Joints are the components that connect two adjacent bones together, thereby facilitating most of the movements in your body. Injuries, trauma, osteoarthritis, and other conditions can lead to joint stiffness, swelling, and problems. You may also experience joint pain because of damage to the surrounding ligaments, tendons, and bursae. Joint restoration refers to a wide range of non-surgical or surgical treatments that repair, heal, restore, or replace the damaged/ injured joints.
Non-Surgical Treatments
RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
RICE is widely considered the first and most effective means of addressing joint pains. It includes four essential components — resting the injured sites and preventing activities that cause pain, applying ice packs on the injured sites to reduce inflammation, wrapping a compression bandage on the injured area to reduce swelling, and elevating the injured site above the heart’s level to facilitate blood circulation and healing.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Our physicians provide non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium to reduce joint inflammation and pain. These medications reduce inflammation and swelling to restore optimal joint health.
Physical Therapy/ Exercises
Physical therapy is essential for patients suffering from joint pain because it improves your range of motion, restores joint functionality, and strengthens the muscles surrounding the joints. Our physicians recommend the ideal exercises to improve your joint mobility.
Orthobiologics (PRP & Stem Cell)
Orthobiologics refers to regenerative medications that facilitate natural healing and regeneration. PRP involves drawing a small sample of your blood, isolating the platelet-rich plasmas with growth factors, and injecting it into the targeted joints. Stem cell therapy involves harvesting and injecting stem cells drawn from your blood marrow. Both techniques use autologous materials to boost your body’s natural regenerative capabilities, thereby reversing the effects of arthritis or injuries on your joints.
Surgical Treatments
Arthroscopic Joint Surgery
Joint arthroscopy is a minimally invasive technique that involves making two or three small, keyhole-sized incisions to perform surgery. The surgeon inserts a camera through one incision to project visuals of the damaged joints on the screen, and the other incision holds the instruments necessary to perform surgery. This technique involves minimal downtime and negligible risk of complications.
Open Surgery Techniques
Open surgery, i.e., the traditional approach to surgery, is generally reserved for severe conditions wherein large incisions are necessary. During open surgery, the orthopedic surgeon makes a large incision on the skin’s surface to access the damaged joints and make the necessary adjustments, whether that’s removing the bone spurs, repairing the tendons, or any other.
Osteotomy
Osteotomy is a surgical technique for patients with osteoarthritis. The surgeon cuts the damaged bone tissues to change the alignment and shift weight away from the damaged areas of the joint.
Tendon Repair
If your tendons are damaged, the surgeon may use sutures to sew the tendons together. This simple technique restores the joints and the surrounding soft tissues.
Joint Replacement
Joint replacement is only meant for patients with severely damaged joints that can’t be restored. The damaged joint is replaced with an artificial joint made of plastic, metal, or both.
Schedule an Appointment
Movement Orthopaedic Institute is a state-of-the-art medical center for sports medicine and orthopedic surgery. Our orthopedic specialists use advanced diagnostic tools, such as X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasounds to visualize your bones, joints, and soft tissues to identify the root cause of your joint problems. Based on our assessment, we curate personalized treatment plans to address the root cause, ensuring optimal and long-lasting results. Please schedule an appointment to explore your joint restoration options in the Houston area.
