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.

Most of us realize the importance of hydration to exercise. Drinking water before, during, and after workouts regulates your body temperature, delivers nutrients and oxygen to your cells, and removes waste. But did you know that proper hydration is also an important part of preventing injuries?

Fractures are not all the same, and neither are their treatments. A broken toe, for example, can be much simpler to treat than a compressed vertebrae or shattered leg. Sometimes, caring for a fracture requires more than a splint or cast. 

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.

What is sports medicine?

Orthopedic Sports Medicine is a subspecialty of orthopedics that focuses on the sports related injuries. The sports medicine specialty was created out of a need to help people recover faster and return to play. It is part of the larger field called orthopedics, a medical specialty that focuses on the musculoskeletal injuries (bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons,...

Bone growth stimulation, or BGS, is a form of therapy often used to promote healing after a spinal fusion surgery or fracture. BGS may promote faster natural healing in fractures that may be slow to heal on their own. Here is what you need to know If your orthopedic specialist recommends bone growth (osteogenesis) stimulation.

Is your Achilles tendon causing you pain? You may have an injury that needs treatment. Learn about the types of Achilles tendon injuries that exist and how to recognize them.

Is your wrist sore, swollen, tender, or stiff? Wrist pain, especially after a fall or accident, can indicate an injury that may require treatment.

If you follow professional sports, you may have heard about platelet rich plasma therapy, or PRP — a therapy credited by many world-class athletes for accelerating the repair of their sports injuries. Today, more and more orthopedists are offering PRP injections to help treat non-pro sports injuries and arthritis — but what exactly is PRP, and is it right for you? 

If your joints are aching and sore, or if you're experiencing tenderness, swelling, or stiffness in or around a joint, you have what is called arthralgia — joint pain. Arthralgia can have many causes, including injury, underlying disease, or even allergic reactions or food intolerances.