Newsworthy

Pop quiz! You’re driving in your car on your way to work. You’ve got your morning coffee and Lizzo is blasting on the radio. All is going well until you hear dinging. You look down at your dash and see your check engine light flashing.

Do you:

1) Ignore it and turn Lizzo up to 11 to drown out those annoying dings?
2) Call an expert to have it diagnosed and fixed?

This may be an obvious answer. However, what if instead of your car breaking down, it’s your body? Maybe you’ve had knee or hip pain for a few weeks and it’s not getting better. Do you keep ignoring the warning signs, hoping it’ll get better or do you go see an expert to have it diagnosed and treated?

Before becoming a doctor, Dr. Casey Whale, the most recent doctor to join our Cotton O’Neil Orthopedics & Sports medicine team, worked as a mechanic in an auto repair shop for seven years. He has seen firsthand the similarities of cars to the human body.

“There is definitely a correlation between auto mechanics and orthopedics,” Dr. Whale said with a smile. “At the heart of it, you’re taking something that’s broken or worn down and restoring it back to proper function.”

Dr. Whale is an adult reconstructive orthopedic surgeon. He specializes in both primary total knee and primary total hip reconstruction, treating a variety of issues ranging from deformities within the joints to arthritis and infection. In addition to reconstructive surgery, Dr. Whale treats other common orthopedic injuries such as fractures and dislocations.

“My approach to medicine is helping people achieve what they want out of life,” Dr. Whale said. “I may be a surgeon but my job isn’t to sell you on surgery. There are a lot of surgical and non-surgical options out there for treating orthopedic issues. I want to help you choose the option that best fits your lifestyle.”

As for his automotive skills? While he may not work at an auto repair shop anymore, Dr. Whale still enjoys fixing cars.

“It’s very therapeutic to work on cars, but with six young kids, it’s hard to find much free time!” Dr. Whale laughed. “My family and kids definitely keep me busy.”

We are excited to see what the future holds for Dr. Casey Whale, and are proud to have him on our Orthopedic and Sports Medicine team! Learn more about Dr. Whale by visiting his bio page on our website: Cotton O’Neil Orthopedics & Sports Medicine!