Knee surgery and sports medicine: from the ACL to the Achilles.

ACL reconstruction with autograft or allograft, internal brace augmentation when appropriate.

A fluid-filled swelling behind the knee, usually a secondary sign of a meniscus tear or arthritis inside the joint. The key is to treat the underlying cause, not just the cyst.

Osteoarthritis of the knee, with gradual cartilage wear, pain, stiffness, and swelling. Conservative care comes first and for as long as it controls symptoms; partial or total knee replacement is reserved for advanced arthritis that limits daily life.

Minimally invasive treatment for cartilage, meniscus, and ligament injuries.

The side ligaments of the knee. Most MCL injuries heal in a brace; LCL and posterolateral corner injuries are more serious and often need surgery.

Meniscal repair or partial meniscectomy via arthroscopy.

A common, benign cause of knee pain in growing adolescents. Managed with activity modification and stretching, and it resolves with skeletal maturity.

A broken kneecap. Stable fractures with an intact straightening mechanism heal without surgery; displaced ones are fixed.

A complete tear breaks the knee's ability to straighten and needs prompt surgical repair. Treated quickly, the results are reliable.

The kneecap slipping or dislocating, usually toward the outside, often in young athletes. First-time dislocations are usually treated without surgery; recurrent instability is treated with MPFL reconstruction that addresses the underlying anatomy.

Pain in the tendon below the kneecap in jumping athletes. A structured loading program is the foundation; PRP and surgery are reserved for stubborn cases.

Aching around the kneecap, worse with stairs and squatting. The large majority improve with a hip and thigh strengthening program rather than surgery.

Posterior cruciate ligament injury, often from a dashboard-type impact. Many isolated tears are managed with quadriceps-focused rehabilitation rather than surgery.

Inner-knee pain just below the joint from an irritated bursa. Settles without surgery using activity modification, stretching, and injection.

Swelling on the front of the kneecap, often from kneeling. Most settle without surgery, but an infected bursa needs prompt treatment.

Exercise-related inner-shin pain in runners. Treated without surgery; the main step is distinguishing it from a stress fracture.

A small crack in bone from repetitive loading, common in the shin and foot. Most heal with activity modification, and treating the cause prevents recurrence.

A fracture into the knee's joint surface at the top of the shinbone. Restoring a smooth, aligned surface is the priority; displaced fractures are fixed.

Repair and reconstruction. Dr. Lee has authored four peer-reviewed papers on Achilles repair.

Overuse pain and stiffness in the heel cord. A structured calf-loading program is the foundation; steroid injections into the tendon are avoided.

A break of one or more of the ankle bones, usually from a twist or fall. Stable, well-aligned fractures heal in a cast or boot; displaced or unstable fractures are fixed with plates and screws to restore the joint.

The rolled ankle and the one that keeps giving way. Most heal with functional rehabilitation; ligament repair restores stability for chronic instability.

Two different fractures at the base of the fifth metatarsal. The avulsion heals on its own; a true Jones fracture often needs a screw because of its poor blood supply.

An easily missed injury to the ligaments and joints of the midfoot, from a twist or crush. Stable sprains are immobilized; unstable injuries need surgical fixation or fusion to prevent midfoot arthritis.

An irritated nerve between the toes causing burning forefoot pain. Most cases improve with footwear changes, a metatarsal pad, and sometimes an injection.

A cartilage-and-bone lesion, often in the ankle, that can hide behind a stubborn sprain. Stable lesions may heal without surgery; unstable ones are treated arthroscopically.

Irritation of the peroneal tendons behind the outer ankle bone, often after sprains or from overuse. Most cases settle with relative rest, bracing or taping, and therapy; tendons that subluxate or tear may need surgery.

The most common cause of heel pain, worst with the first steps in the morning. The large majority resolve without surgery, with stretching and support.

Irritation then degeneration of the posterior tibial tendon, the main dynamic support of the arch, causing inner-ankle pain and a progressive flattening foot. Caught early it is treated with orthotics, bracing, and therapy.

A common, benign, self-limiting irritation of the heel growth plate in active growing children. Managed without surgery with activity modification, heel cups, calf stretching, and footwear changes, resolving as the growth plate matures.