Health Articles

Approximately 19.5% of all U.S. adults say they suffer from knee pain. (The American Academy of Pain Medicine) If you’re reading this, we’re guessing you’re part of the 63 million Americans who experience knee pain on a consistent basis. It affects your work, your everyday movement, and even...

Using a walking aid, such as crutches, is an important part of your recovery because it allows your foot or ankle to heal properly. Learning how to balance with your walking aid is one of the most crucial steps in using it effectively.

Check out the following tips to learn how to safely...

Your hand is a complex and unique part of your body, composed of delicate tissues and an intricate network of bones, muscles, vessels, and nerves. The ability to generate great force for activities like rock climbing while also providing the fine dexterity to play a musical instrument make the...

If you have an infected bone, your doctor may treat it with medicated beads. These are placed into the bone to send medicine directly into the infection. And that's helpful, because your bone may not have good blood flow. Lack of blood flow to the bone can keep antibiotics taken by mouth or by...

The Achilles tendons are thick and powerful bands of fibrous tissue. They connect your calf muscles to your heel bones. The tendons help you walk, run and jump. And that means they are under a lot of stress, making injuries to the Achilles tendons common.

This procedure replaces a damaged or torn anterior cruciate ligament, commonly called the ACL, with a tendon graft held in place by Arthrex RetroScrews. The surgeon uses a small camera called an arthroscope to visualize the inside of the knee during the procedure.

This procedure replaces a damaged or torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with a portion of hamstring tendon from the patient's leg. The ACL connects the front top of the tibia (lower leg bone) to the rear bottom of the femur (thigh bone). The hamstring tendons attach the hamstring muscles to...

This condition, also called AC joint arthrosis, is a degeneration of the joint at the top of the shoulder where the acromion meets the clavicle.

This is a collapse of your foot's arch. It happens over time, usually in just one foot but sometimes in both. As your arch collapses, the bones of your foot may gradually shift out of alignment. This can cause pain and other problems.

ALIF is generally used to treat back or leg pain caused by degenerative disc disease. The surgeon will stabilize the spine by fusing vertebrae together with bone graft material.

You might not have heard of an osteophyte, but you might know them by their common name—bone spurs. These small, bony projections form along edges of bones, often in the places where two bones meet, like the joints of your shoulders, hips, hands, knees and feet. It is also possible to have bone...

The hip joint is one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body. This ball-and-socket joint allows the leg to move and rotate while keeping the body stable and balanced. Let's take a closer look at the main parts of the hip joint's anatomy.

The shoulder is a complex structure made of three separate joints. They work together to give the shoulder a tremendous range of motion. Let's take a closer look at the main parts of the shoulder's anatomy.

Conscious sedation is a type of anesthesia that makes the patient feel very relaxed. It reduces painful sensations and the awareness of pain. It is not intended to put the patient to sleep, and will wear off quickly after a procedure. Conscious sedation is commonly used for simple procedures...

General anesthesia makes a person unconscious. People call this “put under” or “put to sleep.” But it isn’t the same as regular sleep. A person given general anesthesia cannot feel pain. And, the person won’t remember what happens during a medical procedure.

This numbing medication is injected into the cerebrospinal fluid through a fine needle placed near the nerve roots of the lower spine. It can be used to numb the abdomen, groin, legs and feet. It does not put the patient to sleep, but blocks painful sensations during or after a medical procedure...

Anesthesia is the use of medications to block the pain of a medical procedure. The medications that block this pain are called anesthetics. Different forms of anesthesia are used to prepare patients for different types of procedures.

A bite from an animal can be very dangerous. Besides obvious injuries like tissue punctures and tears, bites can also introduce germs. Whether from a wild animal or from a pet, an animal bite - even one that seems minor - can cause a serious infection.

This surgical procedure is performed to treat severe arthritis or injury of the ankle joint. During the procedure, the surgeon removes damaged bone and cartilage and fuses the joint. This stabilizes the ankle and relieves pain.

Ligaments are fibrous, elastic bands of tissue that connect and stabilize the bones. An ankle sprain is a common, painful injury that occurs when one or more of the ankle ligaments is stretched beyond the normal range of motion. Sprains can occur as a result of sudden twisting, turning or...

This surgery removes a herniated or degenerative vertebral disc in your neck and replaces it with a bone graft. This can relieve painful pressure on spinal nerves.

The anterior cruciate ligament, commonly called the ACL, is a thick, elastic band of tissue that runs from the bottom of the femur to the top of the tibia. It helps stabilize the knee joint. The ACL can become stretched or torn when the knee is twisted or hyperextended. For reasons that are not...

This minimally-invasive surgical procedure, performed through a tiny hole in the neck, removes the bulging portion of a herniated cervical disc. It is designed to relieve neck and radiating arm pain caused by herniated disc material pressing on nerve roots.

This minimally-invasive procedure is performed to stimulate the growth of fibrocartilage in an injured joint. Fibrocartilage is a tough, dense, fibrous material that can fill in areas where smooth, glassy cartilage has become damaged or worn away. This procedure may be performed with general or...

This minimally-invasive surgery is used to help relieve pain and loss of mobility in the shoulder from adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder). A radiofrequency (RF) probe is inserted into the shoulder. The probe uses RF waves to cut the tissue capsule that surrounds the shoulder joint, allowing...

During this outpatient procedure, the surgeon examines the inside of the elbow joint with a camera called an arthroscope. The surgeon identifies and corrects problems with the bones, ligaments and tendons of the elbow.

If you have a joint problem, your surgeon may want to try arthroscopy. This lets your surgeon see inside your joint with a small, thin camera called an "arthroscope." It can be used on any joint, but let's see it in the knee.

This arthroscopic procedure uses a small, metal, cap-like implant to cover damaged or missing articular cartilage in the knee joint. The articular cartilage covers the surfaces of the bones in the joint, allowing them to glide smoothly against each other. The procedure can typically be performed...

(Caution: Investigational Device) A goal of this procedure is to relieve the pain caused by pinched nerves due to a damaged disc in the cervical spine. The diseased or damaged disc will be replaced with a specialized implant.

This procedure, performed under regional or local anesthesia, replaces a diseased or damaged finger joint with an implant made of silicone rubber or hard metal, ceramic or pyrocarbon. This technique can be used to replace the middle joint of the finger (called the PIP joint) or the joint at the...

This outpatient procedure relieves pain and swelling in the knee caused by bursitis, or inflammation of the bursa. The bursa is a fluid-filled sac between the skin and patella (commonly called the kneecap).

This is a weakening and collapse of the bone in the head of your femur. That's the ball that fits in the socket of your hip. As this bone gradually dies and breaks apart, you can develop painful arthritis in your hip.

If you have a painful shoulder, you may have a torn labrum. That's a tear of the thick band of tissue around your shoulder socket. A torn labrum can be fixed with a procedure called a "Bankart repair."

Pain in the basal joint caused by arthritis makes it difficult for patients to grip and hold or twist objects between the thumb and fingers. This surgical procedure removes and rebuilds the basal joint.

This is a problem with a tendon in your shoulder. Most often, it's the "long head of biceps" tendon. It travels from the front of your upper arm to the top of your shoulder socket. With this condition, the tendon becomes painfully inflamed or irritated.

If you’re among the many mountain bikers and cyclists looking to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic while staying healthy, active, safe, and working on your joint health, then our expert cycling guidelines should help you avoid a variety of injuries.

Bruises, scrapes, and minor cuts are all...

This is a type of x-ray that measures your bone density. Your doctor may recommend it if you're at risk for osteoporosis (that's a weakening of your bones). This scan is a quick and easy way to check for signs of bone density loss.

A boxer's fracture is a break of the metacarpal of the little finger. The metacarpals are the long bones in the hand that connect the fingers to the wrist. A boxer's fracture refers to a break at the end of the bone nearest the knuckle, which is called the metacarpal neck.

This procedure is used to correct a bunion, a deformity of the joint at the base of the big toe. During this procedure, portions of bone are removed and the bones of the foot and toe are aligned properly, eliminating the bump on the inner side of the foot.

This outpatient procedure is performed to correct a bunion, a deformity of the toe joint. This surgery is commonly performed with regional anesthesia.

This surgical procedure is performed to correct a bunionette, a bony bump on the outer side of the foot at the base of the fifth toe. During this procedure, the surgeon realigns the head of the metatarsal and removes excess bone to eliminate the prominence and give the foot a more natural shape...

These are warm or painful sensations caused by an injury to the brachial plexus. This is a network of nerves that passes through your shoulder. They travel down your arm and to your hand.

This is a swelling of a fluid-filled sac called the "subacromial bursa." It's in the shoulder, between a bony protrusion called the "acromion" and the rotator cuff. You have similar sacs near other large joints throughout your body. They act as cushions between your bones and your soft tissue....

This procedure is used to correct a "tongue-type" fracture of the calcaneus (the heel bone). During this procedure, the surgeon stabilizes the bone with hardware to allow the bone to heal properly.

This painful condition occurs when calcium deposits form in tendons of the rotator cuff. These tendons and surrounding tissues in the shoulder become inflamed. Reactive calcification often develops in young people, but it can affect people of all ages.

Pain, numbness and tingling in your hand may be from carpal tunnel syndrome. It happens when the area around the main nerve to your hand is too tight. The nerve is called the median nerve. And the small space in your wrist where it passes is called the carpal tunnel.

This technique is designed to treat and repair cartilage defects by regenerating the patient's own cartilage cells.

This disease, one of the most common inherited neurological disorders, affects motor and sensory nerves throughout the body. It is usually not life-threatening, and rarely affects the brain. CMT is also called hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN), or peroneal muscular atrophy.

This surgical procedure is used to help relieve symptoms of hallux rigidus by removing bony growths on top of the big toe's main joint. This procedure improves joint movement and is most successful in patients with less severe arthritis.

This is a common shoulder injury. It's a break of the bone that rests between the shoulder blade and the sternum. We call it the "collarbone." Your collarbones help connect your arms to your body.

This birth defect results in a shortening of the tendons on the inner side and rear of the foot, which causes the foot to be permanently twisted inward and upward. In about half the cases, both feet are affected. If left untreated, the afflicted person will eventually walk on the outer side of...

Colles fracture is a break of one or both of the forearm bones (called the radius and ulna) that occurs just above the wrist. Although this type of injury can be caused by any strong force, Colles is most often associated with trying to break a forward fall.

In this minimally invasive surgical procedure, the surgeon replaces the hip joint with the aid of a computer guidance system. The system aids the surgeon in preparing and aligning the joint with the highest degree of accuracy.

These are patches of rough, thick skin. Many people have them on their feet. They can form because of pressure or friction, often because of shoes that don't fit properly. Corns and calluses are your skin's way of protecting itself. They are similar, but they are two different things.

This scan lets doctors see inside your body by taking x-ray images from many angles. These are combined to show clear cross-section slices of parts of your body. A CT scan shows much more than a typical x-ray. It can show cancer and other problems.

This condition is a compression injury to the ulnar nerve near the elbow. This is the nerve that produces a jolt when you bump your "funny bone."

This condition, also called stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, is an inflammation of the sheath that wraps around the tendons at the thumb side of the wrist.

This condition is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep inside the body. This type of clot most commonly develops in the legs. This condition is dangerous, because the clot can break free and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs.

Diabetes is commonly perceived as a single illness, but it is actually a group of metabolic disorders that can cause many problems. It is either caused by the pancreas not producing enough insulin (Type 1), or the body’s cells not responding properly to the insulin that is produced (Type 2). A...

This outpatient procedure is a minimally-invasive surgical technique commonly used to identify problems in the shoulder joint. It is performed with the aid of a specialized camera called an arthroscope.

A mucous cyst is a small, fluid-filled sac that forms on the back of the finger near the base of the fingernail. It is a form of ganglion cyst that erupts from the capsule of the joint at the end of the finger, called the DIP joint. The cyst is attached to the joint capsule by a "stalk" that...

Direct anterior hip replacement offers an exciting less invasive alternative to traditional techniques used to perform hip arthroplasty. This technique is the only way to access the hip joint that is truly muscle sparing, making it the least invasive of all techniques used to access the hip. The...

This condition is a break of the radius bone at the wrist. The radius is the larger of the two bones that connect the wrist to the elbow. The other bone is called the ulna. The radius supports the majority of forces at the wrist joint with its large joint surface. A fracture of the distal end of...

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It helps you walk, run, and jump. But when the tendon gets stretched too far, it can rupture, resulting in a complete or partial tear. This is usually due to a sudden and strong force on the tendon, which can happen when you jump, pivot on...

This procedure is used to correct deformities such as hammertoe and claw toe. The surgeon shortens a bone in the toe to allow the toe to straighten and return to a more natural posture.

This is a test of your muscles and nerves. It usually has two parts. One is a nerve conduction study. This measures how well electricity moves through your nerves. The second part is a needle electromyogram. It records the electrical signals your muscles make when you move them. The results can...

This surgery is performed to relieve pressure on the median nerve, alleviating numbness and tingling in the fingers. The endoscopic carpal tunnel technique is performed on an outpatient basis. The endoscopic approach creates less pain and scarring than traditional open surgery, allowing for a...

Morton's neuroma is an enlarged nerve, compressed or pinched between the bones and the ligament that holds them together. This procedure eases the pain by releasing pressure from the nerve or removing the nerve.

This condition is a deterioration of the facet joints, which help stabilize the spine and limit excessive motion. The facet joints are lined with cartilage and are surrounded by a lubricating capsule that enables the vertebrae to bend and twist.

Bone, joint, and muscle specialists devote their practices to helping patients who experience joint problems. They have a comprehensive understanding of how your joints work and what causes joint pain, and they can provide a precise diagnosis as well as the treatment options best suited for your...

This procedure stabilizes severe fractures of the femur with a metal rod and screws implanted into the center of the bone. This system provides great strength while the bone heals.

This surgical procedure stabilizes severe fractures of the femur by placing a metal rod into the center of the femur.

If your finger is dislocated, that means a bone has been forced out of its normal position. It's a common, painful injury, and one that needs proper treatment.

The purpose of this procedure is to drain the pus and relieve the pressure and pain that results from an abscess in the pad of the fingertip, called a felon. Although commonly performed on an outpatient basis, severe infections may require hospitalization and antibiotics.

This procedure uses pins, screws or metal plates to repair broken bones in the fingers. The actual fixation method will depend on the location and pattern of the break.

Our fingers are often in harm's way, and our fingertips are prone to injury. A fingertip injury can involve skin, soft tissue, nerves and bone. It can involve the nail and the nailbed. These injuries can be serious, painful, and slow to heal. If you've injured your fingertip, you can take a few...

This surgical procedure is performed to help relieve pain in the front of the foot and correct deformities in the MTP joint of the big toe caused by injury, arthritis or genetic defect. The procedure fuses the bone at the base of the big toe to the first metatarsal bone of the foot.

The flexor tendons of the hand are responsible for flexion of the fingers and thumb toward the palm. These long structures are connected to the flexor muscles in the forearm. An injury to one of these tendons can cause pain and inability to flex the finger or thumb and grasp with the hand....

This condition is a break in the heel bone, called the calcaneus, which forms the back of the foot. This bone supports the foot and is important for normal walking.

This condition occurs when the talus, a bone that connects the foot and ankle, develops a fracture from a severe impact or fall. The talus is an important bone of the foot, as it aids in walking on uneven ground and in weight transfer across the ankle joint.

This condition is a fracture, or break, of one or more of the metacarpal bones of the hand. The fracture may be nondisplaced, in which the bones remain aligned, or displaced, in which the fractured ends shift out of alignment. Without proper treatment, the bones may not heal correctly. This can...

This condition is a fracture of a portion of the tibia, also called the shin bone, in the knee joint. The tibial spine is a specialized ridge of bone in the tibia where the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) attaches. This ligament is important in maintaining flexibility and stability in the knee...

This outpatient procedure is used to remove a ganglion cyst, a fluid-filled sac that forms as a herniation from a joint capsule, ligament or tendon sheath. Ganglion cysts commonly develop at the wrist.

If you’ve noticed a small, round lump growing under the skin along the tendons or joints of your wrists or hands, you may have a ganglion cyst. Although it can be alarming, these non-cancerous lumps are common and there are more than 200,000 US cases per year.

This outpatient procedure is used in the correction of conditions such as flatfoot, chronic Achilles tendonitis, or equinus (commonly called toe walking). Gastrocnemius recession lengthens the muscles and tendons at the back of the leg, allowing the heel to shift downward into a more natural...

If you have pain in your shoulder, you may have a torn labrum. That's the thick band of tissue that goes around your shoulder socket. It helps make the socket deeper. It cushions the bone of your upper arm and keeps it from slipping.

Revision hip is performed to replace worn artificial hip parts and damaged bone with new metal, plastic or ceramic components. Several revision options are available, chosen based on the condition of the patient's bones. This animation will show multiple revision techniques.

Growth plates are sections of cartilage near the ends of bones that are present until a person reaches maturity. They allow the skeleton to grow and lengthen, but are highly susceptible to injury. Growth plate injuries can result from overuse of a joint or from trauma.

This treatment removes a bony bump on the back of your heel. That bump is called a "Haglund's deformity." It can cause heel pain.

This condition is a deformity in which a toe bends downward at the middle joint. The second toe is the one most likely to be affected, but this deformity can occur in other toes as well. Sometimes, more than one toe is affected.

This procedure uses a small, metal, cap-like implant to cover damaged or missing articular cartilage in the shoulder joint. Articular cartilage covers the joint surfaces of bones, allowing them to glide smoothly against each other. In the shoulder, arthritis or an injury may result in loss or...

This procedure removes a wedge of bone from the tibia, straightening the leg and correcting the deformity known as bow-leggedness.

This outpatient procedure is an examination of the inside of the hip joint. The surgeon uses miniature instruments and a small camera (called an arthroscope) to see inside the joint. Arthroscopy can be used to diagnose and treat problems of the joint.

This is a break of the upper part of your femur. The femur is the long bone in your upper leg. At the top of the femur is the "head." This is the ball that fits into your hip socket. A hip fracture may happen at the "neck" of the femur (the thin portion of bone under the head). Fractures may...

This surgical procedure uses metal surgical screws to repair a fracture of the femur. This procedure is typically used for patients who have minimal damage to the bone and minimal shifting from the fracture.

This surgical procedure replaces the head of a damaged femur with an implant designed to stabilize the femur and restore hip function. Unlike total hip replacement, in which both the ball of the femur and the hip socket are replaced, in this procedure, only the ball is replaced.

From roof repair and landscaping to the perfect do-it-yourself home décor, during COVID-19 many more are finding it fun and rewarding to complete projects at home, but DIY also comes with some safety risks. Be sure to follow the safety tips listed below to help avoid injuries when taking on a...

During this non-operative, outpatient procedure, the physician injects a pain relief medication called HYALGAN@ into the knee joint. The HYALGAN will help the knee move smoothly, reducing or relieving the pain of osteoarthritis.

This condition is a painful inflammation of the iliotibial band, a thick, tendon-like portion of a muscle that travels from the hip down the outer side of the thigh to the knee. ITBS results in pain, aggravated by activity, that is usually felt on the outer side of the knee.

This is a type of arthritis that can affect people of all ages. It's not the same as the most common form of arthritis, called "osteoarthritis." That type commonly comes from wear and tear. Inflammatory arthritis can develop without any wear and tear at all.

This surgical procedure is used to stabilize a femoral head that has slipped off the neck of the femur. One or more screws are inserted through the neck and into the femoral head.

This outpatient injection procedure relieves pain in the shoulder and arm caused by arthritis, injury or disorder.

This procedure is used to correct a Jones fracture - a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of the foot. During this procedure, the surgeon inserts a screw into the metatarsal to stabilize the bone and allow it to heal properly.

This is a break of a bone in the foot called the "fifth metatarsal." It's on your foot's outer side, behind the little toe. With a Jones fracture, this bone breaks on the end furthest from the toe. The fifth metatarsal doesn't have a good blood supply there, so healing can be difficult.

Kienbock's disease is the death and deterioration of the lunate, one of the small bones in the wrist. It usually occurs in young adults and causes wrist pain, weakness, and loss of motion. 

If your hip joint hurts, or if it catches or clicks when you move your leg, you may have a torn labrum. That's a rim of tissue that surrounds the hip's socket. It helps to deepen the socket and cushion the joint. A torn labrum can keep the hip joint from working smoothly.

This procedure uses a small incision to replace the diseased and damaged portion of the hip joint. Patients feel less pain and recover more quickly compared to patients who undergo traditional hip replacement surgery, which requires a longer incision. The implants used are the same as the ones...

This surgical procedure is used to modify the shape of the foot, creating an arch to correct the condition of pes planus (commonly called flat foot or fallen arch). It can dramatically change the shape of the foot, giving the foot a more normal appearance.

This procedure is designed to loosen or tighten ligaments on either side of the patella (kneecap) to improve the movement of the patella in patients suffering from patellar tracking disorder. This procedure is usually performed arthroscopically through one or two small incisions near the patella...

This injury occurs when the base of the second metatarsal is broken, or when a ligament that connects this metatarsal to one of the cuneiform bones of the midfoot is ruptured.

During this minimally-invasive outpatient procedure, the surgeon removes debris from within the knee joint. This debris is usually a piece of bone, cartilage or other tissue that has broken free and is floating within the joint.

This surgery corrects a toe that has become permanently bent downward. This technique straightens your toe to allow your foot to function normally.

This surgical procedure is used to modify the shape of the foot, creating an arch to correct the condition of pes planus (commonly called flat foot or fallen arch).

This condition, commonly called golfer's elbow, is an inflammation of the tendons that connect the muscles of the forearm to the elbow. The pain is primarily felt at the medial epicondyle, the bony bump on the inner side of the elbow.

This procedure is designed to repair a torn elbow ligament - an injury typically caused by strong, repetitive overhead throwing motions of the arm or by dislocation of the elbow. It was first performed in 1974 on baseball pitcher Tommy John.

Each of your knee joints is cushioned by two c-shaped wedges of cartilage. The two cushions in each knee are called the "menisci." Individually, each cushion is called a "meniscus." Certain motions, such as twisting the knee, can cause a meniscus to tear. In many cases, a torn meniscus can be...

This procedure is used to correct a fracture of one or more of the long bones of the foot. During this procedure, the surgeon stabilizes the bones with hardware to allow the bones to heal properly.

This minimally-invasive procedure repairs damaged cartilage in the knee joint. Small holes are drilled into the bone at the base of the damaged area to stimulate the growth of healthy "scar" cartilage.

Mini-incision Total Knee Arthroplasty, also called MIS TKA, replaces the damaged and painful areas of the knee joint with metal and polyethylene plastic parts. The MIS total knee procedure is performed through an incision that is smaller than the incision used for traditional total knee...

This surgical procedure is used to inspect and reattach torn tendons in the shoulder's rotator cuff. The initial part of the surgery is performed arthroscopically through small tubes. An open incision may be needed if the damage is severe.

This condition is a thickening of the nerve sheath that surrounds a nerve in the ball of the foot. It most commonly develops between the third and fourth toes. It also commonly occurs between the second and third toes.

This condition is a sharp or aching pain in the ball of the foot that is most often centered beneath the base of the second toe. This pain is an indication that the bone at the base of the toe, called the proximal phalanx, is beginning to separate from the long bone of the foot, called the...

The hip is where the femur meets the pelvis. Several strong muscles are found here. They handle high loads of stress. They may suffer from overstretching and tearing. This is called a muscle "strain." It's a common injury among athletes who play sports that require sudden starts and stops.

This condition is an injury to the navicular, one of the tarsal bones of the midfoot. This type of injury is common in athletes, particularly those who participate in high-impact sports that require jumping, sprinting and sudden directional changes. Track and field athletes are particularly...

This noninvasive, outpatient exam is used to measure how quickly nerves conduct electrical signals through the body. NCS is a valuable technique for diagnosing nerve damage. If damage exists, NCS can help a physician find its source.

This procedure replaces areas of damaged cartilage with grafts of the patient's own healthy hyaline cartilage. The procedure, also known as mosaicplasty, is performed using small instruments through incisions on the sides of the knee. The surgeon uses a small video camera called an arthroscope...

In this outpatient procedure, the surgeon inserts a thin metal implant to resurface lost or moderately damaged cartilage on the inner side of the knee joint, called the medial compartment. The implant can be used to replace articular cartilage, which covers the ends of the knee bones, and also...

This is a type of injury that causes knee pain in children. It's an inflammation of a growth plate in the tibia. Growth plates are places where new bone tissue forms. They are found in the long bones of growing children. But growth plates are weaker than the surrounding bone. That makes them...

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative arthritis, is a gradual breakdown of cartilage in the joints. Cartilage is a tough, flexible connective tissue that protects the ends of bones in the joints. Osteoarthritis is common in the hip because the hip bears the weight of the body. Osteoarthritis...

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative arthritis, is a gradual breakdown of cartilage in the joints. Cartilage is a tough, flexible connective tissue that protects the ends of bones in the joints. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder can severely impact a person's lifestyle.

This is a disorder that most often affects young athletes. It happens when part of a bone in the elbow loses its blood supply. It weakens, and so does the cartilage that covers it. Bone and cartilage may break off and drift around in the elbow. That can cause the joint to catch and lock up.

If you have an infection in a bone, you have osteomyelitis. It's a serious condition that can cause part of your bone to die. And, the infection can spread to other parts of your body.

As you get older, your risk for osteoporosis increases. That's a disease that makes your bones thin and weak. A screening procedure called a "bone density test" shows if you have osteoporosis. It shows if you are likely to develop it. Or, if you are being treated for osteoporosis, it can show if...

This condition is an infection of the skin around the fingernail, usually at the side of the nail. Infections are usually mild, but may quickly increase in severity if not properly treated. Some infections may be chronic, and difficult to treat.

Unlike total knee replacement surgery, this less invasive procedure replaces only the damaged or arthritic parts of the knee. The OXFORD® unicompartmental knee uses metal and plastic implants designed to potentially last longer and wear down less easily than traditional implants.

This procedure is used to remove the problem portion of an ingrown toenail and to prevent the ingrown toenail from recurring. Matrixectomy is performed under local anesthetic, and requires only a few minutes to complete.

This is a pain you feel just below your patella (the bone we commonly call the "kneecap"). It's an injury to your patellar tendon, which connects the bottom of the kneecap to the shinbone.

This is a problem with the alignment of the patella (the bone at the front of the knee, commonly called the "kneecap"). With this disorder, the patella shifts out of its normal track as you bend or extend your knee.

This surgical procedure removes portions of damaged cartilage on the femur in the knee joint that have been rubbing against the underside of the patella, causing pain and loss of mobility. This cartilage is then replaced with a specially-designed implant.

This serious injury is a break of a child's thigh bone, called the femur. Because the femur is the largest and strongest bone in the body, this type of injury is relatively uncommon, accounting for only a small percentage of all pediatric fractures.

This condition is a tearing of one or both peroneal tendons, which travel down the lower leg, behind the lateral malleolus and along the outer side of the ankle.

This condition is a deformity of the femoral head caused by a temporary loss of blood supply to the hip joint. Perthes disease usually affects children between four and 10 years of age.

This injury is a fracture at the base of the tibia (the largest of the two bones in the lower leg). Pilon fractures involve the weight-bearing surface of the tibia, and typically occur just above the ankle. In many cases, when the tibia is fractured, the thinner bone in the lower leg (called the...

Plantar fasciitis is an irritation of the plantar fascia. This thick band of connective tissue travels across the bottom of the foot between the toes and the heel. It supports the foot's natural arch. It stretches and becomes taut whenever the foot bears weight.

This condition is a common congenital anomaly that results in extra fingers or thumbs. Polydactyly can affect one or both hands, and can result in one or more extra digits. Polydactyly can also affect the feet, resulting in extra toes.

Strong bands of tissue called "ligaments" help stabilize the bones that form the knee joint. One of these ligaments is called the "PCL." It helps connect the femur to the tibia. If you stretch or tear a PCl, your knee may become unstable.

This condition is an overstretching and inflammation of the posterior tibial tendon, which travels from a muscle in the calf down to the arch of the foot. This tendon is one of the major supporting structures of the foot's arch and aids in walking.

This condition is an inflammation of the prepatellar bursa, a fluid-filled sac that covers the front of the kneecap. Prepatellar bursitis results in pain and swelling at the front of the knee.

This condition is a tear of the tendon that connects the patella to the quadriceps muscles of the thigh. The quadriceps muscle is used to straighten the leg from the bent position. A complete rupture of the quadriceps tendon is a disabling injury.

This condition involves the radial nerve in your elbow. The radial nerve passes down your arm to your hand. Its branches travel into your thumb, forefinger and middle finger. With this condition, your radial nerve is compressed, stretched or irritated.

During this procedure, the surgeon uses a specialized radiofrequency instrument to break up scar tissue in a painfully-inflamed Achilles tendon. The coblation procedure can be performed as a minimally-invasive procedure through the skin, or it can be performed as part of an open surgical...

During this procedure, the surgeon replaces a damaged shoulder joint with artificial components that reverse the structure of the shoulder. This procedure is most often used for patients who have had a failed total shoulder replacement. It is also helpful for patients who have had a complete...

Revision hip is performed to replace worn artificial hip parts and damaged bone with new metal, plastic or ceramic components. Several revision options are available, chosen based on the condition of the patient's bones. This animation will show multiple revision techniques.

This procedure replaces worn artificial knee parts and damaged bone with new, specially-made metal and plastic components.

Rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that can attack joints throughout the body, commonly affects the joints and surrounding tendons of the wrist and fingers. It can cause the joints to become swollen, painful and possibly deformed. This can interfere with normal hand function. It can significantly...

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the immune system. This is the system that protects you from infection. RA may cause pain and stiffness in your shoulder where the humerus (the bone of the upper arm) meets the shoulder socket. It can also affect the joint where your clavicle meets your...

The rotator cuff muscles and tendons hold your upper arm bone in your shoulder socket. A hard fall, repetitive arm motions or problems with the structure of your shoulder can injure the rotator cuff.

This surgery repairs a tear of the rotator cuff in your shoulder. The rotator cuff is group of muscles and tendons. It holds the head of the humerus in the shoulder socket.

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons in each shoulder. It holds your upper arm bone in your shoulder socket. It keeps your arm stable while allowing it to lift and rotate. Too much stress on the rotator cuff can cause a tear. This can be a painful injury.

This procedure stabilizes a fractured scaphoid bone with screw fixation. The scaphoid is an important carpal bone of the wrist, which is critical in coordinating motion of the other carpal bones and the radius.

This is an infection in the knee joint. It causes your knee to become painfully inflamed. Without proper treatment, it can become a chronic problem. It can permanently damage your knee.

This is pain you feel in the front of one or both of your lower legs. It can be a problem for runners, dancers, gymnasts and other active people.

This is a painful pinching of soft tissues in your shoulder. It happens when these tissues rub and press against a part of your shoulder blade called the "acromion." This can irritate your rotator cuff tendons, and also a soft sac called the "subacromial bursa."

This surgery replaces the damaged or diseased part of the humerus head (also known as the ball) with a metal implant.

This arthroscopic procedure is performed to repair a tear of the biceps tendon at the point where it connects to the labrum, a ring of cartilage that surrounds the shoulder socket. A tear at this point is called a SLAP (Superior Labrum Anterior-Posterior) tear. SLAP repair is performed under...

This disorder, which affects children between 10-15 years old, occurs when the head of the femur slips off the femoral neck. This misaligns the femur with the socket. In most cases, SCFE is a gradual process that occurs while the bones are still growing, but it can also occur suddenly. SCFE may...

This is a snapping or a popping sensation in your hip. It may happen when you stand up, when you walk, or when you move your leg a certain way.

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! Shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of gold, and of course, green beer are all in season as the luck of the Irish sweeps across St. Louis. There are all sorts of legends and interesting tidbits about St. Patrick that may surprise you.

This surgery treats subacromial impingement. That's a pain you feel when you raise your arm. It happens when tendons in your shoulder press and rub against a part of your shoulder blade called the "acromion." This surgery is commonly done with the help of a special camera called an "arthroscope...

This surgical procedure is used to help relieve pain in the joint beneath the ankle joint and correct deformities in the hindfoot caused by injury, arthritis, or genetic defect. The procedure fuses the calcaneus (the heel bone) to the talus, the bone that connects the foot to the ankle.

This condition is a break in the femur at the knee joint. The fracture can range from a small crack to a full break that allows part of the bone to separate. This injury can involve the cartilage on the base of the femur in the knee joint, and may increase the risk of developing knee arthritis...

This is a pain or weakness from an irritated nerve in your shoulder. It's called the "suprascapular" nerve. It travels from the neck down through your shoulder.

This procedure is used to remove excess bone growth and reshape the hip joint to allow for proper joint movement.

This condition is a common congenital anomaly of the hand. It occurs when two or more fingers are connected together by skin or tissue. The bones of the fingers may also be fused.

This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, is used to repair a ruptured or severed tendon in the finger or thumb.

This is a label given to a group of disorders. In these disorders, nerves or blood vessels are compressed in the space between your collarbone and the underlying rib. This space is called the "thoracic outlet."

This condition, also called skier's thumb, is an acute sprain or tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) on the ulnar side of the metacarpal-phalangeal (MCP) joint of the thumb. A related condition, called gamekeeper's thumb, is a chronic injury that develops over time from repeated...

This surgical procedure is used in cases where osteoarthritis has affected only one side of the knee joint. The tibia is cut and realigned so that pressure is shifted from the damaged side of the knee joint to the healthier side.

This condition is a fracture at the top of the tibia, also called the shin bone. This fracture usually involves both bone and cartilage, so there is a high risk of developing arthritis from injury to the cartilage cells.

This technique is used to stabilize an ankle after injury. It can be used to repair a high ankle sprain, which damages the soft tissue structures between the tibia and fibula and causes these bones to separate. It can also be used to stabilize a fracture of the fibula. The TightRope system...