Norman L. Dunitz, M.D., died peacefully at his home on September 10, 2022. He was born to Ida and Philip Dunitz, the oldest of three children, on September 25, 1927, in Newton, Iowa which is also the home of the Maytag washing machine and the internationally famous Maytag blue cheese. Maytag played a pivotal role in Norm’s childhood: His earliest job was sweeping floors at the factory, and to this day, there is always a round of blue cheese in the Dunitz refrigerator. His High School yearbook describes Norm as “The brainy member of the Senior Class who found time for dancing and fun.” It reflects he was a Renaissance man; he lettered in golf, was on the varsity football and basketball teams, played clarinet in a Jazz Band, and was Senior Class Poet. When one of his grandchildren was told of this latter honor, he asked, “Is that a thing?”
After high school, Norm attended the University of Iowa, but in 1946, the Army interrupted his academic studies. After basic training, his assigned “duty” was playing on the Army basketball team. Upon discharge, he reenrolled at the University of Iowa, graduated from medical school in 1953, completed an internship in Detroit, a surgery residency in Iowa City, Orthopedic Surgery residencies at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, and a Masters in Orthopedics at the University of Minneapolis.
While in college, Norm met and married Annette, his partner for 71 years. In 1958 Annette and Norm drove south to find the right community to start his medical practice, with the primary criteria being a place where he did not have to shovel snow. Landing in Tulsa, Norm opened his office at 21st and Lewis with Annette as his assistant and bookkeeper. This one-man medical practice led to Tulsa Bone and Joint Associates P.C., now with 30 physicians. But his medical practice was only part of his professional career. He served as Chief of Staff of St John Medical Center, President of the Tulsa County Medical Association, President of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, Chair of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, President of the Clinical Orthopedic Society, a Charter Member of the MidAmerica Orthopedic Association and the American Association for Hip and Knee Surgery. He was a Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, a visiting Professor at Mayo Clinic, on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical Orthopedics and a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. His favorite volunteer experience was impacting national health care policy as an AMA delegate.
Norm’s most important professional achievement is bringing total joint replacements to Oklahoma. In 1969, he traveled to Switzerland to train with Dr. Maurice Mueller on hip replacements. Rather than wait months for the FDA response to his request to use necessary “cement” for the operation, Norm and Annette made a personal appeal for approval in Washington D.C. Now total hip and knee replacements are ubiquitous, but Norm will always be known as the doctor who did the first one in Oklahoma.
Norm loved Tulsa and pursued his passions while benefiting the city by being on the Boards of Tulsa Opera and the Tulsa Philharmonic, secretary of the Committee of 100, and being Annette’s sidekick when she chaired various fundraisers. His involvement with athletics continued as a regular member of the University of Tulsa Hurricane Club, rarely missing a home basketball game, and a founding member of Philcrest Tennis Club. His tennis games with other octogenarians at Southern Hills Country Club are now legendary. Norm and Annette made lifelong friendships in Tulsa, around bridge, movie club, “the Rascals” and their house at Grand Lake. They loved international travel, making many trips throughout Europe, North and South America and the far east. His last international trip was to China at the age of 87!
Most of all, Norm loved his family. He attended almost all of his grandchildren’s music, dance, and theater performances and basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, and football games. After each grandchild turned three, he or she had an annual birthday date with “Papa Normy.” The date always included dinner, a special activity designed for the child, and a lot of Papa Normy Advice.
Norm will be remembered for his deeds of loving kindness by Annette, his children Elise (Terry) Brennan, Scott (Harriet) Dunitz, grandchildren Michelle (Ryan) McDonald, Drew Dunitz, Phil Dunitz (Whitney Mohr), Katie Brennan and Danny Brennan and great grandchildren Levi and Oliver McDonald, his sister Toby Newman, brother-in-law, Marvin Braverman, sister-in-law Jeri Dunitz, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. In addition, he will be remembered by hundreds of patients and colleagues for his compassionate medical care. During the last few years, he has been shown this same kind care by Linda, Margaret, Gyn, Nicolate, Grace, Eva, Baily, Felicia, and Nikki, for whom the family is very grateful.
A Memorial Service will be September 22, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. at Southern Hills Country Club. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation, Tulsa Opera, Temple Israel, or B’nai Emunah.
By Amy Bates, PTA
If you are experiencing pain and/or a pinching feeling in the top of your shoulder, you may have shoulder impingement. It is a common diagnosis, but can lead to more serious problems if left untreated, such as a rotator cuff tear or further inflammation, pain, and inability to properly raise your arm away from your body. Patients who have been diagnosed with an impingement usually experience a general stiffness, poor ability to maneuver the arm away from the body, and pain in and around the shoulder joint.
The shoulder joint is made up of three bones, which consist of the humerus, the scapula (shoulder blade), and the clavicle (collar bone). The outer, top edge of the scapula is called the acromion. Sometimes, the connective tissue that sits under the acromion can become irritated, inflamed, or even torn. This can result in a shoulder impingement diagnosis.
There are several factors that can lead to this tissue becoming inflamed. Poor postural awareness (rounded shoulders and forward head), repetitive reaching/lifting movements, aging, and shoulder injuries are all common factors that can lead to shoulder impingement.
Physical Therapy can be a tremendous help in restoring range of motion and strengthening the muscles in the back of the shoulder in order to provide improved strength and stability, thus reducing the stress on the connective tissue. PT for shoulder impingement usually consists of safe exercises and manual interventions that can assist in decreasing pain and improving overall movement patterns. Your doctor may also provide anti-inflammatories or recommend a steroid injection.
If you are having shoulder pain with no known mechanism of injury, our team of skilled, compassionate, and knowledgeable physicians, along with our physical therapy staff, would love to be of assistance in helping to decrease your pain and restore your prior level of function. We are one big team, and are ready to get you back to living your best life!
Below are some simple exercises and stretches that can help if you are experiencing this type of pain.
Doorway pec stretch
Stand in a doorway with the affected arm on the door frame in a 90-90 position. Step forward with one foot and shift your weight to the front foot, keeping the shoulders square to the front and without rotating the body. Hold 20 seconds for 5 reps.
Image from www.hep2go.com
Scapular retraction
Image from https://homegymr.com/scapular-retraction-exercises-benefits-form/
Try and squeeze your shoulder blades together, as if pinching a dollar bill between them. Do not let your shoulders lift up towards your ears when you squeeze. Repeat 10-15 times.
Scapular retraction with shoulder ER
Image from https://exercisesforinjuries.com/3-best-exercises-to-get-rid-of-shoulder-joint-pain/no-money/
Start with squeezing your shoulder blades as in the previous exercise. Keep your elbows in at your sides. After you squeeze the shoulder blades, rotate your arms out as far as is comfortable, keeping the shoulder blades squeezed together. Bring your arms back in and relax the shoulder blades. Repeat 10-15 times.
Prone T
Lay on your stomach with arms out to the side. Lift the arms up towards the ceiling and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Do not allow the shoulder to hike up towards your ears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygok5LNB1tY
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Peterson on a remarkable career in orthopedic surgery. We are extremely grateful for the contributions he has made to our practice and to the musculoskeletal wellbeing of people in Northeastern Oklahoma.
Dr. Peterson is originally from Minnesota, where he earned his MD at the University of Minnesota. He first came to Tulsa for his undergraduate degree at Oral Roberts University.
He completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopedic surgery through the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Over the years, Dr. Peterson has received several awards, including the Commendation for Humanitarian Services to the Veteran, through the VA Medical Center in Northport, New York, in 1982.
Dr. Peterson’s practice has focused on general orthopedics, giving him an opportunity to build long-lasting relationships with families in Northeastern Oklahoma. Prior to joining Tulsa Bone & Joint in 2010, he was in private practice at Broken Arrow Bone and Joint Specialists with Dr. Marcy Clements. He previously served as partner at Broken Arrow Orthopedics, Green Country Orthopedics and Bone and Joint Surgery Associates, S.C. in Madison, Wisc.
Join us in wishing Dr. Peterson a very blessed and well-deserved retirement.
By Kayla Cheney, PTA, Tulsa Bone & Joint Owasso
The human body has an innate mechanism to promote physical and mental health that is often better than certain pharmaceuticals. Laughing has been proven to help individuals of all ages overcome difficult life situations both physically and emotionally. Thousands of studies have been done all over the world on this very topic. One study from Norway followed over 53,000 participants for 15 years and found those with a better sense of humor that laughed more readily outlived their counterparts by an average of 8 years.
So what does laughter actually do for our bodies? The Mayo Clinic and the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences have compiled a list of physical and mental health benefits of laughing:
● Laughing is a natural painkiller. When you laugh, your body releases endorphins, the happiness hormone, which decreases the perception of pain.
● Laughing increases the intake of oxygen-rich air which stimulates heart, lungs, and other organs. This increase of oxygen in the blood improves vascular function and decreases the risk of heart attacks.
● Laughter stimulates circulation and aids in muscle relaxation, which can be especially beneficial for a postoperative patient.
● Laughing can lower blood pressure by releasing endorphins that negatively affect stress hormones.
● Laughing boosts the immune system by combating the chemical reactions created by negative thoughts and emotions. When you laugh, you release infection-fighting antibodies and neuropeptides that help fight stress.
● Laughing assists in weight loss. Chronic stress causes weight gain. Laughing for 10-15 minutes a day can burn 40 calories.
With so much evidence supporting better heart health, improved immune system, and the release of stress fighting endorphins, we would all benefit from more laughter. Did I mention the weight loss thing? Laughter has no negative side effects and is readily available. Perhaps we should take laughter more seriously in living a longer, healthier life.
Although physical therapy is no laughing matter, at Tulsa Bone & Joint Physical Therapy, we strive to make your experience positive, encouraging, and enjoyable.
By Sara Murray, DPT
October is Physical Therapy month!
Here at Tulsa Bone & Joint, we currently have 24 PTs and 11 PTAs across 5 different locations, all working hard to provide excellent patient care and get people back to living their lives to the fullest. They have a wide range of experience and backgrounds, ranging from 25+ years to new graduates. Our therapists use a variety of adjunctive techniques, including ASTYM, dry needling, and manual therapy.
Below are some FAQs about physical therapy to help you have a better understanding of the profession.
What is physical therapy, and what does a physical therapist do? PTs are movement specialists. We are trained to assess your movement, strength, and functional ability. We provide evidence based care through exercises, hands-on techniques, and patient education. We evaluate patients and create a plan of care based on the person’s impairments and functional limitations. We strive to restore movement, strengthen weak muscles, improve mobility, and manage pain.
How long do you have to go to school to become a physical therapist? PT school is currently 3 years, and you receive a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, DPT, upon completion. In order to apply for PT school, you are required to have a Bachelor’s degree, take the GRE, complete observation hours, and complete all prerequisite courses. After graduating from an accredited university, you must pass a state licensure exam in order to receive a PT license to practice in your state of choice.
What is the difference between a PT and a PTA? A PT is a physical therapist, and a PTA is a physical therapist assistant. A PT will evaluate you, but both PTs and PTAs are capable of carrying out the plan of care in subsequent visits. PTAs complete 2 years of schooling and are skilled in choosing appropriate exercises and manual techniques that are best for you as the patient, all under the supervision of your PT.
What type of settings can I work in as a physical therapist? There are multiple settings and specialties available to you after graduation. The most common PT settings are outpatient, acute/hospital, inpatient, and home health.
Do I need to see a doctor before starting physical therapy? No! Oklahoma has a limited form of direct access, which means you can be seen by a physical therapist without a referral. However, this is limited to 30 days, and after that time, you will need a referral from a doctor in order to continue with physical therapy.
What should I expect during a physical therapy session? Your first session is typically an evaluation, where the physical therapist will ask you questions, take objective measurements, and assess for impairments. Your physical therapist will also give you a home exercise program with exercises and stretches to get you started on your road to recovery. They may also use manual techniques including joint mobilization and therapeutic massage to address your pain. Subsequent visits will include treatments and techniques based on your specific impairments and what you and your physical therapist discuss during the evaluation.
