At Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we are focused on a better you. Our specialty-trained knee doctors and staff are dedicated to providing specialized knee care to patients in Truckee, Incline Village, and the surrounding communities.

Doctors who undergo specialty training in the knee develop specialized knowledge of the surgical and nonsurgical techniques that allow them to expertly treat a range of patients with orthopedic knee conditions and injuries. Whether the individual is an athlete with a sports-related injury, like a torn meniscus (cartilage injury) or torn ACL (ligament injury), a patient with knee pain due to arthritis, or someone who needs a knee replacement, a knee doctor or surgeon can help. 

Knee doctors not only have deep insights into the knee, they also understand how painful, frustrating, and stressful it can be for a patient with a knee issue. While knee conditions cause pain, they can also make it impossible to perform certain basic and critical motions, like standing and walking. This can be extremely challenging.

There are many types of orthopedic conditions knee specialists and surgeons treat that develop in the knee, such as ACL injuries, knee arthritis, meniscus tears, and ligament tears. Some are sports-related injuries that can be caused almost instantaneously, like when a soccer player accidentally kicks another player in the knee. Other knee pain develops over time, whether it is wear and tear over the years or arthritis. Often, the orthopedic specialist will order an X-ray of the knee so they can more carefully assess the damage and see if knee surgery or another type of treatment is best.

Sometimes the knee becomes seriously damaged and the best option is surgery. If so, the knee surgeon will help educate the patient on the type of knee surgery he or she believes will be best. Examples of surgery that may be recommended are knee arthroscopy, knee replacement (the replacement surgery could be a unicompartmental knee replacement, which is partial replacement, or total knee replacement), ACL reconstruction, or a meniscus tear repair surgery.

What your Doctor needs to know

When you have an appointment with a knee specialist or surgeon, you’ll have an opportunity to describe your pain. Here are some issues that you may be noticing that you'll want to share with your doctor:

  • Instability
  • Knee is bent and you are unable to straighten it
  • Knee locks up
  • Loud popping sound when the injury occurred
  • Numbness
  • Pain on the sides of the knees
  • Pain when standing
  • Swelling
  • Tenderness

Common knee issues

Your doctor may diagnose you with one of the following orthopedic knee disorders:

  • ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear: An injury to a main ligament that runs diagonally inside the knee joint. A type of knee surgery called ACL reconstruction may be used to treat the knee.
  • Distal femur fracture: When a fracture occurs in the thighbone just above the knee joint, it is called a distal femur fracture. A surgeon may or may not recommend a surgical procedure to treat it.
  • Osgood-Schlatter disease: Condition where the kneecap (patellar) tendon becomes inflamed in the area where it attaches to the shinbone.
  • Bursitis: Fluid-filled sacs in the joints become inflamed.
  • Fracture: Fractures may or may not require a surgical procedure. One type of fracture is a patellar fracture, also known as a broken kneecap.
  • MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury: An injury to one of the main ligaments on the side of the knee. Surgery to repair an MCL injury is not as common as ACL surgery.
  • Meniscal tear: Damage to the cartilage in the knee. Sometimes rest and medications can help treat the pain. If it is a severe sports-related injury, meniscus tear surgery may be recommended.

Once you are diagnosed, your doctor will first consider all nonsurgical treatment options, such as physical therapy or injections, before recommending surgery. However, if these treatments are ineffective, they will explain why and develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs. If surgery is required, our surgeons have extensive training in the latest surgical procedures for the knee.

For cases of severe knee arthritis, a full or partial replacement of the knee joint may be necessary to restore function and pain-free movement. Our knee replacement surgeons at Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine offer knee replacement procedures using innovative and minimally invasive techniques for less pain and a quick recovery.

Learn more about knee replacement

When you have knee pain, it can take a toll on your whole life. Our knee specialists are not only medical experts, but they’re also knowledgeable professionals who want to do more than just treat your knee; they want to help you get back to what you love. To schedule an appointment, call (530) 587-7461 or make an appointment request. 

Exceptional care begins at Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

At Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, our team of dedicated orthopedic experts is here for you. As specialty-trained and knowledgeable knee doctors and surgeons, Dr. Jeffrey Dodd, Dr. Jonathan Hagen, Dr. Michael Jernick, Dr. Andrew Ringnes, and Dr. Nina Winans are backed by the latest state-of-the-art technology and have extensive experience to bring you the very best in orthopedic care. Our knee doctors have the surgical and nonsurgical expertise you need to reach your goals.

If you have a knee injury or condition, call (530) 587-7461 to schedule an appointment with one of our expert knee doctors or surgeons or make an appointment request. We offer three convenient locations in Truckee, California, and Incline Village, Nevada: Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Tahoe Forest Sports Medicine & Therapy Services, and the Incline Village Community Hospital.