Orthopedic Conditions

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is one of the most common knee injuries, particularly among athletes. The ACL is a key ligament that stabilizes the knee joint, connecting the thighbone to the shinbone. Tears typically occur during sudden stops, direction changes, or direct impact to the knee.

A meniscus tear is a common knee injury affecting the C-shaped cartilage (meniscus) that acts as a cushion between the thighbone and shinbone. Each knee has two menisci. Tears can occur from twisting or pivoting motions during sports, or from degenerative wear in older adults. Meniscus tears are one of the most frequently treated orthopedic injuries.

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a painful condition caused by overuse of the forearm muscles and tendons near the elbow. Despite its name, it is not limited to tennis players - it commonly affects anyone who performs repetitive gripping, twisting, or lifting motions. The condition involves microtears in the tendons that attach to the bony bump on the outside of the elbow.

A stress fracture is a small crack in a bone caused by repetitive force or overuse, rather than a single traumatic event. They are most common in the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and foot. Stress fractures account for 10% of all sports injuries and are particularly common in runners, military recruits, and dancers.

Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) is a condition that causes pain and inflammation on the inner side of the elbow, where the forearm muscles attach to the bony bump on the inside of the elbow. Despite the name, it affects far more people than just golfers — it's common in anyone who repeatedly grips, twists, or flexes the wrist and forearm.

Patellar tendonitis (jumper's knee) is inflammation of the patellar tendon — the tendon connecting the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone. It's a common overuse injury in athletes who jump frequently, such as basketball and volleyball players, but also affects runners and cyclists. Repetitive stress causes micro-tears in the tendon, leading to pain just below the kneecap.

Iliotibial band syndrome (IT band syndrome) is a common overuse injury in runners and cyclists that causes pain on the outer side of the knee. The iliotibial band is a thick band of connective tissue running from the hip to the shin along the outside of the thigh. When inflamed, it causes a sharp or burning pain at the outer knee that typically occurs at a consistent point during a run.

Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome) is a broad term for pain around or behind the kneecap, particularly during activities like running, squatting, and sitting for prolonged periods. It's one of the most common running injuries and affects people of all activity levels. The pain results from improper tracking of the kneecap (patella) in the groove at the front of the knee, leading to irritation of the cartilage underneath.

Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome) is pain along the inner edge of the shinbone, caused by repetitive stress on the tibia and the muscles and connective tissue attached to it. It is one of the most common overuse injuries in runners, dancers, and military recruits — essentially any activity involving repetitive impact on hard surfaces. The pain is diffuse, covering a stretch of the inner shin rather than a single point, and comes on during activity.

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) runs along the inner side of the knee, connecting the thighbone to the shinbone and preventing the knee from buckling inward. MCL tears are among the most common knee injuries in contact and collision sports. They range from mild stretching (Grade 1) to a complete rupture (Grade 3), and unlike ACL tears, most heal without surgery.

Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs that cushion bones, tendons, and muscles around joints. The knee has around 11 bursae, and several are prone to irritation and swelling. Prepatellar bursitis (swelling directly over the kneecap) is the most common type, often from prolonged kneeling—which is why it is sometimes called "housemaid's knee" or "plumber's knee." Pes anserine bursitis affects the inner side of the knee just below the joint and is common in older adults with osteoarthritis.

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) crosses inside the knee joint and prevents the shinbone from sliding backward relative to the thighbone. PCL tears are less common than ACL tears—accounting for about 3–20% of knee ligament injuries depending on the population studied—but they are frequently under-diagnosed because the knee may remain functional enough that patients do not realize the injury is serious. The classic mechanism is a direct blow to the front of the bent knee, as in a car dashboard injury or a football tackle.

Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle—a small, pear-shaped muscle deep in the buttock that externally rotates the hip—compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve in most people passes beneath the piriformis, but in roughly 10–15% of people it passes through the muscle itself, making them more susceptible. The condition is frequently misdiagnosed as lumbar disc disease because the symptoms—buttock pain radiating down the leg—look identical on the surface.