of all video views come from mobile devices.
Phone-based CPCs cost 24% less than desktop and have a 40% higher CTR.
Mobile apps have higher engagement rates than mobile-optimized websites or desktop web viewing.
With this info, it’s safe to say you can get a lot out of optimizing your mobile experience for your visitors. Doing so will bring you one step closer to achieving the best website development for small businesses of all kinds.
Here are 3 tips for optimizing your site for mobile users:
Figure out what key pieces of information your visitors will probably be looking for. To solve this, you can easily figure out what pages of your website your visitors are going to mostly, by visiting the behavior flow of your visitors.
To find your site’s Behavior Flow do this:
Step 1. In Google Analytics, open up the Behavior Flow underneath the Behavior section. Step 2. Now filter or segment your traffic based on the Source/Medium it’s coming through. For finding organic search visitors you will want to visit Google/Organic Step 3. Most of all of this site’s traffic above goes through the Starting pages as identified by the forward slash. Step 4. The next interaction is where people are going after leaving the first page of your site.
Again, you’ll notice that people commonly go visit other web pages or blog posts (in addition to the homepage).
What’s your mobile layout?
Here’s an opportunity to focus on what’s most important to your business. But before you push your agenda, focus on what your visitors are doing mostly. Use the behavior flow to get this done simply. Once you have your list of pages visitors go to, then you want to find out what pages will accomplish your current agenda.
After finding those pages, you’ll need to test them out to find your ideal pages to add to mobile-only.
Have a lead magnet
Ever got a reward that was better than what was freely given? Everyone’s been there. Imagine having that as a part of your freely offered content. Even if you don’t have pages showcasing tips, your sales page can do the same job.
Optimize your page or post with a reward. This reward will be used to gather interested leads and on the backend nurture them on relevant tips, upsells, and promotions you are offering. This trick will separate you from other small businesses. This can lead to your competition seeking your help to get a viable website development tactic for their small business.
Testing Your Browser Across Many Platforms
Now that you have optimized your mobile pages, you want to make sure that all the work you have done works across multiple platforms. The idea here is that the more browsers you test your pages out on, the more likely you are to increase engagement, sales, viewership and more. The final result would end up being visitors using a variety of browsers without issues.
Visit the following sites to learn more about testing out your pages on multiple browsers:
In today’s digital world, developing a medical website will increase your visibility to potential patients or healthcare consumers and help to grow your healthcare business. An experienced provider of medical website development solutions can develop a good website by applying the right strategies, drive organic traffic and help acquire patients. To build a strong relationship with your targeted audience you have to stay connected and provide timely and accurate answers for their queries.
Today, to find a good healthcare provider, people rely on the good reviews they find on the internet. So, providing a great user experience is crucial to gain more traffic and good reviews. For that, it is essential to make the necessary changes to your website. This will help you reach a wider audience and create awareness regarding the healthcare solutions you provide. So, there are some important reasons you must know about having a new website in 2020.
To Give a New Look to Your Website: Giving a new look to your website is a must if it is like two to three or more years old. Website design trends are changing and if you don’t move along with it, you would soon be outdated when compared to your competitors who have updated their website design. Giving your website a facelift by giving a thoughtful logo and adding suitable website elements could make your customers feel like you value their relationship by giving more importance to their experience while using your website. This would also give them an idea regarding what they can expect from you. Imagesource:https://napkinmarketing.com//app/uploads/2016/08/website-redesignrefurb-1600.jpg
To Add More Features: Your website complexity increases as your business grows; accordingly, you will need to add more features to enhance user experience. Growing your business means you are getting more visitors and customers to your website. To maintain that, make sure that your online presence is expanding and delivering them the best experience.You can add many new features if you don’t have them, some of them are:
Online Form Submission
Online Appointment Booking
Search Feature
Shopping Cart Integration
Social Media Integration
Live Chat
Google Map Integration for Location Tracking
Call to action
To Improve Speed: People live in a busy world and they expect fast results. Websites that are slow to load could create a bad-user experience. Also, users may spend less time on a slow-loading site and may not return. Speeding up the website will create happy users and more views. The speed of a page is a direct factor that can improve your rankings, because Google doesn’t like ranking websites that give bad experience to its users. In addition, search engines can crawl only fewer pages using their allocated crawl budget for pages having slow speed, and this could negatively affect your indexation.Some ways to improve your site speed:
Use Gzip, an application for File compression to reduce the size of CSS, HTML, JavaScript files that are larger than 150 bytes. Do not use this on image files
Reduce redirects
Improve response time from server
Optimize images
Minimize HTTP requests
To Improve Navigation: Poor navigation will badly affect your success. It affects traffic, rankings, user-friendliness and conversions. Some common navigation mistakes are non-standard style, using generic labels, adding too many items in your navigation etc. Consider some of the following to improve your navigation:
Consistent navigation from page to page
Make navigation elements as links not buttons
Use descriptive labels which means you can break down the general term “services” to more descriptive labels such as distribution services, digital services etc. This will help to communicate instantly with your customers
Make sure your search feature works Imagesource:https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/designing-web-navigation/9780596528102/httpatomoreillycomsourceoreillyimages27608.png.jpg
To Provide a Better Mobile User Experience: According to a report given in quoracreative.com, 80% of users used a mobile device to search the internet in 2019. By search engines, in the United States, 63% of Google’s visits and globally, 63% of Yahoo’s visits are through mobile devices. This shows that your website should be well optimized for mobile devices. ImageSource:https://developers.google.com/search/mobile-sites/imgs/mobile-seo/viewport.png
You Need to Add a Content Management System: To create many new customers, changes have to be made to your website and for that, content creation is essential. Having a content management system enables you to add and schedule content quickly on your website. They help you to build brand identity and online presence through this. It also enables non-technical users to easily publish content. A site that comes with new content consistently is one that stays at the top of customers’ minds.
You Need to Use Website Analytics: You must know how people are using your website. To improve your website, you have to understand some aspects of website analytics. They are:
Analyze the keywords that people use to find your services.
Analyze the bounce rate. That means, how many of your visitors leave your website without going to the second page.
Track where traffic is coming from.
Understand the search intent of your customer.
See where you are losing your customers
To Avoid Flash: Using flash in websites creates major potential performance problems with many of the devices. It is terrible for SEO and user experience and it doesn’t work for Apple mobile devices because it drains battery and eats memory. It also takes a long time to load. The company Adobe that makes Flash doesn’t even use it on their website. So, if your website is flash reliant then it is time to get a new website without it.
To Prioritize Security and Compliance: Security and compliance are crucial to avoid risk to customers, other businesses, and government websites. It can impact your SEO ranking very fast. You want to make sure that you are compliant with GDPR regulations.
It protects your business reputation.
Will keep your data secured.
Will protect you and your customers from malware.
Enhance your data management capabilities.
Developing a website is easy but developing a quality website takes time. A good website should have features such as user-friendly navigation, quality content, accurate contact information, quick response, call to action and more. Health-related searches are increasing, so you need an expert in medical website development to include all the factors needed for a responsive website and to provide valuable information quickly to your visitors, thereby increasing the chances of conversion.
Almost anything can be done online now, and this has opened up exciting opportunities for business promotion. If you run a hospital and want to make your services more widely available, consider digital marketing solutions for hospitals. You not only need a website, but you must keep it optimized for maximum reach. It is also important to understand how the website content affects your search engine ranking and work towards improving your organic search ranking. For any business to grow it has to be seen by the targeted audience; they need to see your promotions and know what you have to offer. Web development is the best way to make these things happen.
Here are some the elements that need to be incorporated into your website to increase traffic, conversion rate and revenue.
Keep it simple with a flat design: It is a common design and a standard principle that can be easily developed with custom software development. This makes the website easy to use and ensures quick browsing for any information.
Use navicons and hamburger menus: Today, users demand excellent user experience and quick response; hamburger menus and navicons ensure more usability to the website. Users appreciate it if they are able to access the menu on any page of the website. Hamburger menus provide an appealing layout for any site which is the reason why many businesses are going for this design.
Use large pictures on your homepage: To ensure that your home page is not cluttered with many distracting images, use large high resolution images that will fill the entire page. This will increase on site conversion rates.
Use the white space efficiently: Proper use of white space of a website helps the elements on a page to stand out well and it renders the text readable. So keeping the spaces of website open is essential to building a beautiful web design and it also makes the website look neat and minimalistic.
Unique typography is good: Most modern websites use unique typography to impress the audience and it also creates a good impression on the users. Choosing a typography that suits the business is essential, but do not use over complicated typography.
Good content: This is one of the most important elements of a website. Optimized content ensures that you are ranked better in SERP. Relevant content also attracts readers and improves traffic.
Visually attractive design is a must: Most people are visually oriented creatures and using the best graphics is a good way to make the site more appealing. Animation, scrolling text and intros may be used to make your website look better.
User-friendly website: No matter how informative the website is, it also needs to be user friendly. It is essential that the web development services you employ know the keys to making your site work on all the main browsers.
Easy accessibility of information: Most users need contact details and other essential data about the business. So make sure that your website provides easy access to any such essential information.
Branding: This is the direct reflection of the brand and the business. The visitor must make the visual connection immediately between the logo, print material and brick location.
Better interaction: A good website ensures that it engages users quickly and retains their attraction through every page. Good interaction will bring more leads and conversions, which is also the primary goal of a business website.
Building a website or redesigning your website is a difficult task. However, creating an innovative and responsive website provides countless opportunities for medical businesses and practices. A professional website design company providing digital marketing for hospitals utilizes all important components from alt tags to images to navigational menus and internal links in the best way to ensure you a well-optimized website.
Today everybody has access to the internet and finding healthcare information online has become a common practice.Users expect quick loading of the pertinent medical websites on their device so that they get quick answers to their questions. If the page loading is slow, then there is a high chance that they will leave your website and go in search of quicker-loading ones. According to a survey by Akamai and Gomez.com, around half of the web users expect a site to load in 2 seconds or less than that and they tend to leave if the website doesn’t load in 3 seconds. Therefore page speed optimization is an important medical SEO consideration.
Earlier, page speed factor was applicable only for desktop searches but Google has announced that page speed will be a crucial factor for mobile searches too from July. So, following are some good tips to optimize page speed for a better user experience.
Minimize image size: High resolution images take longer time to load on desktops and mobiles. Images can be edited using Photoshop or Tinypg.com, a free online service that automatically compresses images, and facilitates faster loading of website pages.
Limit render-blocking CSS and JavaScript files: CSS and JavaScript control how the website looks and how it functions and prevent the page from loading until all the CSS and JavaScript files have all finished loading. So these external files should be limited in order to increase page speed.
Compressing text: It is the process of minimizing the size of text-based files that the browser has to download. This will makes the page load faster. Gzip is a popular tool that can be used on HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Minification of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript: Minification is the process of removing all unnecessary characters from the source code without changing its functionality. Minification of HTML, CSS and JavaScript means analyzing and removing unnecessary text or data without changing how the browser displays the page. Eliminating code comments, unused code and shortening the name of functions helps to load faster.
Minimize server response time: If the page takes longer than 200 milliseconds to load, then reduce server response time. The slow response may be due to many reasons like routing, file libraries, bad application logic and slow database queries. So correct these issues to improve the page load time.
Ensure that your hosting provider offers a CDN (Content Displaynetwork): CDN is a large network of servers that stores page files so the nearest server delivers content to the end user quickly. CDN can store files such as graphics, video, downloadable objects, streaming media, scripts etc.
Prioritize ‘Above the Fold’: Above the Fold means the content visible on the upper half of a webpage without scrolling down the page. This portion should feature content that is most important for prospective patients. It also includes call to action for quick scheduling of appointment. Avoid plug-ins that slow down the loading time.
Choose a good and reliable website hosting platform: Choose a dedicated hosting platform that uses better hardware and the latest advanced technology to ensure a fast-loading website.
With so many websites available on the Internet, the competition between websites is huge. Optimizing page speed is an important factor in medical SEO and it helps to drive traffic, improve ranking and generate more leads. With the support of a professional healthcare digital marketing service, you can optimize page speed and increase your organic traffic.
Have you switched your website to HTTPS? If not, be prepared to have Google label your website as “Not Secure” when people view it in the Chrome web browser. A few months back, Google had warned website owners that beginning October 2017, web pages with forms or search boxes that run over HTTP will be marked as ‘not secure’ in Chrome. The “Not secure” warning will be shown in two additional situations as well: when users enter data on an HTTP page; and on all HTTP pages visited in Incognito mode. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is an internet communication protocol that protects the integrity and confidentiality of data transferred between the user’s computer and the site. When it comes to medical website development, this initiative can help to reassure patients that their confidential health and personal information is safe and will not be compromised.
Users expect a secure and private online experience when using a website. Google encourages website owners to adopt HTTPS in order to protect their users’ connection to their website, regardless of the content on the site.
Google’s warning is part of a long-term plan to mark all pages served over HTTP as “not secure”. The simple solution to avoid the warning is to migrate to HTTPS. Make sure to collect user input data only on pages served using HTTPS. As early as 2014 itself, Google had announced HTTPS as a ranking signal. As part of its long-term plan to mark all HTTP sites as non-secure, beginning in January 2017 (Chrome 56), Google had warned to mark HTTP pages that collect passwords or credit cards as non-secure.
According to Google, its HTTPS Everywhere initiative is aimed at promoting a safe and secure web by compelling webmasters to ensure that every web page is secure. Security of this kind is vital because:
All visitor web traffic will be encrypted, which makes it difficult for hackers and miscreants to determine which pages the visitors are viewing and what data is being transferred.
HTTPS makes it difficult for miscreants to impersonate or “spoof” websites or trick visitors into revealing their personal/confidential information.
This switch comes with other SEO improvements as well. If done properly, switching to HTTPS can:
Help your website with its SEO rankings
Provide better website security
Encourage Googlebot to re-crawl most of your URLs
Renew and improve SEO signals in the Google index
Google’s Fili Wiese recommends moving your website to HTTPS, only after completing an SEO audit and performing the recommendations of the audit and testing your infrastructure for HTTPS and HTTP/2.
Audit your embedded and iframed content, inventory, existing plugins, and the functionality of your website. Check and verify that tracking related to your marketing automation scripts, CRM integrations, EMR integrations and so on works perfectly.
Ensure that your sitemap entries point to HTTPS versions of your content. If this is not so, it could cause issues regarding how your content is indexed by search engines, and how it currently ranks. Also, proactively submit your new/updated sitemaps and RSS feeds to the search engines once you have switched to HTTPS and secured all pages of your site.
Check your canonical URLs. When you switch over to HTTPS and make all the web pages secure, your canonical URLs must also be updated to point to the HTTPS version of the page.
Add an HTTPS version of your site in Google Search Console, because Google considers HTTP and HTTPS versions of the website as two different sites.
Find out the experience with old browsers. You need to find out how many visitors access your website using web browsers that are no longer supported by their developers. You have to understand the experience they will have when your web pages are made secure. Sometimes, older browsers may have issues with websites using the latest technologies for protection.
Monitor your organic search performance in major search engines. Find out whether there has been any increase in 404 errors, and ensure that your most popular off-site backlinks continue to work and redirect users to the HTTPS version of your pages.
Certain best practices to consider while implementing HTTPS are:
Getting your certificate from a reliable certificate authority (CA) that offers technical support
Redirecting users as well as search engines to the HTTPS page with server-side 301 HTTP redirects
Verifying that your HTTPS pages can be crawled and indexed by Google
Using a web server that supports HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) and enabling HSTS
Making sure that the content on your HTTP site and your HTTPS is the same
If you are into a medical business, make sure to migrate your website from HTTP to HTTPS, preferably with the assistance of a professional healthcare digital marketing agency.
Summer Shootout Barrel Racing beckons all horse lovers to the Oklahoma City State Fair Park from the 19th to the 21st of August, 2011. The event will be held from 8 AM to 8 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the State Fair Arena and SuperBarn. It is sure to be a weekend of fun, and Oklahoma City is full of natural and urban attractions not least of which is the Bricktown entertainment district. Hotels at Bricktown offer you affordable hospitality, beckoning one and all.
Cost-effective but Unforgettable Hospitality
With the cost-effective packages offered by hotels in Bricktown, you can expect comprehensive features to make each day a memorable one, right from the creature comforts at the rooms to the 24-hour shuttle services that chauffeur you to your destination and also take you through the many must-visit attractions of the city. Here’s what you can expect:
Exquisitely comfortable mattresses
Free high speed wireless Internet
Complimentary breakfast
Stainless steel fridges & microwaves
Personal voicemail
Complimentary shuttle service
Business center
Iron & ironing boards
Coffee makers
Digital cable TV
Hair-dryers
Working desks with plug-ins
Extra pillows for comfort
Sensory & spa products
The rooms are exquisitely designed and the complimentary breakfast is sumptuous. Guess there’s nothing more you could ask for to have an unbelievably marvelous time at Oklahoma City.
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Loads of Fun at the OKC State Fair Park
The OKC State Fair is a hugely popular annual competition and entertainment extravaganza held at Oklahoma City every year at the State Fair Park. The 2011 OKC State Fair features live music, family-friendly and kids’ events, competitive events and lots more from the 15th to the 25th of September, 2011.
Non-stop Entertainment at the OKC State Fair
The Chesapeake Energy Stage features great entertainment with live bands, while Disney On Ice has entertainment for kids including the staging of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3 from the 15th to the 20th. You can experience the vibrancy of color during the 60th Annual Oklahoma State Fair Band Day as mid-high, junior and high school bands from around the state compete on September 19, 2011. Competitive events are conducted in the categories of Livestock/ FFA/ 4-H, Horse, Creative Arts, Wine Contest and Band Day Competition. There are plenty of other events taking place as well including a beauty contest, so please visit okstatefair.com for tickets (not all events require tickets) and more information.
Southern Hospitality Affordably
The hotels at Bricktown provide you with excellent hospitality to make any visit worth remembering and coming back to. Family-friendly Southern hospitality blends with world class service to offer guests a very memorable experience in an affordable manner. Enjoy features such as:
Exquisitely comfortable mattresses
Free high speed wireless Internet
Complimentary breakfast
Stainless steel fridges & microwaves
Personal voicemail
Complimentary shuttle service
Business center
Iron & ironing boards
Coffee makers
Digital cable TV
Hair-dryers
Working desks with plug-ins
Extra pillows for comfort
Sensory & spa products
With unforgettable hospitality and tons and fun, there’s nothing keeping you from checking out OKC.
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Oklahoma State Fair Is Waiting for You
From September 15 to 25, 2011 Oklahoma City will erupt with excitement and fun thanks to the Oklahoma State Fair. It is an annual event containing competitive and entertaining events at the OKC State Fair Park.
Great excitement in Store at Oklahoma State Fair
This year’s edition is no different, with competitive events in the Horse, Livestock/FFA/4-H, Wine Contest, Band Day Competition and Creative Arts classifications raising the competition fever. There are entertainment shows such as live music at the Chesapeake Energy Stage and the staging of the Disney Pixar Toy Story 3 from the 15th through the 20th of September. On the 19th, the 60th Annual Oklahoma State Fair Band Day will entertain with high school, mid-high and junior high school bands adding a splash of color. Many events are free while some have tickets. Visit okstatefair.com for more details.
More Than the State Fair to Entertain you – the Hospitality
It isn’t only the State Fair that will entertain you, but a host of other vibrant attractions Oklahoma City and its Bricktown entertainment district are known for. But you need affordable but fine hospitality to make your experience memorable. Hotels at Bricktown are known for their affordable but fine Southern hospitality. The experience is completed by comprehensive features such as:
Exquisitely comfortable mattresses
Free high speed wireless Internet
Complimentary breakfast
Stainless steel fridges & microwaves
Personal voicemail
Complimentary shuttle service
Business center
Iron & ironing boards
Coffee makers
Digital cable TV
Hair-dryers
Working desks with plug-ins
Extra pillows for comfort
Sensory & spa products
Oklahoma City beckons you to fun and more. And with great hospitality, you don’t need to think twice.
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Five New Strategies for Revenue Cycle Management
In the evolving healthcare landscape, hospitals and medical practices need new revenue cycle management (RCM) strategies. Choosing an experienced, technologically savvy medical billing service provider will ensure valuable support to optimize reimbursement. However, as the business of healthcare has become very complex, medical billing is no longer a simple administrative function. In a recent Beckers Hospital Review report, industry experts recommend specific new strategies to ensure that hospitals’ RCM efforts are focused and financially stable.
Tracking claim denial rate: Following up on claims and denials is a critical aspect to enhance revenue generation. The claims tracking process involves reviewing accounts receivable (AR) and measuring the average number of days it takes to collect the payments due to the healthcare provider, and identifying patterns in payment by insurance companies. Automating key revenue cycle workflows, finding more efficient ways to submit clean claims, and improving collection efforts,and focusing on the appeals process can reduce days in AR and boost cash flow. In fact, AR management is an important element of the RCM solutions provided by medical billing companies.
Review of chargemaster: Experts recommend that hospitals conduct a comprehensive review of their chargemaster and ensure price transparency for patients. This is an important requirement to prepare for the CMS’ price transparency rule coming into force Jan. 1, 2019. Under CMS’ annual Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule, hospitals need to publish a list of their standard charges online in order to help patients understand the cost of care and prepare for any out-of-pocket costs. CMS also requires providers to update that information every year. A recent report from the National Association of Healthcare Revenue Integrity, an expert recommends that hospitals take the following steps to prepare to post their chargesmaters online:
Review existing state hospital pricing and price transparency requirements
Review the chargemaster for consistent pricing
Inform all stakeholders about the new requirements, including IT personnel responsible for the online posting of the chargemaster
Fix a date for post the chargemaster
Create customer service scripts to deal with patients’ questions about the chargemaster and pricing
Price transparency is critical to boost patient satisfaction and collection of patient financial responsibility.
Reduce operating room delays and last-minute cancellations:Operating rooms are a very costly area of hospital operations.Depending upon the complexity of the procedure, last-minute cancellations or delays can prove very costly for hospitals. When planned surgical procedures are cancelled, it leads to considerable loss of revenue and waste of resources,and also results in significant psychological, social and financial consequences for patients and their families.Experts say that, to improve financial performance, hospitals should review their OR operations for avoidable costs and focus on minimizing cancellations and delays in procedures.
Strategies to improve OR operations include focusing on same-day cancellations, on-time procedure starts, equipment availability and parallel processing to increase efficiency.
Blocking OR time by the day rather than stints of hourly blocks
Adjusting block times based on the balance between under- and overutilization of the OR
Avoiding potential delays and gaps for missing equipment by assessing the risk of potential problems in advance
Avoiding tardiness in the OR by starting cases on time
Turnover time reductions:
However, as ORs differ considerably based on patient population, type of hospital and type of surgery and anesthesia, it is difficult to set universal benchmarks for all Ors.
Using online estimator tools to help patients understand their potential out-of-pocket costs: In an era of regulation, high-deductible plans and increased patient responsibility for bills, using a customer-friendly online estimator can ensure that patients get the information they want. Experian’s price-estimator tool, for instance, calculates patients’ out-of-pocket cost based on the hospital’s chargemaster price, its claims history for providing that service, its contract terms with the patient’s insurer, and the patient’s benefit structure and deductible status. It also estimates out-of-pocket costs for self-pay patient. Using a price estimator tool can boost patient satisfaction and attract more patients. Experts advise that when using the tool, hospitals should also post a disclaimer with standard charges, so patients know that the price list they are viewing may not indicate their actual out-of-pocket costs.
Include both clinical interactions and nonclinical interactions when considering net promoter scores: Net promoter scores reflect how likely patients are likely to recommend the organization to another person. Patient care involves both clinical and nonclinical support services. Even the best clinical services cannot be truly optimal without dedicated nonclinical and clinical-support staff.Experts recommend that hospitals include both clinical interactions and nonclinical interactions when considering net promoter scores. Healthcare providers need to use the same approach as retail businesses and tap into what the patient not only wants but also expects by examining how every nonclinical touchpoint is interacting with the patient. Net promotion scores will provide hospitals with a more accurate picture of patient satisfaction.
Medical billing is the core of healthcare RCM. The medical billing process is complex and difficult to manage, but with the right processes, proactive strategies, and the support of an experienced medical billing and coding company, providers canoptimize RCM and reduce days in accounts receivable.
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Thermo Scientific Indiko™ Plus Clinical and Specialty Chemistry System
A leading supplier of high-quality lab equipment, Block Scientific offers the Indiko™ Plus Clinical and Specialty Chemistry System from Thermo Scientific. This fully-automated random access benchtop system offers optimal operational excellence for clinical and specialty chemistry testing. A reliable, fully supported solution integrating analyzer, reagents and consumables, this system offers laboratories ease of use and time-saving automation to supports routine daily work. It is an ideal option for small and medium sized laboratories.
In addition to offering true operational reliability and walk-away convenience, this analyzer is self-contained with no need for external water or drainage connections, which makes it quick and easy to install.
Indiko™ Plus Analyzer – Reliable and User-friendly
The Indiko Plus is a flexible system with uncompromised level of performance. Three different sample racks are available for user convenience:
Two 9-position racks can be adjusted for different aspiration heights and used for 0.5 and 2.0 ml cups and 5, 7 or 10 ml tubes
The 18-position for non-barcoded 7 ml tubes can be used either for 0.5 and 2.0 ml cups or for non-barcoded 7 ml tubes
The system’s reagent disk can accommodate 42 reagents. Its unique, low-volume cuvette design guarantees small reagent volumes, minimal amount of reagent waste, and thus secure low reagent cost. As it enables users to work with disposable cuvettes, this analyzer helps lower the risk of contamination and shortens the time of analysis. The simple and clear user interface eases patient sample handling and also allows control of the reagent levels in real-time during work.
Key Features
Minimal maintenance, maximized analyzer uptime
Optimized, liquid system reagents
Automated clot detection
Built-in real-time QC program
Automated real-time monitoring of the reagent usage and expiry date
Ready-to-use, maintenance-free electrodes
Bi-directional LIS connection
Specifications
Operating Principle: Fully automated, sample oriented, random access analyzer
Capacity: photometric tests/hr: up to 350; ISE tests/hr: up to 135
On-board capacity: up to 108 sample positions and 42 reagent positions
Sample volume: 2 to 120μL
Reagent volume: 2 to 240μL (1 to 4 reagent additions/test)
Reaction volume: 120 to 300μL
Incubator: 9 x 10-position single-use cuvettes, totally 90 cuvette positions
Photometer: 12 filter positions
Absorbance range: 0 to 3.5A
Water consumption: 2.5L/hr.
Workstation: separate PC
Bi-directional LIS-connection
Power consumption: 300w
Dimensions (L x W x H): 27.6 x 37 x 24.4in. (70 x 94 x 62cm)
Weight: 242 lb. (110kg)
Block Scientific offers the Thermo Scientific Indiko Plus, NEW, including Installation, Training, Validation, 1 year warranty, and Shipping.
Contact Us
To place an order for the Thermo Scientific Indiko™ Plus Clinical and Specialty Chemistry System or to check out other chemistry analyzers we offer, visit our online store – http://www.blockscientificstore.com. To contact us, call 631-589-1118 or send an email to info@blockscientific.com.
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Food Service Products
Aluminum Foil Sandwich Wrap – Silver
The Silver Aluminum Foil Sandwich Wrap is made of exclusive foil/paper lamination to retain heat, absorb steam and resist curl. Its honeycomb design creates air pockets for superior heat retention. The moisture-absorbing paper layer helps to keep food fresh.
Product Features
Dimensions – 14 X 16
Excellent deadfold capability
Case: 1000
Case Weight – 16#
Blue Foil Sheets – 10.5 in. x 13 inch
The Blue Foil Sheets are foil insulated wraps that come with a honeycomb design for superior heat retention, moisture/grease resistance and holding times. Their superior dead-fold design helps to hold the shape of the wrapped food items. A moisture-absorbing paper layer helps to maintain the freshness of crispy breads and buns longer.
Product Features
Dimensions 10.5 in. x 13 inch
Case Pack – 4@500
Surpasses rigid clamshells in raw-material waste reduction and heat retention
D Vour Absorbent Powder
The D Vour Absorbent Powder absorbs and coagulates spilled liquids and bodily fluids, as well as eliminates all the repellent odors. D Vour deodorant powder, made of special polymer, ensures effective results in short time. When sprinkled lightly on liquid, the powder converts it into an odorless, semi-solid mass within seconds, enabling easy and fast clean-up. D Vour is the perfect choice for removing spills and unpleasant odors in restaurants, schools, healthcare facilities and grocery stores. Its quick absorbent formula sets spills of all free-flowing liquids, except oils and strong oxidizing materials such as acids.
Product Features
Volume: 16 oz.
Lemon fragrance
Absorbs spills 100 times its weight
Sets liquids and remove repulsive odors within seconds
Weight: 7
Pack: 6 cans per case
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Round Eye Supply
Conex Rolled Rim Graduated Medicine 1.25 oz. Clear Cup
Made of durable, crack-resistant polypropylene, Conex Rolled Rim Graduated Medicine cups are ideal for many diverse applications. These 1.25 oz. clear cups are suitable for dry and liquid medications, household, dining, and carryout applications. For dining, these Conex clear polypropylene cups can serve anything from small side dishes to salad dressing and whipped butter. For carryout, when coupled with a secure fitting clear lid, they safely transport side sauces such as ranch dressing, marinara, salsa, and more.
Features
Covers all market needs
Durable polypropylene construction
Polypropylene increases product visibility
Secure lid fit
Rolled rim
Lids Sold Separately
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Fresh, Fun Contemporary Area Rugs
Decorating with fresh, fun contemporary area rugs is a stylish and fantastic way to add a bright splash of color to the décor of any room. These area rugs can be the focal point of the room, giving the entire room an inviting, modern look.
Area Rugs in Contemporary Style to Fit Any Room Décor
From the vast selections of area rugs available in the market, you can select those that are perfect for your purpose. Nowadays, contemporary area rugs can easily and harmoniously fit into any room of your home, including doorways, bedrooms, family rooms, kid’s rooms and kitchens. Machine-made or hand-knotted museum pieces, big or small rugs, square or round rugs, discrete or fun rugs, you can find these in a variety of different styles and patterns for every walk of life – from the leading name brands you know and love. To brighten your kid’s room, you can find rugs detailed with bright, fun designs in attractive colors.
Fine Choice of Materials and Colors
A variety of rugs ranging from those made from traditional materials to multi-functional area rugs can be found in a variety of striking colors and at all price points. Wool, cotton, polypropylene, faux silk, and olefin are just a few of the materials that work well with striking and trendy contemporary touches. One can also avail of these in sizes such as 6’x 9′, 4’x 6′, 8’x 10′, 9’x12′, and 10’x14′. While making a choice, you have to take into account factors such as the size of the room, the feel you want to create, and more.
Purchasing online is considered the most cost-effective way to find high quality and durable contemporary area rugs. You will find hundreds of online vendors offering the finest quality area rugs in contemporary designs. Whether you need looped, shag, woven, or outdoor rugs – all can be purchased online in just a few minutes.
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Floral Area Rugs - Add a Warm Welcome
Use floral area rugs to add a warm welcome to your home or office space. It is a good choice for those who want to beautify their homes in a creative and cost-effective manner. By decorating with floral area rugs, you can bring the beauty of nature into your home.
Wide Selections, Great Choices
Apart from protecting high-traffic areas like hallways or sitting areas, these are sure to bring a touch of elegance to your interiors in entryways, guest room, dining room, bed room, kitchen, or any other place where you would like to add brightness and charm. In today’s market, floral area rugs in all modes, from traditional to modern in a variety of sizes ranging from small sized 4’x 6′ to large to 10’x 14′ and every size in-between. These also come in a variety of styles, designs, shapes, and vivid colors to liven up a household.
Online floor covering stores offer a wide variety of new and striking floral rugs in fresh patterns and designs, including begonia, cala lily, orchid, sunflower, tulip, and more. Machine-made rugs, hand-knotted museum pieces, big or small rugs, and square or round floral rugs from leading brand names are available in the stores. Area rugs in floral designs made from polypropylene, silk, or wool can be purchased.
Floral Rug Options
As it can list the prices, styles, and sizes of branded collections, online shopping is considered the best and cost-effective way to shop for these products. Most of the online vendors who are engaged in providing exceptionally beautiful rugs, offer a fine line of floral area rugs that are chosen to complement any decor.
Always take your time when making a choice. A good dealer can provide customers with a great selection of floral rugs, superior product knowledge, excellent service and expert installation – all at reasonable rates.
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Medical Coding for Skin Biopsies - Use the Correct CPT Codes
Biopsies are used to obtain a sample of your tissue or cells for diagnostic histopathologic examination performed independently or unrelated/distinct from other procedures/services. The removal of tissue or cells for analysis is called a biopsy. A skin biopsy is a procedure in which a physician cuts and removes small samples of skin or cells from the surface of your body to get it tested. The sample obtained from a skin biopsy is further examined to diagnose certain skin conditions such as skin tumors, infections and other types of growth or skin conditions. A biopsy of a lesion of the skin can help physicians report the difference between a skin cancer and a benign or noncancerous lesion. The skin sample obtained during a biopsy is further sent for laboratory analysis under a microscope.Dermatology medical coding involves several difficult aspects for coders to memorize unique termsrelated to sizing wounds and lesions. As skin procedure codes take into account the type of removal, the size and location of the lesion (such as length, depth, width, and circumference), the provider’s intent and pathologic results, documenting the service and selecting the right medical codes can be confusing. Outsourcing the task to a reliable and experienced medical billing and coding company is a feasible strategy that helps physicians simplify their documentation process. Coders must be familiar with terminology related to benign and malignant masses along with actions such as shaving, destruction, and performing biopsies.
Why Is a Skin Lesion Biopsy Done?
Generally, a skin biopsy is performed to determine the cause of a growth, sore or rash and could include –
Skin cancer including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma
Rashes or blistering skin conditions
Pre-cancerous cells
Non-cancerous growths
Chronic bacterial or fungal skin infection
Changing moles
Actinic keratosis
Warts
The potential risk factors associated with this procedure include – excessive bleeding from the biopsy site, pain, skin infections, local reaction to the anesthetic, scarring and other healing problems.
Types of Skin Biopsies
There are four main types of skin biopsies which include –
Shave biopsy – Physicians will remove only a small section of the top layers of skin (epidermis and a portion of the dermis) using a special razor blade or scalpel.
Punch biopsy – Physicians use a circular tool to remove a small section of skin including deeper layers (epidermis, dermis and superficial fat).
Excisional biopsy – This type is used to remove the entire lesion/abnormal skin, including a portion of normal skin down to or through the fatty layer of skin.
Incisional biopsy – This is used to remove a small part of a larger lesion.
After the biopsy, the wound will be covered with gauze and other bandaging. Patients will be able to go home once the sample has been taken.
Undergoing Skin Biopsy – Preparations Required
Generally performed in the doctor’s office, patients undergoing skin biopsy will be asked to change into a hospital gown so that the area of suspect skin can be more easily seen and removed. Before undergoing the procedure, patients must disclose information about – current medicines consumed (including over-the-counter drugs, street drugs, or herbal or nutritional supplements), any allergies/reactions to medications (especially to local anesthetics, such as lidocaine or novocaine, or to iodine cleaning solutions, such as Betadine), pregnancy and bleeding problems if any.
The physician will first cleanse the biopsy site (with a sterile soap solution) and then numb the skin by using a local anesthetic (pain-relieving) injection, usually lidocaine. Patients will experience a brief prick and stinging sensation as and when the medicine is injected. After the skin is numb, the physicianwill perform the biopsy and the tissue will be removed. The removed portion of tissue will be sent to the laboratory for analysis by a pathologist. After the procedure, the wound will be covered with gauze and other bandaging. A skin biopsy typically takes about 15-20 minutes, including the preparation time, dressing the wound and instructions for at-home care.
CPT Codes for Skin Biopsies
Dermatology medical codinginvolves the use of specific CPT codes to document different types of skin biopsies. The CPT codes for skin biopsies include –
For the first biopsy, submit code 11100 – Biopsy of skin, subcutaneous tissue and/or mucous membrane [including simple closure], unless otherwise listed; single lesion). For each separate biopsy after the first one, use the add-on code 11101 – Biopsy of skin, subcutaneous tissue and/or mucous membrane [including simple closure], unless otherwise listed separate procedure; each separate/additional lesion [List separately in addition to the code for primary procedure].
For instance, if three lesions are biopsied, codes 11100, 11101 and 11101 should be submitted. If skin biopsy is performed more than the maximum number of times, it is important to submit supporting documentation to avoid denials. If the removal is simply for diagnosis, the procedure is coded as a biopsy. If the entire lesion is removed, the excision codes should be used.
The new CPT codes that range from 11102 – 11107 are reported on the basis of method of removal, which offers greater specificity. The new CPT codes are as follows –
11102 – Tangential biopsy of skin (e.g., shave, scoop, saucerize, curette) single lesion
+11103 – Each separate/additional lesion (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
11104 – Punch biopsy of skin (including simple closure, when performed) single lesion
+11105 – Each separate/additional lesion (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure
11106 – Incisional biopsy of skin (including simple closure, when performed) single lesion
+11107 – Each separate/additional lesion (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure
Prior to the above new CPT codes, biopsies were reported with CPT code 11100 for the first lesion and 11101 for each additional lesion biopsied regardless of method of removal. However, the new biopsy codes are reported based on method of removal including –
Tangential biopsy (Codes – 11102 and 11103)
Tangential biopsy includes removal via shave, scoop, saucerization or curette. The procedure is performed with a sharp blade like a flexible biopsy blade, obliquely oriented scalpel or curette. A sample of epidermal tissues is removed with or without portions of the underlying dermis. This type of biopsy does not involve the full thickness of the dermis. When the full thickness of the dermis is involved, the procedure is reported using the codes – 11300-11313 (removal of epidermal or dermal lesions).
Punch biopsy (Codes -11104 and 11105)
Performed using a punch tool, the purpose of this biopsy is to remove a sample of a cutaneous lesion for a diagnostic pathologic examination. Simple closure is included and cannot be billed separately.
Incisional biopsy (Codes -11106 and 11107)
An incisional biopsy requires a sharp blade (not a punch tool) to remove a full-thickness sample of tissue via a vertical incision or wedge, penetrating deep into the dermis, into the subcutaneous space. An incisional biopsy may sample subcutaneous fat. When the entire lesion is excised, it is important report the excision codes – 11400-11646 (depending on type of lesion – benign or malignant).
Multiple Biopsies
If more than one biopsy is performed on the same date, report only one primary biopsy code. When more than one biopsy is performed using the same technique, the appropriate primary biopsy code is reported for the first biopsy and the add-on code is reported for each additional lesion.
Recovery after the Procedure
Once the skin biopsy is complete, patients may experience some soreness around the biopsied site for a few days. Physicians will either put a bandage or stitches (in some cases) over the biopsy site. In most cases, physicians may instruct patients to keep the bandage over the biopsy site until the next day. They may be advised to change the bandage daily, wash the wound and apply antibacterial ointment. Tylenol is usually sufficient to relieve discomfort. However, patients who have stitches around the biopsy site need to keep the area as clean and dry as possible. Healing of the wound can take several weeks, but is usually complete within two months. Wounds on the legs and feet tend to heal slower than those on other areas of the body.
Medical billing and coding can be complex and requires knowledge regarding appropriate coding, modifiers and payer-specific medical billing for correct and on-time reimbursement. With all the complexities, the support of an experienced medical coding serviceprovider could be useful to report skin biopsy procedures correctly for optimal reimbursement. Professional coders in reliable medical billing and coding companies can ensure accurate reporting of diagnostic and procedure details.
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Common Knee Injuries and Treatment Options
The knee is a fragile and sensitive joint which plays a vital role in the body’s stability and motion. The knee is made up of many structures and these can be severely injured by a traumatic event or disease. Injuries generally occur due to twisting or bending force applied to the knee or a direct blow suffered while playing sports, or by a sudden fall or accident. In addition to sudden injury, repetitive overuse and underlying medical conditions like osteoporosis can cause knee pain. There are different types of knee injuries all of which involve various symptoms including pain, swelling, and stiffness. Injury to the knee can cause instability and become debilitating if not treated quickly. Fortunately, effective nonsurgical knee injury treatment is available in established pain management and rehabilitation centers in Brooklyn, NYC.
Common Injuries of the Knee — Symptoms and Causes
Injuries to the knee are mainly defined by the affected anatomy of the knee and the mechanism that caused the injury. Let’s take a look at some common knee injuries –
Sprains – A sprain is an injury to the ligaments that hold the knee together. Sprains are graded by the amount of stretching or tearing of the ligament fibers and how much instability it causes. Ligament tears include – injuries to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL). ACL injuries occur as a result of a twisting or pivoting movement. PCL injuries are the result of a powerful force such as a football player falling on a knee that is bent. The LCL runs along the outside of the knee joint and stabilizes the knee so that the bones do not slide from side to side. A common injury among athletes, MCL sprain occurs due to a blow to the outside of the knee, which forces the knee inward.
Strains – Strains occur when the tendons or muscles surrounding the knee are stretched, usually due to hyperflexion or hyperextension of the knee. Strains can cause pain outside the joint as well as dysfunction of the normal range of motion of the knee.
Tendinitis – Tendinitis refers to inflammation or irritation of a tendon (the thick fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone) that connects the kneecap to the shinbone. Also known as jumper’s knee, tendonitis is common among athletes who frequently jump. However, any physically active person can be at risk of developing this condition.
Bursitis – This is a painful condition that affects the bursae – small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when bursae swells and become inflamed with overuse or repeated pressure from kneeling. Most cases of bursitis respond well to self-care measures. However, in some instances, antibiotics or aspiration (a procedure that uses a needle to withdraw excess fluid) may be required.
Runner’s knee – Patellofemoral pain syndrome or runner’s knee is one of the most common causes of knee pain in young athletes. It is caused by overuse of the patellofemoral joint (the joint between the kneecap (patella) and thighbone) — causing pain in the front of the knee.
Meniscal tears – One of the most frequently occurring cartilage injuries of the knee, meniscal tears generally occur when the knee twists or pivots. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, locking, and decreased range of motion. This type of knee injury is common in contact sports like football as well as noncontact sports requiring jumping and cutting such as volleyball and soccer.
Fractures and dislocations – Knee fractures are usually the result of trauma such as falling directly on the knee, repetitive stress injuries, osteoporosis and tumors. Dislocation is the displacement of a joint from its normal position, which is usually caused by a blow, fall or other trauma. Symptoms include loss of motion, swelling and pain and sometimes, a visibly out of place joint.
Cartilage injuries – Cartilage, the tough, flexible tissue which covers the surface of joints, can get damaged as a result of a sudden injury, such as a sports injury, or gradual wear and tear (osteoarthritis). Symptoms include – knee joint pain, swelling, stiffness and clicking or grinding sensation.
Chondromalacia patellae – This condition occurs when the cartilage on the undersurface of the patella (kneecap) deteriorates and softens. It is the result of repetitive wear and tear of the kneecap that can occur due to acute injury to the patella or due to aging. A work or sports activity that puts great stress on the knee increases the risk of developing chondromalacia patella.
Knee Injury Diagnosis, Treatment and Rehabilitation
Diagnosis will typically begin with a detailed physical examination of the joint, wherein the physician will examine the bones and check whether any of the joints are out of place. Diagnostic imaging tests such as x-ray and MRI scan may be conducted to examine the condition of the bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments and tendons and the extent of injury. Once the diagnosis is established, a team of pain management professionals will collaborate to develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Knee injuries that are not severe can be effectively treated without surgery. The first course of action is rest, application of ice packs and a compression bandage. Most minor injuries improve with rest (after two to three weeks). However, if the pain persists beyond three weeks despite these measures, medical treatment will be necessary.
Multispecialty pain management centers in Brooklyn, NYC offer effective nonsurgical treatment modalities to address chronic pain symptoms. Nonsurgical modalities used in knee injury treatment include – physical therapy, injections, anti-inflammation medications, TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), and Game Ready Cold Therapy.
Exercises to Strengthen the Knee Joint
Physical therapy for knee injury will include exercises to strengthen the muscles and improve flexibility. Strengthening exercises help build up the muscles around the joints. Strengthening the muscles around the knee such as the quadriceps and hamstrings will reduce stress on the joint and help it absorb shock. Gentle stretching or flexibility exercises stretch the muscles in order to restore range of motion, reduce muscle soreness, and prevent injury. In addition, patients will be educated on how to manage injury when it occurs and how to prevent re-injury. This will help prevent potential damage and disability in the long-term.
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