Knee

Knee doctors are specialty-trained orthopedic providers who treat patients with a variety of knee conditions and injuries that are causing them pain. Sometimes, these specialists help a patient coping with a disease, such as arthritis. Other times, the knee issue may be due to an injury, such as a fracture to the kneecap due to a fall.

The knee is especially prone to injury while playing sports. An example of a common knee injury that is treated by a knee doctor is an ACL tear. ACL stands for anterior cruciate ligament, and the ACL is one of the primary ligaments that helps stabilize the knee joint. Another common sports-related knee injury is a meniscus tear. The meniscus is a piece of cartilage within the knee. It offers protection and stability, but if it is torn, it can cause considerable knee pain. Orthopedic specialists must carefully assess and treat these sports-related injuries not only so the knee pain goes away but also so the athlete can return to his or her sport again.

Sometimes the injury or knee condition is so severe that surgery is the best treatment option. Surgeons may decide that knee replacement is the best choice and may choose either unicompartmental knee replacement (also called partial knee replacement) or total knee replacement. However, depending on the patient and their specific condition, the surgeon may consider other surgical options, such as ACL reconstruction, knee arthroscopy, or another type of orthopedic knee surgery. If a patient needs knee surgery and has questions or concerns, it is always best to discuss them with a knee specialist before moving ahead with the surgical procedure.

Regardless of the knee condition or injury, whether it is a sports-related issue, cartilage damage, or something else, a doctor who specializes in the knee can use his or her knowledge and expertise to help reduce the pain as well as help the patient gain greater mobility in their knee joint.

Should You See a Knee Doctor?                                                             

It may be time to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty walking
• Hip pain in combination with knee pain
• Knee pain after a sports-related accident
• No pain relief even after resting the knee or sleep
• Numbness and tingling in the knee
• Pain that's focused in the knee joint
• Pain whenever you play a sport that uses the affected joint
• Rubbing, bone-on-bone sensation

These problems may indicate that you are dealing with a knee injury or condition, such as:

• Anterior cruciate ligament tear
• Bursitis
• Cartilage injuries
• Dislocated kneecap
• Knee arthritis
• Kneecap (patella) fracture
• Meniscus tear
• Osgood-Schlatter disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Patellar tendon tear
• Patellofemoral (kneecap) pain syndrome
• Posterior cruciate ligament tear
• Sports-related injury 
• Sprains
• Tendonitis or another tendon issue

Specialized Knee Care You Can Trust in Abingdon, Bristol, Elizabethton & Johnson City

At Appalachian Orthopedics, we offer four convenient locations: Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, and Johnson City. Our specialty-trained knee doctors at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Jason Brashear, Dr. Jonathan Clark, Dr. James Goss, Dr. Gabriel Hommel, Dr. Matthew Lamagna, Dr. John Mann, Dr. Bart McKinney, Dr. John Phillips, Dr. Alexander Rothy, Dr. Phillip Sussman, Dr. Larry Waldrop, and Dr. T. Lisle Whitman, have a full understanding of the knee's anatomy and are dedicated to delivering an exceptional level of knee care. They will apply their expertise directly to your situation and can guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Our surgeons always carefully consider nonsurgical options first before recommending surgery. Early on, they may take X-rays so they can further study the knee and surrounding structures to determine which nonsurgical treatment may be right for you, including physical therapy, injections, or a minimally invasive procedure such as genicular nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation. If surgery is ultimately needed, rest assured that our orthopedic experts will use their advanced skills along with our state-of-the-art technology to perform a surgical procedure that can help reduce or eliminate your pain and help you gain the use of your knee again.

Working alongside our knee surgeons, our licensed physical therapists provide a full and comprehensive set of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. They treat each patient's problem individually through an evaluation to design a specific treatment plan with the overall goal of restoring function and enhancing one's quality of life.

If your knee pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, or Johnson City location for a consultation with one of our expert knee surgeons to diagnose and treat your knee issue.

For those acute knee injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.