Meet Dr. Raj, best known for his appearances on CBS’s “The Doctors.” Dr. Raj that injuries should not be a hindrance, but something that is fixable and conquerable. He’s considered one of L.A.’s finest orthopedic surgeons as well as a leading sports injury specialist who knows how to prevent injuries.
Fitness Expert and guest contributor to Destination Luxury, Jennifer Zerling had the opportunity to sit down with the doctor, and learn how people can continue to enjoy traveling the world and enjoy a full life without the impedance of an orthopedic injury.
Destination Luxury: When people travel, what are some typical medical issues that might hold them back from completely enjoying their travel experience?
Dr. Raj: Orthopedic issues are the leading cause of poor traveling experience. Some people suffer from back issues, stemming from the cervical spine all the way through the lumbar spine. Others suffer from knee issues that don’t permit them to walk up stairs or walk for long distances. This curtails one’s ability to sightsee and causes a hindrance on their comfort levels while attempting to soak up the new environment and culture. Therefore it is really important to prevent injuries.
Destination Luxury: If you could pick 3 basic solutions for travelers to follow, what would those be?
Dr. Raj: First and foremost, you need to stretch. After you travel extensively for hours on end, your body becomes stiff and circulation decreases, especially in the lower extremity. However, when you stretch both on the flight and when you arrive, you are less likely to suffer from the aches and pains that normally debilitate you. Consider getting a massage too when traveling is also a good way to prevent injuries.
Secondly, maintain an active lifestyle. it’s been proven that people who suffer from arthritic pain benefit the most from physical activities such as walking, hiking, swimming, riding a bike, or even engaging in a formal exercise routine.
Lastly, get your rest. After a long day of sightseeing and enjoying a new locale, it’s crucial to get a full night’s sleep. If you overdo it and don’t sleep a minimum of 7 hours, you detract your body from fully recovering which sets you up for aggravating conditions the next day. In addition, feel free to have a low impact day after a high impact day. In other words, if you are on an active trip and one day is spent moving a lot, such as hiking or white water rafting for example, then allow the following day to be a day of rest, which can be helpful to prevent injuries.
Destination Luxury: What is your philosophy on a person’s age and when they should stop traveling?
Dr. Raj: People should never stop traveling. It is excellent for the mind and it also restores vitality for the soul. While traveling extensive distances might not appeal to you later on in life, planning small road trips within the country to learn more about each state might be something of interest. Traveling creates a sense of purpose and one can only expand on “self” when leaving their environment.
Destination Luxury: Most people are scared of going to the doctor, especially knowing that they might need surgery. Do you have suggestions for these people?
Raj: Don’t wait. Going to the doctor now might prevent getting surgery later. I have a very conservative approach to orthopedics and if the patient is eligible, I have an alternative to surgery through a procedure called regenerative stem cells therapy. Countless patients who almost underwent surgeries for hip labrum tears, shoulder labrum tears, arthritic knees, and bursitis, to name a few, underwent stem cells therapy and fully recovered from this procedure.
I have also had patients come into my office who think they need surgery when they really need a good trainer to help them strengthen their muscles due to muscle imbalances. So don’t be scared of seeing a doctor. There are many options for you and the sooner you look into these options, the less evasive your situation will be.
Destination Luxury: If somebody gets stem cell therapy, what’s the average recovery time? How far in advance should they plan in regard to a potential trip?
Dr. Raj: Patients have traveled as early as one month later. It depends on the person and the extent of their injury. My number one goal is to get patients back to the activities that they engaged in prior their procedure in my office. The body is quite intelligent and once the problem is fixed, the body will do the rest of the healing on its own.
Destination Luxury: For more information on Dr Raj’s practice, visit hip at http://drhipandknee.com/
Guest contributor Jennifer Zerling holds a Master’s degree in kinesiology and maintains a variety of national personal training and group training certifications. She is the creator of the JZ FITNESS NUTRITION app on Apple and Android and wrote Breaking the Chains of Obesity, 107 Tools.
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