Total Knee Replacement

Arthritis and certain knee injuries and diseases can damage the cartilage that normally cushions the knee joint, leading to pain and stiffness. A knee replacement may be recommended when more conservative treatments -- such as anti-inflammatory medications and cortisone injections -- fail to relieve pain or improve movement.

During a total knee replacement, the entire joint is replaced with an artificial prosthesis. After the procedure, patients usually experience immediate relief from joint pain. Physical therapy starts right away to speed healing and to ensure that the patient enjoys full use of the joint.

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Total Hip Replacement

The hip is a "ball-and-socket" joint where the "ball" at the top of the thigh bone (femur) fits inside the "socket" in the pelvis (acetabulum). A natural substance in the body called cartilage lubricates the joint. When the bone and/or cartilage of the hip becomes diseased or damaged from arthritis, hip fractures, bone death or other causes, the joint can stiffen and be very painful. A total hip replacement may be recommended for patients who experience severe, chronic hip pain and can't do what they want or need to do in daily life.

In a total hip replacement, the diseased bone and cartilage are replaced with an artificial joint called a prosthesis. The surgery takes from two to four hours. Patients usually enjoy immediate relief from joint pain after the surgery.

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Partial Knee Replacement

Partial knee replacement may be possible for patients with damage to one part of the joint. Doctors refer to this limited damage as a Unicompartmental knee or "Uni" knee. In a partial knee replacement, only the diseased parts of the knee are removed and replaced; the healthy portions are left untouched. Successful partial knee replacements can delay or eliminate the need for a total knee replacement. They also allow a greater range of movement than standard (non-high-flex) total knee replacements.

Benefits of partial knee replacement surgery include a smaller incision (2-3 inches), shorter hospital stay (often 24 hours or less), and faster recovery and rehabilitation.

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ACL Reconstruction

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) knee injuries occur most often to athletes, typically as a result from collisions in contact sports or twisting and pivoting motions under full body weight or coming to a hard fast stop and then cutting, twisting or jumping. Football, basketball, downhill skiing, snowboarding, squash and tennis all take their toll on amateur and pro athletes’ ACLs.

ACL injuries range from a simple sprain to partial or complete ligament tears. Usually, pain and swelling immediately follow the injury. Left untreated, this can almost certainly lead to osteoarthritis. If ACL reconstruction surgery is required, where the surgeon sews the torn ligament back together using graft tissue, it lasts approximately two hours and is done through small incisions. Two holes – one in the femur and done in the tibia – are drilled and the “new” ACL graft is anchored to the bones with graft-stabilization hardware. This fixation hardware remains in the knee and is not felt by the patient.

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Hip Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that allows doctors to diagnose joint injuries and disease through small incisions in the skin. During an arthroscopic procedure, a thin fiberoptic light, magnifying lens and tiny television camera are inserted into the problem area, allowing the doctor to examine the joint in great detail.

For some patients it is then possible to treat the problem using this approach or with a combination of arthroscopic and “open” surgery. Sports injuries are often repairable with arthroscopy, including torn cartilage or ligaments, inflamed joint lining, and loose bone or cartilage.

Shoulder

The rotator cuff is an anatomical term given to the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. Treatment of rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability and tendonitis and shoulder arthritis is provided at Arthritis and Sports. Arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder is used to treat and repair the rotator cuff.

Shoulder replacement surgery is an option for treatment of severe arthritis of the shoulder joint. Severe shoulder arthritis is quite painful, and can cause restriction of motion. While this may be tolerated with some medications and lifestyle adjustments, there may come a time when surgical treatment is necessary.

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Foot Problems

Most foot problems are exacerbated by overuse and non-accommodative shoes. However, each problem is different and requires individualized treatment. Conservative treatment (trying to avoid medicines with side effects, steroids or surgery) can take significant time but can be very rewarding. As a wise doctor said, “when your feet hurt, everything hurts!” (Wilson) An important part of treatment is wearing shoes that conform to the shape of the foot and do not cause pressure areas. In severe cases there are several (over 150) types of surgeries that may relieve pain and improve the appearance of the foot.

Heel Pain is an extremely common foot problem. It often begins without injury and is felt under the heel, usually while standing or walking. Inflammation of the connective tissue on the sole of the foot (plantar fascia) where it attaches to the heel bone is the most common case of pain. Conservative treatments offer positive results with only the most troubling and prolonged cases requiring surgery.

A bunion is the enlargement of the joint of the big toe (also a tailor’s bunion can occur at the base of the small toe) and can be quite painful. The skin over the joint becomes swollen and is often quite tender or numb. Bunions can be a family trait, can develop with no recognizable cause or can be caused by shoes that fit poorly, have an elevated heel or are narrow in the toe box. Again, conservative treatment is the first option and often very successful. In severe cases, bunions can be disabling. Surgery is usually done to relieve pain and is not meant for cosmetic purposes, sports performance improvement or to permit the wearing of shoes with elevated heels or a pointed fashion toe box.

There are a wide range of toe problems. Examples include hammertoes which present as a flexible or permanent sideways bend in your middle joint. Corns and calluses are common and caused when bones of the foot press against the shoe or when two bones of the foot press together. Other problems, like Morton’s Neuroma, that are not actually toe problems but cause pain in the toes. A wide range of treatment options are offered for toe problems.

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Hand

At Arthritis & Sports we treat all types of hand problems. Included are carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, trigger finger, ganglion cysts, tendonitis, and other problems with the tendons, joints, and nerves of the hand area. Often there are several non-surgical techniques a hand surgery specialist will employ before resorting to surgical options. These include: physical therapy, modification of activity, anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections, and restricted mobility measures like splinting. When other treatments are exhausted, hand surgery may be the ultimate outcome. Microsurgery techniques are used on performing these procedures.

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Wrist & Elbow

We are also very skilled in caring for conditions affecting your wrists and elbows. We care for broken bones in adults and children. We also diagnose and treat nerve and tendon conditions such as tennis or golfer’s elbow, degenerative conditions like arthritis, problems at birth, and work-related or sports-related injuries.

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