My name is Sandy Foukarakis and I’m a Physician Assistant (PA) with Northeast Spine and Sports Medicine and an adjunct Professor of Anatomy & Physiology at Georgian Court University. Prior to becoming a PA, I studied exercise physiology and worked as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor. Aside from my career in medicine, I […]

What are menisci in the knee? These are a pair of complex tissue located between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). This tissue is shaped like a letter “C”, and their purpose is to reduce the compressive load that the cartilage must endure. In young people, sports (such as basketball, football, soccer […]

Before the basketball season gets underway, let’s review a common cause of knee pain in athletes. Jumper’s knee is also known as patellar tendinitis. A typical presentation is as follows: Gradual onset of pain in the front of the knee, just below the knee cap Pain worse after running or jumping In adolescents, it may […]

Here is a sobering statistic: Prescription opioids played a role in more than 16,235 deaths in the USA in 2013.  Notice there are a few key points in that statement.   1. Opioids – What are “opioids”?  These include drugs such as oxycodone/Roxicodone, Percocet, Vicodin/hydrocodone, Opana, Morphine, Dilaudid, Demerol, and Fentanyl.   2. Prescription – […]