Knee Pain & Injury Care in Boynton Beach

Common Knee Symptoms

Knee pain can come on suddenly after a twist or fall, or build slowly over months. Where it hurts, when it hurts and what it feels like all help point toward the cause.

• Aching and stiffness that is worse in the morning or after sitting, often with swelling: common with knee osteoarthritis (wear of the joint cartilage).
• Catching, locking or pain along the joint line after a twist: often a meniscus tear.
• A pop at the time of injury, fast swelling and a feeling that the knee gives way: typical of an ACL tear.
• Pain around or below the kneecap with stairs, squatting or running: often tendonitis or kneecap tracking problems.
• Ongoing pain, stiffness or swelling months after a knee replacement: a painful knee replacement that needs a careful workup.

If you cannot put weight on the leg, the knee looks deformed after an injury, or the knee is hot, red and swollen with a fever, go to the emergency room or call 911.

How we diagnose knee pain

Your visit starts with a conversation about how the pain began and what makes it better or worse, followed by a hands-on exam of motion, stability and swelling. Because X-ray, MRI and diagnostic ultrasound are on site at Personalized Orthopedics of the Palm Beaches, most imaging can be done in the same building, often on the same day.

X-rays show bone alignment and arthritis. MRI shows soft tissues such as the meniscus, ligaments and cartilage. Ultrasound lets the physician look at tendons and fluid in real time and guide injections precisely.

Non-surgical care first

Most knee problems are treated without surgery at first, and our surgeons try non-operative care before recommending an operation. Depending on the cause, your plan may include:

• Activity changes, bracing and anti-inflammatory medication where appropriate.
• Physical therapy in our own office, with therapists who share your chart with your physician.
• Cortisone or hyaluronic acid injections, often guided by ultrasound. Hyaluronic acid is FDA-approved for knee osteoarthritis.
• PRP (platelet-rich plasma, prepared from your own blood). Evidence is still developing, results vary, and insurance usually does not cover it.
• iovera° cryoneurolysis, which uses cold applied through small needles to temporarily block knee arthritis pain, sometimes before a knee replacement.

Shockwave and MLS laser therapy are also offered. Coverage for these varies by plan, so ask our team before you start.

When surgery makes sense

Surgery is considered when symptoms keep limiting your life despite a fair trial of non-surgical care, or when an injury such as a torn ACL in an active person is unlikely to do well without surgery. Options our surgeons perform include knee arthroscopy (small-incision surgery with a camera), ACL reconstruction, and partial or total knee replacement. Dr. Martin and Dr. Kerr also perform revision surgery for knee replacements that have failed or remain painful.

Our surgeons operate at hospitals and surgery centers across Palm Beach County, and physical therapy before and after surgery can be done in our office.

Your knee care team

Dr. Gregory Martin and Dr. Matthew Kerr focus on knee arthritis and knee replacement. Dr. Matthew Wolfson and Dr. Joseph Chalal treat sports injuries such as ACL and meniscus tears. Dr. Jeffrey Press treats arthritis, meniscus tears and fractures, and Dr. Alexandra Adelman provides non-operative sports medicine care with ultrasound-guided injections. Dr. Michael Baskin helps patients with pain after knee replacement, and William Ulrich, PA-C, performs iovera° treatments.