About Town

Q&A with Dr. Kevin Goodson at Martin Orthopedics

When did you know you wanted to be a surgeon? It was in High school, and ironically enough, my wife and I were looking through my high school yearbook the other day and it said specifically I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I have always been drawn to the medical field and helping others. During my medical training I found surgery to be one of the most rewarding specialties in terms of patient care. I appreciate the “hands-on” nature of orthopedics and the often times rapid, predictable results. Giving someone their mobility back provides so much in terms of self-confidence, independence and their overall outlook on life.

You take care of all sorts of orthopedic problems but one of your main specialties is foot and ankle, why?  While I certainly see and treat patients for just about any orthopedic problem, I’ve always enjoyed the variety of patients and problems specific to foot and ankle care. From ankle arthroscopy to ankle replacement and everything in between, I have the opportunity to manage patients of all ages in order to help them get back to doing the activities that they enjoy.

What are you most passionate about professionally? What excites you about your work and the contribution you can make? I am most excited about the continued technological advancements that allow me to learn from leaders in the field, especially for minimally invasive techniques in foot and ankle surgery. As implants and techniques continue to improve, I am excited about the prospect of helping patients maintain mobility and functionality despite complex orthopedic foot and ankle problems.

How important is foot health? Are there any preventative measures patients can take to address this? Foot health is one of those things that we rarely think about until after we’ve already started having pain or other symptoms; but the fact remains that our feet are much more important than we give them credit for. The best recourse is often times as simple as weight loss, some basic stretching exercises, and good pair of supportive shoes.

What are the some of the most common injuries involving the foot and ankle? There are numerous foot and ankle injuries I see on a daily basis—from ankle sprains and heel pain that largely improve with physical therapy and anti-inflammatories, to foot and ankle fractures that often times require some form of surgical intervention.

Do you most of the surgeries you perform require an overnight stay in the hospital? Actually, the vast majority of procedures I perform allow patients to go home the same day of surgery. One of the things I love most about lower extremity surgery is the ability to utilize what we refer to as “regional nerve blocks.” These nerve blocks consist of injecting a long-lasting numbing medication in the area where the surgery is going to be performed, typically providing near complete pain relief for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. This is really exciting because it is during a time when most patients would otherwise consider their pain to be at its worst.

What are you most passionate about personally? What do you really enjoy doing? I love spending time with my wife and two children. While I am passionate about what I do as an orthopedic surgeon, it would not be the same if I didn’t get to share my life with the people that mean the most to me. In my free time I enjoy traveling, exercising, skiing, and am an avid LSU sports fan.

Why did you decide on Martin Orthopedics and Arkansas Surgical Hospital? One of the main reasons I chose to work at Martin Orthopedics is because of the individualized care we provide.  Each patient is known by name and their care is carefully tailored to their specific needs.  Additionally, the level of care at Arkansas Surgical Hospital is second to none.  The facilities are excellent, with some of the most up to date medical equipment and tools available.  But, more importantly, the staff are some of the most professional and well trained I have had the privilege to work with.  

Dr. Kevin Goodson is originally from Louisiana, where he completed both his undergraduate and medical degrees. He moved to Little Rock in 2014 to complete his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He continued his training through a Foot and Ankle fellowship at Florida Orthopedic Institute in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Goodson is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and specializes in Orthopedic Surgery, and particularly Foot/Ankle and Lower Extremity Surgery.

 

 

Dr. Wilson and the Martin Orthodepic Team provide sports medicine services for Central Arkansas Christian, Little Rock Christian and Sylvan Hills.
(501) 975-5633 | www.MartinOrtho.care
(501) 748-8000 | www.arksurgicalhospital.com

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