Comprehensive orthopedic care to keep you moving through life

Dr. Kyle Menzel provides total joint replacement surgery; shoulder, arm, hand, hip, knee, ankle, and foot surgery; arthroscopic knee surgery; and sports medicine. He also offers conservative treatment for arthritis. Lisa Leedham, PA-C also assists in surgical cases and accepts appointments for non-surgical interventions.

Call 218-878-7626 to schedule your CMH Orthopedics appointment.

Knee surgery

The knees are a crucial joint in the human body. They support our weight and allow the lower legs move in relation to the thigh. Movement at the knee helps us perform a number of activities, from walking and running, to sitting and standing.

The knees, however, can become injured or damaged over time. This may cause pain or mobility issues.

People suffering from knee pain may experience the following symptoms:

• Soreness or discomfort in the knee
• Difficulty moving the knee
• Knee pain that increases with physical activity
• Knee pain that makes it challenging to walk

Common sources of knee pain include:

• Arthritis
• Tendonitis
• Dislocation
• Meniscus tear
• Sprain or strain
• Torn ligament

Knee replacement surgery may be the solution you’ve been waiting for. It is designed to treat pain and disability in the knee so patients can live healthy, active lives. When you visit with Dr. Menzel, we will review your medical history and examine your knee pain.

Depending on your diagnosis, we may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, pain relievers, exercises to strengthen joint mobility, or treatments like occupational therapy or physical therapy to promote knee pain relief.

If all nonsurgical options to treat your knee pain have been unsuccessful, we may suggest knee replacement surgery as an alternative.

Hip surgery

The hip—the body’s largest ball-and-socket joint—allows us to perform all kinds of activities, including running, walking and climbing stairs. It is built to withstand repetitive motions, but can become damaged and worn out over time due to genetics or other factors. People suffering from a damaged hip joint may experience pain differently, whether it is severe or dull and constant.

Individuals suffering from hip pain usually experience the following symptoms:

• Soreness or discomfort in the thigh, groin, front, or back of the hip
• Back pain that travels to the hip
• Hip pain that increases with physical activity
• Hip pain that makes it hard to walk or bend the leg

Common causes of hip pain include:

• Bursitis tendinitis
• Arthritis
• Fall or injury
• Muscle or tendon strain

You deserve to live an active and comfortable life. When you visit with an orthopedic surgeon at CMH, we will review your medical history and examine your hip pain. Depending on your diagnosis, we may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, pain relievers, exercises to improve joint mobility, physical therapy, or occupational therapy to bring hip pain relief.

Shoulder replacement surgery

Shoulder replacement surgery replaces the ends of each bone of the joint, creating a new stable surface for the shoulder to function smoothly across.

The extent of the surgery and materials used vary from patient to patient, but generally involve resurfacing of the humerus or scapula using plastic or metal. Cement or a material that may allow the bone to grow attached to the new joint components is used to hold the new joint surfaces in place.

Resurfacing the humerus is often done by replacing the upper portion of the arm with a metal piece using a round humeral head-like surface. The cup-shaped area enclosing the humeral head may also be smoothed out or reshaped using plastic or another material.

After surgery, a patient can expect to remain on an IV for at least a day as doctors monitor general health; drain fluid from the joint; and deliver pain suppressants, antibiotics, and sometimes even anticoagulants. The shoulder will be wrapped, and we may use a compression sleeve to allow better blood circulation. A catheter may also be used in some cases.

Light forms of physical therapy will begin within a few days of surgery in order to maintain range of motion. Slowly, less and less pain medication will be necessary and a full regimen of physical therapy may begin. Post-recovery, it is imperative for the patient to keep active in order to maintain flexibility, range of motion, and strength.

Conservative management of arthritis

Conservative management of osteoarthritis includes nonsurgical treatments that provide symptomatic relief, modification of the course of the disease, and an approach that allows patients to adjust to the realities and take more control of their condition.

Arthritis is an umbrella term for a number of disease processes in which the joint surface is injured (either acutely or through gradual wear and tear), the surrounding tissues become inflamed, and the cushion of cartilage that lines the ends of the bones (known as articular cartilage) deteriorates.

As the cartilage surface wears and thins, symptoms develop. Eventually, at the end stage of arthritis, the articular cartilage wears away completely, and bone-on-bone contact occurs. The vast majority of people diagnosed have osteoarthritis, and in most cases the cause of their condition cannot be identified. One or more joints may be affected.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic immune disorder that affects multiple joints. In such cases, the body sees the joint lining (synovium) and cartilage as foreign substances and attacks them. Far fewer Americans are diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis.

Regardless of which joint is affected, osteoarthritis takes a common course. The pain and stiffness that develop result from the loss of smooth, gliding cartilage on the joint surfaces. As the cartilage thins and becomes uneven, stiffness and catching occur. Motion is diminished and the surrounding joint lining, ligaments, and tendons contract and tighten.

The joint becomes painful to move, and there is often a progressive weakening of the muscles that control it. The practical implications of these limitations are disruption in work and recreation.

It is important to note that two joints showing the same cartilage loss on x-ray may behave very differently in terms of discomfort and function. The weak, stiff joint will be more painful and disabling than a joint with preserved strength and motion.

And of course, additional factors such as body weight, other joint involvement, and general health also help to determine the level of disability and the patient’s quality of life. Those who embark on a conservative course of treatment for arthritis are taking control of their condition and seeking the best possible outcome.

Stretching and strengthening exercises—under the guidance of an orthopedic surgeon or a physical or occupational therapist—help maintain range of motion and alleviate stiffness. Exercise should be considered with three specific goals: strengthening the muscles that control the arthritic joint, exercises that fortify adjacent joints (such as the low back), and exercises that improve overall fitness.

Patients who have been athletic all their lives and enjoy recreational sports may find that a diagnosis of osteoarthritis requires them to alter their exercise and sports routine in order to protect their joints.

Other conservative arthritis treatments include:

• Application of heat and cold
• Medication, including over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents
• Steroid injection or visco-supplementation (viscous substances that are injected into the joint to lubricate the area and ease movement)

Sports Medicine

Whether you’re a “weekend warrior” or a member of a sports team, the CMH Orthopedics team can help if you get sidelined due to an injury. We’re experts at the diagnosis, treatment and management of a wide range of sports injuries—and we’ll help you return to your activities as soon as possible.

CMH Boot Camp videos

We’ve created Boot Camp videos for hip and knee arthroplasty procedures to help you prepare for your hospital stay, surgery, and recovery from total joint replacement.

If you have any questions after viewing, please ask your doctor or nurse. Click on the links below to watch the videos.

Total Hip Arthroplasty Procedure Boot Camp (32 minutes)

Total Knee Arthroplasty Procedure Boot Camp (41 minutes)