South County Orthopedic Specialists

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day!

04/14/2026

We’re excited to welcome Lauren Azzam, OTR/L to Orthowest & SCOS as our newest Hand Therapist! 👋🖐️
Lauren began her career in rehabilitation in 2013 as a therapy aide, where she discovered her passion for patient care and hand therapy. She earned her BS in Kinesiology from California Baptist University and her MS in Occupational Therapy from Barry University. Her experience includes inpatient skilled nursing, specialized hand therapy, and working with an orthopedic group in South Florida.
Outside the clinic, Lauren is a big sports fan (Raiders, Lakers, Dodgers), loves traveling, scuba diving, and staying active with Pilates.
Join us in welcoming Lauren to the team! 🎉

04/13/2026

Dawn O’Connor and Jami Geck represented SCOS/Orthowest at the SCA Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas this week! The meeting focused on advancing patient care and strengthening how we deliver it across our practices. It was an incredible opportunity to collaborate with peers, share insights, and bring back ideas that will help us continue improving the experience and outcomes for our patients!

04/02/2026

GLP-1s may have profound impact on total joint replacement.

GLP-1s may help patients with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 become eligible for joint replacement. But questions remain on the use of GLP-1s before surgery and the long-term effects on musculoskeletal health.

03/30/2026

Had an awesome time celebrating TWO of our amazing hand team stars — Armando & Alex!! 🥳

Nothing better than great people, great teamwork, and doing what we love every day 💪

03/26/2026

Does losing weight make an athlete better? Associations between body composition and performance.

In endurance sports such as running and cross-country skiing, a lighter body weight can improve relative power generation and reduce energy consumption. However, losing weight requires an energy deficit, which can negatively impact health and performance. Therefore, weight optimization always involv...

03/19/2026

How do you get rid of a lower back spasm?

Lower back spasms can be painful, but they are treatable. Certain remedies, stretches, and lifestyle changes can help reduce or get rid of back spasms.

03/12/2026

What Is Abductor Hallucis Pain and What Causes It?

The abductor hallucis muscle is located on the inner border of the foot. This muscle bends the big toe and moves it out to the side. More importantly, it supports the medial longitudinal arch, located on the inside border of the foot. The abductor hallucis is a common area for people to experience f...

03/05/2026

Ulnar Nerve Lesions: Causes and Treatments of Nerve Damage.

An ulnar nerve injury (sometimes called an ulnar nerve lesion) can cause pain and numbness in your arm. Your arm might also feel weak if you hurt the nerve.

02/26/2026

Preventing Shoulder Pain After Vaccine Injection (SIRVA).

Shoulder pain is a common side effect of a vaccine. Usually, it gets better fairly quickly and causes no long-term problems. However, some people develop a rare problem called shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA).

02/20/2026

At South County Orthopedic Specialists, we’re proud to offer extended hours for our state-of-the-art musculoskeletal MRI.

Our advanced imaging allows us to evaluate the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, as well as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle, and foot. MR Arthrogram appointments are also available on weekdays.

We accept all patients. Contracted insurances include Medicare, all PPO plans, and Optum / Optum Cal-Optima. Competitive cash rates are available, and no referral is required.

Hours
Monday – Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Call 949-699-6736 to schedule or text “appointment” to 949-586-3200.

02/19/2026

Hip Replacement Dislocation.

Normal hip joints have many surrounding structures that help to stabilize the hip joint. These structures include muscles, ligaments, and the normal bony structure of the hip joint. Together, these structures keep the ball (the femoral head) within the socket (the acetabulum).