Amanda Cheong, M.D.

Bones are essential to a person’s form and structure. They are the main weight-bearing parts of the body and carry us through various activities that are essential for everyday living. They also protect several organs from the soft lungs inside the rib cage to the spine that relays impulses from the brain to the tips […]

When someone breaks a bone, no one needs to think about the next course of action. Almost immediately, the patient will likely be brought to the emergency room for specialized care. From there, they would expect the healthcare practitioner to fix what is broken and send them on their merry way.   But what happens […]

Foot injuries are especially difficult for athletes, and their lifestyle makes them more susceptible to traumatic injuries or continuous stresses on bones and muscles. Often, treatment for these injuries requires either rest or a surgical procedure; both options strain an otherwise rigid training regimen. Now, if an injury was missed, the consequences could be devastating. […]

If you search out dementia online, you’re likely to find that it is characterized by a “persistent and progressive deterioration of cognitive function.”[1] Persistent and progressive. In particular, those two words are bound to be frightening to just about anyone. It hits you like a speeding truck hanging on worn brakes. After all, dementia has no cure. […]

Knee pain can be anything from a small nuisance that one could shrug off to a rather disabling condition. For some, the difference lies in what activity they’re doing. Our knees can be calm when seated and then creak like an unoiled gear when we try to stand up. They may be able to handle […]

Our bodies are not built to last forever. Eventually, bones would turn fragile and brittle; eyesight would deteriorate; reflexes become slow; maintaining balance becomes harder. This is the perfect storm for someone to get injured.   Falls are the most common cause of injury in older adults. Nearly 30% of adults older than 65 years […]

The goal is in front of you. It’s not yet close enough for the soccer ball to go straight in, but it will be soon. You pick up speed. Someone intercepts. You pass the ball from your right leg to your left and then back to the right, going through the maze of defenders in […]

We call out “arthritis” whenever there’s something off with our joints. Perhaps, it’s painful. Sometimes, stiff. Joints would snap, creak and crunch, as if there were small stones stuck in an otherwise well-maintained machine. But in reality, there are as much as a hundred different types of arthritis, each with its specific causes and treatments.[1] […]

It’s Sunday dinner with the whole family. The children are playing with their cousin’s new toy. The dinner table juggles two sets of conversations and the demand for dessert. You go to the kitchen to help grandma prepare the cake and---   “What did you say, Grandma?”   She tries to say something, perhaps to […]

When I was younger, I imagined this part of my life to include less creaky joints. Who has knee pain at 25 years old?! That always felt like problems of our parents’ age-- that the groan of stiff joints came after the dad jokes had time to ferment and become embarrassing to our teenage kids. […]

The cells that keep your brain functioning are nothing like the ones on your skin, shedding and renewing itself with each turn of the moon. Once a brain cell or a neuron dies, your body cannot replace it with another.[1] Instead, it turns into a scar. A ghost of a cell when you look at […]

Let’s face it. Exercise can be a chore.   We know that exercise is good for you. Regular physical activity can prevent heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and several other chronic illnesses. The association between physical activity and health status is practically a straight line.[1] The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise […]

You’ve probably heard about dementia before. You’re likely familiar with Alzheimer’s disease, which is responsible for as much as 80% of all cases of dementia.[1]   Without knowing anyone diagnosed with this disease, we have an image of it in our minds. It’s often a confused and frail elderly adult with snow-white hair. Perhaps a […]

Our health does not always lean on big events like opening a gym membership or starting a new diet. Often, it is built on a dozen small habits we engage in daily. Health is in the decision to bike to the grocery store instead of taking the car. The habit of mindlessly snacking may open […]

There’s nothing like laying your head down, and drifting into a restful and restorative sleep at the end of a long day. You deserve that. You close your eyes and look forward to feeling refreshed the next time you open them in the morning. But sleep does not come this easy in elderly individuals.   […]