Shoulder pain is a frequent complaint and can have multiple causes. A careful clinical examination combined with radiological imaging procedures (X-Ray, MRI, CT) is fundamental for an accurate diagnosis. The results will give some indication about the necessity of conservative or operative treatment. Depending on the nature of the injury or damage, we can offer state-of-the-art minimally invasive, arthroscopic or open operative procedures. The most frequent pathologies and their appropriate operative therapy are explained below.

The causes of elbow pain are many and varied, including inflammatory reactions due to overuse in everyday life and sports, rheumatic diseases and acute injury. It is important to differentiate the pathology exactly in the history and clinical examination as well as through radiological diagnostics in order to taylor an ideal management plan for it. In addition to conservative treatment, arthroscopic and open surgical procedures are available. The most common pathologies and their therapy are briefly explained below.

The function of the knee joint is based on a complex interaction of bone, cartilage, menisci, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Disorders in any of these structures can lead to an unstable and/or painful knee joint. Sports injuries to the knee joint can be caused both by an accident (traumatic) or the effect of constant overloading (chronic). Traumatic injuries usually affect the ligaments (e.g. torn cruciate ligament) and the menisci (e.g. torn meniscus). Chronic injuries mainly affect the cartilage, which can be thinned out by constant overloading (early arthritis = wear and tear of the joint).

Different types of sports injuries and wear and tear occur at the ankle. Injuries to the outer ligaments of the ankle joint are considered the most common ligament injuries in humans. For minor ligament injuries, a conservative management plan can usually be followed. More severe injuries are also only be treated acutely if other structures are involved, e.g. the syndesmosis ligament, cartilage or bone.

This method is indicated for isolated, small (<2 square centimeters), well defined cartilage lesions with a preserved subchondral bone layer. In this regenerative procedure, small holes are “pecked” into the defect area arthroscopically, from which mesenschymal stem cells then migrate to form regenerative cartilage tissue.

If an isolated  cartilage-bone defect with intact surrounding tissue in the weight-bearing area of the knee joint (defect size up to a maximum of 3 square centimetres) is evident, the transplantation of one or more autologous cartilage-bone cylinders from a non-weight-bearing area of the knee joint represents a good therapeutic option. This technique is performed on the knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, which is mainly caused by chronic overload. As well as accidents with traumatic injury to cartilage, menisci or ligaments, pronounced malalignments such as bowleg and knock-knees may predispose to wear and tear.

With increasing sporting activity in all age groups, soft-tissue injuries to the musculoskeletal system, especially tendon and muscle injuries, are increasingly moving into the focus of sports orthopedic surgeons. Anatomically, the muscles of the human body attach to the bones at each end via a tendon.