If you have torn your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the main ligament that stabilizes the knee, and are scheduled for reconstructive surgery to repair it, your surgeon could use either an autograft or an allograft. What is the difference between the two? An autograft is a piece of tissue removed from your body and used […]
Deciding to have your knee replaced can lead to many logical concerns regarding safety, rehabilitation and whether the increase in quality of life makes the procedure worth the trouble. Not everyone will regain full range of motion after total knee replacement. Depending upon the specific nature of your injury and knee replacement, however, a full […]
If you have had a microdiscectomy—surgery to alleviate sciatica, or sciatic nerve pain caused by a herniated disc—a postoperative regimen that includes exercise can help speed your return to a normal, active life. In the past, patients were advised to limit their movements for up to six weeks after microdiscectomy surgery to avoid reinjury. However, […]
After your knee replacement, you might think your knee will work just fine. Unfortunately, many people do not realize that straightening the knee after surgery is not as simple as they originally thought. Along with loss of strength, reduced extension is one of the most common complaints following knee replacement. Full motion of the knee […]
For people who suff er from arthritis, surgery using a compression screw can treat the condition in the foot and ankle. In this procedure, two sides of the joint are roughened, and the two bones making up the arthritic joint are fused, using a screw. After the area is immobilized with a cast, the body is […]
Often used for up to four days after surgery, pain pumps allow a patient to administer medication on an as-needed basis through a catheter to the specific part of the body experiencing pain, typically nerves or incised tissues. These devices e ffectively help avoid complications that might result from taking the pain medication intravenously, which introduces […]
Tibial osteotomy is a surgical procedure that realigns the angle of the lower leg and changes the distribution of pressure within the knee. Physicians most often recommend the surgery for people 40 to 60 years of age who have osteoarthritis on only one side of the knee. In the knee, the femur (thighbone) of the […]
Elbow surgery to reconstruct a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is a common procedure performed on athletes who engage in overhead throwing activities, such as baseball, tennis and volleyball, and gymnastics. In these activities, the UCL can be stretched, torn or otherwise damaged from the constant stress of overhead motion. To mend a torn UCL, […]
So you are facing hip replacement surgery, and your physician has recommended water therapy as a form of rehabilitation. You are hesitant, but the facts are that water therapy uses the physical properties of water to assist in patient healing and exercise performance. It can be a very safe, effective method of rehabilitation after hip […]
Tenolysis is a surgical procedure performed on the fingers or wrist after a crush injury to the hand from a force or pressure (bleeding, bruising, laceration or fracture) or after surgical repair of a ruptured tendon. After injury or surgery, a normally occurring inflammatory response results in the formation of scar tissue. This scar tissue […]
