Educational Topics
Concise orthopaedic notes from Dr. F. Allen Johnston. Each note is written for attorneys and other non-clinical readers, and every note can appear under more than one anatomical section. Educational only, not case-specific, and not legal or medical advice for any particular matter.
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August 14, 2026
Radicular pain and referred pain are not the same thing
Radicular pain (nerve-root origin, narrow band), somatic referred pain (deep structural origin, poorly localized), and radiculopathy (objective nerve dysfunction) are three different things.
August 13, 2026
When a routine MRI is a snapshot: why a static supine study does not always tell the whole story
A standard MRI is a static, unloaded, supine snapshot. Axial-loaded and upright MRI can reveal changes not seen on the same patient’s relaxed supine study.
August 12, 2026
Why an early MRI and a late MRI can tell different stories
The date of an MRI relative to the incident is often as important as what the report says. Acute fluid-sensitive findings fade; herniations resorb.
