Our specialty-trained joint replacement and revision doctors at North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic are experts in providing experienced care for patients’ joint injuries and conditions.

Although joint replacement and revision doctors evaluate and repair many types of joints, such as the elbow, finger, ankle, or shoulder, the most common are the knee and hip. Today, total joint replacement, also known as arthroplasty, is a well-known option for treating joint damage and pain, whether it’s the result of arthritis or another condition, and millions of patients worldwide have had successful joint replacement surgeries. 

Before recommending a joint replacement procedure, experienced joint replacement specialists will always exhaust all possible treatment options that are nonsurgical, like physical therapy or medications. If the patient does need joint replacement surgery, such as a knee replacement, their surgeon will educate them on the procedure, what to expect after surgery, and how to prepare for surgery beforehand.

Most joint replacements are very successful, but it’s important to recognize that a small number of artificial implants need to be replaced or revised at some point. When this happens, a joint revision doctor will work with the patient in the same way as when the patient had his or her first joint replacement surgery, educating them about the process and surgery and then helping them to prepare for the procedure

When It’s Time to Seek Joint Care

Take note of the symptoms you are experiencing and communicate those to your doctor so they will have a better understanding of what may be happening. Here are just some of the symptoms that people with joint problems typically have:

• Decreased range of motion and stiffness
• Joint feels wobbly or out of place
• Joint instability, especially the hip or knee joint
• Medications or injections only have a limited effect on reducing inflammation or pain
• Sensing a bone-on-bone feeling
• Unable to sleep through the night due to discomfort
• You require a device to walk, such as a cane or walker
• You can’t do the things you need to do because of your physical limitation and pain

If any of these symptoms describe your issue, it’s possible that you may have one of these conditions or injuries:

• Arthritis
• Articular cartilage disorder
• Dislocation
• Fracture
• Lower limb deformity
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteonecrosis
• Osteoporosis
• Repetitive motion injury
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sports injury

Your treatment plan will depend on your unique needs, and our total joint experts can provide the specialized care necessary. In addition to nonsurgical care options and other surgical procedures for joint pain relief, we proudly offer hip and knee replacements using Mako® Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology for certain candidates. Joint replacement using the state-of-the-art Mako system provides personalized, 3-D surgical plans for the hip and knee for more natural feeling joints.

Joint pain can have a negative effect on your life, leaving you unable to complete everyday tasks. If the pain and underlying condition remain untreated, there is a risk of further injury or damage occurring, which is why it’s imperative to contact one of our specialists and set up a consultation. Call us today at (318) 362-4411 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment online. We have clinics in Monroe, Ruston, and West Monroe, and we also offer rehabilitation services at our Monroe Rehab and West Monroe Rehab facilities.

Our doctors understand that some injuries require immediate attention. If your injury can’t wait, visit our Orthopaedic After Hours Clinic at our main location in Monroe. Walk-ins are welcome, and no appointment is necessary.

Expert Joint Care You Can Trust

Since 1951, our doctors have remained dedicated to providing specialized bone, joint, and muscle care to the communities of northeast Louisiana backed by knowledgeable and professional staff. They are equipped with the latest resources, technology, and tools they need to deliver the very best orthopaedic care to all patients.

At North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic, our board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Sidney Bailey, Dr. R. Brian Bulloch, Dr. Jeffrey Counts, Dr. Elliott Nipper, Dr. Kristopher Sirmon, Dr. Timothy “Daven” Spires Jr., and Dr. David Trettin, are experts at understanding the multitude of joint issues that exist and the most appropriate ways to treat them. Our joint replacement surgeons believe in exhausting all conservative treatments first before considering surgery. However, if our surgeons diagnose your damage as severe, they may recommend joint replacement surgery, like a hip replacement, knee replacement, partial knee replacement, or shoulder replacement. Our orthopaedic surgeons will educate you about the process, which includes what you need to consider, how you can prepare for surgery, and what you can expect after surgery and during recovery.

Our specialty-trained physical therapists work closely with our surgeons to provide each patient with a personalized rehabilitation plan. Our expert therapists are dedicated to helping all patients return to their daily activities quickly and safely, combining specific activities and exercises in ensuring that patients can restore joint and muscular function, strength, and range of motion.

If you have concerns about your joints, schedule an appointment to talk through your options with one of our expertly trained joint replacement surgeons by calling us at (318) 362-4411 or requesting an appointment online.

Total Hip Replacement

During this procedure, your damaged hip joint is replaced with implants that recreate the ball and socket of a healthy hip. This can reduce pain and restore your hip function.

Total Knee Replacement

This procedure restores function to a severely damaged knee. Most commonly, it is used to repair a knee that has been damaged by arthritis. During the procedure, the surgeon replaces the damaged portions of the knee with artificial parts. These parts consist of a metal femoral component, a metal tibial component and a plastic spacer. A small plastic patellar component may also be used.

Total Shoulder Replacement

This surgery replaces the damaged or diseased head of the humerus (also called the ball) and cartilage from the shoulder joint with a metal and plastic joint.