Orthopedic surgery and joint care 

This includes total joint replacements, anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) reconstruction, and treatment of tendon tears, Achilles tendon ruptures, strains, sprains, and fractures.

Many times, your primary care provider will direct your initial care. If you’re referred to one of our orthopedic specialists, they’ll evaluate your needs and recommend a plan. We’ll work closely with your primary care provider and others as necessary to ensure your experience is well-coordinated.

Kaiser Permanente orthopedic surgery and joint care teams include physicians, physician assistants, surgeons, nurse navigators, physical therapists, and other specialists. Every member of the team is committed to helping you regain your quality of life — and understand your care and recovery options along the way.

Orthopedic specialties

Kaiser Permanente offers the following subspecialties of orthopedic and sports medicine.

Adult joint reconstruction
Uses state-of-the-art technology to reconstruct joint problems in patients with advanced arthritis. Total joint replacements are currently performed for the hip, knee, and shoulder joints.

Foot and ankle
Complete treatment of common and complex foot and ankle problems, including arthritis, bunions, corns and calluses, congenital disorders, diabetic foot problems, and problems following foot and ankle injuries.

Hand and upper extremity
Treatment of problems affecting the hand and wrist, including congenital disorders, arthritis, and trauma.

Microsurgery
Uses microsurgical techniques for repairing severed extremities and transferring skin, muscles, bones, and even toes to achieve functional limb reconstruction.

Musculoskeletal Oncology Center
Diagnoses and treats bone and soft tissue tumors in adults and children. Whenever possible, the Center uses limb salvage reconstructive methods, including allografts and custom prosthetic reconstructions.

Orthopedic traumatology
Treats complicated or multiple injuries to the extremities, spine, and pelvis. Reconstructive procedures treat the late effects of traumatic injuries.

Pediatric orthopedics
Specially trained care for orthopedic problems in children, such as congenital and spinal disorders, traumatic injuries, and disability problems associated with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy.

Spine Center
Complete evaluation and treatment for congenital, acquired, and traumatic disorders of the spine. Services include treatment for scoliosis, fractures, dislocations, herniated disks, and other spine-related problems.

Sports Medicine Center
Provides an array of services to evaluate, treat, and rehabilitate athletic injuries in recreational and professional athletes.

Finding a specialist

You do need a referral from your primary care doctor to see an orthopedic specialist. Your primary care doctor can also treat many common conditions such as arthritis or muscle strain.

To find an orthopedic specialist, you can:

Our orthopedic specialists see patients at the following Kaiser Permanente locations:


Total joint replacement eliminates member’s chronic knee pain

woman-sits-and-tends-to-garden

When Cynthia Brown’s osteoarthritis progressed to chronic joint pain, she and her physician decided it was time for a total knee replacement.

Cynthia attended a joint replacement patient education class offered by Kaiser Permanente. There, specialists explained how to prepare for surgery, the operation itself, post-op care, and rehabilitation.

Cynthia had surgery at Kaiser Permanente’s Capitol Hill Campus in Seattle and went home the same day. Two days after surgery, a physical therapist visited Cynthia at home and taught her how to exercise and strengthen her knee for a healthy recovery. A nurse from her care team continued to guide her through post-op care.

Just 6 weeks after surgery, Cynthia was back to her barre classes. At 10 weeks, she returned to work and was looking forward to hiking and gardening.

"My knee replacement totally changed my life. I’m no longer in pain, and
that’s huge."
- Cynthia Brown, Poulsbo

Learn more about Cynthia’s journey here


 

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