What this area covers
Knee injuries are one of the most common reasons active people see an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Brash treats the full range, from a torn ACL in a college soccer player to a meniscus tear in a runner in their fifties. Knee arthroscopy in Flushing and ACL surgery for patients on Long Island are a core part of the practice, and he sees knee patients at both offices.
Typical non-surgical options
Not every knee injury needs an operation. Physical therapy that strengthens the hip and thigh muscles helps a great many people, and bracing, activity changes and injections can control pain while the knee settles down.
Typical surgical options
When surgery is needed, options include ACL and multiligament reconstruction, meniscus repair rather than removal whenever the tear pattern allows it, cartilage restoration, and procedures to stabilize a kneecap that keeps sliding out of place.
What recovery generally looks like
A meniscus repair usually means limited weight on the leg for a few weeks, followed by therapy. ACL reconstruction is a longer road, generally nine to twelve months before returning to cutting and pivoting sports, and progress is judged by strength and control rather than by the calendar alone.
Conditions treated
Plain-language descriptions of what each problem is and what treatment usually involves.
Most knee injuries involve one of three things: a ligament, the meniscus, or the cartilage surface itself.
ACL Tear
The anterior cruciate ligament stabilizes the knee during cutting and pivoting. Tears usually happen without contact, with a pop, rapid swelling, and a knee that afterward feels like it might give way. Athletes who want to return to pivoting sports typically need reconstruction, while some less active people do well with therapy and bracing.
Meniscus Tear
The meniscus is a C-shaped shock absorber between the thigh bone and the shin bone. It can tear from a single twist or wear thin over time, causing pain along the joint line, swelling, and catching or locking. Repairing the meniscus is preferred over removing tissue whenever the tear pattern and blood supply allow it.
Cartilage Injury and OCD
Also called osteochondritis dissecans, chondral defect
Articular cartilage is the smooth surface that lets the knee glide, and it can be damaged by an injury or by osteochondritis dissecans, where a segment of bone and cartilage loses its blood supply. Damage causes pain with weight-bearing, swelling, and sometimes a loose fragment floating inside the joint. Options range from therapy to cartilage restoration procedures that resurface the defect.
Patellar Instability
Also called kneecap dislocation
Patellar instability means the kneecap slides out of its groove, almost always toward the outside of the knee. It is most common in teenagers and young adults, and a first dislocation often damages cartilage along with the ligament that holds the kneecap in place. Treatment includes therapy and bracing, with surgery such as MPFL reconstruction when dislocations keep happening.
MCL and PCL Injury
The medial collateral ligament resists force applied from the outside of the knee, and the posterior cruciate ligament keeps the shin bone from sliding backward. Most isolated MCL injuries heal in a hinged brace, while PCL and multiligament injuries are more complex and sometimes need reconstruction. A careful examination and an MRI sort out which structures are actually involved.
Knee Arthritis
Knee arthritis is the gradual loss of cartilage, which leads to stiffness, swelling, and pain that is worse on stairs and after sitting for a long time. Many people are managed for years with exercise, weight management, bracing, and injections. When those stop working, partial or total knee replacement is discussed.
The information on this website is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Call your physician or 911 for medical concerns.