Joint Pain and Joint Replacement
Age, stress, and disease can make joints stiffen in much the same way 
as wear and a lack of lubrication can cause stiffness and squeaking 
in a door hinge.  The most common cause of joint pain is arthritis,
afflicting nearly 20% of the US population. One of the most common and effective treatments for certain types of joint pain is joint replacement. 

In total or unicompartmental knee replacements, for example,
two metal components are fitted onto the ends of the leg bones with 
a plastic piece inserted between them to act as a bearing. 

Cement is often used to anchor the artificial joint or prosthesis 
into place. A typical total knee replacement patient returns home or 
enters a rehab facility 2 to 5 days after surgery, is 80% recovered
within 3 months, and is fully recovered living an active lifestyle in 
6 to 12 months. Unicompartmental knee replacement patients recover 
even faster.

Sports Medicine Expertise

Island Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine offers the best care for patients 
suffering from sports-related injuries. Many of our doctors are the 
physicians of choice for many local and professional athletes. Our
highly trained orthopaedic surgeons have extensive experience in the 
treatment of common overuse and trauma-induced injuries. 

The staff at Island Orthopaedics also recognizes the importance of physical rehabilitation, whether it is part of a broader treatment program or as
part of postsurgical rehabilitation. At Island Orthopaedics, each patient 
receives personalized treatment that includes physical therapy, training recommendations, and return-to-play guidelines.

Research and the Academic Tradition
The physicians of Island Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine are actively 
involved in developing and implementing cutting-edge technology to 
better care for their patients. As Fellows of the American Academy
of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the surgeons actively participate in ongoing 
medical education activities in order to stay abreast of the latest 
developments in orthopaedics.

The Latest Advances in Orthopaedic Care
The surgeons at Island Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine are up-to-date 
on the latest surgical techniques and instrumentation. To help ensure 
the success of a joint replacement surgery, for example, they use the 
most advanced materials available, such as titanium, ceramic,
and a new plastic joint liner that significantly increases the lifetime of 
a prosthesis.

Another procedure offered to certain patients with arthritis is the 
unicompartmental knee replacement, also known as the "uni" or 
half knee replacement.  Compared to those who have a total knee 
replacement, patients who undergo this procedure benefit from a 
smaller incision, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster recovery.

The physicians at Island Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine also have 
experience with a relatively new advanced approach to cartilage restoration.
The procedure, known as ACCI (Autologous Cultured Chondrocyte 
Implantation), uses cell culture technology to enable a small sample of the 
patient's own cartilage to be grown in a laboratory into millions of cells.
These "cultured chondrocytes" or cartilage cells can then be implanted into 
the damaged area of the knee.