As technology continues to advance, orthopaedic surgery is continually changing and evolving. The surgeons of Orthopaedic Specialists strive to stay one step ahead of, by being the leaders in orthopaedic care to the Quad Cities. Each of our surgeons is focused and fellowship trained in an area of orthopaedic surgery, giving them the ability to provide patients with the highest quality of care. Specialization allows us to practice the most advanced minimally invasive techniques and stay at the forefront of orthopaedic technology. This type of experience spawns innovation, resulting in less invasive procedures, shorter surgical time, and accelerated recovery. Our physicians are paving the way for better orthopaedic treatment in the future.
Educating patients on the latest advancements in orthopaedic care is a top priority for our physicians, so our newly updated website, www.osquadcities.com, offers up to date educational information on new surgeries, treatments and advancements. We have also started a blog series on a weekly basis, with topics that we feel are important to patients. “Our specialists prove to be leaders in the field of orthopaedics for both surgical and non-surgical therapies,” says Angie Van Utrecht, director of operations at Orthopaedic Specialists. “By showcasing the latest advancements and techniques, our hope is that patients will continue to research the many new surgical options that were not available in the past. We are committed to providing the most advanced techniques in the area for orthopaedics while continuing to provide patients with the best outcomes possible.”
Common Conditions of the Upper Extremity
The upper extremity, which includes the shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist, and hand, is very complex with numerous small bones, nerves, ligaments, and tendons, which make the risk for injury very high. Common causes of upper extremity pain and discomfort include carpal tunnel syndrome (tingling from pressure on the median nerve in the wrist), cubital tunnel syndrome (tingling from pressure on the ulnar nerve in the elbow), arthritis, trigger finger, and other injuries due to overuse and/or trauma such as tendonitis and bone fractures. Descriptions of some of the most common conditions of the upper extremity that Dr. Cobb regularly diagnoses and treats are listed below:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Arthritis in the hands and fingers
- Thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis
- Trigger finger
- Dupuytren’s contracture
- Fractures that result in a nonunion
- Tennis elbow (Lateral Epicondylosis)
- Stem cell injections
Common Conditions of the Shoulder
The shoulder joint is one of the most moveable joints in the body, which makes it more prone to injury. Common causes of shoulder pain and problems are related to conditions such as frozen shoulder (inability to fully move shoulder due to thickening of the capsule surrounding the joint), rotator cuff tear (shoulder pain from a torn muscle tendon that attaches to the shoulder joint), arthritis (loss of the joint lining), shoulder instability (the ball is not sitting properly in the socket), and other injuries due to overuse and/or trauma such as biceps tendonitis or rupture and bone fractures. Descriptions of some of the most common conditions of the shoulder that our team of specialists, Dr. Hoffman, Dr. Mendel, and Dr. Cobb, regularly diagnose and treat are listed below:
- Frozen shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
- Rotator cuff tears: Partial or complete injury
- Shoulder arthritis
- Shoulder instability: Dislocation or separation
- Proximal biceps tendon rupture: Partial or complete
Common Conditions of the Hip and Pelvis
The pelvis is the boney structure in the area of your waist that protects your organs and supports the base of your spine. The hips are the ball and socket joints located where the tops of your thighbones meet your pelvis. Common causes of hip and pelvic pain caused by the muscles and joints in this area include conditions such as arthritis (loss of the joint lining), muscle injuries in the thigh (muscle tears), labral tears (tears in the rim around the hip joint), and other injuries due to overuse and/or trauma such as tendonitis and bone fractures. Descriptions of some of the most common conditions of the hip and pelvis that our specialist, Dr. Hoffman, regularly diagnoses and treats are listed below:
- Snapping hip syndrome (Iliopsoas Tendonitis)
- Thigh muscle injuries: Tendon avulsion and complete tears
- Hip arthritis
- Acetabular (hip) labral tears
- Total hip replacement surgery (minimally invasive/rapid recovery)
Common Conditions of the Knee
The knee undergoes constant wear-and-tear stress and is one of the most commonly injured joints in the body. Common causes of knee pain and discomfort include ligament injuries (most commonly the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)), meniscal tears (injury of the shock absorbing knee cartilage), arthritis, disorders of the kneecap (chondromalacia, bursitis, subluxation/dislocation, and tendonitis) and other injuries due to trauma such as bone fractures. Descriptions of some of the most common conditions of the knee that Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Mendel regularly diagnose and treat are listed below:
- Knee ligament injuries: ACL and MCL tears
- Meniscal tears
- Knee arthritis
- Chondromalacia patellae (runner’s knee)
Common Conditions of the Foot and Ankle
The foot and ankle provide the foundation for the entire body. The structures within the foot and ankle are very complex with numerous small bones, nerves, ligaments, and tendons that frequently undergo a lot of stress making the risk for injury very high. Common causes of foot and ankle pain and discomfort include Achilles tendon injuries (tears within the tissue connecting the calf muscle to the heel), foot and ankle deformities (from fractures that healed improperly, flat feet, bunions, hammer toes, etc.), ankle arthritis, plantar fasciitis (heel pain), and other injuries due to overuse and/or trauma such as sprains and bone fractures. Some of the most common conditions of the foot and ankle that Dr. Mendel regularly diagnoses and treats are listed below:
- Achilles tendon tear (partial or complete)
- Ankle/foot sprains and fractures
- Foot and ankle arthritis
- Foot and ankle deformities
- Plantar fasciitis
Common Conditions of the Lower Back and Neck
One of the most common health complaints in the United States is low back and neck pain. It is estimated that approximately 80 percent of the population will experience some sort of back or neck pain in their life, which in many cases, means an interruption of daily activities and living. Back and neck pain can be a symptom of many different causes, some acute and some chronic. Descriptions of some of the most common conditions of the back and neck that Dr. Dolphin regularly diagnoses and treats are listed below:
- Herniated/ruptured disc
- Spinal stenosis
- SpondylolisthesisCommon
Joint Replacement Procedures
The most common cause of joint pain that leads to the need for a total joint replacement is arthritis. There are different types of arthritis. However, most joint pain is caused by three main types: rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis. Symptoms include: pain in joints, swelling, stiffness, joints may be warm and tender to the touch, or boney deformities may be seen or felt around the affected joint. Recommended procedures may include:
- Minimally invasive total knee replacement
- Reverse total shoulder replacement
- Total shoulder joint replacement surgery
- Total hip replacement surgery (minimally invasive/rapid recovery)
- Small joint replacement surgery in the fingers
- Small joint replacement surgery in the toes
Common Conditions of Sports Medicine
Descriptions of some of the most common Sports Medicine conditions that Dr. John Hoffman and Dr. Tuvi Mendel regularly diagnose and treat are listed below:
- Knee ligament injuries: ACL and MCL tears
- Meniscal tears
- Chondromalacia patellae (runner’s knee)
- Ankle sprains
- Rotator cuff tears
For more information on any of these conditions and for the most common treatment options that the surgeons of Orthopaedic Specialists offer, please visit our website at www.osquadcities.com, or visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/osquadcities. We are pleased to be able to offer so many of our patient success stories both on our website as well as on our YouTube channel, which can be located at www.youtube.com/osquadcities
Meet our doctors in the image gallery below.