Orthopedic Surgery

What is orthopedic surgery?

An orthopedic surgeon focuses on treating and preventing injuries and diseases of your musculoskeletal system. This includes the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves, and tendons of your body. Orthopedic surgeons often choose to specialize in certain areas, such as back surgeries or hip and knee replacements.

Dr. Cunningham is an orthopedic surgeon, regenerative sports medicine specialist, and sports medicine specialist with extensive experience in numerous musculoskeletal issues and a special interest in knee and shoulder disorders. He does not, however, treat back or neck injuries or conditions.

And although he has extensive experience and skill as a surgeon, he prefers to avoid putting you through surgery whenever possible. He might, for instance, recommend trying a period of physical therapy combined with treatments to speed healing with biologics, such as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections.

What does an orthopedic surgeon treat?

Some of the conditions and diseases for which Dr. Cunningham may recommend surgery include:

• Knee injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
• Injuries to the rotator cuff and other shoulder issues
• Fractures and dislocations
• Joint damage associated with osteoarthritis
• Sports or work-related injuries

What types of surgeries do orthopedic surgeons perform?

Dr. Cunningham is highly skilled at a wide variety of surgeries and surgical techniques. Whenever possible, he prefers arthroscopy. Rather than the large incision required for traditional or “open” surgery, arthroscopy requires just a few small incisions near the affected joint.

He then inserts a small, specialized camera and instruments through these incisions to visualize, diagnose, and treat the issues pertaining to your joint, including the ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissue structures. For you, this means a shorter healing time and less risk of infection, bleeding, and other complications sometimes associated with traditional surgery.

During surgery, Dr. Cunningham may also administer orthobiologics such as Cell-Based (formerly "Stem Cell") therapy, growth factors, or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy, obtained from your own body and concentrated, to help speed healing at the repair site.

What is involved in rehab?

Specifics for rehab depend on the type of surgery but generally include guided physical therapy exercises and other therapies that progressively increase your joint range of motion as well as your muscle strength and flexibility. It requires effort on your part but is vital to the successful outcome of your surgery.