Dr. Carlos Rebollón
Specialist Knee Orthopedic Surgeon in Panama
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As a specialist knee orthopedic surgeon in Panama, I can say that it is essential for patients to recognize the true importance of consulting with an expert regarding their condition. This way, they can avoid the application of inappropriate treatment that may worsen the disease or aggravate the initial symptoms.
Misguided approaches often affect the final outcomes, create diagnostic confusion, delay recovery, and increase the patient’s medical expenses. For these reasons and more, visiting a specialist knee orthopedic surgeon in Panama is crucial for both achieving immediate improvement and maintaining an excellent prognosis in the future.
Knee injuries
Knee injuries
The joint structure of the knee consists of cartilage, bones, ligaments, and synovial fluid. The knee is supported externally by muscles and tendons, which enable normal joint movement.
When one or more of these structures are affected, either due to trauma or as a result of a disease, individuals may begin to experience symptoms indicating a possible knee injury. These symptoms include inflammation, pain, instability, and difficulty walking.
Common knee injuries
Knee problems frequently occur in people of all ages, especially when engaging in regular sports activities. The most common injuries involve ligaments and tendons.
The main knee injuries include:
Knee sprain:
Rupture or tearing of a ligament due to a twist or strain.
Tear or strain:
Caused by sudden stretching of a muscle or tendon.
Arthritis:
Inflammation of the joint cartilage.
Bursitis:
Inflammation or irritation of the bursae that contain synovial fluid.
Tendinitis:
Irritation of the tendon due to muscle overload.
Meniscus tear:
Internal damage to one of the knee’s fibrocartilages.
Fractures:
Complete or partial bone breakage due to trauma.
Patellar Dislocation:
Displacement of the small patellar bone.
Wear and tear:
Due to excessive joint use.
Ligament Injuries:
Primarily sports-related, where individuals constantly subject themselves to changes in pace, speed, and direction.
Osgood-Schlatter disease:
An injury that affects children and adolescents during their growth phase, characterized by inflammation of the tendon that connects the patellar bone to the shin.
TREATMENT FOR KNEE INJURIES IN PANAMA
To recommend an appropriate treatment method, the physician will first focus on determining the type of injury afflicting the patient. To diagnose the injury and assess its complexity, a medical examination is conducted, supported by additional tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, or knee X-rays.
Initial treatments for a knee injury may include:
- Rest.
- Joint protection to prevent further damage.
- Application of ice to the affected knee to reduce inflammation.
- Elevation and compression of the knee.
- Prescription of anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications to alleviate discomfort.
In more severe cases, the physician may recommend more specific actions such as surgery or physical therapy. The goal is to enable the patient to fully recover from the injury and return to normal activities.
Rehabilitation
One of the most frequent questions patients have when undergoing a rehabilitation period is, “How long will this process last?” The answer will depend on each case.
Recovery times vary for each patient, taking into account factors such as age, type of injury (sprain, fracture, tear, etc.), the person’s overall health, their attitude towards the situation, work demands, and more.
While we cannot generalize, based on experience, we deduce that rehabilitation treatments for mild to moderate injuries may last 2 to 4 months. On the other hand, patients who have undergone surgery may need to wait at least 3 weeks before starting to put weight on their leg, and the total recovery time in such cases can range from 2 to 12 months.
WHAT DOES A KNEE SPECIALIST TREAT?
Knee problems are as diverse as their causes. Among the many conditions that can affect the performance and mobility of this complex body structure are:
ARTICULAR WEAR.
LIGAMENT RUPTURE.
MENISCUS INJURIES.
SOFT TISSUE INFLAMMATION.
TENDON TEAR.
LOOSE BODIES.
Fractures
SPRAINS
DEGENERATIVE AND INFECTIOUS CONDITIONS.
Tendonitis.
SPORTS INJURIES.
KNEE INJURIES IN ATHLETES
Training and sports activities require significant effort, especially on the knees, which bear most of the body’s weight during running, walking, or moving from one place to another. This inevitably increases the risk of knee injuries.
COMMON KNEE INJURIES IN ATHLETES INCLUDE:
- Sprains.
- Muscle strains.
- Meniscus injuries.
- Damage to the medial or lateral collateral ligament.
- Tendonitis.
- Bursitis.
- Chondral lesions.
RUNNING-RELATED KNEE INJURIES
Running, power walking, and distance running are physical activities that can lead to various injuries over time. Some notable ones include patellofemoral pain syndrome, patellar tendinitis, iliotibial band syndrome, meniscus damage, among others.
KNEE INJURIES THAT REQUIRE SURGERY
Surgical interventions on the knees aim to restore stability, movement, and functionality lost due to an injury.
The most common surgical procedures involve significant damage to the knee’s menisci (internal/external), ligaments, cartilage, patella, as well as cases involving fractures.
WHY CHOOSE A SPECIALIST KNEE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON?
Knee specialists currently prioritize a conservative approach, meaning that less invasive treatments lead to more favorable results for the patient. While surgery used to be one of the first options, we now opt for other therapeutic methods and minimally invasive treatments, reserving surgery as a last resort. This is what sets apart a general physician from a specialist knee orthopedic surgeon.
It is also important to note that knee specialists are also orthopedic trauma doctors, making them comprehensive professionals with advanced knowledge, experience, and tools in this subspecialty. This translates into better responses, shorter recovery periods, simpler rehabilitations, and more accurate prognoses for any type of knee injury we may encounter in our consultations.
ARE ALL ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS SPECIALISTS IN KNEE SURGERY?
A knee specialist is a physician whose training goes beyond general orthopedics and traumatology. They have received additional training that enables them to address and treat different knee conditions.
This subspecialization plays a vital role in providing an accurate diagnosis and offering a wide range of therapeutic and surgical alternatives for the patient.
OUR ADDED VALUE
In over 10 years of being a knee specialist orthopedic surgeon, I have never stopped advancing and growing. The conviction to provide my patients with the best solutions in the field of orthopedics and traumatology has led me to travel to over 12 countries around the world to continue my education on the latest techniques, trends, and procedures. As a result, everything I have learned has allowed me to establish an impeccable reputation in Panama, ensuring that my patients can regain lost mobility and leave behind the pain and symptoms that affected their quality of life.
In my office, you will not only have a doctor who listens to you and cares about you, but you will also experience a warm, dedicated, and specialized approach that will make you feel completely safe and confident with every decision and step we take together towards your recovery process. If you have any doubts, please contact me.
