Arthroscopic Surgery

You’re playing a pickup basketball game with your friends when you seize the opportunity for the perfect jump shot. You make the goal—but land awkwardly. Then the pain starts. 

The bad news: chances are you may have torn your ACL. The good news: arthroscopic surgery means you can get relief from a non-invasive technique that will help you recover faster—and our team of experienced orthopedic surgeons in Raleigh can help. 

We’ll take a closer look at what arthroscopic surgery is and what common injuries can benefit from it. 

What Is Arthroscopic Surgery? 

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on the joints. It is commonly performed on knees, elbows, wrists, ankles, and shoulders.

The procedure is done by inserting a small camera, called an arthroscope, into the joint. This allows the surgeon to see the inside of the joint without having to make a large incision. The arthroscope is connected to a monitor, which displays the image of the joint.

In addition to repairing cartilage and ligaments, arthroscopic surgery can also be used to remove debris, such as bone chips or cartilage, from the joint.

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive type of surgery, which means that it involves smaller incisions and a shorter recovery time. 

4 Injuries That Can Benefit from Arthroscopic Surgery

The most common injuries treated with arthroscopic surgery include:

1. Meniscus Tears

This is a common knee injury that occurs when you twist your knee and tear one of the C-shaped pieces of cartilage located between your thigh bone (femur) and your shinbone (tibia). If you’ve torn your meniscus, you may notice:

• Swelling
• Stiffness
• A “popping” feeling
• Pain

You may also either feel like your knee is locked or that it might “give way.”

2. Torn Rotator Cuffs

Having issues working on your golf swing? It may be due to a torn rotator cuff,   a common injury in sports like tennis, baseball, swimming, and golf. It can also be the result of heavy lifting—essentially any activity that causes you to repeatedly move your arms over your head. 

A torn rotator cuff primarily affects the shoulder joint. 

Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include:

• A dull shoulder ache
• Difficulty sleeping due to pain
• Weakness
• Limited range of motion—it may be difficult to comb your hair or do anything that requires reaching behind your back

3. Achilles Tendon Tears

An Achilles tendon tear is particularly painful and is often preceded by a loud pop. While an Achilles tendon tear can happen to anyone, it most likely occurs in those who are playing sports. Arthroscopic surgery is often needed to regain the ability to walk smoothly. 

Symptoms of an Achilles tendon tear include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Inability to push the foot downward
• A sore calf or the feeling of being kicked in the calf
• Inability to stand on toes

4. Shoulder Impingement

Shoulder impingement happens when the tendons in your shoulder rub against the bones in the shoulder joint. As a result, there’s pain and inflammation—particularly when you lift your arm overhead. In addition to pain, symptoms of shoulder impingement include stiffness and weakness.

Arthroscopic surgery can improve the condition by repairing damage to any ligaments or tendons as well as removing any bone spurs or growths that may be contributing to the impingement. 

Pain From Injuries? See If You Can Benefit From Arthroscopic Surgery in Raleigh

We’re a step above your typical orthopedic practices. In addition to the decades of expertise of our health care team and board-certified physicians we have more than 50 years of serving Wake County as the oldest and most well-known orthopedic practices. 

Don’t let pain keep you from the everyday activities of daily living—these are too vital to your quality of life! Contact us for an appointment today.