Knee Pain Specialist
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Restoration Orthopedics
Orthopedic Surgeons & Sports Medicine located in Naples, FL
Your knees support an incredible amount of stress, from carrying your weight throughout a day or normal walking, to the intense demands of running, jumping, and contact sports. Philip Regala, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Naples Florida, has extensive experience diagnosing and treating the full range of problems that can lead to knee pain. To get the customized care you need to heal and rehabilitate your knee, call the office or book an appointment online.
Knee Pain Q & A
What causes knee pain?
You may develop knee pain following an acute injury, during a sports accident, or when repetitive movements lead to an overuse injury. As you get older, degenerative changes such as osteoarthritis are often the source of knee pain.
Some of the most common causes of knee pain include:
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
- Posterior and collateral ligament injuries
- Meniscus tears
- Tendon tears
- Osteoarthritis
- Bursitis
- Fractures and dislocation
You may also develop a knee infection, called septic arthritis, when microorganisms spread through your bloodstream to your knee.
Will I have symptoms in addition to the pain?
The underlying health conditions responsible for knee pain usually cause other symptoms. You may experience:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Stiffness
- Loss of movement
- Knee instability
- Knee buckling
- Redness and warmth in the joint
- Inability to bear weight on your knee
After injuring your knee, begin the ICE protocol. Apply ice (for 20 minutes, four to eight times daily), wrap your knee in a compression bandage, and elevate your knee as often as possible. These measures help to reduce inflammation and relieve your pain.
How do orthopedic specialists treat knee pain?
Dr. Regala determines the best treatment plan based on your symptoms and the cause of your knee pain. In most cases, knee pain begins with treatments such as:
- Modifying your activities
- Temporary immobilization
- Physical therapy
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Corticosteroid injections
- Viscosupplementation
If conservative therapies don’t relieve your pain, then Dr. Regala may talk with you about surgical options to repair the underlying problem.
Some knee conditions, however, need immediate surgery. If you have a complex fracture, Dr. Regala performs surgery to properly align and stabilize the bones. You may need surgery for an ACL tear if you want to return to sports or other intense activities. A meniscus tear may also need surgery to heal, depending on where the tear is located.
Dr. Regala also specializes in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. Platelets are rich sources of proteins called growth factors. When an injection of concentrated platelets (PRP) is placed at the site of damaged tissues, the platelets accelerate healing and reduce your pain.
PRP is made in the office from your own blood. After drawing a blood sample, Dr. Regala places it in a centrifuge, which separates the platelets and plasma from other blood cells. Then Dr. Regala draws the platelets and plasma into a needle and immediately injects them into your knee.
If you need treatment for knee pain, call Philip Regala, MD, or schedule an appointment online.
