Our specialty-trained joint replacement and revision doctors at North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic are experts in providing experienced care for patients’ joint injuries and conditions.

Although joint replacement and revision doctors evaluate and repair many types of joints, such as the elbow, finger, ankle, or shoulder, the most common are the knee and hip. Today, total joint replacement, also known as arthroplasty, is a well-known option for treating joint damage and pain, whether it’s the result of arthritis or another condition, and millions of patients worldwide have had successful joint replacement surgeries. 

Before recommending a joint replacement procedure, experienced joint replacement specialists will always exhaust all possible treatment options that are nonsurgical, like physical therapy or medications. If the patient does need joint replacement surgery, such as a knee replacement, their surgeon will educate them on the procedure, what to expect after surgery, and how to prepare for surgery beforehand.

Most joint replacements are very successful, but it’s important to recognize that a small number of artificial implants need to be replaced or revised at some point. When this happens, a joint revision doctor will work with the patient in the same way as when the patient had his or her first joint replacement surgery, educating them about the process and surgery and then helping them to prepare for the procedure

When It’s Time to Seek Joint Care

Take note of the symptoms you are experiencing and communicate those to your doctor so they will have a better understanding of what may be happening. Here are just some of the symptoms that people with joint problems typically have:

• Decreased range of motion and stiffness
• Joint feels wobbly or out of place
• Joint instability, especially the hip or knee joint
• Medications or injections only have a limited effect on reducing inflammation or pain
• Sensing a bone-on-bone feeling
• Unable to sleep through the night due to discomfort
• You require a device to walk, such as a cane or walker
• You can’t do the things you need to do because of your physical limitation and pain

If any of these symptoms describe your issue, it’s possible that you may have one of these conditions or injuries:

• Arthritis
• Articular cartilage disorder
• Dislocation
• Fracture
• Lower limb deformity
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteonecrosis
• Osteoporosis
• Repetitive motion injury
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sports injury

Your treatment plan will depend on your unique needs, and our total joint experts can provide the specialized care necessary. In addition to nonsurgical care options and other surgical procedures for joint pain relief, we proudly offer hip and knee replacements using Mako® Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology for certain candidates. Joint replacement using the state-of-the-art Mako system provides personalized, 3-D surgical plans for the hip and knee for more natural feeling joints.

Joint pain can have a negative effect on your life, leaving you unable to complete everyday tasks. If the pain and underlying condition remain untreated, there is a risk of further injury or damage occurring, which is why it’s imperative to contact one of our specialists and set up a consultation.