Morning jogs on the treadmill, kicking the winning goal, casual strolls around the park— your knees play an important role in athletics and everyday living. If you’re experiencing knee pain, seek treatment from the skilled specialists at DOC Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Serving patients in the Decatur and Hartselle, Alabama areas, our team can pinpoint the source of your symptoms and help you get on the road to recovery.
Knee Conditions We Treat
A common ailment, knee pain can range from mildly uncomfortable to severely debilitating. Whether you’re experiencing inside knee pain, pain behind the knee, or other discomforts, receiving well-rounded orthopedic care can help you get back on your feet. Some of the knee conditions we treat include:
Knee Arthritis
Knee arthritis is the inflammation of the joint. Affecting adults and some children, there are more than 100 types of arthritis, with the most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Knee Bursitis and Tendinitis
Tendons connect muscle to bone, and bursae are jelly-like sacs that help reduce friction at the joint. Inflammation of these soft tissues is known as bursitis and tendinitis.
Knee Fractures
Occurring in or around the joint, a cracked or broken bone can hinder stability and motion. Common fractures include distal femur (thighbone) fractures just above the knee joint and patellar (kneecap) fractures at the front of the knee.
Knee Dislocations
The kneecap sits in a groove at the top of the knee, connecting the muscles in the front of the thigh to the shinbone. Partial and complete knee dislocation occurs when the kneecap slips out of position.
Ligament Tears and Sprains
Knee ligaments connect your thighbone to your lower leg bones. A common sports injury, ligament tears, and sprains are graded on a severity scale:
- Grade 1: Mild damage (the ligament is slightly stretched)
- Grade 2: Partial tear (the ligament has loosened)
- Grade 3: Complete tear (the ligament split into two pieces)
Meniscus Tears
Designed to help cushion and stabilize the joint, the meniscus is the cartilage between the thigh and shin bones. A meniscus tear can be due to injury or natural aging.
Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Common in adolescents going through growth spurts, Osgood-Schlatter disease is a type of knee pain resulting from inflammation in the area where the patellar tendon connects to the shinbone.
Patellofemoral Pain
Also referred to as runner’s knee or jumper’s knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is broadly used to describe pain at the kneecap. This condition can be caused by many factors, such as kneecap misalignment and overuse.
Non-Surgical and Surgical Knee Treatments
Knee conditions are treated in a variety of ways. Once we accurately diagnose your condition, we use medication, bracing, physical therapy, and injections to help treat pain. However, if non-surgical means are unsuccessful, our skilled orthopedics team can perform a variety of innovative procedures, such as:
- Total and partial knee replacement
- Knee arthroscopy
- ACL reconstruction
- MPFL reconstruction
- Patella tendon repairs
- Quadriceps tendon repairs
- Subchondroplasty for bone marrow lesions
- And more.
Let Us Treat Your Knee Pain
DOC Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine delivers advanced, patient-centered care across a variety of orthopedic specialties. Our offices are conveniently located throughout the Hartselle and Decatur, AL areas. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or learn more.
