Lower Body

A guide to sex positions that are safe after either a hip or knee replacement.

Arthroscopy may be done to remove loose bodies in the hip through small incisions.

Arthroscopy can be used to repair loose or missing cartilage in the hip joint.

Arthroscopy can be used to repair tears in the strong, flexible ring of cartilage attached to the edge of the hip socket, called the labrum.

When excess bone forms on the edge of the ball or the socket of the hip, it's called FAI (femoroacetabular impingement). This can cause pain and limit movement. Arthroscopy can fix FAI. It uses small incisions and special tools. Read on to learn more.

Arthroscopy can be used to repair synovitis and arthritis.

Know what to do to before hip arthroscopy.

Know what to expect after arthroscopy on your hip.

A healthy hip joint allows you to walk, squat, and turn without pain.

Practice doing these daily tasks after hip replacement surgery.

After hip replacement, getting dressed can be difficult. These tups can help.

After hip replacement surgery, getting in and out of bed can be difficult. These instructions can help.

After hip replacement, getting in and out of a car can be difficult. This sheet can help.

Use the tips on this sheet to help keep your new hip safe while sleeping after hip surgery.

Your new hip has a limited safe range of motion. These tips will help you manage better with your new hip.

Use these tips to help sit safely after hip replacement.

Tips to help you use the toilet safely after hip surgery.

Total hip replacement surgery almost always reduces joint pain. During this surgery, your problem hip joint is replaced with an artificial joint, called a prosthesis.

Here is what to expect in the hospital after a total hip replacement.

The hip joint is one of the body's largest weight-bearing joints. A healthy hip joint allows you to walk, squat, and turn without pain. But when a hip joint is damaged, it is likely to hurt when you move.

Once you have been shown how to protect your hip, you will learn the skills needed to return to normal life. You'll be taught how to walk, sit, and dress.

By having a total hip replacement, you're taking the first step to getting back to an active lifestyle.

To make your recovery safer, you might want to have furniture rearranged so it's easier to get around. In the bathroom, aids like a shower hose and a raised toilet seat can help you stay safe. Don't forget to watch out for hazards like wet floors or uneven surfaces.

A total hip replacement is major surgery, so don't be surprised if it takes a few months before you feel really good.

Treating health and dental problems now may improve healing after a joint replacement. If you're a smoker, do your best to stop or cut down.

Conditioning your body before hip replacement can help speed your recovery. Daily exercise helps strengthen muscles that support the hip joint.

You may be nervous about getting a new hip. But the better prepared you are before surgery, the easier your recovery program is likely to be.

The following exercises build strength. You'll also use them after surgery to help speed your recovery.

The following exercises do more than build strength. You'll also use them after surgery to help speed your recovery.

These exercises help build upper body strength.

Take your pain medicine as prescribed to keep pain under control.

This sheet will help you care for yourself after total hip replacement.

It's important to know what symptoms are red flags after hip replacement.

Hip resurfacing is a type of hip surgery to replace a damaged hip joint. It is similar to total hip replacement.

This is a type of surgery to replace a damaged hip joint. The surgery is done by an orthopedic surgeon.

Hip resurfacing is a type of hip surgery to replace a damaged hip joint. It is similar to total hip replacement.

IT band syndrome is a condition that causes pain on the outside of the knee. It most often occurs in athletes, especially long-distance runners.

This is a type of surgery to replace a damaged hip joint. The surgery is done by an orthopedic surgeon.

The trochanteric bursa is found on the hip joint. Inflammation of this bursa is called trochanteric bursitis.

Here are imaging showing how to safely get into bed after a hip replacement.

Here are imaging showing how to safely get out of bed after a hip replacement.

Core decompression of the hip is a type of surgery. Your healthcare provider may advise this surgery if you have osteonecrosis.

Watch this video to learn about ACL reconstruction surgery.

Watch this to learn some answers to common concerns about ACL reconstruction.

Knee arthroscopy is used to diagnose and treat a ligament tear using an arthroscope.

Knee osteotomy is surgery to shift the positioning of the knee.

A healthy knee allows you to walk, squat, and turn without pain.

During total knee replacement surgery, your damaged knee joint is replaced with an artificial joint (called a prosthesis). This surgery almost always reduces joint pain and improves your quality of life.

Your doctor may use arthroscopy to treat meniscus problems. Learn more about this procedure.

Learn your treatment options for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.

Nonsurgical treatment is most often used to treat medial collateral ligament (MCL) problems.

Arthroscopy is used to diagnose and treat knee problems through several small incisions in the knee.

Follow these tips during your recovery after knee surgery.

The knee is a hingelike joint, formed where the thighbone, shinbone, and kneecap meet. It is supported by muscles and ligaments and lined with cushioning cartilage. Over time, cartilage can wear away and the knee becomes stiff and painful.

You and your healthcare team will assess how well you can care for yourself at home. You may need friends, family, or a home health aide to help with chores and errands.

Exercising is the only way to regain your strength and range of motion. With continued exercise, you may gain more strength and range of motion than you had before surgery.

Swelling is common after total knee replacement, but there are steps you can take to minimize the amount of swelling you experience.

You can keep your knee healthy by knowing the right moves and avoiding the wrong ones. Some activities may be permanently restricted.

After knee arthroscopy, your surgeon may prescribe physical therapy. This can help relieve pain, increase range of motion, and improve strength.

Arthroscopy is used to find and treat knee problems. These include tears in the meniscal cartilage, joint loose bodies, or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.

Learn what to expect after knee arthroscopy.

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a painful knee problem that can happen in active young people. It almost always gets better with rest and simple treatment.

Your knee is a complex joint with many parts. These parts work together to give you the flexibility and motion needed for walking, running, and jumping. But with Osgood-Schlatter disease, knee pain can leave you on the sidelines.

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a condition that affects the knee. It most often affects young, growing teens. Learn details about treatment here.

After knee replacement, your healthcare team will help you learn how to sit up, stand, and use the bathroom safely.

The kneecap provides leverage for your muscles as they bend and straighten the leg. It also protects the knee joint.

As the leg moves, the kneecap moves, too. It slides up and down its track on the thighbone. But if the kneecap slides "off track"—even a little—pain and damage can result.

If the kneecap is "off track" even a bit (a tracking problem), it can cause uneven pressure on the back of the kneecap. This can cause pain and trouble with movements, such as walking and going down stairs. Below are some common causes of kneecap pain.

You can find out what is causing your knee pain by having a thorough evaluation. You may see an orthopedist or a sports medicine healthcare provider. They treat bone, muscle, and joint problems. Your healthcare provider will work with you to find the cause of your knee pain and design a treatment plan for you.

Many treatments can help reduce pain and swelling in your knee. Your healthcare provider or physical therapist may suggest 1 or more of the treatments suggested here.

Some procedures may be done using arthroscopy, a method that uses tiny incisions and special instruments to look and work inside the knee joint. Other procedures require open surgery. The kneecap can be realigned to improve its tracking. To do this, soft tissue may be cut, tightened, or moved.

Surgery may be used when pain severely limits your activities. Or it may be done when a rehab program or other nonsurgical treatments just are not helping enough. Some procedures may be done using arthroscopy. This method uses tiny incisions and special instruments to look and work inside the knee joint. Other procedures need open surgery.

The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is a band of tough, fibrous tissue that helps stabilize the knee. Injury to this ligament often happens when the knee is forced beyond its normal range of motion.

Conditioning your body BEFORE knee replacement can help speed your recovery. Daily exercise helps strengthen muscles that support the knee joint.

You can do a lot now to make your recovery from knee replacement quicker and easier.

Doing these exercises before your knee replacement can help speed your recovery.

Doing exercises before your knee replacement can help speed your recovery. These exercises build upper body strength. This can help you when you're using a walker or crutches to get around after surgery. Your physical therapist or surgeon may advise you to use weights to make the exercises more effective. Follow your healthcare provider's instructions.,

Your healthcare team will keep track of your progress after your surgery. Be sure to let them know how you feel and how well your pain is controlled. You may also receive medicines, such as antibiotics and blood thinners.

Information on how to care for yourself after knee arthroscopy.

You have undergone knee replacement surgery. Here are instructions for care at home.

After knee replacement surgery, it's important to use pain medicine as directed to get back to an active life as soon as possible.

A Baker's cyst (popliteal cyst) is a fluid-filled sac that forms behind the knee.

Knee pain is very common. It's especially common in active people who put a lot of pressure on their knees, like runners. Here is general information about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

IT band syndrome is a condition that causes pain on the outside of the knee. It most often occurs in athletes, especially long-distance runners.

Meniscal transplant surgery is a surgery to replace a small piece of missing or damaged cartilage in the knee. The meniscus is replaced with one from a cadaver donor.

Total knee replacement is a type of surgery to replace a damaged knee joint. It is done by an orthopedic surgeon.

Posterior tibialis tendon surgery is a way to fix the tendon on the back of your calf that goes down the inside part of your ankle. The tendon can be torn or inflamed from injury or other causes. This can cause pain and other problems. Surgery can help relieve these problems.

The AC (acromioclavicular) joint is where the shoulder blade (scapula) meets the collarbone (clavicle). An AC joint sprain occurs when an injury damages the ligaments in the AC joint.

A Baker's cyst (popliteal cyst) is a fluid-filled sac that forms behind the knee. Here are possible treatments and complications.

Meniscal transplant surgery is surgery to replace a small piece of missing or damaged cartilage in the knee. The meniscus is replaced with one from a cadaver donor.

Total knee replacement is a type of surgery to replace a damaged knee joint. It is done by an orthopedic surgeon.

Posterior tibialis tendon surgery is a way to fix the tendon on the back of your calf that goes down the inside part of your ankle. The tendon can be torn or inflamed from injury or other causes. This can cause pain and other problems. Surgery can help relieve these problems.

If a bursa becomes inflamed and irritated, it is known as bursitis. Pes anserine bursitis affects a bursa found on the inside of the knee joint.

Injury to the medial collateral ligament may be very painful. The knee may also not work the way it should.

The prepatellar bursa is found on top of the kneecap (patella). It lies just under the skin. If this bursa becomes irritated and inflamed, the condition is called prepatellar bursitis.

A sudden injury can tear the meniscus. This is often because of planting the foot and twisting the knee. Sports such as soccer, football, and basketball are often involved.

Patellofemoral syndrome is a condition that causes pain on the front of the knee. It may be caused by actions that put repeated stress on the knee, such as running or squatting.

When ankle ligaments are stretched to the point of pain and injury, it's called an ankle sprain. A sprain can tear the ligaments. These tears can be very small but still cause pain.

Learn how to treat ankle sprains.

Arthroscopy is used to find and treat ankle problems. These include loose bodies, bone spurs, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), and synovitis.

After ankle arthroscopy, your joint may be swollen, painful, and stiff. Recovery times can vary. Your surgeon will tell you when to resume activity.

Instructions to help take care of yourself after ankle arthroscopy.

This sheet will help you care for yourself after ankle surgery.

Ankle fusion is a type of surgery used to join two or more bones of your ankle. The surgery is done to treat arthritis in the ankle.

Ankle replacement surgery is a procedure to treat arthritis of the ankle joint. The damaged ankle joint is replaced with an artificial implant.

Lateral ankle ligament reconstruction is a surgery to tighten and firm up 1 or more ligaments on the outside of the ankle.

Ankle fusion is a type of surgery used to join two or more bones of your ankle. Your ankle fusion will be done by an orthopedic surgeon. This is a surgeon who specializes in treating bone, muscle, joint, and tendon problems.

Ankle replacement surgery is a procedure to treat arthritis of the ankle joint. Your ankle replacement surgery will be done by an orthopaedic surgeon. This is a surgeon who specializes in treating bone, muscle, joint, and tendon problems.

Lateral ankle ligament reconstruction is a surgery to tighten and firm up one or more ligaments on the outside of the ankle.

Ankle fusion is a type of surgery to fuse the bones of your ankle into one piece. It's also known as ankle arthrodesis. The surgery is usually done to treat arthritis in the ankle.

When a nerve in the ball of the foot becomes pinched, this causes it to swell and become painful. The painful, swollen nerve is called a neuroma.

Your heel is the back part of your foot. A band of tissue called the plantar fascia connects the heel bone to the bones in the ball of your foot. Nerves run from the heel up the inside of your ankle and into your leg. When you feel pain in the bottom of your heel, the plantar fascia may be inflamed.

Your foot is made up of soft tissue and bones that work together to form a healthy, functioning, and pain-free foot.

These tips will help you recover after foot surgery.

Arrange to have an adult drive you home after surgery. If you had general anesthesia, it may take a day or more to fully recover. So, for at least the next 24 hours: Do not drive or use machinery or power tools; do not drink alcohol; and do not make any major decisions.

Bunions don't go away. Wearing shoes that fit properly will often relieve the pain. Bunions that remain painful may need surgery.

Learn how these common conditions affecting the toes are treated.

Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of your foot. It's often caused by poorly fitting shoes. Learn the symptoms.

Learn how metatarsalgia, pain in the ball of your foot, is treated.

If you keep pushing your muscles, damage to the tendons adds up and tendonitis develops. Pain and swelling may limit your activities. But with your doctor's help, tendonitis can be controlled.

Learn what to expect when you get treatment for tendonitis of the foot.

Corns and calluses can form on the foot due to rubbing or pressure.

Learn about the different treatments for corns or calluses.

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes foot and heel pain. Learn more about it, including symptoms, causes, and treatment.

First, your healthcare provider tries to determine the cause of your problem in order to suggest ways to relieve pain. Here you will find some suggestions to reduce symptoms..

EPF is one of the surgeries used to treat chronic strain of the plantar fascia. It is done as an outpatient procedure. It takes about an hour to do and may be done at a hospital, a same-day surgical facility, or in your healthcare provider's office.

Learn about recovering at home after EPF.

Mallet, hammer, and claw toes are among the most common foot problems. They are often caused by wearing shoes that are too short or heels that are too high.

Your healthcare provider can tell you where your surgery will be done. You will also be told the type of anesthesia you'll be given during surgery to stay pain-free during the procedure.

A bunion is a bony bump. When the distance between the first and second metatarsal bones of the foot is greater than normal, the big toe may turn toward the other toes. A mild bunion may then form causing foot pain and swelling. Bunions are most often found near the joint at the base of the big toe. Bunions tend to run in families. They may cause pain, swelling, and skin irritation.

Degenerative joint disease (arthritis) often happens in the joint of a big toe. This bone growth may cause pain and stiffness in the joint. Left untreated, arthritis can break down the cartilage and destroy the joint. Your treatment choices depend on how damaged your joint is. There are many nonsurgical treatments, but if these are not helpful, surgery may be considered.

A bone spur (an extra bone growth) can make walking and wearing shoes painful. There are several nonsurgical treatments for bone spurs. But if these aren't effective, surgery can be considered.

Your plantar fascia is the ligament that extends from the heel of your foot to the ball of your foot. If your foot flattens too much or too little as you move, you may strain your plantar fascia. While the vast majority of people with plantar fascia pain can be helped with nonsurgical treatments, surgery can be considered if these treatments fail.

A curled fifth toe is most often inherited. When the fifth toe curls inward, it moves under the next toe. Then the nail of the curled toe starts to face outward. As a result, you may bear weight on the side of your toe instead of the bottom. This can cause corns and painful nails. There are many nonsurgical treatments available. But if these are not effective, surgery is a choice.

Tight shoes and high heels can place extra pressure on the ball of your foot, causing neuromas and calluses. A neuroma is an inflamed nerve. It can cause pain, numbness, or burning. A plantar callus is a buildup of hard skin on the ball of the foot. The callus may feel like a stone in your shoe. There are many nonsurgical treatments for neuromas and calluses, but if these are not helpful, surgery may be considered.

To help the bone heal properly, you may need to wear a cast. If you do, always keep it dry. Your healthcare provider will tell you whether you can bear weight on your foot while it heals. They may also prescribe a surgical shoe for you to wear.

Your Achilles tendon is a large band of tissue in the back of your ankle. It connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. You use it almost every time you move your leg. But repeated stress can make the tendon more prone to injury. A complete tear through the tendon is known as an Achilles tendon rupture.

A ganglion is a fluid-filled swelling of the lining of a joint or tendon. Ganglions can form on any part of the foot.

A black-and-blue nail (also called a black nail) is usually caused by sudden or repetitive injury to a toe. This might occur during sports that involve running or stopping quickly. The injury may also result from a heavy object falling on a toe. If your toe is black and blue but not injured, see your healthcare provider immediately.

An ingrown nail is the result of a nail growing into the skin that surrounds it. This often occurs at either edge of the big toe. Ingrown nails may be caused by improper trimming, inherited nail deformities, injuries, fungal infections, or pressure.

There are several causes of very thick or crumbling nails. They can be caused by injuries or pressure from shoes. Fungal infections are a common cause. Diabetes, psoriasis, or vascular disease are other possible causes.

Achilles tendon repair surgery is a type of surgery to fix a damaged Achilles tendon. The damage may be a tear or rupture from a sudden (acute) injury. Or the damage may be from overuse, wear and tear, or from other conditions.

A Lisfranc joint injury is a kind of injury to the bones or ligaments in the arch of your foot. The injury gets its name from a French surgeon.

Turf toe is a sprain of the largest joint of the big toe. It happens when the toe bends up too far. This can happen when pushing off the foot to run.

Achilles tendon repair surgery is a type of surgery to fix a damaged Achilles tendon. Your tendon repair will be done by an orthopedic surgeon. This is a surgeon who specializes in treating bone, muscle, joint, and tendon problems.

You may need to rest your foot and use ice packs. For a more serious injury, you may need a walking boot, hard shoe, or cast.

A Lisfranc joint injury is a kind of injury to the bones or ligaments in the arch of your foot. The injury gets its name from a French surgeon.

Achilles tendonitis is an overuse injury. The main symptom is pain when you move your ankle.

The posterior tibialis tendon runs along the inside of the foot. It connects the calf muscle to bones on the inside of the foot. Tenosynovitis is when this tendon becomes inflamed or torn.

Subcutaneous calcaneal bursitis is a condition that causes heel pain. It's often caused by wearing shoes that don't fit you correctly.

Retrocalcaneal bursitis is a condition that causes heel pain. This pain spreads from the bursa located between the Achilles tendon and the heel bone.

A bunion is a bony bump on the joint at the base of the big toe. A bunion changes the shape of the foot. It can also cause pain and problems using the foot.

Scientists believe bone spurs happen because of osteoarthritis or when the body tries to heal itself after a trauma by replacing bone.

Sometimes the big toe starts to turn in towards the smaller toes. This pushes the joint out to the side, causing a bony bump called a bunion.

With hammertoes, one or more toes curl or bend abnormally. This can be caused by an inherited muscle problem, an abnormal bone length, or poor foot mechanics. There are many nonsurgical treatments for hammertoes, but if these are not effective, you may want to consider surgery.