November 19, 2008 4:43pm
Sports Medicine: Return to Play
Whether you are a high school, college or professional athlete or a weekend warrior with a sports-related injury, we can help. Dr. Rieber is a fellowship-trained sports medicine physician. This means he has voluntarily continued his education in sports medicine.
Dr. Rieber has trained with some of the premier sports physicians in the country. He also uses the most advanced equipment available including arthroscopy and minimally invasive instrumentation such as radiofrequency thermal probes and bioabsorbable implants. With these techniques, all patients receive the same benefits as the world's most elite athletes.
State-of-the-Art Rotator Cuff Repair
Many shoulder procedures, which previously required a large incision, can now be done through smaller incisions. This limits the risk of developing excess scar tissue and loss of motion. Most can also be performed as outpatient procedures.
Minimally Invasive Knee Arthroscopy
Minimally invasive knee arthroscopy allows many patients to leave the surgical recovery room bearing their own weight. Along with coordinated rehabilitation and therapy, this allows our patients to return to athletic and occupational activities as quickly and safely as possible. We emphasize individual personal care and treatment tailored to your specific sport or work activity level.
A Team Approach
At Orthopaedics Unlimited, we work closely with local athletic trainers and physical therapists. Many athletic injuries do not require surgery and can be treated with non-operative interventions. Our relationships with outside professionals allow us to coordinate your care and ensure your injured joints are well conditioned before returning to your desired activity level. Dr. Rieber is committed to giving each patient the benefits of a team approach, his years of experience and skill as an orthopaedic surgeon, pain management and physical medicine specialist.
ACL Reconstruction
Active individuals and recreational or professional athletes who sustain an ACL injury find it difficult to jump, cut or pivot without instability. Continued giving-way episodes will lead to meniscal and cartilage damage and ultimately, arthritis. In today's society, getting back to the playing field or back to work sooner and faster is of paramount importance. Using better and stronger fixation devices, individuals undergoing ACL reconstructions can return to normal activity and sports within 3-4 months. Hamstring techniques of old used to have poor results due to poor fixation and stretch of the graft. New instruments and fixation devices have resolved these issues.
Hamstring tendons are the strongest autogenous graft and give the least morbidity. Commonly, the traditional methods of bone-tendon-bone grafts lead to increased quadriceps atrophy, patella tendonitis and potential patella fracture. Harvesting hamstrings is done through less than a 40cm incision with no risks of fracture or increased extensor weakness. The fixation techniques allow immediate and aggressive rehabilitation. Bone-tendon-bone ACL reconstructions still have their place; but for most, hamstrings allow much smaller incisions, faster rehab and fewer complications.
