Arthritis pain interferes with your ability to fully enjoy life by limiting freedom of movement and reducing your ability to function independently. If severe joint pain is preventing you from participating in your favorite activities, you owe it to yourself and your family to find out more about joint replacement.

Hip and knee replacements are performed using small incisions, only 3-6 inches, and generally involve less disruption of muscles and soft tissues. The result is less pain and faster recovery.

The Bon Secours Orthopaedic Institute’s unique program is a national model that offers a pathway to healing through a step-by-step program that extends far beyond the hospital walls. Physical therapists help patients prepare for their recovery and the joint replacement team continues to provide ongoing care and support throughout the surgery and recovery process.

Our highly skilled surgeons and staff utilize a variety of innovative techniques and technologies including minimally invasive surgery and the newest prosthetic devices.

Click here to view our Pre-op Total Joint Replacement Class Schedule for St. Mary's Hospital.

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Affiliated sports medicine physicians have national reputations for quality of care and innovation. Sports medicine specialists include physicians who have been fellowship-trained in arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine. This expertise allows them to provide a comprehensive approach to managing injuries that have prevented patients from attaining their goals in sporting, recreational or occupational activities.

Sports related injuries require a quick response and specialized care to promote optimum healing. Whether you are a weekend jogger or tennis player, a professional soccer player or marathon runner, a child or senior citizen trauma to the muscles and joints can limit or prevent your participation in these activities. To provide proper diagnosis and prevent future injuries, the Bon Secours Orthopaedic Institute has several sports medicine physicians on staff to diagnose and treat any athletic injury. Arthroscopy is often employed to repair joints while traditional reconstructive surgery is used for musculoskeletal damage.

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Disorders of the spine affect many people of all ages. These disorders can be acute or chronic problems which can become progressively debilitating, causing pain and interfering with everyday activities. The spine specialists at the Bon Secours Orthopaedic Institute diagnose and treat chronic back pain and acute spinal disorders, incorporating minimally invasive spine surgery.

The spine, literally the backbone of the skeletal system, is very susceptible to injury and likely to sustain wear and tear over time. Neurological disorders affect the nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal column and all peripheral nerves.

We work with groups specializing in spine and cranial surgery who rely on the newest techniques and procedures to reduce pain, promote healing and speed up recovery in the spine and neck.

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The Bon Secours Orthopaedic Institute specializes in the evaluation and treatment of injuries and musculoskeletal disorders of the hand and upper extremity. The team consists of physicians who are board certified in Orthopaedics, Hand Surgery, and Plastic Surgery.

Services offered by the Bon Secours Orthopaedic Institute are the following:

• Wrist and hand fractures
• Distal radius fractures
• Scaphoid fractures
• Wrist and hand instabilities
• Arthroscopy of the wrist, hand and elbow
• Minimally invasive hand and wrist surgery
• Athletic injury to upper extremities
• Tendon, vascular, and nerve injuries
• Joint contractures
• Arthritis of the Wrist, Hand and Elbow
• Tendonitis
• Trigger finger
• Nerve compression syndromes
• Soft tissue reconstruction of the extremities

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The knee is the largest joint in the body and one of the easiest to injure, making it the most often treated joint by orthopedic surgeons. It contains ligaments which control motion and brace the joint against abnormal types of motion, and cartilage which serves as cushioning to absorb shock during motion. Most knee ligament and cartilage injuries can be corrected with arthroscopic surgery. Our orthopedic surgeons perform over 1,000 knee replacements each year, making Bon Secours Richmond System one of the most experienced systems in the country.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament. When you twist or fall on your knee, the stabilizing ligament connecting the thighbone to the shinbone can tear. Like a braided rope, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) unravels when torn and will not heal on its own. Fortunately, minimally invasive arthroscopic reconstructive surgery can restore full function after an ACL tear.

Torn Cartilage. When people talk about torn knee cartilage, they are usually referring to a torn meniscus (rubbery cartilage which acts like a shock absorber). Treatment may include icing, rest, pain relievers and physical therapy. Arthroscopic surgery may be needed to correct the condition and restore normal joint movement.

Knee Replacement. If a knee has been severely damaged by arthritis or injury, over time it may become difficult to perform a simple task such as walking or there is pain while sitting or lying down. Total knee replacement surgery may be necessary. During the procedure, the damaged and worn knee is resurfaced in order to restore function, relieve pain and correct leg deformity.

This surgical service specializes in hip and knee arthroplasty. Both primary and revision joint replacements are performed. Advanced surgical techniques and materials are utilized to enhance implant longevity. Although osteoarthritis is the most common condition for which total joint replacement can be beneficial, this service treats a variety of joint disease. Other conditions include: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Avascular Necrosis, Post-Traumatic Arthritis, Congenital Dysplasia, and Fractures. Hip fractures of all types are managed using state-of-the-art surgical techniques and instrumentation. Unicompartmental, or "partial-knee replacements," implanted using minimally invasive surgical techniques are also performed.

Click here to view our Pre-op Total Joint Replacement Class Schedule for St. Mary's Hospital.

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The hip joint is commonly called a "ball and socket" joint. The hip is one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body. When it's working properly, it lets you walk, sit, bend, and turn without pain. To keep it moving smoothly, a complex network of bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and tendons must all work in harmony. Bands of tissues called ligaments form a capsule connecting the ball to the socket and holding the bones in place. Our orthopaedic surgeons perform over 1,000 hip replacement and repairs each year, making Bon Secours one of the most experienced systems in the country.

Hip Fracture Repair. Hip fractures are typically caused by a fall. They are considered an orthopaedic emergency and require immediate attention and emergency treatment. For people who suffer from osteoporosis, since their bones are less dense and more brittle and prone to injury, fractures can even be caused by simple weight-bearing activities. Although some fractures are minor and cause only pain, other fractures can be more severe. A hip fracture is a break near the top of the thighbone (femur) where it angles into the hip socket.

Surgery is almost always the best way to repair a hip fracture. Doctors typically use non-surgical alternatives, such as traction, only if you have a serious illness that makes surgery too risky. Doctors repair a hip fracture by one of three methods. If, after the break, the bone is still properly aligned, your doctor may insert metal screws into the bone to hold it together while the fracture heals. This is called internal fixation. Or the doctor may decide that replacement of part of the femur or a total joint replacement may also be the best course of action.

Hip Replacement. If a hip has been severely damaged by arthritis or injury, over time it may become difficult to perform a simple task such as walking or there is pain while sitting or lying down. Total hip replacement surgery may be necessary.

This surgical service specializes in hip and knee arthroplasty. Both primary and revision joint replacements are performed. Advanced surgical techniques and materials are utilized to enhance implant longevity. Although osteoarthritis is the most common condition for which total joint replacement can be beneficial, this service treats a variety of joint disease. Other conditions include: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Avascular Necrosis, Post-Traumatic Arthritis, Congenital Dysplasia, and Fractures. Hip fractures of all types are managed using state-of-the-art surgical techniques and instrumentation. Unicompartmental, or "partial-knee replacements," implanted using minimally invasive surgical techniques are also performed.

Click here to view our Pre-op Total Joint Replacement Class Schedule for St. Mary's Hospital.

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We partner with several providers who are experts at providing pain relief. Chronic pain, resulting from injury, disease or surgery, can lead to social and even psychological problems as daily function is impaired. The pain management specialists affiliated with Bon Secours thoroughly evaluates the patient and creates a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to the individual’s condition. These pain management specialists, regionally and nationally recognized as the best of the best in their area of expertise, utilize a comprehensive approach to pain management that may include physical therapy, counseling services, biofeedback relaxation and non-traditional treatments such as acupuncture.

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Complex, constantly impacted, rugged, yet intricately balanced, feet and ankles are some of the most frequently injured areas of the human body. And, unfortunately, some of the most frequently misunderstood and misdiagnosed. The Foot & Ankle Service at the Orthopaedic Institute expertly treat the broad range of foot and ankle conditions that can occur at any stage of life, from newborn to teen years and from active adults to seniors.

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Whether your child suffers from a broken bone or other more serious orthopaedic problem, you want the best possible care. Bon Secours Pediatric Orthopedists see rare and complex musculoskeletal conditions. And they treat "everyday" injuries that happen to otherwise healthy kids. Our Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery offers comprehensive quality care for the complete range of common and complicated orthopaedic problems, including traumatic injuries and developmental conditions that affect the bones, joints and muscles.

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The Orthopedic Trauma Service at Bon Secours Richmond specializes in the treatment of traumatized patients with major orthopaedic injuries as well as isolated injuries to the upper and lower extremities, pelvis, spine, and major joints. Trauma patients arrive through the Hospital's Emergency Room or a hospital-to-hospital transfer.

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With the increased interest in exercise and fitness, higher levels of activity in people of all ages has resulted. As a result, shoulder pain and shoulder problems have become more and more common. Injuries and concerns related to the shoulder are increasing in volume for visits to the doctor’s office. Rotator cuff tears, arthritis, fractures, bursitis, and shoulder instability, including acute dislocations, are among the most common conditions that bring patients to us for help.

The Bon Secours Orthopedic Institute includes fellowship-trained physicians who diagnose and treat the full spectrum of shoulder-related problems. Most shoulder problems do not require surgery, and are best treated with a directed exercise program, often with the help of anti-inflammatory medications. However, when necessary, our specialists are highly skilled in the latest techniques of arthroscopic surgery, laser surgery, and total shoulder joint replacement.

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