Better Living Now offers advice from select physicians in Southwest Florida. The 90-second video clips and online Q & A can provide you with a quick reference to some of the more common questions we receive here at ZCO. 

There are no live seminars scheduled, but we want to remind you that the entire educational seminar "Joint Arthritis - What's New, What Works" is available for viewing online, either in its entirety or in segments.   

See things clearly. Get your vision checked so you can see clearly where you're going.  Always turn a light on before entering a room, even if you're just going in for a minute. You don't want to trip over anything unseen. Clear a path from your bed to your bathroom and keep a nightlight on in your bathroom for those middle-of-the-night potty runs. 

Get a grip. When you are going up or down stairs, take your time and use railings and bannisters. If the soles of your shoes have worn smooth, resole them or replace them. Keep slippers with grips on the sole by your bed, and use nonslip mats in your tub or shower. Secure loose rugs with double-faced tape, tacks or a slip-resistant backing - or remove throw rugs from your home.   

Take a load off. When you carry bags with handles, distribute the weight evenly and hold the bags as low as possible. Ask the bagger at the grocery store to pack your bags lightly - don't be afraid to test the weight and ask for them to be repacked. When traveling, always ask a bellhop for help with luggage. And Ladies - wear your shoulder bag diagonally over your chest instead of over one shoulder. It could slip off and the sudden movement could throw you off balance.

Sleep safely. Keep a lamp or flashlight on your bedside table. Keep your fully-charged cell phone nearby or place an extension or handset next to your bed so you won't need to rush to answer calls. Make sure your bed is easy to get in and out of and replace slippery satin sheets or comforters with ones made of non-slippery material such as cotton.

Put pets in their place. You may like to have Kitty curled around your head at night, or Fido snuggled up to you in bed, but your pets are better off, and you are safer, if they have their own designated sleeping spots and are trained to stay there. Our pets are like family, but they can also cause falls. Consider putting a bell on your pet's collar to make sure you hear him or her coming.

Don't get robbed. Smoking robs bones of vital nutrients like calcium, reduces your bone mass and increases your risk for broken ones. Likewise, crash diets can deplete you of nutrients and vitamins your bones need.  While it's true that being overweight increases your risk for developing arthritis in your joints, being underweight increases your risk of breaking a bone. Maintain a healthy weight through good nutrition and wise exercise.

I have once again been selected by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. for inclusion in its highly selective list of Regional Top Doctors.  Fewer than 35,000 physicians - less than 5% of the nation's licensed physicians - have been selected as Castle Connolly Top Doctors in their regions for their specialties. I have earned this distinction every year since 2004.

Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. identifies top doctors in America and provides consumers with detailed information about their education, training and special expertise in printed guides and online directories. It is important to note that doctors do not and cannot pay to be included in any Castle Connolly guide or online directory. You can read about the exhaustive selection process here.   

Gulfshore Life Magazine then partners with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. to develop a list of only the top-tier doctors in each specialty - that is, those physicians most highly recommended in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties each year.  This year I am one of only two local orthopaedic surgeons to appear on Gulfshore Life Magazine's "Top Doctors" list.

Thank you for the confidence you have placed in me as your orthopaedic surgeon, I am honored to serve you.