Knee Injury Treatment Juneau

Trustworthy Orthopedic Services in Juneau

The knee is the focal point of many sports activities. When running and sprinting, the knee resists significant forces and allows quick pivoting and change of direction. When the knee is hyperextended or severely twisted it can become painful and unstable. Patients often report a “popping” sensation at injury and have a knee that becomes severely swollen. Sometimes the knee will not tolerate standing or walking after injury. When this happens the cartilage, meniscus or ligaments can become damaged. This can result in a knee that locks up or catches, or feels wobbly and unstable. Early treatment of these injuries can reduce pain and improve return to sport and normal activities.

At Enhance Orthopedic Surgery, LLC we use state-of-the-art technology to help our patients through painful knee injuries. Our orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Hightower, is dedicated to providing advanced surgical techniques in cartilage restoration, joint preservation, and ligament repair and reconstruction to patients throughout Alaska in both urban and rural areas.

Call our knee injury doctor today at (907) 891-7566 to schedule an appointment today!

Knee Injuries We Treat

Injuries to the knee cartilage have many treatment options based on the location and type of injury. Some injuries at the binding site of bone and cartilage called osteochondral defects (OCDs) can be treated without surgery. Other OCDs are unstable and require surgical correction to preserve the joint. Many of these surgeries can be accomplished with minimally-invasive techniques using arthroscopy and small incisions.

Ligament injuries of the knee can happen on the inside (medial collateral ligament), outside (lateral collateral ligament), in the center (anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments), or the back outside corner (posteriolateral ligament) of the knee. Each of these problems causes a different sensation of instability after injury. Several injuries respond well to therapeutic options and some require surgery. Ligaments can either be repaired directly from there tear site or reconstructed using a graft and bone tunnels.

The medial and lateral meniscus are the cartilage discs in the center of the knee that act as cushions to decrease the forces the joint feels with every step. If the meniscus tears it can cause fragments the get stuck in the joint or snap in and out of the joint. This is felt as locking or catching in the joint and can be worse when standing from deep knee bending. The meniscus can tear on the inside (medial) or outside (lateral) of knee. When the tear occurs at the outer rim it is more likely to heal because that’s where the blood supply and healing nutrients are located. When fixing the meniscus every attempt is made to preserve as much functional meniscus as possible to decrease the pressure the knee feels and slow any wear and tear at the joint surface.

Seek Treatment Today - Call Our Juneau Orthopedic Specialist

Many knee issues effect the joint lining or the surrounding muscles, both of which can be very painful and inconvenient. If your daily life is regularly impacted because of your knee injury, we encourage you to seek treatment with our orthopedic team. We provide personalized treatment plans for each patient to address their individual needs. Our facility was also the first in all of Alaska to offer the Technology Cost Management plan, which helps patients find affordable medical care when they need it the most.

Contact us at (907) 444-5501 to schedule an appointment.