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Common Misconceptions About Hand Surgery

Editor, Our Time Press
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Common Misconceptions About Hand Surgery

Op-Ed by Dr. Andrew Boone,
Orthopaedic Surgery, One Brooklyn Health

The biggest misconception that I see regarding hand problems is that everyone assumes they need a surgery. The fact is that most problems in the hand can actually be managed without surgery. Whether that involves therapy, splinting, bracing, anti-inflammatory medications, or if needed, steroid injections—all of these options can treat problems in the upper extremity.


I think a lot of the time, people are busy or have other priorities, and so they put off taking care of their hands. Sometimes patients even minimize the issues as they think these issues are normal or, perhaps, part of aging. There is certainly a natural anxiety about having pain with the hands or functional limitations, which can make patients afraid to come to the doctor, but it’s important to understand that these conditions are manageable and often curable.


Carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger issues happen to be the most common problems that I see in the clinic. However, I never recommend surgery immediately for these issues. These problems can always be treated conservatively at first, whether that is bracing or steroid injections. I always recommend the simplest, least invasive option first. If these problems continue to persist despite the conservative measures, then I offer surgery as a last resort.

There are other issues, such as certain fractures of the hand and the wrist, which do not do well with conservative management. In those particular cases and depending on which bones are broken, I may recommend a surgery from the beginning. It always depends on the person and the specific problem, but everything is a case by case basis.


There are minimally invasive options. For various soft tissue problems, surgeries can be performed through small incisions. A good example is endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery—using small incisions and looking with a camera to address problems with the carpal tunnel. Similar procedures using a camera to look into the wrist joint (arthroscopic surgery) can be performed to address problems with the wrist through small incisions. Again, it depends on the specific patient problem, but many issues can be treated through less invasive procedures.


It’s always better to address problems sooner rather than later. When patients come in too late, certain treatment options may not be as effective because of disease progression. Whereas, earlier in the disease process there may be more options available—especially nonsurgical options or options that are less invasive.


Depending on the issue, recovery can be as quick as 2 weeks for certain soft tissue surgeries, waiting on the skin to heal in order to remove stitches. Conversely, some issues may take up to 3 to 6 months to recover and get full motion and function back, like for instance, recovering from a fracture of the wrist. It all depends on the patient and the problem.


We treat all sort of problems from arthritis to nerve injuries to acute fractures in the upper extremity. We have numerous doctors that treat these problems—from the hand and wrist all the way up to the shoulder. These doctors are readily available to see you in clinic to discuss, educate, and provide treatment options.


Seeing a doctor is always anxiety provoking, and it’s understandable why people put off these issues. I think it’s important for people to realize that there are options for treating pain and problems with the hand, and people do not have to live in pain or discomfort on a daily basis.
If you are experiencing pain, discomfort, or concerns with your hand or wrist, you don’t have to wait to seek care. Feel free to come see us. At One Brooklyn Health, our Department of Orthopedic Surgery is committed to evaluating and treating a wide range of hand and wrist conditions with personalized care and a full spectrum of treatment options.


Our vision at One Brooklyn Health is to be the trusted healthcare partner for our patients, empowered by a unified workforce with a shared commitment to advancing care. That also means correcting misconceptions about hand surgery and ensuring patients understand that many conditions can be treated without surgery.


A healthier you starts here. Visit onebrooklynhealth.org to learn more or find an orthopedic specialist at our different locations across Brooklyn.

South Africa, Kenya take Different Paths in Engaging with the West

Kazembe Batts
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South Africa, Kenya take Different Paths in Engaging with the West

By Kazembe Batts IG: @kazbatts
We must pay attention to the widening diplomatic fault line between South Africa and Kenya. Two nations with continental influence, different instincts about power, and competing visions of how African development and sovereignty should take place in 21st century.

South Africa:The Movement Continues
South Africa is not allowing itself to be lectured by the same Western powers that once armed and financed apartheid. South Africa has embraced policies that makes Western diplomats deeply uncomfortable. Whether it’s refusing to participate in arbitrary Western sanctions against alleged rogue states or taking Israel to the International Court of Justice regarding the treatment of Palestinians, Pretoria is signaling that it will contribute its own voice as the world continues to evolve.

Pretoria’s deepening ties with BRICS, its military exercises with Russia and China, and its insistence on a multipolar world are not accidents. South Africa sees itself as a moral voice of the Global South, confronting Western hegemony and pushing for a rebalanced world order. The West is not used to African nations calling out its contradictions on the global stage. South Africa does it with the confidence of a country that remembers who stood with it during apartheid and who didn’t.

Kenya: The West’s New Favorite Partner
Kenya is taking a different path that is far more comfortable for America and Europe (the West). Nairobi has positioned itself as the United States’ most reliable partner in East Africa. Counterterrorism cooperation, regional peacekeeping, and diplomatic alignment have made Kenya indispensable to Washington’s strategy in the Horn of Africa. Recently the U.S. designated Kenya as its first sub-Saharan, major non-NATO ally. Kenya has mastered the art of pragmatic diplomacy.

It works with China, yes, but it also courts Western investment, Western security partnerships, and Western political legitimacy. It speaks the liberal economic language of stability, modernization, and “shared values,” a vocabulary that reassures the West. Therefore, Kenya has been awarded with invitations, investments, and a seat at tables where African voices are usually tokenized. Kenya sees itself as a bridge — a connector between Africa and the West, a stabilizing force in a volatile region, and a beneficiary of strategic partnerships.

Which Way Forward How to Maneuver
In real time we are witnessing a continental split in diplomatic philosophy. South Africa believes Africa’s liberation is incomplete until the global system itself is rebalanced. Kenya believes Africa’s advancement depends on strategic partnerships within the existing system. Pretoria and Nairobi are not enemies, but they are not in sync. Their differences are reshaping their bilateral relationship in ways that matter for the entire continent. There was a time when South Africa and Kenya coordinated positions on African Union reforms, peacekeeping, and continental diplomacy. Could that time be passing or has already ended? This is not open rivalry, but it is a strategic divergence with real consequences. Now on global issues, they speak different languages complicating Africa’s ability to present a unified voice on the international stage. An African weakness that Western powers have always exploited.

African Continental Influence
Apparently to some, South Africa and Kenya are now competing for the role of Africa’s diplomatic anchor with South Africa leading the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa) aligned, Global South oriented bloc and Kenya leading the Western aligned, security focused bloc. The West now chooses their African partners based on which of the two different “African leadership models” they want to engage with. If South Africa continues to challenge Western dominance while Kenya deepens its Western partnerships, the gap may widen into a full diplomatic split. Unforeseen crisis issues or a reemergence of a Pan-African politics and mindset could bring these two strategic partners into a mutually beneficial relationship for them and benefit the entire African world.


Africa, like the rest of the world, is diverse. This diversity manifests itself in many different national development strategies. That diversity is a strength if African nations learn to navigate it without allowing external powers to exploit it. How should Africa engage former colonial and current hegemonic powers? South Africa answers with resistance. Kenya answers with partnership. Both answers are strategic and reflect the unfinished struggle for African agency and sovereignty. If the West is paying attention, it should understand this: Africa is not choosing sides. Africa is choosing itself.


To Attend or not at G-20, G-7 Summits
Divide and conquer tactics are happening. Vincent Magwenya, a spokesperson for Ramaphosa, told POLITICO that Paris, which holds the G7’s rotating presidency this year, rescinded an invitation after Washington threatened to boycott this year’s meeting in Evian-les-Bains if South Africa were invited. Although the French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France had faced “no pressure” to exclude South Africa explaining “After discussion among G7 members, it was collectively determined that Kenya should be invited to the Summit,” said the official, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.

Respecting itself, South African spokesperson Magwenya replied “We’ve accepted the French decision and appreciate the pressure they’ve been subjected to. South Africa will always endeavor to resolve disputes through constructive dialogue.” While South Africa is not a member of the G7, its president has often been invited to past Global 7 summits. Trump has already barred South Africa from the upcoming G-20 Summit this year in Miami. This is after forcing the USA to not participate in last year’s G-20 Summit held in South Africa. South Africa or Kenya, will the West prioritize and play favorites? Can Black nations and people stand together? Now is the time and we shall see.

Knicks Vs Hawks Round 1

Eddie Castro
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Knicks Vs Hawks Round 1

By Eddie Castro


For the fifth time in the past six seasons, Knicks fans can proudly say their team is officially playoff-bound. The team officially wrapped up their 2025-26 campaign this past Sunday marking a win-loss record of 53-29 and securing the No.3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Not too bad for Mike Brown’s first year as Head Coach. As I mentioned in last week’s column, the Knicks have had a Rollercoaster of a season with highs and lows and fans have had mixed emotions dancing around their television screen and biting what’s left of their nails in those tough too-close-to-call contests the team has had.

Towards the last few games, New York has shown great potential to be one of the most dangerous teams in the East if their style of play happens to click all at once. As good as the team finished up the season, there are still some question marks on just what Knicks team will show up in the playoffs. The hope is that this Knicks team, which had many people predicting an NBA Finals appearance before the season even started, is the team that shows up starting this Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.


With New York locking the 3rd seed, they will secure the home court advantage with the first two games taking place at Madison Square Garden as well as Games 5 and 7 (if necessary). It is important to mention that the Hawks are not your typical walk all over 6th seed. The team in its entirety made quite the turnaround in the second half of the season. A team that was positioned for the play-in and four games under .500 became a team that was hotter than a fox in a forest fire winning 20 of their last 26 games completing their season at 46-36. Let’s also keep in mind the team traded their once-upon franchise player Trae Young due to the emergence of 24-year-old Jalen Johnson.

If you tuned in to their previous meeting last week, it ended up being one of the most exciting games of the year. It was a back-and-forth affair with a playoff atmosphere at State Farm Arena (Atlanta). In the end, Knicks Superstar Jalen Brunson came up in the clutch and carried the team to victory. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season meetings against the Hawks, both victories were by three points.


To make a deep run in this year’s playoffs, the Knicks will need a full effort from players not named Brunson. Look for the X-factors in this series to be none other than Karl Anthony-Towns and Mitchell Robinson. The Hawks’ tallest player on the roster is Mohammed Gueye at 6’11, while both Robinson and Town stand at 7-feet tall. Getting Towns his touches early in the game will be the best tone-setter for New York, especially in the pick-and-roll play with Brunson.

It is likely that Brunson will be opposed by Dyson Daniels, who is not only the Hawks’ best defender, but one of the best overall defensive players in the NBA. We’ve all seen many opposing teams put bigger bodies on Brunson on defense who stands at 6”2. Look for Daniels (6”7) to be the main guy guarding Brunson. Getting Towns the ball will free up Brunson a bit. We all know Robinson’s impact will be on the defensive side of the ball. With this Hawks team being slightly undersized, it should be a clinic of offensive boards for him.

Then you have capable take-over guys like OG Anunoby and dare I say Mikail Bridges? Anunoby is without a doubt the team’s third-best option in scoring and one of, if not, New York’s best defender. Despite another “Iron Man” season by Bridges, who now holds a streak of 638 consecutive games played, he has had a down year for the most part. However, if Bridges can provide that defensive spark he did in last year’s playoffs along with some clutch scoring, it will be a recipe for success for the Knicks to come out on top. Game 1 is this Saturday at 6:00 P.M. at Madison Square Garden.


Sports Notes: (WNBA) The New York Liberty made a major splash in free agency signing three-time All-Star Satou Sabally to a multi-year contract. Sabally known as one of the game’s most versatile players, led the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA Finals Last year now joins a star-studded projected starting lineup that includes Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones. Library fans will get their first look at Sabally in her new threads when the Liberty open up their season on May 8 against the Connecticut Sun. (Baseball) The Yankees who have struggled of late will look to place a positive note, wrapping up a four-game set tonight against the Los Angeles Angels. The Mets head to Wrigley Field to battle the Chicago Cubs starting tomorrow (Friday April 17).

Addressing Teen Violence-Related Mental Health

Mary Alice Miller
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Addressing Teen Violence-Related Mental Health

By Mary Alice Miller


A shooting happened at a sweet sixteen party this past December. Six young people were shot. Four were taken to Brookdale Hospital. They were all under the age of 17.
Recently, an 11-year-old stabbed a 13-year-old at the playground after school. In another incident, a 13-year-old was shot near his school, two blocks from his home.


“At One Brooklyn Health there is an upward tick in violence injuries for patients between 13 and 21,” said Akeisha Knights-Ogudoro, MIA, LMSW, SIFI, OBH Director of Community Violence Intervention and Prevention. “We have seen a significant increase among young people under age 21 during the past year.”


Violence does not happen in a vacuum. Generally, there is higher rates of violence June through September when it is warmer outside. Substance abuse use increases during the warmer months. “The shootings I mentioned happened during the winter months,” said Knights-Ogudoro.


Social determinants of health are major factors leading to an increase in violence among young people.
“I think one of the biggest things is social media. The beefs are not only happening in person anymore, or it can happen in person but is perpetuated via social media. That is how all people are communicating but especially youth. It has an adverse impact on their emotional wellbeing,” said Knights-Ogudoro. “It starts on social media and then they see each other at school or in the community and then the physical, interpersonal violence happens. Then we meet them.”


Knights-Ogudoro added, “Mental health plays a role, not necessarily that there is a mental health diagnosis, but the emotional toll of peer pressure through social media. They just are not being taught emotional well-being skills to equip themselves to diffuse conflicts. A lot of them feel that violence is the only way.”
OBH provides bedside interventions and support for individuals who present to the hospital with violence-related injuries such as stabbing, gunshots, and assaults.


Violence Intervention Through Advocacy and Leadership (VITAL) is the overall umbrella for community-based violence intervention at One Brooklyn Health.
“One of the core tenets of our program is trauma care. This is really an emotional situation for them. It’s very traumatic,” said Knights-Ogudoro. “We refer to mental health services within the hospital and external providers based on the patient’s preference. Mental health referrals are the second most requested service that patients request after safety housing transfers.”
During bedside intake, young patients are asked if they would benefit from talking to someone who would help them manage or support them with any emotional feelings that come up.


One Brooklyn Health offers various mental health services for teenagers affected by violence.
“For teenagers who have acutely experienced violence, we have a 24-hour Child and Adolescent comprehensive psychiatric emergency room at our Brookdale Campus where a teenager can be seen.

Such patients can also receive acute stabilization at our child inpatient unit at our Brookdale campus,” said Dr. Tolu Olupona the Program Director for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, OBH Interfaith Campus. “We also have outpatient clinics at both our Interfaith and Brookdale campuses where teenagers can receive trauma-informed psychiatric outpatient treatment for longer term management.”


“I like to make referrals and recommend telehealth (video call) services for teens because that is the modality that they are used to communicating in. With their friends they are on social media, they are talking on Facetime. It is easier for them,” said Knights-Ogudoro.
“In terms of potential revenge retaliation, it is the role of the clinician to walk through that with the patient.

To assess if there is any risk for them actually committing that and at the beginning of therapeutic health with patients, we do a disclosure that what we do here is confidential unless they are a risk to themselves or eminent risk to others,” Knights-Ogudoro explained.


She continued, “If the patient discloses they want to harm themselves we would walk through do they have the means to harm themselves. If they are talking about harming others, we walk through it to ascertain if it is a threat or not.”
Knights-Ogudoro added, “With teens, they are still developing, their psyche is still developing, their brains are still developing. Teen mental health is a crucial part of a preventative approach to reduce violence.”


Most of the times parents experience secondary vicarious trauma.
“We not only support the patient, we support family members. We communicate primarily with the parent because the patients are minors in most cases,” said Knights-Ogudoro. “Their child, in many situations, is seriously injured. We provide support by connecting them with community partners or connecting with the schools directly that can help them navigate if the child needs an emergency transfer within the school system.”


The parent may need support themselves because they are living in fear for the wellbeing of their child. Many of them have other minor children at home. One parent said she wants to move out of the neighborhood. OBH was able to support with an emergency safety transfer, which was necessary because the 13-year-old was shot near his school, two blocks from his home.
Professional care givers are also impacted by community-based violence.


“We do Healing from Within, where we do trauma processing for clinicians and hospital staff who work with patients who experience violence,” said Knights-Ogudoro. “It is a mutual aid support group, in partnership with All Kings, an emotional wellness group co-facilitated with myself. We not only work with doctors and staff, but also with our community-based partners that do violence prevention work. We invite partners from the violence prevention community.”


OBH utilizes a trauma-informed lens for program development.
“Our goal is to normalize mental health, destigmatizing it,” said Knights-Ogudoro. “OBH looks to address mental health on both sides of the spectrum, intervention and prevention. Right now, it is more focused on the intervention side because we are dealing with what we are seeing. We are also addressing mental health and emotional wellness from a holistic perspective because youth are dependent on their families and the providers that they interact with.

That is why we provide support not only for them, but also their loved ones, their parents, grandparents, siblings, as well as providing emotional wellness for the doctors and community partners who are doing the work because they, too are impacted. It is a holistic, multi-dimensional approach.”

Gun violence takes Targets Youth Community Calls for Investment and Mental Health Help

Nayaba Arinde
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Gun violence takes Targets Youth Community Calls for Investment and Mental Health Help

By Nayaba Arinde
Editor-at-Large


“She’s gone, and I can’t ever see her again,” cried Lianna Charles-Moore, the mother of seven-month-old shooting death victim Kaori Patterson-Moore. “I can’t kiss her. I can’t wake up and feed her her bottle…Everything I wanted to do with her, I can’t do with her anymore.”
The painful reaction to the April 1st “broad daylight” crossfire shooting has echoed throughout the city.

Video of the shooting led to immediate anger and instant grassroots cooperation to find the bike-riding killer and his accomplice. No port in the storm.


“They have got money for wars, but not for helping the community,” Brooklyn community advocate and artist Tai Allen told Our Time Press, “People are feeling disconnected and desensitized. There is definitely a mental health component. Some people are diabolical. Shooting at children requires a sentence.

There was a time, pre-crack, that if you shot a baby, you got excommunicated by the community. Now, I don’t know–they say that they’ve made the block hot, and so there is a level of excommunication. You don’t kill babies, elders or innocents. That’s universal in any community. But, it still speaks to mental health damage and the need for resources.”
It could be the climate. It could be the loss of the code.

Memorial for Kaori Patterson-Moore, seven months old, a victim of gun violence. Photo: Courtesy Minister Henry Muhammad


In 1992, Tupac Shakur, along with Dr. Mutulu Shakur and other organizers, created the ‘Code of Thug Life’ to reduce violence and protect communities. The 26-point manifesto included the code of protecting the young: “Harming children was deemed unforgivable.”
At the end of March, a 9-year-old boy was shot in the leg in Brownsville when a group of young men began shooting.
Last week, Ms. Charles-Moore was walking with the baby in a stroller and her two-year-old son on Humboldt and Moore Streets in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood.


It was just about 1.20 pm on a mild Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Suddenly, pedestrians and parents with strollers ducked and ran to get out of the way of errant gunfire. Kiaori’s parents dashed into a corner deli before realizing that their baby had been shot in the head, and their son had been grazed.
Ms. Charles-Moore was crying hysterically, as her fiance Jamari Patterson, picked up the child and ran 5 blocks to Woodhull Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Photo: NYPD Crime Stoppers


In an effort to get away, the shooter’s bike crashed, and the suspected gunman was injured, taken to Brooklyn Hospital, where he was taken into police custody. Looking for the driver of the bike, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a citywide manhunt.
Almost instantly arrested alleged shooter, Amuri Greene, 21, and Matthew Rodriguez, 18, the suspected moped driver, caught on Friday in Pennsylvania, have been indicted on second-degree murder and other charges.


Police said the baby was an innocent victim in a gang-related shooting. But, Brooklyn D.A Eric Gonzalez said, “We allege that this was a targeted attempt at a person, but I am not prepared to say today definitively that the father was the target.”
A Saturday afternoon vigil was held for Kaori. Joined by members of the community, activists, electeds and clergy, the family spoke on the searing pain they are suffering now.


AG Tish James said, “We grieve with you, and we will support them in whatever they need.”
The state’s chief law enforcer declared, “We have to make sure that the individuals who are responsible for this heinous crime are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We need to address gun violence, and the fact that these communities like Bushwick, New York, and in urban centers all across the country, are flooded with illegal guns.”


Plus, “We also need to invest in these communities. They need to put guns down, they need to respect life, and turn their lives around,” she said. Anyone wanting to turn in a firearm can contact her office, she reiterated, and “There are so many programs that are available to them, funds and job training programs.”


“When we talk about gun violence, we also have to talk about mental and emotional health,” Enid Knight, Chronic Care Manager, told Our Time Press. “In the Black community, gun violence is complex. Some people carry weapons because they feel they must protect themselves or their families. Others may be driven by economic pressures, survival, or greed. But underneath many of these situations are layers and layers of unresolved stress, trauma, and anger that continue to build up…when people have no safe space to process what they are going through.”


This youthful rebellious behavior is international, though. In England, for example, in London, the youths have taken over some streets as they gather – social media and word-of-mouth summoned.
Last week, in Clapham, London, dozens of young people ran through the streets in what is termed “anti-social behavior” spurred by link-up “online trends.” The British press stated that some of the young people wore balaclavas (known as shiestys in the US), and some were armed with knives and fireworks.


Six teenage girls have been arrested.
Well-known UK activist Chris Preddie, OBE, with his Make Dreams Reality organization, presenting “Right now solutions, for right now situations,” said, “We’re the problem, but also the solution. Let’s get M.A.D. and Make A Difference.”


The former North London gang member Preddie has been tackling gun and knife crime, and hosting gang workshops, mentoring, and family support sessions. He said of the UK disenchanted youth–a message that may traverse borders, “WE FAILED THEM… NOW WE BLAME THEM…

Young people running around, chaos, anti-social behavior, arrests, and the headlines doing what they always do… pushing the negativity.
Yes, some of it is wrong. It needs addressing. But let’s ask the real question. What have we actually put in place for young people?
Over the years, we have taken everything away. Youth clubs–gone. Safe spaces–gone. Activities–gone.”


Tai Allen concluded, “We have to really invest in the community. Organizations like Save Our Streets does the work, but they are so underfunded. Continuity builds kids: you are married to the community, you are married to the school, and you are married to the kids. If you are trying to help somebody, especially if there is trauma and violence involved, they have to know that they can trust you.

You’ve got to adequately fund the staff and facilities that care for our children. Then they stay, the young people see them all the time, and they learn to know that they care. They feel safer, and they can seek help.”


Community healthcare specialist Knight, who works at the recently Crown Heights-relocated Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center, continued, “Gun violence is not simply a mental health issue, it’s emotional and when mental struggles go unaddressed, frustration, turn into anger, and anger alters a person’s state of mind. Their decision-making, and with that out goes their dreams.

If we want to truly reduce violence, we must also normalize mental health care, remove the stigma, and create spaces where people can seek support on all levels before pain and pressure turn into harm.”

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