Arthroscopic surgery, or arthroscopy, is a procedure in which a surgeon makes a small incision and views images of the joint, usually to diagnose, monitor, treat, or repair an injury or disease. Orthopedists find arthroscopy valuable because it is easier on the patient's body and requires a shorter rehabilitation time than open surgery.

Quiz: If you’ve just hurt yourself — for example, sprained your ankle or tweaked your shoulder hitting a tennis serve  — do you ice the injury or apply heat to it?

Or how about chronic soreness or swelling from conditions like osteoarthritis or lower back pain? What’s more effective: heat or cold?

These are questions many people have, and a surprising number aren’t certain about the answer.

Statistically, men and women sustain sports injuries at about the same rate; but how they get injured, and why, are not exactly the same. Are you familiar with the most common sports injuries for women? 

If you follow sports, are an athlete yourself, or have an athlete in your life, you've probably heard of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Torn, ruptured, "popped," or "busted" ACLs are fairly common (and often pretty painful). But what is the ACL, exactly — and how do you know for certain if you've damaged yours?

Do you have pain in certain joints that just hasn’t gone away? Has your back been bothering you for months? Over 28 million Americans experience musculoskeletal issues each year, and they come from a wide variety of sources: overuse, strains, sprains, and simple back, knee, and shoulder pain.

You may be using medication to handle your discomfort, and you wouldn’t be alone. Most people assume that...

Do you suffer from long-term tendon, muscle, or joint pain? Do you have chronic back problems? Then it may be time to visit your Corpus Christi orthopedic doctor at Coastal Orthopedics. There are more than 28 million Americans who develop some type of musculoskeletal problem each year. These problems include, but are not limited to, sprains, strains, and overuse injuries, as well as knee,...