Sorry, due to the storm that occurred on Monday, we are currently experiencing a power outage, causing a delay in responding to calls and voicemails. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. In the meantime, please visit our website if you have any questions or concerns, and we will make sure to get back to you as soon as we are able. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Understanding Common Joint Disorders and How to Manage Them

Joint pain is one of the most common reasons people visit an orthopedist. If you’ve ever wondered what’s wrong with your joint, reading this article is a good first step in understanding why that may be the case.

doctor explaining joint disorders

Understanding The Joints

Joints are the main connectors of the skeletal system. Our joints enable us to move freely in the world. They are impressive parts of our anatomy that have several roles. They are not only responsible for allowing us to move and bend, but they also support our body weight and absorb external impact forces. Healthy joints are a key component in making our lives livable.

Joints are held together by a series of ligaments connecting bone to bone, as well as cartilaginous structures both within and surrounding the joint. These structures act as shock absorbers to protect the joint from extreme forces. Also, inside most joints is a fluid, called synovial fluid, that lubricates and nourishes them.

The Three Most Common Types of Joint Disorders

There are many reasons why your joints could be hurting you, but the three most common repeat offenders are described below.

man with a joint disorder


Osteoarthritis (OA): OA is the most common type of arthritis, often described as "wear and tear" on the joints. It happens from the deterioration of the structures in and around the joints. This can mean the breakdown of the joint capsule, the cartilaginous cushion located in some joints, or the degradation of bone around the joint.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): RA is another type of arthritis that is an autoimmune disorder. This means the immune system mistakenly recognizes your own body as an enemy and goes on the “attack”. This attack is directed at joint structures leading to inflammation, pain, and in some cases, joint deformity. Symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness are similar to those of OA. However, RA symptoms differ in that they come on faster, tend to worsen in the morning, and may be accompanied by fever, fatigue, and anemia.
Traumatic injuries: Injuries can happen to anyone, at any time, at any age. This category of joint disorders includes sprains and strains, joint dislocations, or joint injury from a car accident.

Their Respective Treatments

Treating common joint disorders first involves obtaining an accurate diagnosis. Treatment options for these conditions include:
Osteoarthritis: Managing OA is all about improving and maintaining joint health. The best way to achieve this is through regular exercise and weight management. Physical therapy helps this by strengthening specific muscle groups around the joints, promoting flexibility and improving overall mobility. OTC pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications, as well as steroid injections, can help symptoms. However, severe cases may require surgery such as joint replacement.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Regular exercise, weight management, and physical therapy are key players in treating RA. However pharmaceutical intervention is more important than for osteoarthritis. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), steroids, and injectable biologic treatments help slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
Traumatic Injuries: Treatment for trauma to joints depends on the cause and severity of the injury. If severe enough, surgery may be recommended as a first-line treatment. When less severe, your injury may be managed through stabilization of the joint, physical therapy, and OTC or prescription pain medications and anti-inflammatories.

Dr. Burke Orthopedics is Here for You

Dr. Burke Orthopedics consists of a team of orthopedic specialists diagnosing and treating common joint disorders. We provide personalized care tailored to your specific needs to help you regain mobility and improve your joint health.

We know joints and want yours to be as healthy as possible. If you’re experiencing pain and wondering what’s wrong with your joints, schedule a consultation with us by calling (713) 436-3488.


How to Tell if Your Knee Pain is a Loose Body | Loose Body Treatment

Knee pain is one of the most common joint problems that people face today.

If you have discomfort in your knees, this could be caused by anything from general wear and tear to arthritis, inflammation, or a past injury. One potential cause of knee pain is something called a “loose body.”

Knowing how to identify a loose body in your knee can help you seek out the right support when you’re struggling with a persistent pain. Speaking to a doctor will always be the best way to identify a potential knee issue, but there are some signs that may make a loose body more likely.

What is a loose body?

A loose body in the knee is a small fragment of cartilage or bone that is suspended in the knee fluid, otherwise known as “synovium”. These substances can prevent the joint from moving properly, often by getting caught in extension and flexion movements as you walk and move the limb.

Loose bodies often cause symptoms such as:

Loose bodies in your knee can vary in size and severity, from small fragments only a couple of millimeters long, to those the size of a few centimeters.

woman with knee joint pain; muslim woman with hand holding injured knee; portrait of asian woman suffering from knee pain injury, girl with knee joint injury; young muslim woman health care model

Loose Body in Knee Causes

A loose body in your knee may be caused by a range of problems. For instance, if you had an injury or trauma to your knee during a sport activity, this could cause some cartilage to be knocked loose. This problem can also be caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Types of loose bodies that are defined as “fibrinous” can occur when there is an inflammatory condition affecting the knee. Additionally, a rare condition called synovial chondromatosis may also contribute to a loose body in the knee.

Do loose bodies in the knee go away?

Loose bodies in your knee won’t simply disappear on their own. You will need to have the issue diagnosed and treated by a medical professional. However, there are limited options available from a non-surgical perspective when dealing with loose bodies. This condition often leads to symptoms that will continue to impair your movement until the fragments can be removed.

The use of anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy can aid in alleviating or reducing the symptoms and pain associated with the presence of loose bodies and improve your chances of maintaining a flexible joint.

Most of the time, the gold standard treatment for loose bodies in the knee will be an arthroscopic surgery. This is a kind of surgical procedure that is popularly known as a “clean out” procedure. This minimally invasive treatment allows a surgeon to thoroughly examine the knee for any loose bodies and remove them completely.

Woman wearing sports clothes suffering from pain in knee. Close-up painful knee with bones

Open surgical procedures are less common due to the availability of arthroscopy as a much less stressful and invasive experience, but still may be required given the issues of the condition. Open surgery still may be needed in cases where the loose bodies causing the symptoms are particularly large, or there are a number to be removed.

Reach out today and make an appointment to consult with Dr. Burke regarding the best treatment options for knee pain.  New and repeat patients can choose between in clinic or Telemedicine Video clinic appointments, whichever is most comfortable.  The knee pain relief you need is just a phone call or click away.  Please make an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Burke by visiting the website or by calling (713) 436-3488.


Show Your Joints Some Love with Stem Cell Therapy

Whether you’re suffering from an orthopedic injury, degenerative disease, or simply chronic pain, stem cell therapy is a minimally invasive technique that offers relief for patients in Pearland, Texas. This revolutionary treatment can save you from having to undergo a reconstructive surgery. At Dr. Burke Orthopedics, we know you want to show your joints some love, so we’ve laid out some reasons to choose stem cell therapy to treat pain:

Stem cells can help repair damaged or swollen tissues within the body. This is why stem cell therapy is an especially beneficial treatment for people suffering from arthritis and inflammatory conditions. During the weeks following the treatment, stem cells locate the damage in the affected joint and restore the synovium and cartilage with healthier cells. This not only prevents pain, but it also begins the healing process of the joint. For stem cell therapy to treat joint pain effectively, stem cells are often injected in combination with platelets and natural growth factors, which further enhances the innate healing capacity of the body. As an added benefit, patients experience a reduction in pain without the need for intense pain medications.

Senior man with back pain. Spine physical therapist and paient. chiropractic pain relief therapy. Age related backache

Stem cell therapy allows you to resume your daily activities more quickly when compared to surgical treatment methods. This is a key benefit for many patients that need to get back to their normal routine. Stem cell therapy speeds up the overall process of recovery and reduces the amount of time needed for the body to heal. Stem cells tend to reproduce quickly, and many patients experience a dramatic reduction in pain quickly. Even though it may take as many as 3 months before full benefits are felt, many patients report improvement in pain and mobility within 1-2 weeks.

Happy senior couple dancing together in kitchen

Stem cell therapy is a minimally invasive procedure and has a much lower risk profile than surgical procedures. However, because the procedure does not require any major incisions to be made into the body, risks such as infections and clotting are significantly reduced. Additionally, stem cell therapy is an all-natural procedure. Stem cells grow naturally within the body. This helps in reducing the risk of any major complications. Typically, patients report only mild side effects with stem cell therapy.

Selective focus of chiropractor examining patient shoulder in massage cabinet at clinic

Stem cell therapy can take care of a number of conditions, and we are learning more uses for stem cells within the medical community. At Dr. Burke Orthopedics, we are proud to offer this cutting-edge treatment to patients in the Pearland, Texas, area. Give us a call at (713) 436-3488 or visit https://drburkeortho.com/specialties/stem-cell-therapy/.

Arthritis Causes and Symptoms

Arthritis is a broad term that refers to multiple different types.  Arthritis is a condition of the joints that may stem from an autoimmune condition that leads to deterioration of the joints or a normal wear and tear to the joints over many years, called Osteoarthritis.

Many joints in the body have what is called a capsule, which envelops a substance referred to as synovial fluid.  This synovial fluid helps in nourishing and lubricating the joint.  It is a normal degradation of this fluid and other structures in the joint over time that leads to arthritis, an inflammation of the joint.

In the knee, for instance, exists a structure called the meniscus that is basically a cushion and shock absorber.  Deterioration of the menisci over many years leads to a lack of cushioning in the knee joint which absorbs pounding everyday from walking and running.  This deterioration is an example of arthritis.  Many other joints in the body have similar shock absorbing structures within them, the degradation of which may lead to arthritis.

Joint pain itself may be the result of a number of other causes besides arthritis.  You may have a torn ligament or tendon.  If you recently suffered a traumatic injury leading to joint pain, the cause is most likely not a result of arthritis, but a traumatic injury will weaken structures within and surrounding a joint and possibly lead to arthritis many years later because of the decreased strength of the joint and increased impact of external forces.

Another example of arthritis is the autoimmune condition Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  The main difference in symptoms of RA is that multiple joints may be affected because of this condition rather than a single joint, as is the most common presentation with Osteoarthritis.  Rheumatoid symptoms will also be loss of range of motion and function of the joint and pain.  As this is a systemic illness, you may experience slight fevers and a general feeling of malaise when a flare-up of RA occurs.

What Happens if Arthritis is Left Untreated

Untreated osteoarthritis will continue to progress and worsen over time.  Arthritis cannot kill you, but it can cause serious pain and discomfort in your life.  The treatment of arthritis is a quality-of-life issue, but is not life-threatening.  It is not a diagnosis that will shorten your life expectancy, but if ignored and left untreated, can make the rest of your years of life miserable.

This condition cannot paralyze you, but will make normal function of the joint worsen over time.  Untreated arthritis will add to the degradation of the structures in and around the joint leading to more and more pain and a loss of function.  The progression of arthritis may lead to requiring a total joint replacement.

Arthritis Treatment at Dr. Burke Orthopedics   

Treatment options will vary based on the progression and severity of your arthritis.  These may be the recommendation to take NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to oral steroids or injections, physical therapy, and in the most severe of cases surgical intervention may be required.

An accurate diagnosis is the key to choosing the correct treatment for your arthritis.  This is something the experts at Dr. Burke Orthopedics excel at.  They will not recommend a treatment or procedure without first being positive of the exact cause of your discomfort.

 


How to Tell if Your Knee Pain is a Loose Body | Loose Body Treatment

Knee pain is one of the most common joint problems that people face today.

If you have discomfort in your knees, this could be caused by anything from general wear and tear to arthritis, inflammation, or a past injury. One potential cause of knee pain is something called a “loose body.”

Knowing how to identify a loose body in your knee can help you seek out the right support when you’re struggling with a persistent pain. Speaking to a doctor will always be the best way to identify a potential knee issue, but there are some signs that may make a loose body more likely.

What is a loose body?

A loose body in the knee is a small fragment of cartilage or bone that is suspended in the knee fluid, otherwise known as “synovium”. These substances can prevent the joint from moving properly, often by getting caught in extension and flexion movements as you walk and move the limb.

Loose bodies often cause symptoms such as:

Loose bodies in your knee can vary in size and severity, from small fragments only a couple of millimeters long, to those the size of a few centimeters.

woman with knee joint pain; muslim woman with hand holding injured knee; portrait of asian woman suffering from knee pain injury, girl with knee joint injury; young muslim woman health care model

Loose Body in Knee Causes

A loose body in your knee may be caused by a range of problems. For instance, if you had an injury or trauma to your knee during a sport activity, this could cause some cartilage to be knocked loose. This problem can also be caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Types of loose bodies that are defined as “fibrinous” can occur when there is an inflammatory condition affecting the knee. Additionally, a rare condition called synovial chondromatosis may also contribute to a loose body in the knee.

Do loose bodies in the knee go away?

Loose bodies in your knee won’t simply disappear on their own. You will need to have the issue diagnosed and treated by a medical professional. However, there are limited options available from a non-surgical perspective when dealing with loose bodies. This condition often leads to symptoms that will continue to impair your movement until the fragments can be removed.

The use of anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy can aid in alleviating or reducing the symptoms and pain associated with the presence of loose bodies and improve your chances of maintaining a flexible joint.

Most of the time, the gold standard treatment for loose bodies in the knee will be an arthroscopic surgery. This is a kind of surgical procedure that is popularly known as a “clean out” procedure. This minimally invasive treatment allows a surgeon to thoroughly examine the knee for any loose bodies and remove them completely.

Woman wearing sports clothes suffering from pain in knee. Close-up painful knee with bones

Open surgical procedures are less common due to the availability of arthroscopy as a much less stressful and invasive experience, but still may be required given the issues of the condition. Open surgery still may be needed in cases where the loose bodies causing the symptoms are particularly large, or there are a number to be removed.

Reach out today and make an appointment to consult with Dr. Burke regarding the best treatment options for knee pain.  New and repeat patients can choose between in clinic or Telemedicine Video clinic appointments, whichever is most comfortable.  The knee pain relief you need is just a phone call or click away.  Please make an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Burke by visiting the website or by calling (713) 436-3488.


Pediatric Sports Medicine – 3 Reasons Why People Choose Dr. Burke Orthopedics

Dr. Burke Specializes in General Orthopedic Care and Sports Medicine

Orthopedic medicine is a specialty that physicians decide to pursue in order to become experts about the human body.  A physician that specializes in orthopedics has knowledge of human anatomy and physiology that is next to none.  Sports medicine is a component of orthopedic care that generally makes up a large percentage of the services provided by an orthopedic and sports medicine clinic.  Dr. Burke’s practice includes an orthopedic sports clinic near Houston.

Whenever a bone is broken, a joint is damaged, or a ligament is torn, etc, an orthopedist will know how to guide you or your child to the best treatment.  This is the case whether the injury is sports-related or not.

Dr. Burke Orthopedics is a Sports Medicine Clinic for All Ages.

Often children are the individuals who experience orthopedic injuries that are caused by participating in sports.  Dr. Burke and his staff of highly trained specialists are wonderful choices when in need of a pediatric sports medicine physician.  Sporting injuries are certainly not limited only to adults.

When treating a child who is not fully developed yet, with immature bones and ligaments, specific individualized care is vital.  Physicians that specialize in pediatric sports medicine take into account the extra care that is needed for not yet fully matured aspects of the human body and how healing after an injury may be different than in an adult.  Children are still growing and need to be treated accordingly.

Rest assured, there are pediatric sports medicine doctors in the Houston area that are fully equipped, educated, and trained in the treatment and management of injuries in children.

Friendly Staff Committed to Patient Care at Dr. Burke Orthopedics

The staff at Dr. Burke’s orthopedic and sports medicine clinic are all dedicated, friendly, and empathetic providers that will make you and your child feel comfortable.  You can put your mind at ease when placing the care of your child in the hands of a pediatric sports medicine physician at Dr. Burke’s practice.

Providing the best patient care is always the top priority when treating anyone that seeks out help for an injury, be it an adult or child.  The professionals that specialize in pediatric sports medicine at this clinic will take the time to consider the best treatment options that will yield the optimal long-term result.  A treatment will not be recommended if your child is not an appropriate candidate for the procedure and the physician is not certain that the ultimate outcome will be optimal after healing has occurred.

When your child is injured, we understand that it is a scary time and you may not know what to do.  When searching for a pediatric sports medicine physician in the Houston area, you can have peace of mind knowing that your child is receiving the best care possible when treated by Dr. Burke or a member of oh team at his orthopedics and sports clinic.

pediatric orthopedics


Top 3 Reasons Why MACI® Procedure is Best for Optimal Recovery

Relieve Knee pain and stiffness

There are a multitude of reasons that your knee may be causing you pain.  If you have not experienced a traumatic injury of some sort, whether that be from a car accident or sports for instance, your knee pain is most likely a result of years of wear and tear on the joint leading to osteoarthritis.  With this finding, there will most likely be cartilage damage in the knee leading to a decrease in the smoothness of movement of the knee.  Cartilage damage may also be a result of traumatic injuries previously mentioned.

Accurate diagnosis is key.  Determining a correct diagnosis for your knee pain will be vital in planning what the best knee injury treatment plan will be.  Diagnosing the cause of your knee injury symptoms may involve imaging, such as an MRI or x-ray.

Sometimes, conservative treatment may be sufficient to relieve you of your knee injury symptoms.  This will most likely involve the suggestion of taking NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), steroid or stem-cell injections, or a course of physical therapy which will help to stretch tight musculature as well as strengthen surrounding muscles.  Conservative intervention may be a combination of all of these things or just one or two of them. The hope is that these interventions will be enough to relieve some stiffness in the knee and increase range of motion.

Other times, however, the above therapies will not be 100% successful in relieving your knee injury symptoms and further, more involved treatment may be recommended.  A procedure that Dr. Burke performs for knee injuries involves stem cell therapy.

Stem cell for Knee Treatment

Unlike stem cell injections, the MACI® (Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation) Procedure directly addresses the root of the problem.  MACI® is an autologous stem-cell treatment.  Autologous means that your own cells are used.

Healthy cartilage is extracted from a non-weight-bearing portion of your knee, then shipped to a lab where chondrocytes (production cells of a healthy cartilage matrix) from that sample are specially treated and encouraged to grow.

When deemed ready, the new cells are implanted back into your knee covering the area of damaged cartilage causing pain.

Dr. Burke #1 Rated Orthopedic Doctor in Texas

The MACI® Procedure is both less invasive and tends to provide better outcomes with less downtime than previous treatments for similar conditions including microfracture.  It is a less-invasive procedure that does not require internal suture fixation. The new implant is adhered using a fibrin sealant.

Better, pain free, functional movement is expected 6 months later - shown in a trial conducted by SUMMIT.  MACI® can be used for cartilaginous defects of any shape and size, are more flexible, with less feeling that a foreign object was placed in the knee.

Dr. Burke will make an accurate diagnosis first before recommending this procedure.  He will not make this recommendation if he doesn’t feel that you are an appropriate candidate and this will not provide you with the best outcomes.  Reasons that this procedure may not be recommended for your knee pain are if:

orthopedic services


Dr. Burke Orthopedics - Top List of Services

Knee Surgery

The reasons that you might end up requiring orthopedic treatment for your knee pain and possible surgical intervention are many and varied.  It could involve the fracture of a bone or a tear of a tendon or ligament.  You may also seek orthopedic services due to the normal occurrence of pain from the after a lifetime wear and tear on the knee leading to arthritis.

Knee reconstruction and cartilage preservation

An injury to the knee may warrant a visit to an orthopedic surgeon in order to determine the severity of your injury and the optimal course of treatment.  In some cases, particularly if a ligament is torn or cartilage in the knee is badly damaged, surgery will be recommended.  An orthopedic surgeon is able to reconstruct these structures that were damaged so that your knee will cause less pain and function properly again.

Joint Replacement

In the most severe of cases, the orthopedic treatment for your knee pain that will produce the best outcomes will be the entire joint needing to be replaced.  If this is what your orthopedic surgeon recommends, please understand that it is a recommendation after thoughtful consideration of many options.  Sometimes, damage is so bad that there is no other option than to replace the joint, which will lead to significant relief of pain and improvement of function.  The most common cause of requiring a joint replacement is arthritis.

Fracture Care

A break of a bone, or a fracture, is also a reason to seek orthopedic treatment.  Fractures can occur in any bone, and there are many different ways in which a bone can break.  If you suspect that you have broken a bone, seek out orthopedic services immediately to ensure that the bone heals correctly.

Shoulder Surgery

Like the knee, there are many reasons that could lead to the requirement of surgery in your shoulder.  There are many tendons, ligaments, and other structures that may be damaged in the shoulder similarly to the knee.  There are actually many more of these vulnerable structures in the shoulder than the knee, but the knee is a weight-bearing joint and the shoulder is not.  Being partly responsible for movement and support of the entire body generally leads to greater loss of function when the knee is damaged as compared to the shoulder.

Sports Medicine

Sports Medicine is one of the most common services provided in orthopedic care.  It is the bread and butter of orthopedic medicine.  Orthopedic physicians are experts in human anatomy and the workings of the body.  All of this knowledge easily translates to sporting injuries as very active individuals are more likely to be injured and seek out orthopedic services than their non-active counterparts.

General Orthopedic Care

Orthopedic treatment may also be necessary when it comes to the spine.  Many people think that pain or injury involving the neck or back would always be treated by another discipline of medicine but that is not the case.  Often, there is an orthopedic reason for your neck or back pain that would require the treatment of an orthopedic surgeon nearby such as Dr. Burke located near Houston in Pearland, Texas.

Knee Surgery

The reasons that you might end up requiring orthopedic treatment for your knee pain and possible surgical intervention are many and varied.  It could involve the fracture of a bone or a tear of a tendon or ligament.  You may also seek orthopedic services due to the normal occurrence of pain from the after a lifetime wear and tear on the knee leading to arthritis.

Knee reconstruction and cartilage preservation

An injury to the knee may warrant a visit to an orthopedic surgeon in order to determine the severity of your injury and the optimal course of treatment.  In some cases, particularly if a ligament is torn or cartilage in the knee is badly damaged, surgery will be recommended.  An orthopedic surgeon is able to reconstruct these structures that were damaged so that your knee will cause less pain and function properly again.

Joint Replacement

In the most severe of cases, the orthopedic treatment for your knee pain that will produce the best outcomes will be the entire joint needing to be replaced.  If this is what your orthopedic surgeon recommends, please understand that it is a recommendation after thoughtful consideration of many options.  Sometimes, damage is so bad that there is no other option than to replace the joint, which will lead to significant relief of pain and improvement of function.  The most common cause of requiring a joint replacement is arthritis.

Fracture Care

A break of a bone, or a fracture, is also a reason to seek orthopedic treatment.  Fractures can occur in any bone, and there are many different ways in which a bone can break.  If you suspect that you have broken a bone, seek out orthopedic services immediately to ensure that the bone heals correctly.

Shoulder Surgery

Like the knee, there are many reasons that could lead to the requirement of surgery in your shoulder.  There are many tendons, ligaments, and other structures that may be damaged in the shoulder similarly to the knee.  There are actually many more of these vulnerable structures in the shoulder than the knee, but the knee is a weight-bearing joint and the shoulder is not.  Being partly responsible for movement and support of the entire body generally leads to greater loss of function when the knee is damaged as compared to the shoulder.

Sports Medicine

Sports Medicine is one of the most common services provided in orthopedic care.  It is the bread and butter of orthopedic medicine.  Orthopedic physicians are experts in human anatomy and the workings of the body.  All of this knowledge easily translates to sporting injuries as very active individuals are more likely to be injured and seek out orthopedic services than their non-active counterparts.

General Orthopedic Care

Orthopedic treatment may also be necessary when it comes to the spine.  Many people think that pain or injury involving the neck or back would always be treated by another discipline of medicine but that is not the case.  Often, there is an orthopedic reason for your neck or back pain that would require the treatment of an orthopedic surgeon nearby such as Dr. Burke located near Houston in Pearland, Texas.

orthopedic services


MACI® Treatment Service

Different Types of Knee Surgery

There are many different types of knee surgery that may be considered as a treatment option for your knee pain if surgical intervention is required.  The decision will be dependent upon the diagnosis of your injury.  An accurate diagnosis is key to allowing your surgeon to subsequently decide the best option for treatment of your knee pain.  Orthopedic surgery procedures for the knee range from repairing and stabilizing a fracture or torn ligament/tendon to a replacement of one of these structures or the entire knee joint itself.

Orthopedic surgeries of the knee are commonly categorized into two distinct types.  These are an arthroscopic surgery or an open arthrotomy.  An arthroscopic surgery is minimally invasive.  This is when a very small incision is made in the knee allowing for a small fiber-optic camera to enter the knee joint.  This, in turn, guides the surgeon in performing treatment.  Arthroscopy is also used to properly diagnose an issue as it allows for closer and more thorough examination of the knee joint than could be obtained otherwise.  An arthrotomy is a more invasive orthopedic surgery of the knee that involves making a larger incision, allowing for the underlying structures in the joint that are damaged to be exposed.

partial view of Physiotherapist massaging leg of football player in hospital

MACI® Treatment Service – Treatment for Knee Pain

When cartilage in the joint is damaged, you may experience an impaired smoothness of movement and/or a decreased range of motion of the knee.  MACI (Matrix Associated Chondrocyte Implantation) is an autologous stem-cell treatment.  Autologous means that your own cells, which include fully developed healthy cartilage or chondrocyte cells, are cultivated from a healthy, non-weight bearing area of the bone.  Chondrocytes are cells that grow and develop into the extremely important cartilage matrix that exists inside of joints and helps with smooth motion and cushioning.

The MACI Procedure is two-fold.  First, healthy tissue is extracted from your knee during an arthroscopic procedure.  These healthy cells are then shipped to a lab where they are specially treated and encouraged to grow.  This is the autologous stem-cell process.

When deemed ready, the new cells are implanted back into your knee covering the area of defect causing pain.  This second step of this orthopedic surgery procedure is performed through an open arthrotomy.

MACI® Procedure at Dr. Burke Orthopedics

Knee pain may sometimes be able to be treated conservatively, meaning without surgery, but if you are dealing with a severe injury or other trauma, surgery may be indicated. If prior treatments such as physical therapy or other surgeries have failed to decrease pain, Dr. Burke may recommend the MACI Treatment Service.

Dr. Burke will thoroughly examine your knee and medical history to ensure that you are a viable candidate for MACI and able to gain the best possible outcomes before recommending this procedure.  He will not perform the procedure if he feels that you are not an appropriate candidate.

As soon as you have an injury, it’s imperative that you seek treatment to figure out the source(s) of pain to prevent further damage. Future function of your knee may depend on your fast action!

3d rendered medically accurate illustration of an arthritic knee


Orthopedic Sports Clinic

Can anyone go straight to an orthopedic sports clinic?

In most cases, the answer to this question is, YES!  It all depends on your insurance.  Some insurance carriers will allow for you to go straight to an orthopedic and sports medicine clinic, but some will not.  Some insurances will require a referral from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) in order to see a specialist.  In most cases however, you will be allowed to skip this step and go straight to an orthopedic and sports injury clinic.  And of course, if you do not happen to have medical insurance and are planning to pay for care on your own, you can go directly to whatever doctor you feel necessary.

Determining if your insurance allows for permission to go straight to an orthopedic physician will generally not be an issue because for the majority of cases, a patient will first make an appointment with their PCP for any kind of unknown pain.  This is of course unless it is a traumatic injury with an obvious need to see an orthopedist.  And in this case, a visit to the emergency room will most likely have been made and if an orthopedic surgeon is consulted, you will already be in the system.

When do you need to go to an orthopedic and sports medicine clinic?  An orthopedic doctor is the specialist that you will need to see when you have a musculoskeletal injury of some kind.  This can be the result of a sports injury or motor vehicle accident, or perhaps when you are in need of a joint replacement.  Orthopedic doctors, particularly an orthopedic surgeon such as Dr. Burke, are experts in human anatomy and injuries, and have studied the mechanics of human bones, muscles, and joints for years and years.

partial view of Physiotherapist massaging leg of football player in hospital

Dr. Burke Orthopedics – Schedule Same-Day Appointments

When choosing an orthopedic sports clinic in Houston, your best option will be to make an appointment with Dr. Burke.  He not only offers same-day appointments, but your concerns about being exposed to COVID-19 can be eased.  Dr. Burke works from a ‘sick-free’ hospital and is strictly for the performance of orthopedic consultations and surgeries.  Sick patients are not treated at this Houston, TX orthopedic sports injury clinic so you can go there without fear of being exposed to COVID-19.

In today’s healthcare climate, you may be understandably apprehensive to make an appointment with a doctor in order to receive help with musculoskeletal pain or injury.  You do not need to live with this pain.  Dr. Burke is continuing to perform scheduled surgeries and non-elective new surgeries at the Texas Orthopedic Hospital.

Delaying treatment for pain or injury, particularly a musculoskeletal injury, will in many cases make the problem worse.  An appointment for a consultation with Dr. Burke at his orthopedic sports clinic in Houston, TX is advised if you are suffering from any kind of pain.  A consultation may be all that you need in order to determine the severity of the injury/cause of the pain and if any further treatment will be necessary.

Doctor and patient during check-up for injury in hospital

Dr. Burke © 2021 All rights reserved | Powered by Lead Clickz.
Use or replication of this content by other websites or commercial organizations without written permission is prohibited.
This site is for information purposes; it is not a substitute for professional legal advice.

magnifiercrossmenu