Dr. Corey G. Solman, MD

Well, unfortunately it depends on exactly what is wrong with you. Some conditions may only be amenable to open approaches to complete. Sure arthroscopic approaches are more appealing and may heal faster, but your condition may not be appropriate for an arthroscopic approach. Get a second opinion should you feel you may have a condition that can be corrected arthroscopically. Good luck.

A young healthy child’s bone usually will be fully healed within 6 weeks - bone remodeling still occurs over several months following that, but usually at 6 weeks they can return to activity. There could be a short period of 6-8 weeks after healing where the bone may be at higher risk of refracture with significant trauma. Please check with your orthopedic doctor on return to play and activity based on the location and severity of the fracture and whether or not a manipulation or surgery was required to fix it.

Bracing has been shown to decrease recurrent sprains. I routinely recommend brace wear for my athletes for 3-4 months after healing especially if they are in a sport season. The research is so compelling that many college teams, such as women’s volleyball, require use of ankle braces in all their athletes regardless whether they have sprains or normal ankles!! Good luck!

Kids place a good deal of stress on their growth plates, which are the weakest Part of the bone. This is why many fractures happen at the growth plate. When stress is placed on the growth plate it can certainly cause inflammation and microscopic swelling that produces pain. Please contrast that with conditions that occur at the growth plates with high tension
such as Osgood Schlatters, which occurs at the insertion of the knee cap tendon on the shin bone. These conditions are the result of pulling on the growth plate from strong muscles and cause the same type of inflammation and pain, but often require rest ice and medication to calm them down. Always check with your doctor to be sure an accurate diagnosis is made.
Good luck.

Sprains generally take 4-6 weeks to heal. The most important concept is to prevent reinjury before complete healing has taken place, otherwise this can prolong healing time or worse, lead to the need for surgery.

If there is no fracture and the elbow is in place (“reduced”) then the best course of action is a splint for no more 3-5 days - and then start range of motion with a physical therapist. Immobilizing the elbow longer than that increases the risk of permanent stiffness or stiffness that may require special bracing or even surgery to correct. Most “simple” dislocations (meaning a dislocation without a fracture) respond very well to conservative treatment if treated early and aggressively as I stated above.

Most patients are very mobile - even at 76 - within 4-6 weeks after surgery. Every patient is different, but full recovery can take up to a year. From a pain standpoint, knee replacements are usually quite painful for the first 2-3 weeks, but after that the pain tends to decrease very quickly. It is very important to do the post operative therapy diligently while keeping on top of the pain. Good luck.

The most common cause of elbow pain is tendinitis - Aka - tennis elbow - it can occur both in the outside and inside of the elbow. If this is the diagnosis treatment centers around decreasing the inflammation - ice, NSAIDs, rest, ultrasound treatments, stretching, massage, brace or strap, and ultimately cortisone injections if no relief. Surgery is occasionally necessary if a person is not improving after 9-12 months or if they have had 3 injections with no further relief of pain. Please see a physician for further diagnosis and treatment options.

Unless it is a hip replacement that is loose or painful, or a femoral rod or plate that is painful, orthopedic hardware usually never has to be “changed.” If there are no symptoms or issues with the X-ray, I would leave it alone. Please obtain an orthopedic consultation if you have concerns.

Hope that helps.

Can you tell me what part of the foot is numb? Like either the top or the sole? Nerve injuries are rare after joint replacements, but can occur. They are usually only temporary, but can take 6-18 months to resolve. Best to see your surgeon and ask them since the surgeon did the surgery and can explain the most likely reason why you are numb. Thank you for your question.

Corey