Joanne Ricketts, Author at Midland Hip and Knee Clinic

Knee injuries in rugby are very common due to nature of the sport which can be gradual wear and tear or damage from impact and trauma.

Here we discuss two common knee injuries rugby player may experience:

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury

The ACL connects the thighbone to the shinbone, stabilising the knee joint, and is a common injury in rugby players due to quick twists and turns of the body.

Symptoms include:

Difficulty bearing weight on the knee
Swelling of the knee
Pain and ‘popping’ in the knee

Treatment consists of ACL reconstruction surgery which can be carried out via a minimally invasive approach, and consists of taking tissue from somewhere else in your body, or from a donor, to replace the damaged ligament.

Meniscus tear

The meniscus is cartilage between the shinbone and thighbone that absorbs shock. It can be injured through sudden changes in direction.

Symptoms include:

Sudden knee pain
Swelling of the knee
Difficulty bending or extending the knee

Treatment can involve surgery to repair the damaged tissue, or surgery to replace the whole meniscus.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

A hip replacement may be needed if you have severe damage to your hip joint which is causing painful symptoms. It is commonly performed on older patients who have osteoarthritis.

During hip replacement surgery, the joint is removed and replaced with an artificial one.

Your orthopaedic hip surgeon will perform your hip replacement by:

Making a small incision in the thigh to access the hip joint
Remove the damaged femur (ball of the thighbone) and socket
Implant the replacement socket
Insert a short metal stem with a ball on it into the ball of the thighbone
Close the incision with stitches.

A hip replacement can hugely reduce pain, with almost all patients getting complete, or near complete relief from arthritic hip pain, and thus increased mobility.

Minimally invasive hip surgery

Mr Makrides offers minimally invasive hip surgery using the Direct Superior Approach. This avoids damage to surrounding muscles and tissue which results in a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery time.

Robotic assisted hip surgery

Mr Makrides can also perform hip replacement surgery using the Mako robotic arm assisted surgery. This is carried out at Spire Little Aston Hospital and allows your surgeon to use the robotic arm to guide him along pre-defined areas using real time tracking which adjusts to the smallest of movements. This results in extremely precise surgery with minimal blood loss, scarring and post operative pain.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

A hip replacement is surgery to removed your damaged hip joint and replace it with an artificial joint.

When is a hip replacement needed?

If you are experiencing pain, swelling and stiffness in your hip joint, and your day to day life is affected by it, then you may be considered for a hip replacement, if other treatments such as steroid injections or physiotherapy have not helped.

The most common reasons for hip replacement surgery are:

Osteoarthritis

Where the cartilage that protects the joints breaks down over time and causes pain and inflammation.

Rheumatoid arthritis

When your immune system attacks the healthy cells lining the joint which causes pain, inflammation and eventually damage to the joint.

Septic arthritis

A serious infection that can damage the joint.

Hip fractures

A fall or trauma which causes a small break in the hip. Overtime this may weaken the bone and lead to osteoporosis.

How is a hip replacement performed?

Usually performed under general anaesthetic or a spinal block, your orthopaedic hip surgeon will make an incision in the side of your hip. The damaged femur (ball) will be removed along with any damage to the socket. A prosthetic is fitted and held in place with a special ‘glue’ or ‘cement’.

Minimally invasive hip replacement surgery

Mr Makrides carries out minimally invasive hip replacement surgery which uses 1 or 2 very small incisions as opposed to a large one and special instruments to carry out the procedure. This is a beneficial technique used to reduce damage to the surrounding muscles and tissue which in turn results in a faster recovery time with less pain.

Mako robotic hip replacement surgery

Robotic surgery allows your hip surgeon to make a 3D model of your hip joint prior to surgery. During surgery the robotic arm guides your surgeon within the pre-defined area, using real time tracking feedback making it extremely precise, resulting in a faster recovery time, a shorter stay in hospital, less pain post surgery and a smaller scar.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

Hip pain can be common in cyclists due to the repetitive nature of peddling and sitting.

One of the most commonly seen conditions in cyclists is hip bursitis. The bursa is a small fluid filled sac that acts as a cushion to absorb shock between the bone and ligaments. When the bursa becomes irritated and inflamed it is known as bursitis.

The reason a cyclist may get hip bursitis could be from cycling a lot without regular breaks, incorrect posture on the bike or an existing problem with the hip that worsens irritation of the hip bursa.

Symptoms of hip bursitis:

Pain and swelling around the hip area
Pain may worsen when moving

Treatment for hip bursitis:

Treatment for hip bursitis may involve a course of antibiotics, steroid injections if applicable and if severe surgery to drain or remove the bursa.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

We all have fluid filled sacs known as bursa that cushion our joints. Bursitis occurs when they become inflamed.

Symptoms of knee bursitis are:

A painful knee
A swollen knee
The skin around the knee may be sore and tender

Treatments for knee bursitis:

You can try taking a break and resting your knee as well as using ice and anti inflammatories to reduce inflammation and pain.

It is also possible to have a steroid injection to reduce the swelling.

If your knee bursitis is particularly bad and not responding to the above, then an orthopaedic surgeon can drain it for you

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

Joint pain is commonly caused by degeneration as we age, overuse and injury. However, it is possible that stress and anxiety can cause or worsen existing painful joints.

The ways stress can affect your joints:

Long term stress may cause a build up of inflammation in the body that may lead to painful hip and knee joints.
Anxiety can cause you to tense your muscles which in turn can make them stiff, inflamed and painful.
Stress can weaken your immune system which may lead to joint infections and pain.

However, it is difficult to conclude that anxiety and stress directly leads to joint pain and it is advise to get any hip and knee pain looked at by a professional to rule out any other underlying condition.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

There are many ways your knees and hips can become damaged, from ageing, overuse injury or trauma.

Common conditions that can affect your hips and knee:

Arthritis of the hip and knee. The most common symptoms of osteoarthritis are joint pain, mobility issues and stiffness in the joint
Knee ACL tear. If you are struggling to bare weight, have swelling, severe pain and ‘popping’ in the knee, then you may have a ruptured ACL.
Fractures of the hip and knee. You might have pain and swelling along with difficulty moving the hip or knee.
Knee meniscus tear. Symptoms of a damaged or torn meniscus are knee pain, swelling, and difficulty extending or bending the knee.

To protect your joints it is ideal to maintain a healthy weight to reduce pressure, as well as eating anti-inflammatory foods such as whole grains, nuts, and fresh fruit and vegetables.

If you are struggling with knee pain or hip pain which is preventing you from going on walks, gardening and generally affecting your daily life, get in touch with us to see how we can help you.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

Hip arthritis is when you experience hip pain and stiffness due to the cartilage that protects the joints wearing down.

Symptoms of hip arthritis are:

Pain in the hip
Swelling and tenderness in the hip

Due to pain and discomfort in your hip, your mobility may be reduced, resulting in other joints and muscles taking more strain than they usually would. It is common for the spine to take this strain and thus become tired and worn.

Treatment for hip arthritis

Treatment involves taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication to help ease pain and inflammation. Physiotherapy and exercise may help strengthen the muscles around the joint.

If the above have not been successful or if your arthritic hip is advanced, then hip surgery to repair or replace the damaged hip joint may be considered.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

Due to the sudden twists and turns when playing football, as well as the repetitive nature of running it is common for footballers to experience hip and knee pain.

4 common injuries to the hip and knee are:

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury

The ACL connects the thighbone to the shinbone, stabilising the knee joint, and is a common injury in footballers due to quick twists and turns of the body.

Symptoms include difficulty bearing weight on the knee, swelling of the knee and pain and ‘popping’ in the knee.

ACL reconstruction surgery can be carried out via a minimally invasive approach, and consists of taking tissue from somewhere else in your body, or from a donor, to replace the damaged ligament.

Meniscus tear

The meniscus is cartilage between the shinbone and thighbone that absorbs shock. It can be injured through sudden twisting and turning of the knee.

Symptoms include sudden knee pain, swelling and difficulty bending or extending the knee.

Treatment can involve surgery to repair the damaged tissue, or surgery to replace the whole meniscus.

Hip labral tear

Hip labral tear is a tear to the cartilage holding the ball and socket of the hip together. This can be caused by repetitive fast changes in direction when running.

Symptoms involve pain and instability in the hip.

Surgery is usually performed via a hip arthroscopy and consists of stitching the torn tissue back together or reconfiguring the damaged tissue with tissue from elsewhere in your body, or from a donor.

Hip osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage that protects the hip joint wears over time as you age or if you are particularly active. It is not unusual for football players to develop hip osteoarthritis due to repetitive vigorous hip movement.

Symptoms include joint pain, difficulty walking and stiffness in the hip.

Hip replacement surgery can repair or replace the damaged hip joint with a prosthetic joint.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

The patellar tendon is a strong cord of fibrous tissue that attaches the front of the knee cap to the shinbone and helps to straighten the leg.

The most common causes of damage to the patellar tendon are direct impact and falls directly onto the kneecap, particularly if you are active and do a lot of running and jumping. The patellar tendon can also become damaged if it is weak as a result of tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis or an infection.

Symptoms of a patellar tendon injury

Pain and tenderness in the knee
Bruising
Trouble walking
Knee giving way
Your kneecap might move up slightly

Types of patellar tendon injuries

Partial patellar tear.

A small or partial tear can cause difficulty walking, and might respond to physiotherapy and wearing a brace.

Complete tear

A total or complete tear will prevent you from being mobile. You will likely require surgery to reattach the tendon to the kneecap

Surgical treatment for a patellar tear

Your orthopaedic knee surgeon will make an incision to the front of the knee and expose the tendon. Sutures are tied to the tendon and threaded through to the patellar to secure the damaged tendon back to its normal position on the kneecap.

Recovery from patellar tendon repair surgery can take up to 6 months.

How do I book a consultation?

You can book either a face to face or virtual consultation with Mr Makrides by contacting his secretary. You can find her details here.

Appointments are available via private medical insurance or paying for yourself. Click here for the most up to date self funding fees, and here for private medical insurance information.

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