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Helping you move through life pain-free.

For those living with pain, performing the simplest activities, such as walking through a grocery store or getting up from a chair, can be difficult. Whether your pain is the result of arthritis, a sports injury or simple joint wear and tear, the orthopedic surgeons at Delray Medical Center can help restore you to a comfortable and more active lifestyle.

The Center for Advanced Orthopedics is located on the third floor in the new Patient Tower of the Delray Medical Center campus. This beautifully designed expansion features private patient rooms and some of the latest technology to provide patients with the comfort and care they need for recovery. Orthopedic surgery patients can also enjoy the new spacious gym located in the tower, staffed with physical therapists seven days a week.

Hip, knee and shoulder replacements are becoming more common every day as men and women pursue an active life.

What Is an Orthopedic Emergency?

Orthopedic emergencies occur when a bone or a tissue is injured and requires immediate attention to prevent further trauma or injury. The most common orthopedic emergencies include the following:

  • Open Fractures
  • Closed fractures
  • Compartment syndromes (bleeding or swelling in muscles)
  • Neurovascular injuries (damage to the major blood vessels)
  • Dislocations
  • Septic joints

When an orthopedic injury unexpectedly pulls you to the sidelines, get back on track to recovery at Delray Medical Center or our freestanding Emergency Center in Lake Worth. The Emergency Center in Lake Worth is dedicated exclusively to 24-hour emergency care and offers the same high-quality treatment and diagnostic services as Delray Medical Center's emergency department.

Hospital Stay and Discharge

You may stay overnight at the hospital and return home the following day. The length of your stay may also depend on the speed of your recovery. Your doctor may declare your discharge once you accomplish the following:

  • Get in and out of bed on your own
  • Eat, drink and use the bathroom
  • Experience tolerable levels of pain
  • Perform recommended home exercises
  • Understand knee precautions advised for proper healing and to prevent injuries
  • Walk with an assistive device if prescribed any (e.g., cane, crutch or walker) and be able to climb up and down two to three stairs

What Is Orthopedics?

Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that focuses on the musculoskeletal system, which includes the bones, muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments.

What Does an Orthopedic Doctor Do?

Our orthopedic doctors in Delray treat various musculoskeletal conditions that include the following:

  • Joint pain
  • Back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Fractures
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Sports-related injuries
  • Other congenital conditions

There are different types of orthopedic doctors:

  • Orthopedic surgeons or orthopedists use conservative treatment methods, but if the situation calls for it, they can perform surgeries.
  • Sports medicine doctors who focus on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sports-related injuries.

When Should I See an Orthopedist?

Long-term aches, pain and loss of mobility as well as injuries are the common reasons to see an orthopedist. Consult our orthopedists at Delray Medical Center to properly diagnose and treat you if you experience the following symptoms: 

  • Muscle, tendon and joint pain that lasts a few days
  • Swelling or bruising around a specific location 
  • Signs of infection (heat, inflammation, fever, redness, etc.) 
  • Joint deformity

Joint Replacement

A typical candidate for total joint replacement is someone who suffers from chronic joint pain caused by arthritis or by delayed and progressive joint pain as the result of a previous sports or traumatic injury. The Delray board-certified orthopedic surgeons affiliated with Delray Medical Center are specially trained to evaluate and treat hip, knee and shoulder problems. Their goal is to help relieve your pain, restore your mobility and enhance your freedom of movement. This procedure is performed by removing the arthritic or damaged joint and replacing it with a prosthesis (a device made of metal, plastic or ceramic to mimic the function of a healthy joint).

Spine Treatment

Neck, arm, back and leg pain that occurs as a result of injury, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis may be treated without surgery. However, surgery may be necessary if the pain is not resolved with conservative treatment or if symptoms such as weakness or loss of sensation occur. Our team of orthopedic spine surgeons in Delray Beach, Florida and neurosurgeons perform minimally invasive procedures for treating compression fractures and herniated disc microsurgery, as well as complex spinal surgeries involving the use of instrumentation systems for spine stabilization. 

Delray Medical Center is the first hospital in the state (May 2007) to offer O-arm surgical imaging technology for accuracy and precision in implant placement.

Sports Injuries

The orthopedic surgeons at Delray Medical Center treat and diagnose sports injuries accompanied by a dedicated focus on rehabilitation and prevention of sports-related injuries. Our multidisciplinary team works with patients to develop a personalized program designed to help return them to normal activities as quickly as possible to maintain a peak level of fitness and prevent further injuries.

Rehabilitation

Delray Medical Center offers patients comprehensive services for treatment and rehabilitation utilizing Pinecrest Rehabilitation Hospital, conveniently located on the Delray Medical Center campus. We also develop customized rehabilitation programs to help patients improve strength and mobility, decrease pain and optimize functional recovery.

Orthopedic Services

All Orthopedic Services Glossary

Why Choose Delray Medical Center?

Delray Medical Center has been named a Five-Star Recipient for Hip Fracture Treatment for 9 Years in a Row (2010-2018) by Healthgrades and is among the best orthopaedic centers in South Florida, providing specialized care for a wide range of orthopedic treatments, including knee and hip replacements.

Total Hip Replacement AwardSpinal Fusion Surgery AwardHip Fracture Treatment Award

Hear it from the source….

Who better to tell you about the orthopedic program at Delray Medical Center than a physician on our team? Hear what Dr. Pedro Piza, Orthopedic Surgeon has to say.

Find an Orthopedic Specialist

Request one of our specialists to get a second opinion, or a really good first one.
Request an Orthopedic Specialist Referral Today

More Information

Common Knee Injuries

While sports and recreational activities can cause a number of knee problems, some injuries result from basic wear and tear or from simply getting up from a chair. Knee problems are so common that it affects people of all ages, disrupting lives and sending thousands of people to the doctor's office every year. Knee injuries can often be treated with physical therapy or weight loss but some are serious enough to need surgical procedures.

Minimize your risks by knowing some of the most common knee injuries and what causes them.

1. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries

The ACL is a tough, flexible band of tissues that runs through the middle of the knee joint. An ACL injury occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament is torn or overstretched. Women are about two to eight times more prone to ACL injuries than men. There are increased cases of ACL injuries among teenagers involved in organized sports and recreational activities. The number one indication of an ACL injury is a popping noise combined with pain and swelling. Symptoms also include grinding sensations of your bones and kneecap and not being able to put weight on your affected leg. Partial tears can be treated at home or with over-the-counter medicine. Other options include bracing and physical therapy but reconstruction surgery may be the best option for some complete ACL tears.

2. Baker’s Cyst

Having arthritis and a cartilage tear can cause your knee to develop too much fluid leading to a Baker’s cyst. The fluid-filled cyst causes a bulge and a feeling of tightness behind your knee causing swelling, knee pain, stiffness and inability to fully flex the knee. These symptoms may worsen after you’ve been standing for a long time. In some cases, a Baker’s cyst causes no pain at all. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen may be taken to reduce swelling and pain while a combination of rest, elevation, and prescription painkillers is often the recommended treatment for ruptured cysts. Draining and surgically removing a Baker's cyst can be challenging because they do not have a lining and are made of jelly.

3. Meniscus Injury

People with meniscus injury experience pain particularly when the knee is straightened. This is because the meniscus is a piece of cartilage that acts like a pad between your femur or thigh bone and tibia or shin bone. It can easily be injured when the knee is twisted while bearing weight. Other symptoms include swelling, clicking sound in the knee, locking of the knee joint, and weakness around the knee area. Arthroscopic surgery may be required if your knee does not respond well to physical therapy and medication.

4. Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury

Signs and symptoms of a PCL injury include pain in the knee that causes a slight limp or difficulty walking, swelling of the knees within hours of the injury and a general feeling of your knees feeling loose. PCL injuries are most common during motor vehicle accidents and contact sports. Initial treatment for PCL injuries require rest, elevation and medication. Further treatment may be needed depending on the severity of the injury including intense rehabilitation program or reconstructive surgery using either a piece of your own tissue or a piece of donor tissue.

5. Osteochondritis Dissecans

This condition results when the part of the bone under a joint surface does not have enough blood supply. This causes the bone and cartilage to loosen and break off at times. Symptoms include a sharp pain if the cartilage breaks off, weakness and locking knee joints. A person suffering from Osteochondritis Dissecans may develop osteoarthritis. Treatment includes rest, avoiding any movement that causes pain and other intense activities and physical therapy. Surgical intervention may be needed if there are no signs of improvement, if a piece of the bone breaks away completely, or if there is an underlying condition that causes osteochondritis dissecans such as bow legs or knock knees.

Sources:
Medline
National Institutes of Health
KidsHealth
Healthline