Find expert answers to your health questions

Dr. Vonda Wright, MD

Bio

Dr. Vonda Wright, a Sharecare Editorial Advisory Board member and practicing Orthopaedic Surgeon, has gained national prominence as an expert in active aging. One of only a few female Orthopaedic surgeons in the country, she specializes in fitness and sports medicine and is the creator and director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes (PRIMA); a first of its kind medical and performance based program for recreational and elite athletes alike.  Frequently quoted by the popular press and prime time, TV Dr. Wright has published two books “Fitness After 40” and “Dr. Wright’s Guide to THRIVE: 4 steps to Body, Brains and Bliss” and created numerous training programs to maximize performance and minimize injury.  www.vondawright.com. Follow @DrVondaWright


An academic surgeon, Dr. Wright performs more than 250 musculoskeletal surgeries per year and her award winning basic science and clinical research has resulting in multiple grants, presentations and peer -reviewed publications.


An over 40 athlete herself, Vonda Wright was a competitive ballroom dancer and currently runs road races from the 5K distance up. She  recently joined her 70 year old father in the Pittsburgh Half Marathon, three Chicago marathons and recently crossed the 5k finish-line carrying her daughter.



Specialties:

Affiliation:

  • Director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes (PRIMA)

Location:

Activity

  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How do I motivate myself to start exercising?

    Making an exercise plan will help you get started. And as Mark Twain said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”

    Here are the basic steps

    ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    Why should I do strength training as I get older?
    Pushing and pulling weight around is vital for fitness after 40. If aging progresses unchecked, we lose 10 percent of our muscle mass between the ages of 25 and 50, and 45 percent more between ages 50 and 80. This loss of lean muscle mass (or sarcopenia) leaves us vulnerable to falls, poor...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    What are the benefits of exercising with friends and family?
    Exercising in groups of friends or family is actually better for your brain. Your neurons really get fired up when you add social contact to exercise. Research out of Princeton University found that when animals getting off the couch for the first time (figuratively, of course) are exercised...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How do I choose a gym?

    Here are a few tips on choosing the best gym for you:

    • Location, location, location. It doesn't matter if you are thinking about joining the Taj Mahal of gyms; if it is not easily accessible to you, you will not go frequently. You think you will now, when you are romanced by the gym's bells

    ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    What could cause my muscle pain in my shoulders?
    Aching pain in the shoulders is often due to tendonitis of the rotator cuff tendons or rotator cuff tears. Injury to these muscles usually presents over the lateral deltoid muscle. If your pain is located at the base of your neck and in your trapezius muscle this is often due to your body trying...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How many carbohydrates should I eat on a daily basis?
    The recommended daily dose of carbohydrates is 45-65 percent of total calories consumed, or about 130 grams per day. This number increases if you are training for athletic events and burning more energy. Each gram of carbohydrates contains four calories.  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How does my body use sugar for energy?
    Our body uses the sugar contained in carbohydrates differently. The simple sugar, glucose, is our primary fuel. It is the sugar that circulates in the blood, and eating glucose raises your blood sugar the fastest.

    However, another simple sugar, fructose, doesn't spike blood sugar at all ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How do I get enough zinc if I am a vegetarian?
    Although little is known regarding the zinc status of vegetarian athletes, there may be cause for concern since the absorption of zinc from plant foods is somewhat lower than from animal products. Vegetarian sources of zinc include legumes, hard cheeses, whole grain products, wheat germ,...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How can I lose body fat?

    Want to Lose Body Fat? Then Eat!

    Starving will not make your body fat go away. Remember that thin does not mean fit. Skipping meals makes your body think it is starving and activates all your body's defenses that are meant to protect it from true starvation. Our bodies have developed a variety

    ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    What exercises target the arms and shoulders?
    Here are some exercises for your arm and shoulder muscles:

    Scaption/Shrug: Shoulders
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and engage your core.
    2. Roll your shoulders back by squeezing your back muscles together and stand up straight.
    3. Raise your arms in the front of your body so they form
    ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How are fractures treated in older adults?
    Fractures are treated according to their location, type (open with the bone sticking out or closed with the bone still in) and the amount of displacement (how much out of line ) in the bone.  Fractures in seniors, especially women, are sometimes more difficult to treat as bones with osteoporosis...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    How do I know how many calories I need per day?

    There is a classic equation for predicting how much energy you need just to survive, or your basal metabolic rate (BMR). It is called the Harris Benedict Equation and uses sex, weight, height, and age to predict your energy requirements.

    Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 3 weight in pounds) + (4.7 3 height

    ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    What's an exercise for preventing shin splints?

    Heel step downs are a great exercise for preventing shin splints. Here's how: 

    1. Stand with your feet together and take a natural step forward.

    2. As you heel strikes the floor in front of you, prevent your foot from flexing down as you transfer your weight forward. This forces your anterior

    ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    What are the treatment options for arthritis?

    Arthritis remedies from your doctor include:

    • Joint injections -- There are two categories of joint injections physicians use to relieve arthritis pain: steroid injections and joint lubrication. Steroid injections have been around for a long time and consist of injecting the joint with a

    ...  Full Post
  • Vonda Wright, MD
    Vonda Wright, MD answered:
    What is arthritis?
    Arthritis is the wear and tear of the cartilage that lines the end of your bones. Normally, cartilage is smooth, glistening, and white, and two cartilage-covered bones moving across one another in our joints are virtually frictionless. In fact, they are smoother than ice. When the cartilage...  Full Post