What causes knee pain?
Knee pain may happen for many reasons, including:
- Arthritis - age-related wear-and-tear osteoarthritis damage
- Meniscal tear - tear in the shock-absorbing knee cartilage
- Ligament tear - tear in the anterior cruciate (ACL) or another knee ligament
- Tendinitis - tendon inflammation in your knee Fractures - bone cracks or breaks, like a patellar (kneecap) fracture
- Dislocations - knee moves out of place
As an experienced orthopedic physician, Dr. Elman has a long history of treating musculoskeletal knee pain using both non-operative and operative solutions.
How do you determine the cause of knee pain?
Dr. Elman performs a focused physical exam to form an initial diagnosis. Imaging tests such as an X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scan, or bone scan may aid in establishing the diagnosis.
Dr. Elman may recommend arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure in which he makes a small knee incision to view your inner knee using a small camera.
Knee arthroscopy is one of the most common orthopedic procedure and can help both evaluate and treat numerous knee ailments.
How do you treat knee pain?
Every pain-causing condition has different treatment options. Dr. Elman offers nonsurgical care where possible, but he’s also a highly skilled orthopedic surgeon who frequently performs all types of knee surgery.
Non-surgical care
Conservative treatments for knee pain can include ultrasound-guided injections of corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation), immobilization devices like braces, and physical therapy.
Surgical solutions
Dr. Elman may recommend a minimally invasive procedure like arthroscopy for knee problems like meniscus tears and ligament tears. He inserts miniature surgical instruments through a set of tiny incisions and repairs damage while viewing your knee through the miniature camera.
Some knee damage requires open surgery, which means that Dr. Elman makes a larger incision and performs traditional surgery.
If you need a partial or total knee replacement, Dr. Elman may recommend the latest innovation in joint replacement, robotic surgery. With robotic surgery, Dr. Elman uses advanced CT imaging to create a 3D model of your knee. He uses the 3D model and real-time data points for highly precise navigation as he controls a robotic arm that makes bone cuts and optimizes prosthetic implant position.
Dr. Elman carefully assesses your case and then gives you personalized counseling so you can decide the best treatment.
