Knee problems can cause significant pain and keep you from walking, jumping, and participating in daily activities. And it’s natural to associate achy joints with aging. But, no matter your age, severe knee pain, stiffness, and swelling are not normal.

We offer the latest diagnosis and treatment approaches in knee conditions — whether you are sidelined by a soccer injury or bothered by bursitis. Our orthopedic specialists have helped countless people find freedom from knee pain.

Knee Problems We Treat

The knee is made up of three bones: the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone), and patella (kneecap). These bones are cushioned by cartilage and held together by tendons and ligaments.

While the knee is strong enough to support our body weight, it is also prone to problems. If an injury or condition harms any of the bones or tissues in the knee joint, you may develop pain and stiffness, making it hard to walk, climb stairs, or even sleep.

Ready to live with less pain and more mobility? Our orthopedic physicians and surgeons provide expert care for the full range of problems that affect the knees, including:

  • Bursitis. Our team treats painful inflammation of the bursae (small, fluid-filled sacs that help cushion your joints). Knee bursitis often occurs over the kneecap or on the inside of the knee.
  • Cartilage problems. We manage cartilage issues caused by injuries, such as meniscus tears and cartilage deterioration related to aging or joint wear-and-tear.
  • Fractures and dislocations. We offer expert care for kneecaps or other knee bones that are fractured (broken) or dislocated (one of the bones that makes up the joint pops out of place).
  • Ligament problems. Our specialists treat problems associated with stretched or torn ligaments. These include anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, as well as tears in the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL), and medial collateral ligament (MCL).
  • Medical conditions. We will treat underlying medical conditions that can cause knee pain. These include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.
  • Overuse injuries. We diagnose and treat injuries caused by constant repetitive motion. These include runner’s knee, jumper’s knee, iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, and Osgood-Schlatter disease.
  • Tendon problems. Our team cares for conditions caused by tendon inflammation or tears, such as patellar tendonitis.

Coordinated, Comprehensive Care

Our orthopedic specialists collaborate with other providers. Together we will make sure you receive an accurate diagnosis and advanced treatment so that you can return to your active lifestyle.

We’ll start by pinpointing the source of your knee pain. You may need a physical exam, imaging tests, or lab tests (to confirm or rule out medical conditions like arthritis or lupus).

Once we determine your diagnosis, we will recommend treatments tailored to your age, lifestyle, goals, and overall health. To ensure you receive complete care — and help you make a full recovery — you may see providers who specialize in orthopedic rehabilitation, physiatry, rheumatology, or sports medicine.

Nonsurgical Knee Treatments

If your knee pain or injury is mild, lifestyle changes and other nonsurgical therapies may provide healing or relief — or slow the progression of arthritis. Depending on the type and severity of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

  • Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). This simple technique can help reduce pain and swelling.
  • Weight loss. The knee is a weight-bearing joint. Shedding extra weight takes pressure off your knees.
  • Modified exercise. If running or other high-impact activities hurt your knees, try lower-impact options like cycling or swimming.
  • Orthopedic rehabilitation. Our physical therapists teach exercises to strengthen knee muscles or improve flexibility and range of motion. They may also use therapies like muscle massage, heat packs, or cold compresses. · Medical devices. Equipment such as braces and knee sleeves support your injured joint while it heals. Walking aids like crutches or canes can help you move around without putting pressure on the knee.
  • Medicine. Prescription and over-the-counter medicines help control pain and inflammation. These include dietary supplements (such as chondroitin and glucosamine), cortisone injections (steroid shots), and hyaluronic acid injections (also known as joint lubricant injections or viscosupplementation).
  • Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. We use a special machine to remove platelets from your blood, which promote healing, to create a concentrated platelet-rich plasma solution. This solution is injected back into the part of your knee affected by tendonitis or arthritis.

Knee Surgery

If nonsurgical methods don’t relieve your knee problems or if they continue to worsen and you have pain even at rest, your doctor may recommend surgery. For some people, orthopedic surgery offers the best chance of relieving pain and restoring function — and improving quality of life.

We offer a variety of knee surgery options, including minimally invasive procedures that may have you back on your feet sooner and more safely.

Our surgical areas of expertise include:

  • Arthroscopy. A minimally invasive method of removing loose cartilage or bone spurs or repairing torn tissues. Procedures include arthroscopic meniscus repair and ACL reconstruction.
  • Cartilage transplantation. Also known as osteochondral allograft transplantation, this procedure replaces missing or damaged knee cartilage with a piece of healthy bone and cartilage from a tissue donor.
  • Knee replacement. Removes the damaged parts of the knee joint and replaces them with metal or plastic parts. In addition to offering minimally invasive and quadriceps-sparing total knee replacements, we also offer partial knee replacements for patients whose knees are only moderately impacted by arthritis.
  • Ligament surgery. We use this approach to repair partially or fully torn ligaments. Procedures include ACL, LCL, MCL, and PCL reconstruction.
  • Meniscus surgery. We use a minimally invasive approach to sew together a torn meniscus or, if it can’t be repaired, to trim the damaged tissue. Certain patients may also be eligible for a meniscus transplant, which replaces the damaged meniscus with tissue from a deceased donor.
  • Orthopedic trauma surgery. For severe traumatic injuries, our surgeons reposition, repair, or stabilize the knee bones after a fracture or dislocation.
  • Tendon surgery. We use advanced approaches to repair partially or fully torn knee tendons, including patellar tendons and quadriceps tendon repairs.