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Knee Specialists

Knee pain is most often the result of injury or arthritis.  The Frisco orthopaedic surgeons at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine are highly regarded as the area’s top knee doctors.  They have the expertise to properly diagnose and treat the cause of knee pain. Put your knees in our expert hands today!

Arthritic Knee

Arthritis is inflammation of the knee joint. The most common type is osteoarthritis, which is caused by the wearing out of the cartilage that protects the knee joint.

Common Symptoms of Osteoarthritis of the Knee:

  • Chronic knee pain
  • Night knee pain causing sleeplessness
  • Progressive deformity of the leg (bowing of leg inward or outward)
  • Chronic swelling
  • Morning stiffness
  • Locking of knee

Request an Appointment

Our Frisco knee pain specialists are currently accepting new patients. To request an appointment, please use our convenient online scheduling system. We look forward to seeing you.

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Types of Knee Injuries

There are many different types of knee injuries and most of them occur as a result of repetitive movement. Common types of injuries to the knee include:

  • Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
  • Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears
  • Medial (MCL) & lateral (LCL) collateral ligament tears
  • Meniscus tears
  • Cartilage damage

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is one of the four main ligaments in the knee and connects the thigh bone to the shin bone.  It keeps the knee from hyper-extending, prevents anterior dislocation at the tibia, and stabilizes the knee to help prevent unnatural movement in the joint. The ACL can be injured if the knee is twisted, bent side to side, or hyper-extended during physical activity.

Symptoms of an ACL tear can include:

  • Swelling after injury
  • A loud popping or cracking sound at the time of injury
  • Feeling the knee buckling

The PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) is most commonly injured by direct force to the front of the knee when it is bent. The PCL can also be injured by a direct blow to the outside of the knee joint, such as those that occur during soccer or football.

Symptoms of a PCL tear can include:

  • Swelling in the back of the knee
  • Bruising after the injury
  • Pain
  • Excessive swelling
  • Chronic instability

The MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) connects the femur and tibia on the inner side of the leg and resists forces acting on the outer side of the knee.

The LCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) connects the femur and tibia on the outside of the leg and resists forces acting on the inner side of the knee.

These two ligaments create support and stability for the knee. The MCL is more often injured than the LCL because injuries are often caused by a blow to the outer side of the knee. These injuries are usually seen in contact sports and stretch or tear the ligaments on the inner side of the knee.

Symptoms of MCL and LCL tears often include:

  • Pain
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling and tenderness (along the inner or outer side of the knee)

There are two menisci in the knee, on the outer edge and inner edge.  They help to balance your weight across the knee.  A tear in one of these menisci usually occurs when the knee is rotating while it is bearing weight, such as in field sports like soccer and football.  It also occurs as the menisci wear with age.

Symptoms of a meniscus tear include:

  • Mild to severe pain
  • Swelling at the time of injury (can also develop much later)
  • A popping sound
  • Knee feeling weak or locking up

Cartilage damage may not heal quickly or at all because cartilage does not have a blood supply to help repair the knee. Cartilage acts like a natural shock absorber, preventing both bone-on-bone contact and providing a smooth, pain-free surface for the bones to glide against. One of the most common and serious types of damage is to the articular cartilage located between joints.

Symptoms of articular cartilage damage include:

  • Swelling
  • Joint pain
  • Stiffness
  • Decreased range of movement
  • Joints that lock or catch

Treatment Options

In some cases, conservative treatments may include physical therapy, bracing, or injections for the knee.  If conservative treatments have not improved your condition to a satisfactory level, knee surgery will be needed.  Two common knee procedures are:

  • Minimally-invasive surgery
  • Arthroscopic surgery
  • Knee replacement

Treatment Options

  1. In some cases, conservative treatments may include physical therapy, bracing, or injections for the knee. If conservative treatments have not improved your condition to a satisfactory level, knee surgery may be needed.
  2. Three common knee procedures are:
    • Minimally-invasive surgery
    • Arthroscopic surgery
    • Knee replacement

Wonderful Client Feedback

Dr. Diehl always listens and takes the most conservative approach for the injury rather than surgery first. He’s taken care of several of my sprains & falls. Highly recommend.

-Cynthia

I really like Dr. Maurer. He is so down-to-earth and honest. I’ve learned to trust his advice and guidance because he cares about his patients.

-Russ

Scheduling was quick, office staff was friendly and efficient and nurse and x-ray tech were friendly and thorough. Dr. Lessner was prompt and friendly. He made us feel comfortable and explained everything clearly and thoroughly.

-Clarissa

This has been one of the best medical care experiences I’ve had, from our initial consultation to post-op visits to physical therapy. Dr. Diehl and his team are a very caring, friendly, and professional group. I had a left knee injury (meniscus and ACL tears). Thank you!!

-Mark

Very impressed with Dr. Lessner. Very thorough and listened to me. He gave me multiple treatment options and involved me in the decision making. Highly recommend!

-Todd

Dr. Diehl was very kind and caring. I don’t think there is a person in this office who is not professional and personable. They go above and beyond for their patients.

-Patricia