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  Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  
  
  Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a type of diagnostic imaging that is used to evaluate ligament, cartilage, rotator cuff, muscle and soft tissue injuries. These injuries are NOT visualized on plain x-ray film. If an injury other than bone is suspected such as a torn meniscus cartilage, a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a torn rotator cuff, an MRI might be recommended to aid in the diagnosis.
  
  
  For the convenience of our patients we do have two MRI machine's in our office. The study will take approximately 1 hour. It will take 1 to 3 days to receive the radiologist reading and we will contact you with the results as soon as we receive them.
  
  Both machine's are OPEN AIR. Because Dr. Barnhill's  practice is primarily athletic injuries with a focus on knee and shoulders our MRI tech is trained to position you in the machine to receive the best images available to aid in your diagnosis.
  
  
  
  Viscosupplementation
  
  This is a series of injections for patients who have Osteoarthritis. It has been our experience at Barnhill Sports Medicine Clinic that patients tend to note significant pain relief following injections.
  
  The injections are performed once a week for five weeks. At the time of the injection there may be some discomfort but this quickly subsides. The only limitation is to avoid significant exercise the day of the injection.
  
  Our clinic notices 90% of people have significant improvement with the medication.
  
  This naturally occuring joint lubricant has three primary properties.

  1. It is a surface boundary lubricant thereby coating the joint lining and helping distribute forces across a broader surface area.
  2. Hyaluronic Acid is soaked in articular cartilage and works as a collagen crosslink thereby stabilizing the articular cartilage that is still present within the knee joint. ( I tell my patients this is like putting rebarb in concrete)
  3. Anti Inflammatory effect, majority of patients start feeling relief after the third injection. Maximum improvement may not occur until 2 months after the final injections.

  The injections may be repeated as early as 6 months but frequently patients go 2 to 3 years before requiring the next set of injections.
  
  It has been shown in recent studies that the medication can delay the time from which a total joint replacement is required.
  
  Brace Shop
  
  Many times surgical intervention is not required for our patients however different conditions can certainly be improved by appropriate bracing. Kerry Jones has worked diligently with several companies and we now have expertise to be able to provide custom brace fittings that can be done and performed within the office. 
  
  Cold Therapy
  
  It has been Dr. Barnhill's recommendation that all patients requiring surgery receive cold therapy. The very positive affects of cold therapy after surgery have significantly decreased pain and medication requirements as well as dramatically decreasing the inflammation caused by the surgery itself.