Our Services / Joint Pain

Why would I have joint pain?

There are many possible causes of your joint pain. Overexerting yourself can make your joints feel sore and achy while staying in one position can make them feel stiff and cramped.

These everyday aches and pains wear off in a few hours or days, but some causes of joint pain indicate a more serious problem, such as:

• Strains
• Sprains
• Cartilage damage
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
• Bursitis
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Dislocation
• Nerve compression

If you have moderate to severe pain or mild joint pain doesn't improve after several days of self-care, you should seek advice from Columbus Foot & Ankle, P.C.

How is joint pain treated?

Traumatic injuries like fractures and dislocations require urgent medical care, but most causes of joint pain are less dramatic.

Soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains often respond well to a combination of rest, hot and cold treatments, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy.

If joint pain persists despite these measures, injections of steroid medication into your joint could help. Joint injections have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, which lasts for several months, often even longer.

Surgery might be necessary for patients whose pain doesn't improve following a course of injections.

How does surgery help with joint pain?

Some types of joint pain are difficult to heal without intervention. For example, the meniscus cartilage and the labrum — a kind of cartilage in the sockets of your shoulder and hip — has an inadequate blood supply in one area, which hinders healing.

Ligament and tendon injuries, such as a rotator cuff tear in your shoulder, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), or medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear in your knee can also struggle to heal if the damage is severe.

Surgery to repair these injuries is often the only way to restore function and relieve pain. Joint replacement surgery might be necessary if your joint pain is due to a problem like osteoarthritis (OA).

With OA, the ends of the bones in your joints develop inflammation as their protective coating wears away over time. Joint replacement surgery is an effective method of relieving joint inflammation and pain in the long term.

What does joint replacement surgery involve?

The Columbus Foot & Ankle, P.C. team performs most joint replacement surgeries on an outpatient basis. They use minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques wherever possible to minimize tissue damage and accelerate healing.

Total joint replacement involves removing the damaged ends of your bones in the affected joint. Your surgeon prepares the healthy bone that remains and fits new parts made of plastic, metal, or ceramic.

Before and after joint replacement surgery, you need to follow a physical therapy program to ensure optimal results and minimal pain.

Find out more about the options for treating your joint pain by calling Columbus Foot & Ankle, P.C. You can also book an appointment online.