BCHHC

Dr. Derek Weichel and Physician Assistant Amanda Scheiding believe their patients deserve the best orthopedic care possible close to home.

Why choose Beatrice Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine?

• All surgeries and non-operative treatments can be done locally, in Beatrice.
• Flexible scheduling with appointments within one to two days, in most situations.
• One-stop care. Ability to see your physician, obtain imaging, have your surgery, and do your physical therapy all in one location.

Call today and get yourself moving forward to better health.

Diagnostic Imaging

At Beatrice Orthopaedics we have on-site diagnostic imaging. Our X-ray room is located in our office for easy accessible, same day, X-ray images. If further diagnostic imaging is needed, we have access to a full-service imaging department on the first floor of Beatrice Community Hospital.

Additional imaging that may be neccesary:

• MRI or MRA
• CT Scan
• Bone Scan
• Ultrasound

Treatments

Foot/Ankle Pain

Almost 80 percent of the population will experience Foot/Ankle pain at some point in their life. Foot pain can be caused by many different situations:  sports, injuries, falls, neuropathy, arthritis, plantar fasciitis, etc. Foot pain can cause discomfort with every move you make. At Beatrice Orthopaedics we can relieve your pain with injections, physical therapy, walking boots or support braces.

Fractures may need to be treated both operatively and non-operatively. As long as the fracture is not displaced it can often be treated by casting or with a walking boot. If a displaced fracture has occurred, a surgical intervention may be medically necessary.

Hand/Wrist Pain

The adult body has 206 bones and 54 of them are in the hand and wrist.  Since we use our hands for almost everything, hand pain and/or injuries are very common. Many patients may experience trauma to their hands or wrists which may lead to broken bones or ligament damage. Some non-operative treatments options include casting, splinting or bracing.

Other patients may experience carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger(s), or contracture(s) of the finger(s). Treatment options include injections, NSAIDS, carpal tunnel release surgery or trigger finger release surgery.

Hip Pain

The hip is made up of a ball and socket joint. The head of the femur makes up the ball and a depression in the pelvis makes up the socket. Every time we move, we are using our hip joints. Over time this can cause wear and tear leading to pain.

A common cause of hip pain is osteoarthritis. Treatment options are very similar to knee osteoarthritis. A Hip Replacement is an option as well as more conservative treatment such as injections, anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy. Hip fractures are common in the elderly but may also occur in the younger population. A hemiarthroplasty or partial hip replacement is one of several possible surgical options for a hip fracture.

Knee Pain

Knee pain is one of the most common reasons patients visit Beatrice Orthopaedics. The knee is a very complex joint. If you experience trauma or if you deal with chronic knee pain it can change your quality of life -- standing and walking can quickly become difficult tasks. We are able to treat knee symptoms both operative and non-operatively, depending on the cause of your symptoms.

Arthritis is a widespread disease that affects the knee causing Knee Osteoarthritis, which can be determined by an X-ray. Options for arthritis include: conservative treatments such as injections, NSAIDS, and physical therapy, or surgical options such as joint replacement.

Injuries sustained to the knee can also be treated operatively and non-operatively. Knee arthroscopy, meniscus surgery and ACL reconstruction are a few of the operative treatments. 

Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body. The shoulder joint (glenohumeral joint) can achieve more than 16,000 positions differentiated by one degree for each position! It is also a very unstable joint because of the range of motion that our shoulders have. Shoulder injuries can be caused by acute trauma as well as chronic wear and tear. In order for the shoulder to remain stable, it is anchored down by muscles, tendons and ligaments. These muscles, tendons and ligaments can be compromised by injuries or overuse of the shoulder as well as degenerative changes.

While some shoulder conditions may need operative treatments, such as arthroscopic surgery, other shoulder conditions may be managed with more conservative treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications, injections or formal physical therapy.

Injections

Injections are very popular in our clinic. They can give you relief from your pain and can be given in almost every joint in the body. The majority of the injections given in our clinic are knee, shoulder, hip, wrist, foot and finger injections. These injections have a short-acting numbing medication, long-acting numbing medication and an anti-inflammatory medication (typically cortisone) that relieves pain.

Please remember that cortisone injections may work for some patients but not others. Also please remember the side effects of the medication. Cortisone injections may cause discomfort for two to three days after the injection due to the fluid being injected into the joint causing the joint to expand, but the patient should feel relief after a few days.

Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy

Many patients require physical or occupational therapy. The Beatrice Community Hospital features a full-service therapy department equipped with skilled staff, a full gym, a pool, and more.

Situations that may require formal therapy:

• Preparing the body before orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation after surgery
• Rehabilitation after a bone fracture​
• Rehabilitation after a back or neck injury​
• Rehabilitation after a sports injury​
• Rehabilitation after joint replacement
• Persistent Pain

Total Joint Surgery

One common reason for knee and hip pain is arthritis. Arthritis is typically caused by general wear and tear over time.  When the arthritis becomes more advanced, the pain can start to interfere with the activities that you enjoy. When non-operative treatments stop working, it may be time to consider a knee or hip replacement.  Dr. Derek Weichel performs joint replacement surgery in Beatrice every week. For hip replacement surgery, the muscle sparing anterior approach may be an option. Most patients can get home within one or two days. If you think you may need to have a joint replacement, consider setting up a consultation with Dr. Weichel and attending the joint camp that is offered monthly by Beatrice Community Hospital.