Overview
Life can be hectic and take a toll on your body. Don’t let those aches and pains slow you down, Cleveland Clinic Florida’s non-surgical orthopaedic physicians specialize in treating joint and soft-tissue conditions to help you get back to your active lifestyle, often without surgery. From joint pain and arthritis, to sprains, back pain, tendonitis, concussions and other chronic conditions involving the bones, joints, muscles or brain injuries, our specialists will customize a rehabilitation plan that’s right for you. Through our multidisciplinary approach, we work side-by-side with orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists, spine specialists, neurologists and rehabilitative services to provide treatment for patients with a range of disorders.
Tips for injury prevention
In order to help prevent injuries, Cleveland Clinic physicians recommend warming up before exercising, staying hydrated and wearing the proper protective gear.
Non-surgical treatments for injuries and pain
There are non-operative, minimally invasive techniques to reduce pain, improve mobility, and speed up recovery times. Individualized treatment plans can be developed with proven results. For most joint and soft-tissue conditions, physicians use non-surgical methods to promote healing that may include physical therapy, personalized exercise plans and joint preservation treatments.
Some of the non-surgical treatments most often used are:
- RICE therapy. Rest, ice, compression and elevation can help reduce swelling and pain.
- Physical therapy. Exercise that strengthens muscles adjacent to injured tissue may help relieve pressure and improve healing.
- Joint braces. They can take pressure off the arthritic area.
Joint preservation and musculoskeletal ultrasound
Cleveland Clinic Florida’s team of physicians emphasize joint preservation treatments whenever possible. These targeted treatments are administered as injections with the aim of improving function and reducing pain without surgical intervention.
Joint preservation treatments may include:
- Bone marrow aspirate concentrate stem injection: We inject bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), a fluid that contains cells from the spongy inner portion of your bones. BMAC may help treat a fracture, improve healing or increase cartilage or tendon function.
- Cortisone injections. An occasional injection of this steroid may lessen the swelling and achy pain.
- Extracorporeal shock wave therapy: We send small shock waves of energy to your soft tissues. These shock waves decrease pain and increase healing, especially in patients with inflamed tendons (tendinopathy).
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy: We inject a concentrated sample of platelets, the portion of your blood that forms clots to stop bleeding. This injection helps speed up healing in injured muscles, ligaments, tendons or joints.
- Tenex Health TX™ percutaneous ultrasonic energy procedure: With this innovative treatment, we use ultrasound energy to gently remove diseased or damaged soft tissue. The procedure can help increase healing and restore function in people with tendonitis in the elbow, knee or shoulder.
- Viscosupplementation: Lubricant injections that can help the joints move more smoothly.
Our non-surgical orthopaedic physicians have advanced training in the use of ultrasound imaging to accurately perform joint and soft-tissue injections and aspirations (drainage of fluid). Musculoskeletal ultrasound allows doctors to look closely at ligaments, tendons, muscles and other structures, with very high resolution and without radiation exposure. It also allows certain procedures to be done in the office, such as guided injections into the hip joint. This technique has been shown to:
- Improve safety.
- Reduce pain during procedures.
- Improve patients' outcomes.
It is particularly useful for deeper injections, very small or very arthritic joints, and procedures that are close to nerves or blood vessels. On certain occasions, ultrasound may be used right at the patient's bedside to make a diagnosis.
Sports and performing arts injuries
Many of our physicians have sub-specialty fellowship training in sports medicine. We work closely with rehabilitative services to help athletes return to their activities as soon as possible. Whether you are a weekend warrior, dancer or football player, our physicians are well-equipped to evaluate new sports injuries, but we also provide second-opinion consultations for difficult or unique athletic conditions.
Pediatric & adolescent orthopaedics
Cleveland Clinic Florida physicians diagnose and treat a range of joint and muscle injuries and conditions in children and teens throughout the Treasure Coast and South Florida. We offer a wide variety of pediatric rehabilitative services including occupational and physical therapies. Our team of specialists work together to help our youngest patients regain mobility, promote healing and reduce pain.
Complex neurological conditions
Our multidisciplinary team of physicians, which includes neurologists and orthopaedic spine specialists, have extensive experience managing the long-term care of very complex conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury, and multiple sclerosis. Cleveland Clinic’s collaborate team approach ensures brain and spine conditions are closely monitored and patients benefit from our vast network of specialists, the latest in treatment options and cutting-edge technology.
When is it time for surgery?
When non-surgical treatments aren’t providing relief anymore, it might be time to think about surgical intervention. Only you and your physician can decide when it is time to consider surgical treatment options. Orthopaedic surgery can restore your quality of life. Cleveland Clinic Florida physicians can assess your discomfort, provide you with an accurate diagnosis, recommend the best treatment option for you and tailor a rehabilitation program to get you back to your daily activities as safely and quickly as possible.
What We Treat
Whether its joint pain or muscle strain, osteoarthritis or a sport’s injury, the non-surgical orthopaedic team at Cleveland Clinic Florida offers collaborative treatment of orthopaedic, rheumatologic and some neurological conditions that do not require surgery. We provide non-surgical treatments for a wide variety of conditions including:
- Arthritis.
- Acute sports injuries.
- Bursitis.
- Concussion.
- Knee injuries.
- Shoulder impingement.
- Sprains and strains.
- Tendinitis.
- Tennis elbow.
Appointments & Locations
Make an appointment at one of our Cleveland Clinic in Florida orthopaedic services locations.
Virtual Visits
You can now stay connected to your healthcare team through virtual visits, using your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Why go virtual? It's an easy, convenient and secure way to see your provider face-to-face without having to leave home. This saves you travel time, parking fees and time spent in the waiting room — and you can also have a loved one or caregiver join you. If appropriate, you can also get a prescription sent to the pharmacy of your choice.
Many insurance companies cover the cost of virtual visits, so check with your insurance company ahead of time. Interested in getting started? Call your provider to find out what virtual visit options are available.
