Does your knee or hip ache or swell after too many miles?  Have you been told you have arthritis and you should “take it easy” and give up the activities you love?  The joint specialists at UC San Diego Health System’s Joint & Cartilage Center have a different message for you.

Arthritis doesn’t have to mean the end of your active lifestyle.  In fact, most medical and research groups recommend regular physical activity as the cornerstone of treatment for osteoarthritis and to protect overall health.  However, the type of training mileage that many triathletes put on their bodies can overwhelm the body’s adaptive responses.  When conservative management of arthritis (pain medications, ice, bracing, etc.) no longer works, joint replacement can mean a whole new lease on life.

UC San Diego joint team surgeons offer a full range of the latest minimally invasive approaches to joint replacement, using techniques and materials that last longer and result in better outcomes.

Francis Gonzales, MD, has expertise in muscle-sparing, full and partial knee replacement and the innovative anterior approach hip replacement, leading to a shorter recovery time. Scott Ball, MD, specializes in hip resurfacing, a bone-sparing approach for younger, active individuals with healthy bone.  This procedure allows patients to return their preferred activities, even high-level activities, such as surfing, skiing, tennis, basketball and running.

Let the specialists at the UC San Diego Health System Joint & Cartilage Center help you choose the treatment that’s best for you and keep you out on the road or in the water doing what you love.

Learn more about our joint specialists at sportsmedicine.ucsd.edu