Orthopedic Knee Specialist Q&A
Anyone of any age might have knee discomfort, which is a prevalent health problem. Dr. Paul Dicpinigaitis MD deals with individuals to assess knee injuries and manage them using the most recent procedures for restoring knee functioning, lessening or eliminating discomfort, and strengthening the knee to guard it against future damage. Our orthopedic knee specialist is available to help you find relief from various knee conditions. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 5840 Merrick Road Massapequa, NY 11758.
Table of Contents:
How do orthopedic doctors treat knee pain?
How do I know if my knee pain is serious?
What causes knee pain without injury?
What Are the Most Common Treatments for Knee Pain?
Knee pain is uncomfortable and annoying to experience, as it can impede routine activities that normally require minimal effort, like walking or standing up from a seated position. Whether your knee pain is due to a chronic condition or acute injury, we would be pleased to help you out at Dr. D’s orthopedic clinic!
There are several things that an orthopedic doctor can do for individuals experiencing knee pain, including both surgical and non-surgical treatments. The type of treatment an orthopedic doctor will prescribe for knee pain will depend on the cause and severity of the patient’s pain. In general, orthopedic doctors will begin treating knee pain with the least invasive methods and slowly work toward more invasive methods until an effective solution is reached. Surgery is typically a last resort for knee pain treatment unless the injury is severe.
Knee pain is fairly common, whether you experienced an injury, are dealing with an arthritic condition, or overworked yourself. As such, it is not always clear if you are dealing with a serious knee injury or condition or if it is an issue that will resolve itself in a day or two. With that in mind, here are some signs to help you know if your knee pain is serious or minor:
• Debilitating or extreme pain
• Deformities in the knee
• Inability to straighten or bear weight on the affected leg
• Instability in the joint
• Knee buckles when you walk
• Popping sound or sensation in the knee at the time of injury
• Swelling
Numerous conditions can cause knee pain without an injury occurring, including several types of arthritis and repetitive strain. Some arthritic causes of knee pain include:
• Osteoarthritis (OA): OA is the most common type of arthritis and occurs due to wear and tear of the cartilage that surrounds the knee bone and joint and protects the bones from rubbing against each other. It is common in older adults, particularly former athletes and tradespeople.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): RA is an autoimmune condition that occurs when your immune system mistakenly interprets the synovial fluid around your joints as a threat to your body’s health and consequently attacks the fluid with inflammation, leading to bone and joint erosion, as well as stiffness, swelling, and pain in the knee joint.
• Gout: Gout occurs when uric acid builds up, which is a waste product in your blood, causing crystals to form around the knee joints, causing swelling, pain, and stiffness. Gout usually occurs in the feet and toes but can also occur in the knees.
• Infectious arthritis: Unlike most other types of arthritis, infectious arthritis is acute, as opposed to chronic. As such, it lasts for a short period of time and occurs when infected fluid surrounds the knee joint. Infectious arthritis can become septic, which is a medical emergency.
Repetitive strain examples include:
• Bursitis: Bursitis occurs when the fluid-filled sacs around the knee joint known as bursae become inflamed due to repeated bending at the knees.
• Runner’s knee: Runner’s knee refers to several different knee conditions caused by repetitive strain, such as anterior knee pain syndrome, patellofemoral malalignment, and iliotibial (IT) band syndrome. Such conditions are commonly caused by repetitive strain to the tissue surrounding the knee joint, often from running and similar activities.
• Tendinitis: Tendinitis of the knee can be either patellar tendinitis, also known as jumper’s knee, or quadriceps tendinitis. It occurs due to repetitive actions like walking or running, causing the tendons to become swollen and inflamed.
Some of the most common treatments for knee pain are as follows:
• Bracing or immobilization
• Joint fusion surgery
• Knee replacement surgery
• Pain-relief injections
• Physical therapy
For more information about our treatments or an appointment with Dr. D, please give us a call or schedule an appointment through our website. We serve patients from Massapequa NY, Wantagh NY, Plainedge NY, Seaford NY, Amityville NY, Copiague NY, and Lindenhurst NY.
