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But the minor twinge that started after one of her regular weight-lifting sessions soon grew into intense shoulder pain with accompanying arm and wrist weakness that threatened to sidetrack her busy life. She had a ruptured disc in her cervical (neck) spine.

Two wheels sped down a rural Missouri highway, and a 14-year-old fell in love. “It was a freedom feeling,” Tom Waller says, more than six decades after his first motorcycle ride. “And I’ve never lost it.

Bill Bunch’s favorite activities include golfing, tending to his yard, and playing catch with his grandson. Each one became more difficult and less enjoyable for the retiree during a six-year span in which a worsening back condition affected his hips, legs, and feet.

Staying active helps maintain joint flexibility and balance, promotes better posture and strengthens bones.

Healthy bones are a critical component of the human body. Proper nutrition, calcium and vitamin D supplements are all excellent ways to improve bone health. Charles Grimshaw, MD, a BJC Medical Group orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician at Christian Hospital, says that monitoring for osteoporosis, osteopenia (a condition that occurs when there’s a decrease in bone mineral density) and metabolic deficiencies, like deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, are proactive approaches for supporting bone health.

Injuries or illnesses can happen quickly, and knowing where to get medical care is important. Waking up with a sore throat, tripping when walking the dog, or having trouble breathing are different situations, and understanding the differences is essential to receiving appropriate care. It’s always stressful to figure out where to go for your care, especially if the injury is too severe for your regular primary care physician, or your illness happens during the weekend or evening.

If you have a visitor from out of town who gets sick or hurt, you might wonder how to get them medical care away from home. For guests of Missouri and Illinois residents, BJC has several health care options.

In a world where there’s not enough time in the day to be sick, we find ourselves wanting flexibility and more options for care when illness or injury strikes.

Martha Williams checked off a goal on her bucket list in April 2019. She qualified for, and ran, in the Boston Marathon. Although it's an accomplishment only a small percentage of runners can claim, Williams' story might not sound particularly extraordinary -- that is, unless you begin the story in December 2010.