Caring for all your orthopaedic & maxillofacial needs
Tel: 03 4432 7575
Hip, Knee, Foot and Ankle
Arthritis, Stiffness & joint pain
If the cartilage in a joint is damaged or worn away, a joint can become stiff and painful. This can be inherited or it can occur through injury, inflammation or with day to day use over time. If your joint pain and function is stopping you enjoying life, there are multiple non-surgical and surgical options available to relieve pain.
Is your hip, knee, ankle or foot becoming more painful over time?
Do you have ongoing pain in your hip, knee, ankle or foot that started after a minor injury or no injury?
Do you have difficulty performing tasks that used to be easy such as climbing stairs, getting in and out of the car, doing up your shoes or walking for long distances?
Do you feel restricted in movement when bending at the hip or knee or moving your ankle or toes?
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Instability, ACL and other ligament tears
The ligaments hold the knee stable in day to day use and during sport. If you had an injury that led to your joint moving in an abnormal way, with pain and swelling in your knee after the injury, you may have injured a ligament. If the knee continues to feel unstable or you feel the knee is unable to be trusted during twisting and loading activities, you may need splinting, strengthening or ligament reconstruction.
Have you fallen or nearly fallen because of your knee in the past 6 months?
Do you avoid certain activities due to worry that your knee might not support you?
Is your knee constantly ‘on your mind’ and something you think about when performing activities?
Are you limited when you play sport and unable to change direction quickly?
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Meniscal tears
The knee has two ring-shaped fibrous pads called meniscus that are fixed on top of the tibia between the two moving parts of the joint. The end of the femur has two rounded ends and these sit on the two meniscus like eggs in egg cups. The meniscus acts as both a shock absorber and also as a stabiliser when the knee is loaded or moves. If a meniscus is torn, the torn section can catch in the middle of the ring under the femur causing pain, collapsing, clicking, or can prevent the knee straightening or bending. Many will not require surgery to settle and there are multiple options available for treatment.
Do you feel clicking and catching in your joint, especially with deep bending or twisting?
Has your joint ‘locked up’ and prevented you bending or straightening your knee in the past 6 months?
Is your pain focused in a single area along the inside or outside of your knee and started after an injury?
Do you find it difficult to drive for long periods or to sleep with your knees resting on each other?
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