Staying physically fit and healthy is a goal that many people strive to maintain, and for many it can be quite fun. However without the proper knowledge of how to care for and listen to your body, you can run into some very painful issues. Sports medicine, a field dedicated specifically to sports injuries and the maladies that can be inflicted by physical activity, exists to help active individuals figure out the best way to heal, stay healthy, and continue his or her activity of choice, be it running, biking, swimming, or any number of other sports and activities. Sometimes, it may be beneficial or necessary to consult a specialist in orthopedics, or the area in the medical field that specializes in injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

From arthroscopic knee surgery to shoulder surgery and beyond
If you’ve let a persistent pain continue long enough that some rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medicine can’t cure it, you may end up having to visit an orthopedic surgeon. One common injury is that inflicted on the ACL, or the anterior cruciate ligament, found in the knee. The knee can be a somewhat fragile joint, despite it being crucial to the movement and connection of some of our most powerful muscles and bones, thus the high frequency of injuries. ACL surgery is often needed to remove the damaged ligament before a tissue graft replacement can be inserted. With such a delicate surgery and the intricate process and precision that is required, arthroscopic knee surgery is necessary, or surgery with the use of a tiny camera that has been inserted into the joint. Arthroscopic knee surgery is considered to be minimally invasive, especially compared to an open procedure, and the recovery time is also significantly less.

Taking care of your body and any replacements it has undergone

Ideally, you are able to keep yourself in shape without inflicting any serious damage or injury to your body in the process. But, things happen, and even the healthiest fitness guru will have an occasional mishap. Just keep in mind that you are not alone. In fact, just within the United States, the number of people who have had a knee or hip replacement outnumber those who are living with some sort of heart failure issue, by one and half times! Not only that, but the amount of knee replacements conducted in the United States has nearly doubled over the last decade, reaching about 600,000 surgeries every single year. Remember though, if you are one of the 53,000 or so individuals each year who have had shoulder replacement surgery, or if you have had your knee replaced, those replacements are not meant to be permanent. They can be a solid fix, but not for forever. Artificial knees, for example, can easily last a good 15 to 20 years, but further surgery will likely be needed beyond that.

Staying healthy and physically fit does take a lot of work. And sometimes, unfortunately, there is some pain involved. But even if surgery is required, there are usually ways to get you back in your swing, or pace, or stroke, of things as soon as possible.