Tag Archives: surgery

Microfracture Surgery: Resurfacing

Microfracture surgery can repair damaged knee cartilage, the material that cushions bones at their joints. First, surgeons make a one-quarter inch incision on the affected knee and then insert an instrument into the joint to poke small holes (microfractures) into the bone just below the end of the damaged cartilage. Blood clots cover the damaged […]

Restoring Range of Motion After Elbow Replacement

Total elbow replacement refers to a surgery that creates an artificial joint. Damage to your elbow can initially occur from badly broken bones, severely torn tissues, a tumor in or around the elbow, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, or unsuccessful previous surgery. Your normal elbow joint is comprised of two bones— the humerus in the upper […]

Elbow Excellence Through Tommy John Surgery

One of the major advancements in sports medicine in the last 35 years, surgical repair of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is named for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, the first person to successfully undergo the procedure in 1974. John returned to the mound two years later . This procedure, invented and pioneered by […]

Hip Arthroscopy: Revolutionizing Hip Joint Surgery

Move Your Hips After Hip Arthroscopy Overview Arthroscopy, a procedure using a small fiber-optic camera device, has revolutionized hip joint surgery. Often recommended for athletes or those with degenerative arthritis, it is used to remove damaged tissue or splintered-off cartilage floating around the hip joint or to reattach structures within the hip. Procedure Details The […]

Relieving Ankle Pain with Joint Fusion

If you suffer from a painful arthritic ankle joint and your physician has suggested a procedure called arthrodesis , you may be confused. Simply put, an arthrodesis fuses the bones that form a joint, making it one continuous bone and permanently stiffening the joint. The procedure is used when pain, disability or instability from a […]

Knee Replacement Surgery: Before and After

Many patients believe that a physical therapy regimen follows joint replacement surgery, but exercise before surgery can reap many benefits afterward. Think about it: The pain in your knee has probably rendered you less active. Less activity causes the muscles—in this case, those in the thighs and hips that directly and indirectly support your bad […]

Reducing Surgical Screw Complications

To fix a broken bone internally into position and support it until it is able to bear weight, surgeons have turned to new materials such as stainless steel, cobalt and titanium, which are compatible with the body and rarely cause allergic reaction or implant failures. While metal screws made from these materials are widely used, […]

Flexing Your Flexor Tendons After Surgery

Because recovery from surgery to repair flexor tendons (the tendons that control the movement of your fingers) can be challenging and slow, many people become frustrated after about two months. Why does it take so long to regain the ability to fully bend or straighten your finger? For one thing, effective rehabilitation requires patience and […]

Weight-bearing Following Total Knee Replacement

How much weight will you be allowed to place on your leg after total knee replacement surgery? This is a very important question, the answer to which depends on a number of factors. Weight-bearing following the surgery may be partial or full, depending on the surgeon’s approach. A critical part of the question is whether […]

Total Knee Replacement with a Hybrid Joint

If you are scheduled to undergo knee replacement surgery, your surgeon has three procedures from which to choose. An artificial knee can be held in place, or fixed, using a cemented , noncemented or hybrid procedure. Your surgeon will decide which procedure is best for you. The cemented procedure is the most common and produces […]