Whether caused by a sports injury, an accident, or gradual wear and tear, knee pain can limit the ability to live one’s best life. ValleyOrtho utilizes both surgical and nonsurgical techniques to treat patients who are suffering with pain, loss of mobility and muscle weakness due to conditions or injuries in the knee.
ValleyOrtho is committed to being the trusted leader in innovative, quality-focused, comprehensive musculoskeletal care in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond by providing highly specialized treatment plans for those experiencing knee pain in a well-coordinated manner, focusing on one patient at a time.
Some of the common knee conditions we treat:
There are four main ligaments that stabilize the knee. The ACL is located in the center of the knee and is primarily responsible for stabilizing knee rotation that occurs during cutting and pivoting activities.
The ACL stabilizes the knee by:
The meniscus cartilage in the knee includes 2 pieces: a medial (inside) meniscus and a lateral (outside) meniscus, which are referred together as menisci. The menisci are wedge shaped, and are thinner toward the center of the knee and thicker toward the outside of the knee joint. This shape is very important to its function.
The primary function of the menisci is to increase the weight bearing surface and distribute weight evenly across the knee joint. A relatively round femur (upper leg/thigh bone) sitting on a relatively flat tibia (shin bone) forms the knee joint. The wedge shaped menisci increase the joint contact surface area and provide shock absorption, lubrication and joint stability to the knee.
Osteoarthritis of the knee results from a progressive breakdown (“wear and tear”) of the articular cartilage covering the joint surfaces on the lower end of the thighbone (femur) and the upper end of the lower leg bone (tibia) and/or the backside of the knee-cap (patella). Gradual loss of this cartilage increases the joint friction, and in extreme cases allows bone to rub against bone. In both cases, pain, swelling and stiffness are common symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. Some arthritic change is normal and expected as we age however, severe knee arthritis can interfere with activities of daily living and can limit one’s lifestyle.
There are 2 collateral ligaments in each knee. They connect the lower end of the thighbone (femur) to the upper end of the lower leg bones (tibia and fibula).
The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is a flat band ligament located on the inside, or “medial” side of the knee and keeps the knee from bending inward.
The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) is cord-like ligament on the outer side, or “lateral” side of the knee and keeps the knee from bending outward. It is less frequently sprained as the MCL, but can be injured when a direct force is applied to the inside of the knee.