COMMON QUESTIONS
WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS DOES DR. ROBERTS OFFER?
- Guided non-operative treatment (physio prescriptions, orthotic prescriptions)
- Injections (Cortisone, Hylauronic Acid)
- Biologic Injections (Platelet Rich Plasma)
- Arthroscopic Surgery
- Open Surgery
- Joint replacement (Big toe, Ankle)
- Fracture care
WHERE WILL I SEE DR. ROBERTS FOR MY APPOINTMENTS?
- Patients with urgent new issues are seen through the Cast Clinic at Burnaby Hospital
- Early post operative visits and early follow ups for most fractures are done at the Burnaby Hosptial Cast Clinic
- Non urgent and elective referrals are seen at the Sunset St. Office
- Surgery is performed at Burnaby Hospital and New West Surgical Center
-Injections (PRP, HA) may be scheduled at Treloar Physiotherapy Clinic (595 W 8th Ave, Vancouver)
I'M BOOKED FOR SURGERY BUT I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS
Every patient's treatment experience is tailored to them. Most general questions should be answered in the Pre operative information sheets provided or in the elective surgery section of this website. If you have specific questions about your surgery not answered here, you can always arrange an additional pre- op call/visit with Dr. Roberts to ensure your questions are answered before the day of surgery.
HOW LONG IS THE WAIT TO SEE DR. ROBERTS?
The general wait time for an initial assessment is 4-7 months. You may be offered a phone consultation to connect with Dr. Roberts sooner if appropriate for your particular problem. This can ensure Dr. Roberts has all the information and tests (MRI, CT, Xray, Bloodwork) before seeing you in person to keep your treatment moving forward as efficiently as possible. There may also be some treatment available to you to start before you see Dr. Roberts in person.
HOW LONG IS THE WAIT FOR SURGERY?
The wait time for surgery is typically 4-6 months. You can be placed on a cancellation list if you wish to have your surgery sooner and are flexible. Make sure if given a last minute surgery time that you can still make the necessary arrangements after surgery for your recovery before accepting the surgery time. (eg: time of work, extra support).
DO I NEED A REFERRAL TO SEE DR. ROBERTS?
If you are a resident of BC who has opted into the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) then you require a doctor's referral to see Dr. Roberts. If you are from out of province/country then you do not require a referral.
CAN I DRIVE AFTER MY SURGERY/INJURY?
Again, everyone's situation is different. In general, to drive safely after injury or surgery, you need to have appropriate reflex time, minimal pain and adequate range of motion to be safe on the road. In an automatic car, you can often get back to driving sooner after a left leg/foot injury as long as you don't have a boot or bulky brace on or significant pain. If it is an arm injury or right leg injury, you cannot consider driving until you're weightbearing fully with functional range of motion. If you feel you are there, go to a parking lot and practice an emergency turn or stop. Are you safe? Would you want your self on the road? Are you going to injury yourself if you needed to slam on the breaks for example?
If you meet these criteria, it is up to you to decide you are safe. Check your post op protocol on the website or your hand outs for further guidance. You can also talk to ICBC to know for sure. If you still have questions, talk to Dr. Roberts about your concerns.
CAN I TRAVEL AFTER MY INJURY/SURGERY?
After any injury or surgery, there are special considerations around travel. Does your injury/recovery limit what you can do on your trip or is it actually better to reschedule?
More importantly, there are risks around long car/bus/train trips and air travel as it relates to blood clot risk. Overall, it is safest to limit non-essential travel until at least 3 months after your date of injury or surgery to keep your risk of blood clot low. If you have an issue while away, you may not have access to the care you need. The odds of having an urgent issue tends to decrease after the 3 month mark.
If your travel can't wait, discuss this with Dr. Roberts. Things like hydration, avoiding alcohol, wearing a compression sock and moving about on the plane can decrease your risk. Sometimes blood thinners such as a baby aspirin daily for the 3 days leading up to and after such travel may be recommended. These are just examples. Dr. Roberts may have other specific recommendations depending on your situation. Consult your doctor before making plans.
CAN I SLEEP WITHOUT MY BOOT/SANDAL/BRACE?
Everyone's post op plan is different depending on many factors related to you, and the specifics of your injury/surgery. Unless otherwise specified, if you are 6 weeks past surgery foot and ankle surgery or 8 weeks post achilles surgery, you likely no longer require your boot/sandal to sleep and can safely remove it as soon as you like for sleep even if you're still instructed to use it in the day. If you're unsure, check with Dr. Roberts.
Prior to 6 weeks, the recommendation is different for everybody. Click in the Conditions section and select your problem/surgery. In the post op protocol, there should be an estimate as to when you can sleep without your boot/sandal/brace.