Prairie Doc Perspective Week of September 28th, 2025
Beyond the Baseline: Understanding Tennis Elbow
By. Andrew Ellsworth, MD


A few years ago, I was helping with my son’s baseball team. One day, for a routine practice, my role was to hit fly balls for the boys to catch. While I was confident at hitting fly balls, to make things easier for me, I was handed a racquet that, with a fairly easy swing, would launch the baseballs out to the boys. However, after 20 minutes, my elbow was getting sore. More groups of boys needed to rotate through and catch fly balls, so I kept at it. I swung the racquet and the baseballs flew to the outfield over and over. In the end, after less than an hour, my elbow was shot.  


I was experiencing lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow.  It hurt on the lateral, or outside, part of my elbow, and while it did not hurt that bad, it was almost debilitating for certain movements. I took some ibuprofen, avoided certain activities, and needed to give it time to heal. 


Lateral epicondylitis, which now could also be called “pickleball elbow” with the big increase in pickleball players, is an over-use injury of the tendons at the elbow. Caused by any repetitive use of the forearm muscles, microscopic tears can form which cause pain at the insertion where the tendons attach to the bone at the elbow, known as the lateral epicondyle. The cause is not just limited to sporting activities. Manual laborers, painters, gardeners pulling weeds, musicians, and anyone doing an activity repetitively and more than their body is used to doing, can be susceptible to this injury.  Golfers can experience a similar injury, but one that affects the inside part of the elbow, causing medial epicondylitis. 


One of the keys to recovery is paying attention to your body and avoiding activities that cause the pain. Pushing through may make it worse and make recovery last longer. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen may help with the pain, as well as icing, stretches, and physical therapy. Some people may find benefit from using a brace wrapped around the forearm muscles, taking pressure off of the tendons. Rarely, steroid injections or an injection of plasma-rich protein may be used, although these are not without some risk. Other treatments can also include ultrasound and shock wave therapy. 


Thankfully, most cases will subside on their own with time. However, it can take a lot of time, oftentimes several months and possibly up to two years. In very rare cases, surgery to remove damaged tissue may be an option.  


In my case, the pesky elbow pain lingered for at least six months. This was all because of less than an hour of using a racquet that I refuse to ever use again. I am happy to hit fly balls and I still do, but give me the baseball bat, please. 


Dr. Andrew Ellsworth is a Family Medicine Physician at Avera Medical Group Brookings in Brookings, SD. He serves as one of the Prairie Doc Volunteer Hosts during its 24th Season providing Health Education Based on Science, Built on Trust. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm on YouTube and  streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB, Sundays at 6am and 1pm).

Prairie Doc Perspective Week of September 21st, 2025
Exercise and Arthritis: What Really Works
By Becca Jordre, Ph.D., DPT
If your joints ache after sitting too long or make crackling sounds when you get up, you’re not alone. More than half of older adults in the U.S. report having at least one arthritic joint, and while our understanding has improved over the past two decades, old myths still create confusion about how best to manage it.
Is Exercise Safe?
Many people fear that too much movement or vigorous exercise will wear out their joints and make arthritis worse. The surprising truth is that exercise is one of the most powerful ways to protect and even improve the health of cartilage. 
How it Works
Cartilage, the smooth tissue that cushions our joints, doesn’t have a blood supply of its own. Instead, it depends on the surrounding fluid in the joint space. Movement acts like a pump: when cartilage is compressed and released, it pushes out waste and pulls in fresh fluid and nutrients. This happens each time you take a step, bend or jump. Think of it as CPR for your joints, compression and decompression pump fluid in and out, keeping cartilage alive and well.
When Exercise Hurts
For many, pain with certain movements is common, and pushing through pain can make things worse. “No pain, no gain” is not the answer. The key is to find activities that don’t hurt. Even small pain-free movements make a difference. Anything is better than nothing, and over time, those movements can pay off by allowing greater mobility with less pain. 
The Power of Water
For many people with significant arthritis, water-based exercise is a game-changer. Water supports body weight, reducing pressure on joints, easing swelling and providing natural resistance for strength training. Great options include water aerobics or simply walking, running and jumping while in chest-deep water. 
Strength is Key
Another key to managing joint health and improving function with arthritis is strength training. When muscles around the joint are strengthened, they act like shock absorbers and reduce joint stress. Resistance training can start with simple tools like exercise bands or body weight. Small resistance movements can gradually progress to larger, more challenging exercises as strength improves and pain decreases. 
Yes, arthritis is a pain - but avoiding movement only makes it worse. Find pain-free ways to move and build strength. Start small, stay consistent and your joints will thank you.






Becca Jordre, Ph.D., DPT, is a professor of physical therapy at the University of South Dakota, board certified in geriatric physical therapy, and a certified exercise expert for aging adults. Her research centers on healthy aging, with a particular focus on athletes age 50 and older. She collaborates regularly with the National Senior Games Association and developed the Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE), a tool designed to assess physical fitness in older athletes. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm on SDPB,  YouTube and  streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB, Sundays at 6am and 1pm).

Prairie Doc Perspective Week of September 14th, 2025
“On the Spectrum”
By Debra Johnston, MD


I had a friend in high school who was generally considered a bit odd. He didn’t dress quite right, never knew how to “read the room,” and often talked far too long and in far to much detail about computers— at a time when very few households even had one. 


The movie Rain Man, in which an autistic character is abducted from an institution by his greedy younger brother, had yet to be released, and certainly no one in my circle was familiar with autism. Once we were, it was Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Raymond Babbitt that defined our understanding. For decades, this was the dominant image, even while the diagnostic criteria expanded to include people with less dramatic challenges. Today, I suspect my friend would have been recognized as being “on the spectrum.”


Autism is an ancient condition. Some researchers suspect it explains stories about changelings, fey creatures swapped for humans. While most individuals with classic autism have disappeared from the historical record, and certainly, given that it wasn’t until the DSMIII was published in 1980 that autism was defined as a distinct condition, we can only speculate about historical figures. Nevertheless, many of our greatest thinkers and innovators may have been “on the spectrum.” Michelangelo, DaVinci, Newton, Einstein, Orwell, Twain. . . the list goes on. Sia, Bella Ramsey, Dan Ackroyd, Anthony Hopkins, and of course Elon Musk have all publicly disclosed their diagnoses.


People with autism spectrum disorders are unique human beings, in the same way we are all unique. The condition may present very differently between one person and another. That can make it challenging, for families, schools, clinicians, and of course for the individual themselves! The support that is critical for one person may be utterly useless for another, but research consistently shows that the right support at the right time can help someone succeed, academically, and socially. Of course this is true for us all, but since the challenges faced by people with autism are by definition greater, the need is greater. 


Autism is often accompanied by other conditions, such as ADHD, OCD, epilepsy, and allergies, and well recognized genetic disorders such as Down syndrome. This merely adds to the diversity of the autism experience, and further demonstrates why there isn’t a single “box” into which people with autism can be sorted.


My high school friend? Well, we’ve lost touch over the years, but I know he followed his passion for computers and is very successful in his field. 


I hope he is surrounded by people who appreciate him for who he is.


Dr. Debra Johnston is a Family Medicine Physician at Avera Medical Group Brookings in Brookings, SD. She serves as one of the Prairie Doc Volunteer Hosts during its 24th Season providing Health Education Based on Science, Built on Trust. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm on SDPB, YouTube and  streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB, Sundays at 6am and 1pm).

Prairie Doc Perspective Week of September 7th, 2025
“What Questions Do You Have?”
By Dr. Jill Kruse
              We have all heard it before.  Before the end of the visit, the doctor will usually ask, “Do you have any questions?”  That is usually the precise moment that my mind goes completely blank. Every question I can think of seems silly or embarrassing.  I know the doctor is busy so I don’t want to “bother” him/her by taking up too much of their time.  I really do not want to look stupid or ignorant.  So, I say nothing, smile and the doctor leaves the room shortly afterwards.  As soon as that door closes, the flood gates open and all the questions I should have asked bubble to the surface. Now it feels too late to ask them.  Sound familiar?
As we begin our next season of On Call with the Prairie Doc, I encourage all our viewers to come to us with those questions.  This show is unique because we ask our audience to engage with the show.  We do not want you to just be passive consumers of the knowledge.  We want you to be co-creators of the show with us.  While we will never replace your primary care physician, we want to answer the questions that you did ask during your last clinic visit.  Since you can submit questions anonymously, ask that question you were too embarrassed to ask.  Use this show to fact check that health information you saw on social media or heard someone talk about at the local café. 
              We work hard to find the local experts for each show who can share with us their expertise.  At the end of each season, we review our shows and look at what questions were asked.  We see how many questions were answered for each show and what topics resonated the most with our viewers.  We try to determine what topics you want to hear more about. We also look for emerging topics so you have up to date health information that is based in science and built on trust.  
              The hardest part of planning this show is narrowing down all the topics we want to discuss with you to fit within our season.  This is why we will have several “Ask Anything” shows each season.  These shows ensure that you, our viewers, will always have a show where any question not only welcomed, but encouraged.  The beautiful part of our show is that each show is fluid and we can pivot our focus based on the information you want most.  The more you interact with this show, the better it will become.  After twenty-four seasons we have yet to run out of questions to answer.  This week and every week to follow, please ask anything.  We will be here to answer. 
Dr. Jill Kruse is a hospitalist at the Brookings Health System in Brookings, SD. She serves as one of the Prairie Doc Volunteer Hosts during its 24th Season providing Health Education Based on Science, Built on Trust. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm on YouTube and streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB, Sundays at 6am and 1pm).

Prairie Doc Perspective Week of August 31st, 2025
Nurturing Active Childhoods in a High-Tech World
By Dr. Patti Berg-Poppe and Dr. Hsin-yi “Tanya” Liu


Long before children say their first words or pick up a pencil, they’re learning through their bodies. They kick, reach, roll, crawl and explore - hardwired to interact with the world through movement. From the very beginning, motor and sensory experiences are how babies discover their environment and how their brains begin to grow and organize.


Simply put, our bodies in motion are the vehicles through which we learn. When children move, their brains light up. Their senses, muscles, emotions and attention systems all come online and begin working together. Through active exploration, children build the foundations of their sensory, perceptual and cognitive systems.


Movement and imaginative play stimulate both brain and body, supporting not only strength and coordination but also emotional regulation, adaptive behaviors and social connection. A child building a tower of blocks isn’t just learning fine motor skills; they’re developing attention, problem-solving and perseverance. Free play fosters communication, cooperation and confidence. Movement is how learning begins … and how it continues to unfold.


Yet despite all we know about the power of movement, children today grow up in an environment where active play is often displaced by screen time. Screens are nearly unavoidable and are often used to entertain, educate or soothe. For many families, technology helps manage the demands of modern life. But when screen use regularly replaces hands-on, movement-rich experiences, opportunities for growth are lost.


A child passively watching a screen misses the sensory variety, trial-and-error learning and face-to-face interaction that come from real-world play. Over time, this shift can influence motor skills, attention, emotional regulation, sleep and readiness to learn, which are essential for thriving in school, relationships and everyday routines.


The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 18 months avoid screen use altogether, and that children ages 2–5 be limited to no more than one hour of high-quality content per day. These guidelines aren't about restriction for its own sake; they reflect what we know about how children learn best - through movement, play and real-world interaction.


Movement is also one of the most reliable indicators of healthy development. Nearly 9 out of 10 young children in the U.S. meet national physical activity guidelines. This number drops sharply with age. By 6 to 17 years, only about a quarter of children meet these standards. As screen time increases and free time shrinks, children’s need for movement can quietly go unmet.


This steady trend of rising screen use and declining physical activity doesn’t mean we need to eliminate technology. Rather, we need to be more intentional about preserving time for play. Supporting active childhoods means prioritizing daily opportunities for whole-body movement, open-ended exploration and connection. That might look like a walk after dinner, dancing in the kitchen, building a blanket fort or inviting your child to help prepare a meal.


As pediatric physical therapists, educators and parents, we see the impact of movement every day. Children don’t need expensive equipment or curated experiences. They need time, space and encouragement to move through their world and learn as they go. Fostering imagination, exploration and meaningful interactions with peers and caring adults helps children grow into strong, curious and resilient individuals.


For guidance on creating a balanced media plan, visit:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/hhh.aspx 




Patti Berg-Poppe is a physical therapist and professor and chair of USD’s Department of Physical Therapy, where she also directs the Program for Advancing Early Childhood Intervention (PACE-i). She has extensive experience in pediatric physical therapy and early intervention, with a focus on preparing future professionals to support development through play, movement and family-centered care.


Hsin-yi “Tanya” Liu is a pediatric physical therapist and researcher with expertise in early childhood development, mobility and assistive technology. She has practiced in both Taiwan and the United States and currently serves as assistant professor within USD’s Department of Physical Therapy. Her work focuses on how play, movement and adaptive tools support motor and social development in children.


Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB), providing health information based on science, built on trust