Advanced Bone & Joint

From one joint to the next, the body is an intricately functioning combination of moving parts. When you think about joints like our elbows and knees, they not only allow the limbs to move and bend, they also help distribute and carry weight. When the elbow, in particular, is injured or damaged, there can be a lot of pain and discomfort with just about every arm movement. An orthopedic surgeon can examine and diagnose an injured elbow to determine what type of treatment to proceed with, from physical therapy to surgery.

The elbow is made up of three bones, the humerus (upper arm), the ulna (large bone of forearm), and the radius (small forearm bone near the thumb). Between the humerus and ulna is the humeroulnar joint, which enables the elbow to be able to move, in other words flex and extend. The elbow is known as a hinge joint, due to it being able to bend and straighten up and down like a hinge.

Known as a hinge joint, the knee is made up of three compartments: inside (medial), outside (lateral), and in front of (patellofemoral) the knee. It is located between the thighbone (femur) and lower leg bone (tibia).

Arthritis is not a single disease, but a way of referring to the experience of joint pain due to inflammation and cartilage breakdown. It can occur anywhere in the body, and is the leading cause of disability in America, according to the Arthritis Foundation. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis that affect more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children each year. Arthritis affects more women than men and is more prevalent as we age.

Our shoulders, when healthy and functioning with optimal flexibility and strength, enable us to move our arms in different directions and perform a variety of daily activities. Over time, however, the shoulder can start to lose its strength, and as a result, certain wear-and-tear injuries may occur.