Plain answers, mostly about when it is not surgery.
Written for patients rather than for other doctors. Each one answers a single question.
Knee · 5 min readSigns you may need a knee replacementPain at night, difficulty on stairs, and pain at rest matter more than the grade on a scan. What is actually assessed before a knee replacement is recommended.
Knee · 4 min readKnee pain on stairs, and what it usually meansPain going down stairs, at the front of the knee, is one of the most common presentations in an orthopaedic clinic. What it points to and when it needs a scan.
Knee · 6 min readFive signs an ACL injury may need reconstructionNot every torn anterior cruciate ligament is reconstructed. What decides it is instability, and what you need the knee to do afterwards.
Knee · 5 min readWhen is PCL reconstruction neededThe posterior cruciate ligament is injured less often than the ACL and treated differently. Many PCL injuries are managed without surgery.
Sports · 5 min readCommon sports injuries, and when to seek careWhich sports injuries can be managed at home, which need assessment within days, and which need to be seen the same day.
Spine · 4 min readSpinal injury, the signs you should not ignoreMost back pain is not dangerous. A small number of signs are, and they need urgent assessment rather than watchful waiting.
Spine · 4 min readBack pain, and what actually helpsOrdinary back pain improves with time and movement. What tends to help, what is oversold, and when to have it looked at.
Children · 5 min readJoint pain and limping in childrenA limping child is not something to watch and wait on for long. What is common, what is urgent, and what an assessment involves.