Orthopedic Conditions We Treat at Premier Orthopaedics

Comprehensive care for joint pain, arthritis, sports injuries, fractures, spine conditions, and nerve problems

At Premier Orthopaedics, we diagnose and treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions that affect how you move, work, exercise, and live day to day. Orthopedic doctors focus on the health of your bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and related nerves, which means orthopedic care often covers much more than many patients expect. If you have persistent pain, stiffness, weakness, swelling, numbness, or a recent injury, our team provides close-to-home orthopedic evaluation and personalized treatment designed to restore function and reduce pain.

Many orthopedic problems begin gradually, while others happen suddenly after a fall, sports injury, or accident. Whether you are dealing with chronic knee pain, shoulder weakness, back pain with sciatica, hip pain when walking, hand numbness, or a possible fracture, early diagnosis matters. Premier Orthopaedics helps patients throughout the community find answers and next steps with targeted exams, imaging, non-surgical care, and when necessary, advanced surgical treatment.

What Conditions Do Orthopedic Doctors Treat?

Orthopedic doctors treat conditions involving nearly every part of the musculoskeletal system. This includes common problems such as arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, ligament sprains, muscle strains, cartilage injuries, fractures, dislocations, nerve compression syndromes, spine disorders, and overuse injuries. At Premier Orthopaedics, patients often come to us for pain in the shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, back, hip, knee, foot, and ankle, especially when symptoms start limiting walking, lifting, sleeping, sports participation, or job performance.

Orthopedic care may involve conservative treatment, surgical treatment, or a combination of both. Some patients improve with activity modification, bracing, physical therapy, medication, or injections, while others need more advanced procedures to repair damaged joints, tendons, ligaments, or bones. If you are unsure where your symptoms fit, our team can evaluate the source of pain and direct you to the right plan, including options such as sports medicine care, spine treatment, hand and wrist care, or fracture management.

• Joint conditions: osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, instability, labral tears, cartilage damage
• Knee problems: meniscus tears, ACL injuries, patellofemoral pain, tendonitis, bursitis
• Shoulder injuries: rotator cuff tears, impingement, labral injuries, frozen shoulder
• Spine conditions: sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease
• Hand and nerve disorders: carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, tendon injuries
• Bone injuries: fractures, stress fractures, joint dislocations, post-traumatic problems

If your symptoms have not improved with rest, or if they continue to return, the next step is a focused orthopedic evaluation. A timely appointment at Premier Orthopaedics can help prevent further joint damage and move you toward lasting relief.

When Should I See an Orthopedic Specialist for Joint Pain and Chronic Knee Stiffness?

You should see an orthopedic specialist for joint pain when discomfort lasts more than a few days, keeps coming back, or starts affecting normal movement. Warning signs include swelling, warmth, instability, clicking, locking, reduced range of motion, night pain, limping, or difficulty climbing stairs and getting up from a chair. Joint pain that follows an injury should also be assessed quickly, especially if you heard a pop, cannot bear weight, or notice visible deformity.

Chronic knee pain and stiffness can develop for several reasons. Common causes include osteoarthritis, cartilage wear, meniscus tears, ligament injuries, patellar tracking problems, tendonitis, bursitis, prior trauma, and inflammatory joint disease. Knee stiffness in the morning or after sitting often points to joint inflammation or degenerative wear, while pain with twisting, squatting, or pivoting may suggest a meniscus or ligament problem.

The longer knee pain goes untreated, the more likely it is to change the way you walk and place extra stress on the hips, back, and opposite knee. At Premier Orthopaedics, we evaluate your symptoms, physical mechanics, history of injury, and imaging results to identify the true cause of your pain rather than simply masking it. If knee pain is limiting your routine, request an evaluation and learn more about options for joint pain treatment and long-term mobility support.

How Is Arthritis Diagnosed by an Orthopedist and What Causes Hip Pain When Walking?

Many patients ask, how is arthritis diagnosed by an orthopedist? Diagnosis typically starts with a detailed review of your symptoms, including when pain occurs, how long stiffness lasts, whether swelling is present, and how much the joint affects daily activity. Your orthopedist will perform a physical examination to assess tenderness, joint motion, crepitus, alignment, swelling, and gait, and will often order X-rays to look for joint space narrowing, bone spurs, deformity, or other degenerative changes.

In some cases, additional testing is needed to clarify the diagnosis or rule out other causes. MRI may be recommended when cartilage, labral, tendon, or soft tissue damage is suspected, and laboratory studies may be coordinated if inflammatory arthritis or autoimmune disease is a concern. This comprehensive approach helps determine whether your symptoms are caused by osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or another joint condition that needs targeted treatment.

Hip pain when walking can also have several orthopedic causes. Common sources include hip arthritis, hip bursitis, labral tears, tendonitis, femoroacetabular impingement, muscle strain, stress fractures, and referred pain from the lower back or sciatica. Pain in the groin often points to the hip joint itself, while pain on the outer side of the hip may suggest bursitis or tendon irritation, and pain radiating down the leg may indicate a spinal issue rather than a primary hip problem.

If walking, standing, or using stairs has become painful, early orthopedic evaluation can help preserve mobility and prevent worsening joint damage. Premier Orthopaedics offers individualized plans for arthritis treatment and hip pain relief so you can return to movement with more confidence.

Shoulder, Hand, and Wrist Conditions: Rotator Cuff Tears and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

One of the most common shoulder questions we hear is, what are the symptoms of a rotator cuff tear? Typical symptoms include pain when lifting the arm, weakness with overhead activity, discomfort reaching behind the back, pain that worsens at night, and a noticeable loss of shoulder strength or control. Some patients also feel catching, clicking, or pain when lowering the arm, especially after a fall or repetitive overhead use.

Rotator cuff tears may happen suddenly after trauma, or they may develop gradually from wear and degeneration over time. An orthopedist diagnoses the problem through a detailed exam of strength and range of motion, followed by imaging such as X-ray or MRI when needed to confirm the extent of tendon damage. If shoulder symptoms are interfering with sleep, exercise, work, or daily reaching, Premier Orthopaedics can help with non-surgical care or referral for advanced shoulder and rotator cuff treatment.

Patients also commonly ask, how do orthopedists diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome is usually identified through a combination of symptom history and focused hand and wrist examination. Your orthopedist will ask about numbness, tingling, burning, nighttime symptoms, weakness, and whether you are dropping objects, then assess sensation, grip, thumb strength, and nerve irritation with specific office tests.

When symptoms are persistent or severe, nerve conduction studies and EMG testing may be used to confirm median nerve compression and measure its severity. Early diagnosis is important because untreated carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to worsening weakness and reduced hand function. If you have numbness in the thumb, index, middle, or ring finger, explore your options for hand and wrist evaluation at Premier Orthopaedics.

Can an Orthopedic Doctor Treat Sciatica, Back Pain, and Sports Injuries?

Yes, an orthopedic doctor can treat sciatica and back pain. Orthopedic specialists frequently manage conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, facet joint arthritis, muscle strain, and sacroiliac dysfunction. Sciatica often causes burning pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels from the lower back into the buttock and down the leg, and it should be evaluated when symptoms are persistent, severe, or associated with weakness.

Treatment depends on the cause and severity of symptoms. Many patients improve with physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, guided exercise, activity modification, or injections, while others benefit from more specialized spine procedures. At Premier Orthopaedics, we identify whether the problem is coming from the spine, hip, or surrounding soft tissues so patients receive the most effective back and spine care for their condition.

Orthopedics also plays a major role in treating athletic and exercise-related injuries. Common sports injury conditions treated in orthopedics include ligament tears, tendon injuries, cartilage damage, fractures, dislocations, overuse syndromes, and joint instability. Early diagnosis is especially important for athletes and active adults because returning to activity too soon can worsen damage and delay recovery.

• Knee injuries: ACL tears, meniscus tears, MCL sprains, patellar tendonitis
• Shoulder injuries: dislocations, rotator cuff strains, labral tears, impingement
• Foot and ankle injuries: ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis, instability, stress fractures
• Overuse conditions: tennis elbow, runner’s knee, shin splints, tendonitis

If you felt a pop, developed swelling after activity, lost strength, or cannot safely return to your sport, schedule an orthopedic evaluation as soon as possible. Learn more about recovery-focused sports medicine treatment at Premier Orthopaedics.

When Does a Bone Fracture Need Orthopedic Treatment?

A suspected fracture should always be medically evaluated, but some fractures especially need prompt orthopedic treatment. Warning signs include severe pain, visible deformity, inability to bear weight, major swelling, bruising, numbness, an open wound near the injury, or a bone that appears out of place. Fractures that involve a joint, growth plate, multiple fragments, or poor alignment typically require close orthopedic management to heal correctly and preserve long-term function.

Even when emergency care has already been provided, follow-up with an orthopedic specialist is often necessary to confirm alignment, monitor healing, and determine whether casting, bracing, reduction, or surgery is the best next step. Proper fracture treatment helps reduce the risk of malunion, stiffness, weakness, chronic pain, and future arthritis. At Premier Orthopaedics, we create individualized care plans for fracture treatment and follow-up based on the location and severity of the break.

Do not ignore persistent pain, stiffness, weakness, numbness, or limited mobility. Whether you need help for joint pain, chronic knee stiffness, arthritis, a rotator cuff tear, sciatica, hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, a sports injury, or a bone fracture, request an appointment with Premier Orthopaedics today. Our team is here to provide a clear diagnosis, a personalized treatment plan, and expert orthopedic care that helps you move forward with confidence.