Knee Specialist
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Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeons located in Shrewsbury, Toms River, & Wall Township, NJ
Considering the amount of stress placed on your knees, it’s no surprise that about 25% of adolescents and adults struggle with knee pain. David Dickerson, MD, and the team at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine treat patients of all ages, whether their knee pain is from an injury, degenerative disease, or overuse. Should you need a knee replacement, Dr. Dickerson specializes in today’s most advanced technology, Mako® Total Knee Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery. To get help for knee pain, call the Wall Township, Toms River, or Shrewsbury, New Jersey, office, or book an appointment online.
Knee Q & A
What causes knee pain?
Knee pain frequently develops due to trauma, a sports injury, or degenerative changes as you get older. These are a few of the most common causes of knee pain:
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
- Posterior and collateral ligament injuries
- Meniscus tears
- Tendon tears
- Tendonitis
- Osteoarthritis
- Bursitis
- Dislocation
- Fractures
You can also develop severe knee pain if the joint becomes infected.
When might I need arthroscopic knee surgery?
Arthroscopic knee surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small incisions and a slender scope. The scope contains lighting and a camera that sends magnified images from inside the joint to a monitor.
The team at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine may recommend arthroscopy when they need to see inside the joint to diagnose the cause of your symptoms or when they need to surgically repair damaged joint structures.
When might I need a total knee replacement?
You may need a total knee replacement following a severe fracture. However, osteoarthritis is the top reason patients undergo replacement surgery.
During a total knee replacement, your doctor removes the damaged tissue, reshapes the joint, and inserts a prosthetic joint. Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine improves on that process, using Mako® Total Knee Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery to perform precise surgery and preserve healthy tissues.
What are the benefits of Mako total knee replacement?
The Mako process begins before your surgery, as your doctor at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine takes a CT scan of your knee and uploads it to the Mako system. The Mako computer creates a virtual 3D model of your joint. Your doctor uses that image to create a personalized surgical plan, accurately determining the size and placement of your prosthetic joint.
During surgery, your doctor uses a pencil-like tool to touch specific points on the joint. That information goes directly into the Mako system, where your real bone structure is compared to the 3D model and adjustments occur to the plan if needed to make your surgery more precise.
Your doctor then controls Mako’s robotic arm, using it to remove the damaged tissues in your knee joint. A monitor shows your surgical plan, as well as the progress made as tissues are removed.
The robotic arm creates a tactile sensation your doctor can feel when the tool is near healthy tissue. This allows your doctor to precisely remove only the damaged tissues while preserving the maximum amount of healthy joint tissue.
If you struggle with knee pain, call Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, or book an appointment online.
