Orthopaedic Surgeon in Orange County

Muscle Strain and Sprain

Stretching muscles beyond their normal range-of-motion may result in muscle strains and sprains. While often used interchangeably, there are important differences that will determine what type of treatment will likely provide relief. When thick bands of tissues that connect two or more bones to joints (ligaments) become over-stretched or torn, it's referred to as a sprain. When the same thing happens to muscles or tendons, it's a sprain. While any part of the body may be affected, knee, ankle, and shoulder joints are frequent locations affected by strains and sprains.

The initial treatment of strains and sprains involves the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) method. Severe sprains and strains not responding to conservative treatments may require surgery to repair tears or reattach tissues to bones. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee is one of the most common soft tissues affected by damage from wear and tear or injury. Whether or not surgery is an option will depend on several factors, including:

• The degree of damage to the affected muscle, tendon, or ligament
• Whether or not joint function is significantly impaired
• The stability of the nearby joint
• Response to physical therapy and non-surgical options like bracing
• Normal level of physical activity and how quality of life is affected

Joint Problems

Overexertion and overuse injuries often result in joint pain. Oftentimes, the discomfort experienced is due to inflammation around the affected joint caused by a strain, sprain, or fracture that results in pain associated with movement. Arthritis is the most common condition that can affect any of the joints in the body.

There are over a hundred types of arthritis, although joints are typically affected by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or psoriatic arthritis. Because it's a progressive condition, how arthritis is treated will depend on how well inflammation is managed and whether or not there has been significant damage to joints and adjacent tissues. Joints may also be affected by:

• Inflammatory conditions like tendonitis and bursitis
• Infectious diseases
• Dislocation

Persistent Back Pain

Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a common reason for a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon in Orange County for further evaluation. Pain related to the spine can be either direct or indirect, as may be the case if adjacent nerves, such as the sciatic nerve, are compressed ("pinched"). Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is another common source of back pain that may result in disc herniation or the slippage of one spinal disc over the adjacent one (spondylolisthesis).

LBP, in particular, can be notoriously difficult to diagnose since there may be many contributing factors. In order to achieve an accurate diagnosis of any type of back pain, an orthopaedic surgeon may use of the following diagnostic techniques:

• Image tests (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs)
• An electromyogram (EMG)to check for muscle and nerve damage
• Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests
• Epidural injections to determine if relief is experienced to confirm a pain source