JONATHAN OLSON, D.O. is a new orthopedic hand surgeon at Liljenquist & Redd Orthopedic Surgery. We sat down and asked him a few questions about his background and what he’s bringing to patients in Idaho Falls.
IFM: Tell us about your background. Where are you from? What is your connection to the Idaho Falls area?
JO: I grew up in Cache Valley, Ut. As a kid, I would come through Idaho Falls on ski trips with my family every year, so I’ve always felt a connection to this area.
IFM: Tell us a little about your family, hobbies, personal life.
JO: I have a wife and four kids, ages 5–13. I’ve personally always liked the outdoors a lot. I grew up skiing, fishing, hunting and backpacking. I’m looking forward to spending time outdoors in Idaho with my family. There are a lot of great opportunities here.
IFM: What is your medical background? At what point did you realize you wanted to be a doctor?
JO: My dad was a physical therapist, so I was exposed to the medical field early on. I was drawn to the cutting-edge developments in medicine along with the possibility of being able to help people. Orthopedics in particular attracted me because I have a knack for mechanical work and fixing things. Orthopedics is where the scientific side of my mind meets with the mechanical side.
IFM: Why did you decide to specialize as a hand surgeon?
JO: Hand surgery is a subspecialty of orthopedics that requires knowledge of a variety of areas, including vascular repair or vascular anastomosis. Procedures in this field involve the nerves, tendon, and of course bone. There are a lot of interesting new avenues opening up in the field regarding nerves, in particular. I like that my field covers a variety of areas, and I’ve always enjoyed learning about developments in each of the different areas. One thing I value about my practice is the trust between patients and myself. My patients with hand problems put a lot of trust in me because their hands are obviously important to them. Everyone uses their hands a lot. I feel a great level of responsibility to do my job well and deliver for my patients so they can live full and functional lives. Something I am bringing to my practice is the availability of in-office procedures for things like carpal tunnel, trigger fingers and mucous cysts. We are able to offer in-office procedures through the use of Wide Awake Local Anesthesia (WALA) so patients don’t always have to go to the hospital to get these smaller surgeries and procedures done.
IFM: What exciting developments in orthopedics are you looking forward to using? Are there any new developments in your field that we should tell our readers about?
JO: In my fellowship, we have used 3D printing to print models of bones for planning out osteotomies or cuts in the bone in order to straighten the bone. This is something I’d like to utilize in my office down the road. It’s a really useful tool. There are always new procedures and developments. Endoscopic carpel tunnel is one example. It uses a small incision without the need for full anesthesia and a hospital visit. This is just one of many procedures we offer.
IFM: What do you have to offer your future clients that is unique about you? What are your strengths and unique insights?
JO: My knack for mechanical work coupled with my empathy and care for my patients along with my medical knowledge allows me to offer a quality experience to my patients.
IFM: What else would you like to share with our readers?
JO: My practice treats trauma injuries, arthritis, tendonitis and Dupuytren’s contractures, among other things.
Liljenquist & Redd Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic Surgery completed construction on their new facility last fall. The beautiful new space offers room for the skilled staff at Liljenquist & Redd to provide patients with the attention and care they need.
They do all they can to provide comfort and ease to patients before, during and after procedures. At Liljenquist & Redd Orthopedic Surgery, they believe in only offering the highest quality service. Visit the clinic to receive expert care for:
• shoulder pain
• elbow pain
• hand & wrist pain
• hip pain
• knee pain
• ankle & foot pain
• trauma pain
Let them help you get back to living again! For more information:
Call our office at 208-522-3355
Liljenquist & Redd Orthopedic Surgery is located at 2210 Coronado St. Visit www.idahofallsortho.com to learn more.