General Orthopedics

General Orthopedics Common Injuries


There is a long list of injuries or types of pain that may lead you to seek out a general orthopaedic physician. Those include, but are not limited to:

  • Arthritis of the hip, knee or shoulder: Symptoms consist of constant pain, often severe affecting the whole knee or hip. The area may be swollen, thickened or stiff. In addition, there is often pain when weight bearing. The muscles may look smaller and feel weak.
  • Arthroplasty of the hip, knee or shoulder: This is a surgery to restore the function of a joint. A joint can be restored by resurfacing ghte bones. An artificial joint (prosthesis) may also be used.
  • Rotator cuff tears: A rotator cuff tear is a common cause of shoulder pain and disability among adults. A torn rotator cuff may weaken the shoulder. This means that many daily activities like combing your hair or getting dressed may become painful and difficult to do.
  • Joint pain: Joint pain is discomfort you can feel in the joints throughout your body. Concerning symptoms include swelling, stiffness, numbness, and loss of motion.
  • Bursitis: Bursitis is painful swelling, also known as inflammation, of the fluid pads that act as a cushion at the joint. These fluid-filled pads are called bursae. It occurs most often in joints that perform frequent repetitive motions. This includes the shoulders, elbows, and hips.
  • Tendinitis: Tendinitis is inflammation of the thick fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone. These cords are called tendons. The condition causes pain and tenderness just outside a joint. Tendinitis can occur in any tendon. But it's most common around shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and heels. Most tendonitis can be treated with rest, physical therapy and medicine to reduce pain. Long-lasting tendon inflammation can cause a tendon to tear. A torn tendon might need surgery.
  • Shoulder dislocation/instability: Shoulder instability usually occurs when the lining of the shoulder joint, ligaments or labrum becomes stretched, torn or detached, allowing the ball of the shoulder joint to move either completely or partially out of the socket.
  • Knee injuries: Common knee injuries include fractures, dislocations, tears and sprains. An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and meniscus tears are some of the most common sports injuries affecting the knee. Patella (kneecap) fractures are less common in sports but may result from high-impact trauma.
  • Ligament Injuries:
    • Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): The ACL runs diagonally in the middle of the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur and provides torsional stability to the knee. Most ACL injuries occur during sports such as soccer, basketball, football, and downhill skiing.
    • Meniscal tears: A meniscus tear is a tear in the rubbery knee cartilage that cushions the shinbone from the thighbone. The meniscus can tear with forceful twisting or rotation of the knee.
    • Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL): The MCL runs from the inside surface of the upper shin bone to the inner surface of the bottom thigh bone. This ligament keeps your tibia in place. It is usually injured by pressure or stress on the outside part of the knee.
    • Other ligament injuries
      • Knee
      • Ankle ligaments such as ankle sprain or Achilles tear or rupture.
      • Shoulder ligament injuries including shoulder dislocation, AC joint injury, and rotator cuff tear.
      • Wrist and hand ligament injuries such as finger sprain and thumb sprain.
      • Spinal ligament injuries such as neck sprain, back ligament sprain, and whiplash.
  • Patella dislocations: A patella dislocation can occur when the kneecap pops sideways out of its vertical groove at the knee joint. It is usually caused by the force from a collision or bad fall. When dislocated it will be painful and prevent you from walking.
  • Fractures:
    • Clavicle: The collarbone (clavicle) is one of the most fractured bones in the body. The symptoms can include severe pain and swelling at the site of the fracture with visible deformity in some cases.
    • Wrist: When a wrist is broken it can cause immediate pain and tenderness, bruising, and swelling. In most cases, the wrist hangs in a bent fashion, and for severe fractures, the nerves to the hand can be affected resulting in numbness.
    • Patellar: The kneecap (Patellar) fracture is a break of the small bone that sits at the front of your knee. A patellar fracture is considered a serious injury and can make it difficult or even impossible to straighten your knee or walk.
    • Ankle: An ankle fracture can happen when one or more of the bones in the ankle joint break. Your ankle joint consists of your talus, fibula and tibia.
  • Carpel Tunnel: Carpel Tunnel is the numbness and tingling in the hand and arm caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist. Symptoms can include pain in the hand and arm with numbness and tingling.
  • Trigger Digits: Trigger digits is a condition where the finger bends, gets stuck, and then snaps straight. Symptoms might get worse over time. Besides finger locking, symptoms include stiffness, a feeling of popping or clicking when the finger moves, and soreness in the affected finger. The condition is usually worse in the morning.
  • Meniscal Injuries: A torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries. Any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, especially when putting your full weight on it, can lead to a torn meniscus.
  • Biceps Pain: Inflammation or irritation of the upper portion of the biceps tendon is viceps tendinitis. Common symptoms of biceps tendinitis include pain in the front of the shoulder and weakness with movement of the shoulder.
  • Shoulder Impingement: Impingement is pinching or rubbing together inside the joint. It causes pain especially when you move. The four most common shoulder impingements are anterior acromial impingement, posterosuperior glenoid rim impingement, sub coracoid impingement and suprascapular nerve impingement.

If you or a loved one has experienced any of these injuries and wishes to see a general orthopedic physician, please call 448.227.4800 or create an appointment request.