With its walkable streets, elite fitness facilities and proximity to parks, hiking trails and bike paths, the Toluca Lake area is a great place to pursue an active lifestyle. Now, residents also have access to cutting-edge orthopedic care to keep them mobile and healthy, thanks to LA Ortho and Wellness, which opened on Vineland Avenue in June.
“I started LA Ortho and Wellness to provide a more holistic approach to treating joint pain,” says Dr. Jonathan Gelber, an experienced board-certified orthopedic surgeon with training in sports medicine. “I am a big believer in optimizing our body’s own healing capabilities. Most orthopedic surgeries can be avoided if we focus on treating inflammation and promoting healing.”
Committed to helping people of all backgrounds and activity levels — from elite athletes to those recovering from injuries — the practice offers an array of services to help address the root causes of pain and restore mobility. The most popular include noninvasive infrared laser treatment for pain and inflammation; hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which delivers oxygen and increases the atmospheric pressure to boost natural healing processes and reduce inflammation (in a chamber large enough to fit two people and a TV!); and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which harness the body’s own healing mechanisms to accelerate tissue repair and alleviate pain. “It’s important to know that not all PRP is the same, and we do several things to optimize the PRP process to ensure the best chances for healing,” Gelber notes. “We also offer peptides and exosomes, which are additional healing and regenerative injections.”
Gelber says what sets LA Ortho and Wellness apart is its holistic approach — “treating the whole person and not just their single joint.” That includes taking the time to listen to each patient and come up with a personalized plan to address their specific needs while promoting overall wellness. “I love to hear how treating their knee or shoulder pain also improves other areas of their health, since it’s all connected,” he explains. For those who want to maintain peak performance and head off joint issues before they start, the practice also offers longevity and preventative packages, “so that we don’t have to wait until someone is hurt or in pain to see us.”
As a recent addition to the community, LA Ortho and Wellness’ primary challenge has been getting the word out about its services. The practice has joined the Toluca Lake Chamber of Commerce and participated in its October health fair, as well as enjoying strong word-of-mouth publicity: “Our best successes are when patients recommend us to their friends and family!”
Gelber wants prospective patients to know he personally understands both the importance of fitness and the stresses of life. “I have four kids,” he shares. “Trying to be realistic about things is important, but so is working healthy activities into our daily routines. I myself enjoy cooking, running and working out on my Peloton between shuttling kids to and from after-school activities.”