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Your knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body. There are a variety of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles which work together to ensure proper functioning of the knee, and there are two pieces of cartilage providing cushioning between the bones connecting your upper and lower leg to the joint. It should come as no surprise that such a complex joint is easily susceptible to injury.
If you suffer a knee injury during athletic activities or due to trauma to the joint in an accident, surgery may be required to repair the joint and restore proper function. At Colorado Advanced Orthopedics, our surgeons perform a wide range of knee surgery procedures to address just about any injury you may have. The list below is by no means exhaustive, but it covers the most common types of knee surgery we perform.
While not listed below, we also regularly perform knee replacement surgery.
Learn More About Knee ReplacementThe anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects your femur (thigh bone) to your tibia (shin bone) on the outside of the knee, and it plays an important role in providing stability to the knee joint. It helps control twisting and rotation actions performed by the knee, such as pivoting, side stepping and landing from a jump. The ACL can be torn during a sports injury or when the knee joint suffers trauma.
A torn ACL is typically accompanied by a popping sound and the sensation that your knee is about to give out. Additional symptoms include:
While nonsurgical treatments may be recommended in some situations, surgery is typically needed to repair a torn ACL. Our knee surgeons typically use arthroscopic surgery techniques to repair a torn ACL since this procedure is less invasive and typically results in a faster recovery. There are two primary techniques used during ACL surgery:
Recovery after a torn ACL is a long process that requires patience and diligent efforts with all physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises. It may take several months to regain pre-injury functionality, and you may not be able to resume athletic activities for about nine months following surgery.
Just like the ACL, the medial collateral ligament (MCL) connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone), but this ligament connects these two bones on the inside of the knee joint. This ligament provides strength and stability to the knee joint. MCL tears are some of the most common sports injuries impacting the knee, and they can occur from a sudden, forceful twisting motion or a direct blow to the outer side of the knee during athletics.
Symptoms of a torn MCL vary based on the severity of the tear, but may include:
The treatment for a torn MCL depends on the grade of the tear:
Grade 1 and 2 MCL tears can generally be repaired with nonsurgical treatments that include:
Grade 3 MCL tears typically require surgery to repair, as do less severe MCL tears that are accompanied by other knee injuries. During MCL surgery, the torn portion of the ligament is either reattached or a graft is used to reconstruct the ligament. As with ACL surgery, autograft and allograft techniques may be used to reconstruct the MCL.
Recovery time after MCL surgery will vary based on the severity of the tear, the technique used and whether other parts of the knee were surgically repaired at the same time. You’ll typically need to wear a knee brace and use crutches for about six weeks after surgery. It may take two to three months to regain normal joint function after surgery, and it may take significantly longer before you can resume athletic activities.
Schedule an appointment with our knee surgeons today.
The meniscus is a structure in your knee that provides cushioning between the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone). It’s made out of cartilage and plays an important role in providing stability to the knee, preventing the adjacent bones from grinding against each other, and distributing stress evenly across the joint. A torn meniscus is a common sports injury that can occur due to a sudden twisting or rotating of the knee. It can also tear due to wear and tear as you get older.
Common symptoms associated with a torn meniscus include:
In some instances, nonsurgical techniques such as physical therapy may be sufficient to treat a torn meniscus, but often surgery is required. The location and size of the tear as well as whether it is a traumatic vs. degenerative injury will typically determine whether surgery is required.
An arthroscopic surgery technique is generally used to repair a torn meniscus. There are three types of surgical procedures to repair a torn meniscus:
Recovery after meniscus surgery can take anywhere between several weeks to several months and will depend on the technique used. Meniscus replacement takes the longest time to heal, while recovery after a partial meniscectomy will generally take about six weeks and recovery after a meniscus repair can take up to three months.
Arthroscopic knee surgery is a minimally invasive technique used to diagnose and treat a variety of knee conditions. During the procedure, a device called an arthroscope (a small tube with a camera and light) is inserted through a small incision in the knee to help our knee surgeons diagnose or treat a knee injury. Specialized surgical instruments will then be used to treat any issues in your knee.
Our surgeons use arthroscopic surgery with a variety of knee surgery procedures, including ACL and MCL reconstruction, meniscus surgery, and procedures performed to remove loose cartilage or bone fragments from the knee. We also use arthroscopic techniques with knee replacement.
Arthroscopic knee surgery provides a variety of important benefits compared with more invasive surgical techniques, including:
The Colorado Advanced Orthopedics team includes some of the finest board-certified, fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons on the Western Slope. Most of our knee surgery procedures are handled by Dr. Mark Purnell and Dr. Rhett Griggs.
Dr. Purnell is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with advanced fellowship training in orthopedic sports medicine. He specializes in reconstruction and repair of chronic and acute knee injuries.
Dr. Griggs is a board-certified, fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon. He specializes in arthroscopic knee surgery.
Our knee surgeons are committed to delivering the exceptional levels of patient care you deserve. They use the latest techniques and most advanced technology to ensure the best possible patient outcomes. When you undergo knee surgery at Colorado Advanced Orthopedics, you’ll have peace of mind that you’re working with some of the most experienced knee surgeons on the Western Slope.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Colorado Advanced Orthopedics serves patients in Meeker, the White River Valley, Grand Junction and throughout the Western Slope.