Services Offered By Robert Martin, MD In Wasilla Alaska

1. Platelet Rich Plasma:

One of the most exciting new frontiers in the emerging stem cell therapy approach now available in Wasilla, Alaska.

We have been offering this treatment since June 2007. (We were the first medical clinic in Alaska offering this form of musculoskeletal treatment). Platelet rich plasma, or PRP, is a revolutionary new treatment for chronic injuries and accidents from sports, recreation or work.

The process uses naturally occurring growth factors and healing proteins in your own blood stream to stimulate stem cell migration and local factors to the injured area creating a natural powerful healing effect. The area of injury is examined and evaluated, often directly in our office with a musculoskeletal ultrasound machine. The patient is able to see the damaged tissue area in real time on our screens. The area is then prepped and anesthetized and then treated directly. Usually the whole procedure takes less than an hour. Healing continues for 6-8 weeks. Patients are encouraged to start regular exercise and prescribed exercise for rehabilitation within days of the treatment.

2. Regenerative Injection Therapy:

Regenerative Injection Therapy, also known as Prolotherapy, is an injection technique done in the office used to treat chronic pain related to damage to underlying ligament or tendon structures. It involves injecting a small amount of Novocaine and dextrose (a form of sugar), or similar solutions, directly at the site of damage. In certain cases PRP, platelet rich plasma, is also used as described above. The solutions stimulate the body’s own natural healing and repair processes.

The concept behind prolotherapy dates as far back as the ancient Greeks, when Hippocrates would treat athletes with unstable shoulders. He described touching the tip of a slender hot metal rod to the damaged ligaments. This “cauterized” the ligaments causing them to tighten up. (It is interesting to note that many current Orthopedic Surgeons use similar techniques today with lasers or heat probes performing capsulorraphy.) Modern use of prolotherapy traces its roots to the early 20^th century when a surgeon from Ohio, George Hackett MD, started treating patients with chronic low back pain by injecting the ligaments around them.

This is absolutely one of the most powerful healing approaches to medicine I have ever seen! Dr. Hacket showed in the 1940s on the basis of his treatment of over 1,600 back patients with chronic back pain, that he could improve their low back problems 80% of the time using a healing injection therapy designed to STRENGTHEN LIGAMENTS without surgery!

Since I have personally been treated numerous times by my colleagues in sports medicine with this, I can attest to the phenomenal improvement of my own sports injuries in my elbow, low back, neck, shoulder, and knee.

Athletes are subjected to overuse, partially damaged, torn, stretched inelastic tissue problems. Sometimes this can be made worse with excessive or inappropriate adjustments or manipulation or even stretching! This tissue can then become a chronic source of pain, weakness, giving out, locking up, getting stuck, etc!

Proliferative therapy can potentially increase (without surgery) the thickness, strength, and the stability of any joint in the body as well as any muscle in the body which has been injured

3. Trigger Point Injections:

Dr. Janet Travel, President John F. Kennedy’s personal physician, popularized this treatment over 40 years ago. Some times the damage to soft tissue creates scars and a “sludge-like” problem where the tissue layers almost congeal together and form “knots”. If massage therapy, stretching, adjustments, strengthening, has not solved your problem, then this therapy could be a tremendously valuable treatment to “break through” the problem so you can get on with a better healing response.

4. Neural Therapy:

This is a virtually unknown, but unbelievably powerful treatment involving minor injections of anesthetic agent to unlock dysfunction in nerve tissue. The Huneke brothers in Germany stumbled across this by serendipity years ago. Sometimes by combining this acupuncture type treatment with using homeopathic and local anesthetics, we can improve slow healing, or recurring painful syndromes.

5. Spinal Facet and Epidural Injections:

We provide Spine Intervention Treatment.
As a member of the International Spine Intervention Society; I adhere to the standard treatments of spinal injections for herniated disks, degenerative facet joint problems, low back pain, sacroiliac joint pain etc. We use a state of the art fluoroscope ( a form of a live X-ray ) to assist us in imaging the affected area of the spine and thus allowing us to better position the right medicine at the exact location of where the problem is. We are one of the few offices in the state of Alaska that is set up to do this work in our very own procedure room in our office. This greatly reduces the cost to the patient, travel time and also allows state of the art safety and accuracy for the patient.

6. Hip, Knee, Shoulder and Other Joint Injections:

Often used for arthritic joints, either using a form of anesthetic medicine like Lidocaine with cortisone preparations, Synvisc solutions and also offering joint repair techniques now with platelet rich plasma as well.

7. Sports Medicine:

As a lifetime active athlete, I have always had a genuine interest in sports and sports injuries. I have been directly involved in treating children, high school, college, professional, and Olympic athletes since 1982.( for a detailed list of my background please link to RESUME )

Recreational injuries as well as work related accidents and injuries of daily life all fall into this same category. So, in our clinic we often treat average people with the same approach as an athlete, since the healing nature of the body recognizes no difference between the athlete and the non-athlete.

I utilize a biomechanical evaluation to discern individual differences and nuances in each patient to attempt an optimal approach to improving their health. Therefore, after an appropriate history and physical exam, I commonly may include a biomechanical evaluation as well. For example, here are a few common findings I would evaluate;

• Excessive foot pronation
• Increased bowing at the knee joint
• Rotation of the hips
• Imbalances in the pelvis
• Short leg syndrome
• Scoliosis
• Spinal mal-alignment
• Muscle imbalances
• Neurological imbalances

X-rays, Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging or MRI may then be taken. We evaluate the studies with the patients, so you too can “see” what problems may exist. We may get a specialist in Radiology to add to the diagnosis if needed.

Treatment can then be discussed. Here are some of the most common procedures that we use regularly:

a) Spinal or peripheral joint manipulation: – some health professionals call “hands on” joint manipulation by a variety of other terms like mobilization, manipulation, adjustments, etc. I take a varied approach on neck, back, elbow, wrist, hand, knee and ankle manipulation to correct “dysfunction” in these critical structures. We attempt to restore natural function of the spine and related joints by this treatment. This can be invaluable to the athlete, or injured patient, for optimum recovery and performance.

b) Myofascial Release: This is a soft tissue treatment designed to release restrictions in the muscles, tendons, fascia, etc which may be too tight or partially restricted.

c) Stretching: We often prescribe a home program individually for each patient.

d) Strengthening: Specific muscle strengthening and neuromuscular balancing exercises are often prescribed

e) Modalities: We often utilize Interferential Stimulation, Ultrasound stimulation, Infra red laser (cold laser), Magneto Ron (German technology using a powerful magnet therapy) the Electroacuscope for acupuncture points and nerve problems and the Myopulse for muscle tendon problems. (For example, the Myopulse is an effective bioelectric stimulation and modulating therapy. We have had over 20+ years of terrific results treating soft tissue problems like tennis elbow, muscle “knots” in the neck and trapezius muscles. It was used in Sports therapy when Terry Bradshaw developed chronic elbow pain from his passing days with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Joan Benoit, our Olympic Marathoner from years past, utilized myopulse therapy successfully to help rehab her knee just prior to the Olympic marathon trials.

8. Other Common Treatments

a. Medications: athletes and injured workers, etc often need temporary help with muscle relaxants, pain medications. We incorporate medication and the judicious use of cortisone and injections if needed as part of a total treatment program. Most of the time this is a short term need.

b. Protection: we may use splints, orthopedic casts for fractures, braces, taping, slings, etc.

1. Prevention: after the patent has improved and returned to work or sport participation, we continue on with home programs or other suggestions for future prevention. We may use splints, castings, foot orthotics, braces, taping techniques, etc here as well.
2. Nutrition: As an alternative health care provider for over 20 years, we often use natural food supplements to tailor an optimum wellness and healing program for all patients. Some of our Olympic patients have had phenomenal personal success with this. I was the personal volunteer sponsor for a 3 time Olympian in women’s speed skating and we were extremely pleased with her successful career.
3. Physical Therapy: Much of our initial physical therapy is designed for home programs or at your local gym, but we also refer to other qualified Physical Therapy clinics locally.

9. Family Practice: Our clinic offers limited office based general medical care for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, illnesses, etc.

10. Chelation Therapy: This is a  powerful IV solution which binds heavy metals like lead, mercury etc. Research done int eh 1950s showed benefits to blood pressure, cancer and circulation

11. Oxidative Therapies: Hydrogen Peroxide in a dilute formcan be given intravenously to kill viruses like mononucleosis and the flu. Vit C in high doses has been shown to be useful as an adjunct in Cancer treatment.

Contact us at:

Robert Martin, M.D. APC Wasilla, Ak. 99654 501 N. Knik St. tel: 907-376-5284 fax: 907-373-2464 email: rmartin@robertmartinmd.com