Erin Finter has done her tour of duty of the top hospitals in America, starting right here in Bend. Born at St. Charles Hospital, she grew up in Bend—and since has gone on to Georgetown for medical school, residency at University of Chicago and her fellowship in joint replacement at the gold standard, the Mayo Clinic, before completing the circle back to Bend.
"I grew up in Bend and loved the family-oriented activities and outdoor lifestyle that Central Oregon offered growing up here," she explained. "I was drawn back to Bend because I still have family in town, but also because my husband and I knew we wanted to start a family and I wanted my kids to have the same great experiences I had growing up here."
Central Oregon also offers a remarkable group of highly active clientele, the very people at risk for hip and knee injuries—and probably those most anxious and eager to not let joint failure and pain keep them from the trails, slopes, roads, and rock walls.
"I find that I do need to deal with a lot of emotional issues when helping patients make the decision to undergo total hip or knee replacement surgery," said Dr. Finter. "There's a good deal of anxiety about what the patient is facing and what type of activities a patient will be able to still do after undergoing the surgery and rehabilitation."
She added, though, that such anxieties do not necessary preclude surgeries or repairs.
"I'm seeing younger patients come in earlier to address hip and knee problems to be able to keep themselves active in all the outdoor activities Central Oregon has to offer," she explained. "We are a very proactive community and patients tend to take an active role in their health and keeping themselves as active as they can be."
"I recently performed a direct anterior hip replacement on a young female who is an active cyclist. She was still able to cycle before her hip replacement, but with significant discomfort. Six weeks after her surgery, she was back on her bike going for some gentle road rides and had completed enough rehab that I thought she was safe to try some mountainbiking trails."
Dr. Finter practices at Desert Orthopedics, with offices in Bend (1303 NE Cushing Dr.) and Redmond (1315 NW 4th St.)
