interactive skeleton
  • Knee
  • Spine
  • Hip
  • Elbow
  • Hand & Wrist
  • Shoulder
  • Neck
  • Foot & Ankle

Overview

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Knee
Knee pain is one of the most common medical complaints among both men and women, and it's no wonder: The knees are certainly one of the most-used joints in the body, helping us stand, bend, lift, walk and perform myriad other tasks, all while supporting the weight and strain of the rest of the body. The joint itself isn't quite as complex as other joints, and it's also not as mobile and flexible – movement is largely restricted to front-to-back bending, with a limited ability to twist side to side. And that can make it more prone to injury.

What Causes Pain

Located where the upper leg bone (femur) and large lower leg bone (tibia) meet, the knee joint also comprises the kneecap (patella) and several large ligaments, as well as a pair of cartilage “wedges,” each of which is called a meniscus, that helps cushion the knee and protect it from impact-related damage. Any of these structures can become damaged, and some of the most common causes of knee pain include fractures of any of the three bones, ligament sprains or tears, meniscal tears, and of course, degenerative changes due to arthritis. Range of motion (or ROM) and flexibility are also usually affected, and there may be swelling or grinding or “popping” sensations in the joint.

How To Get Help

Knee pain can rapidly become much worse without prompt attention, and many injuries can also cause joint inflammation that can lead to arthritis and permanent damage to the joint surfaces. If you're having knee pain or related symptoms, call our office today to schedule an evaluation.
Conditions Procedures
Spine
The upper (thoracic) spine and lower (lumbar) spine play critical roles in supporting your body and facilitating all sorts of movements, as well as a surprising degree of flexibility that helps you remain mobile and nimble. Composed of bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, joints and other structures, the spine is also the conduit for all the nerves that travel between the brain and every other area of the body. An injury or disease affecting any of these components can result in pain and other symptoms that can have a significant impact on your ability to move, function and enjoy life.n sitting.

What Causes Pain

The most common causes of back pain include trauma from car accidents, sports injuries, slip-and-fall accidents and similar incidents, strains and sprains caused by repetitive use and overuse, nerve compressions and slipped discs, arthritis and other degenerative conditions, spine diseases and even tumors. Back pain can also be caused or exacerbated by being overweight, sitting or standing for long periods of time, sleeping on an unsupportive mattress, or lifting and carrying heavy loads.

How To Get Help

Back pain and related symptoms can be caused by many different factors, and getting prompt care is critically important for avoiding more serious damage and even permanent disability. If you're experiencing back pain or related symptoms like numbness or weakness in the hips or legs, seeing an orthopedic doctor with experience in treating spine-related issues is crucial. Put an end to your back pain. Call our office today to schedule your individualized evaluation and consultation.
Conditions Procedures
Hip
The hip is the largest ball-and-socket joint in the body, composed of the upper end of the thigh bone (the femur) and a large socket called the acetabulum. The end of the thigh bone is rounded into a ball shape that fits snugly inside the acetabulum, and a network of muscles, ligaments and tendons holds the joint together and supports its movement during walking, running, climbing, squatting and even sitting.

What Causes Pain

Like the shoulder, another ball-and-socket joint, the structure of the hip is complex, and injuries and diseases can affect any of its structures, resulting in painful movement and reduced range of motion. Pain and other symptoms can be caused by car accidents, sports injuries and slip-and-call accidents, or from years of overuse and wear and tear on the joint. Diseases like arthritis and issues like bursitis and bone spurs can interfere with normal joint function, resulting in painful inflammation. And of course, muscle strain from work or other activities can also play a role.

How To Get Help

Enjoying pain-free range of motion is essential for our mobility and our overall quality of life, and the first step in overcoming pain and other hip-related symptoms is to have the joint carefully evaluated to understand the symptoms' source. Ignoring symptoms and hoping they resolve on their own can cause underlying issues to become worse, making treatment and recovery much more difficult and more costly. If you're experiencing hip pain, take the first step toward better joint health and call our office to schedule your evaluation today.
Conditions Procedures
Elbow
The elbows are hinge joints formed at the junction of the upper arm bone (humerus) and the two lower arm bones (the ulna and radius). Strong ligaments and tendons help hold the joint together and connect it with the supportive network of muscles that help control arm movement. In addition to supporting the normal bending motion of the elbow, the ligaments, tendons and muscles also help the forearm and hand rotate from palm up to palm down.

What Causes Pain

Elbow pain may be caused by traumatic injuries from car accidents, sports accidents or slip-and-fall accidents, but it can also be caused by overuse or repetitive use, especially when the joint is used as a fulcrum to swing a heavier load like a tool, tennis racket or golf club. In fact, two of the most common causes of elbow pain are tennis elbow and golfer's elbow, both of which occur when major tendons become irritated and inflamed. Nerve compression can also occur in the elbow, especially in the area known as the “funny bone.” And, as with other joints, degenerative damage due to arthritis can cause pain, stiffness and reduced range of motion, as well as exacerbating other underlying issues.

How To Get Help

Elbow pain and related symptoms can cause problems with the entire arm as well as the hand, and like any joint, the sooner an issue is treated, the easier and faster those symptoms can be relieved. Scheduling an evaluation and consultation appointment as soon as possible is the first step in ensuring elbow pain is properly diagnosed and appropriately so further damage is prevented.
Conditions Procedures
Hand & Wrist
We use our hands, fingers, and wrists for countless tasks throughout the day, at home, at work and everywhere else we might find ourselves. Even the simplest and humblest tasks like getting dressed, brushing our teeth or eating can be surprisingly difficult without the free use of our hands. And when we injure our wrists or hands – or even just a single finger – the impact on our lives can be pretty significant.

What Causes Pain

The hands and wrists are amazingly complex structures, with dozens of bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves and other structures, all working together to help us function. And when any one of these becomes injured as the result of an accident or disease, it takes a toll on our overall quality of life. Pain, stiffness, and loss of movement and function can be caused by relatively minor issues or they may involve much more serious and complicated cases that require a careful, stepwise program of treatment and therapy to correct. But while the causes of hand and wrist injuries may vary, they all have one thing in common: They require the care of a skilled doctor in order to correct them, relieve symptoms and prevent further damage.

How To Get Help

If you have recurrent or persistent hand or wrist pain, don't delay care. Schedule an evaluation today so you can get started on the road to recovery and avoid potential complications that could result in permanent disability.  
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Shoulder
Shoulder pain is a common medical complaint, becoming even more common as we get older. As a large ball-and-socket joint, a healthy shoulder enjoys a wide range of motion – but when injured by an accident or disease, the joint can easily become stiff and painful, and suddenly, even something as simple as combing your hair or reaching over your head can be excruciating.

What Causes Pain

Often symptoms like pain, stiffness and reduced range of motion are caused by sports and athletic activities or traumatic injuries from car accidents or slip-and-fall accidents. But they can also be caused by repetitive motion or overuse injuries, sometimes from simple day-to-day activities like lifting heavy objects or reaching and stretching over your head, or from diseases like arthritis. Some shoulder problems like “frozen shoulder” often have no single identifiable cause, but they can still cause plenty of discomfort as well as significant loss of movement in the joint. Without medical intervention, even a seemingly mild shoulder problem can quickly develop into a major medical issue that can be much more difficult to treat.

How To Get Help

Having a medical evaluation by a skilled shoulder specialist is the first step toward relieving painful symptoms and restoring normal function in the joint, and it's also essential for preventing shoulder problems from becoming worse. If you have shoulder pain, instability, weakness or reduced range of motion in the joint, call the office today to schedule an evaluation so you can get the care you need to feel better, protect your shoulder and prevent the issue from becoming worse.
Conditions Procedures
Neck
The neck or cervical spine comprises seven spine bones or vertebrae surrounded by ligaments, tendons and muscles. In addition to supporting the weight of the head (about 10 or 11 pounds!), the neck must be extremely flexible, swiveling and bending up and down, side to side and in nearly every direction in between. At the same time, the cervical spine provides a protective “highway” for the nerves that travel between the brain and the shoulders, arms, and hands. Keeping the cervical spine healthy is important for preventing pain in the neck as well as in these other areas.

What Causes Pain

Neck pain can be caused by traumatic injuries, including car accidents and slip-and-fall accidents, and they can also be caused by overuse and repetitive injuries, as well as degenerative diseases in the spine joints. Herniated or “slipped” discs can be a source of localized pain as well as radiating symptoms in the arms and hands. Even something as simple as sleeping on an unsupportive pillow or carrying a heavy and unbalanced load like an overstuffed backpack or briefcase can cause significant discomfort in and around the neck and extending into the shoulders or even the upper back.

How To Get Help

If you have pain, numbness or tingling in the neck, shoulders, upper back or arms, it's important to see an orthopedic specialist right away to relieve symptoms and to prevent the problem from becoming worse. Call our office today and schedule an evaluation so we can help you start feeling better fast.  
Conditions Procedures
Foot & Ankle
Our feet and ankles take a lot of wear, tear, and outright abuse during the course of an average day, supporting us as we stand, walk and complete other seemingly simple tasks and movements. But despite that superficial simplicity, there's a lot going on “behind the scenes.” Each movement we make requires the coordination of more than two dozen bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, all working together to help us move with ease. And all that coordination has to happen while our feet and ankles are busy supporting our total body weight, magnified by the impact of our steps.

What Causes Pain

With so many structures involved in every step we take, it's not surprising foot and ankle pains are among the most common medical complaints affecting patients of all ages. Pain can be caused by an array of factors, including diseases like arthritis and gout, fractures, strains, sprains and ligament tears, and even nerve damage. The way you walk (your gait) and even your foot shape can play a role as well. To treat foot and ankle pain effectively, all these factors – and others – need to be evaluated together and separately for the best possible outcome.

How To Get Help

Because we depend on our feet and ankles to get around, seeing an orthopedic specialist at the first sign of injury, pain or other symptoms is critical for correcting underlying issues and resuming pain-free movement. If you're experiencing pain, stiffness or other symptoms, call today to schedule an in-depth evaluation and consultation.
Conditions Procedures
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