Advanced Imaging for Expert Cartilage Injury Diagnosis
An ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries. Although it is considered a minor injury, sprains can cause or lead to cartilage damage that results in chronic pain or instability. University Hospitals’ nationally recognized orthopedic team will perform state-of-the-art imaging tests on your ankle or foot to carefully identify any damage and design the right treatment plan just for you. Our imaging tests may include:
- Computed tomography (CT): Creates detailed images of bones to determine injury extent.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans: Can show small tears and areas of tendon, ligament, cartilage or other muscle injury.
- X-rays: Can be used to rule out fractures as x-rays clearly show any break in bones or joint dislocation.
Surgical Expertise for the Most Complex Foot and Ankle Conditions
Whether it is a new or chronic problem, surgical treatment is often needed to treat foot and ankle injuries because cartilage cannot repair itself. At University Hospitals, all of our orthopedic surgeons are highly skilled Level 1 trauma surgeons, meaning they have the training and experience to repair the most significant or complex foot and ankle injuries, including heavily damaged cartilage. Our surgical options for cartilage repair include:
- Arthroscopic ankle surgery to remove or repair pieces of torn cartilage
- Implanting your own healthy cartilage cells into the damaged area
- Transplanting cartilage from a donor to replace damaged cartilage tissue
When surgery is the best treatment path, our orthopedic surgeons collaborate to determine the option that will best meet each patient’s individual goals. Our experts in minimally invasive surgical interventions can repair the injuries and offer you faster healing, less bleeding and a speedier recovery.
Leading-Edge Rehabilitation Program
Completing your ankle or foot cartilage injury recovery process will likely include a rehabilitation program to help you regain full mobility. University Hospitals offers comprehensive orthopedic rehabilitation programs for foot and ankle cartilage injury recovery that feature leading-edge technology, including:
- AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill: The AlterG treadmill is equipped with a pressurized “anti-gravity” chamber that surrounds your body’s lower half. The chamber takes the weight off your ankles and feet so you can begin to walk and run sooner, but without pain or risk of further injury.
- DartFish: A video-based software platform that evaluates your walking or running movement. Your orthopaedic care team will study the video recording to determine how the ankle or foot cartilage injury may be affecting your movement and will a design rehabilitation program to correct those issues.
Get Back to Life
If you are suffering from foot or ankle pain, do not risk further injury that could keep you on the sidelines of life even longer. Contact one of our orthopedic specialists at University Hospitals, at any of our convenient locations.