Orthopedic care

The Orthopedic & Spine Center at Riverside Community Hospital

Is hip or knee pain making life difficult or keeping you from enjoying your favorite hobbies? At the Riverside Community Hospital's Orthopedic & Spine Center, our goal is to help relieve your pain so you can return to the activities you love. We offer a range of orthopedic services, including hip and knee replacements, to treat joint pain and set you on the path to rapid recovery.

Would you like to learn more about our treatments for joint pain? To schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic surgeons, call (855) 852-1395.

What makes our orthopedic program unique?

At Riverside Community Hospital, our orthopedic program offers patients the following:

• A multidisciplinary team of specially trained nurses and physical therapists who are focused on keeping you comfortable while getting you active to expedite your recovery
• An approach to pain management designed to meet your needs with a variety of techniques and modern medications to control pain and minimize discomfort after surgery
• Comprehensive pre-surgical education to prepare you for surgery and recovery
• Orthopedic surgeons who are skilled and experienced performing joint replacements
• The support and encouragement of your personal coach, a relative or trusted friend who can be by your side throughout recovery

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 20 million Americans. This disease occurs when the protective cushion of cartilage covering the ends of bones breaks down and wears away, causing irritation, stiffness and pain. This degenerative condition, also known as wear and tear arthritis, worsens over time.

The good news is that we offer a wide range of surgical and non-surgical treatments for osteoarthritis and other orthopedic disorders and injuries.

Non-surgical orthopedic treatments

We offer several non-surgical treatments and lifestyle changes that can help improve minor joint conditions and injuries, including:

• Balanced exercise with stretching and strengthening activities
• Heat and cold therapy
• Medications and cortisone injections
• Weight loss to reduce stress on joints

Orthopedic surgery

Our hospital offers a comprehensive orthopedic surgery program designed to meet your individual needs, providing optimal outcomes in the shortest time possible. Our board-certified surgeons perform advanced orthopedic procedures, such as hip and knee joint replacements with robotic surgery. During a joint replacement, an orthopedic surgeon removes parts of a damaged or arthritic joint and replaces those parts with a prosthesis (artificial joint).

Knee replacement surgery

Knee replacement is recognized as one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine. In the U.S., over one million people have their knees replaced each year. Most patients who receive knee replacement surgery are pleased with their results, reporting fast pain relief, improved mobility and better quality of life. During a knee replacement:

• The end of the femur is replaced with a metal surface.
• The tip of the tibia is replaced with a plastic piece and metal stem.
• The worn cartilage is replaced with artificial cushioning.

Hip replacement

Hip replacement can be a life-transforming surgery, with over 89 percent of patients reporting successful results. In the U.S., over 450,000 hip replacement surgeries are performed each year.

During a hip replacement, your orthopedic surgeon removes the damaged or diseased ball of the upper thigh bone (femur) and the damaged cartilage from the hip socket. The damaged ball is replaced with a metal ball fixed inside the femur. The socket is replaced with a plastic liner fixed inside a metal shell. This creates a smoothly functioning ball-and-socket joint that does not cause pain.

Spine surgery

Our neuroscience program offers minimally invasive and non-surgical treatments for spinal conditions. If you come to us with back and neck pain, our spine surgeons will discuss all treatment options with you to determine the best course of action to reduce or eliminate your spinal pain. We also have a robotic surgical system for spine surgeries that assist our surgeons in performing delicate procedures with advanced precision and dexterity.

Potential challenges and complications of orthopedic surgery

There is always some risk involved in any surgery, no matter how minor the procedure. Hip and knee replacements are major surgeries that could lead to complications. Although complications are relatively rare, you and your family should be aware of them. Our surgeons want to prepare you for surgery as much as possible. This includes reviewing the risks and benefits of your procedure and answering any questions you may have.