General Orthopedic Care
Have an injury, ache, or pain in another area of your body? Our general orthopedic care services cover fracture care, knee, hip, and shoulder scopes as well as non-operative services like referral to specialized orthopedic physical therapists.
FAQs
What should I do if I'm experiencing hip or knee pain?
If you're experiencing hip or knee pain, it may be due to arthritis. Arthritis is wearing away of the smooth cartilage lining in your hip or knee joint that makes movement painful. Generally arthritis is more common in individuals older than 60 and is associated with joint stiffness. If you're having difficulty getting in and out of the car, putting on your shoes and socks, or doing your athletic activities (tennis, golf, biking), it may be due to arthritis.
How do I know if I am a candidate for hip or knee replacement?
My general recommendation to patients who have hip or knee arthritis who are considering joint replacement is to go forward with surgery when you're at the point of having more bad days than good days. If your hip or knee pain is hurting you so much that each day is miserable, then that is a good sign that it may be time to have surgery.
What we're learned from our research is that patients with BMI < 40, non-smokers, and who don't have diabetes tend to have the most favorable outcomes after surgery.
Will a hip or knee replacement improve my pain?
When knee and hip replacement is done for the right reasons, it is tremendously successful in regards to improving your pain and mobility. It's important to choose a joint replacement fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon when considering surgery so that you have the best possible chance for success.
How soon can I return to work after surgery?
Most patients can return to work 6-8 weeks after surgery depending on the type of work that they do. If you're working from a computer, you'll be able to start sending emails and completing office work 1-2 weeks after surgery.
How do I know if I should see a hip and knee replacement surgeon?
If you've been told that you have hip or knee arthritis then it's generally recommended to see a joint replacement surgeon to learn about your non-surgical and surgical treatment options.
How to prepare for a hip or knee replacement?
Most of the preparation for hip and knee replacement is in regards to education. Patients who are more educated and engaged do better. All of my patients meet with our team of joint replacement nurses before surgery. At this visit, they hear more about what to expect on the day of surgery and how to coordinate an uneventful recovery. All of my patients enroll in my surgery text messaging program, STREAMD www.mystreamd.com, which has been proven to help patients recover faster, avoid unnecessary emergency room visits, and use less narcotics after surgery.
How soon can I go home after surgery?
Most of my patients are able to go home on the same day as surgery or the next day. I strongly discourage my patients from going to a nursing / extended recovery facility after surgery as research has shown that these are associated with worse outcomes compared to patients who go back to their homes after surgery.
What does it mean to be fellowship-trained knee and hip replacement surgeon?
Every orthopedic surgeon completes five years of residency training, but those who are 'fellowship trained' have spent an additional year of training to focus only on a specific 'specialty'. In my case, I completed an additional year of hip and knee replacement surgical training in Salt Lake City, Utah working with a group of four world-experts in hip and knee replacements. Patients who choose a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon for their hip or knee replacement surgery tend to experience better and more predictable outcomes compared to surgeons who are not fellowship-trained.
What is arthritis and how is it treated?
Arthritis is wearing away of the smooth cartilage lining in your hip or knee joint that makes movement painful. Generally arthritis is more common in individuals older than 60 and is associated with joint stiffness. Arthritis is treated with a combination of activity modifications, medication (anti-inflammatories), and joint injections (cortisone, viscosupplementation). When the arthritis is severe enough, joint replacement surgery is recommended.
How long does it take to recover from a hip or knee replacement?
Generally, most patients are doing most things 6 weeks after surgery. The first few days you'll spend relaxing at home managing your pain. By the end of the first week, you're moving around pretty good and participating in your home exercises. Formal physical therapy is generally not needed and I don't prescribe movement restrictions for my patients after hip replacement which makes your home recovery easier.
When can I drive after surgery?
Patients can drive 2-3 weeks after surgery. The only requirement to drive is that you're not taking narcotic pain medications and you're walking without a walker, crutches, or a cane. I recommend that patients practice in an empty parking lot before venturing out on the road. The decision to drive is a personal decision.
Will I need physical therapy after surgery?
Generally outpatient physical therapy after hip and knee replacement is not needed. My patients complete their home exercises starting the day after their surgery and this generally tends to be enough for the majority of my patients. If I think outpatient PT is needed, I will certainly prescribe it.
