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Dr. Robert Jackson uses modern Arthroscopic technology and techniques to visualize, diagnose and help treat problems inside of joints in order to preserve them.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The common wisdom of this old saying is now being proven by the results of the modern techniques of minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery in knees, shoulders and other joints. It is now known that the early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of traumatic lesions can preserve joint function in active young people, so that they don't require expensive and often painful restorative surgery later in life.

"I have a large number of patients who have been very physically active throughout their life" says Dr. Robert Jackson, an Orthopaedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine and Arthritis specialist in Toronto. "These are not only professional athletes, but regular people who, because of their active lifestyle, experience pain in their knees, shoulders, elbows and hips."

We now know that recreational activities as well as intense competitive sports can cause damage to the body's major joints, through minor repetitive injuries, as well as significant major injuries. It is not just professional athletes or high-performance amateurs who suffer from damaged joints, nor is joint damage limited to the elderly whose bodies are showing the "wear and tear" of age.

Active Canadians from their teens through to their sixties are exercising regularly and frequently injuring themselves. In the past, conservative treatment usually advocated rest and physiotherapy to alleviate symptoms while postponing any consideration of surgical options until the situation became unbearable. Unfortunately, by that time, total joint replacement was often the only option.

We now have Arthroscopy, which is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to visualize, diagnose and treat problems inside the major joints. New Arthroscopic technologies allow orthopaedic surgeons to stabilize joints, to repair or resect torn tissues, and to resurface damaged joint surfaces. All of this is done with greater accuracy and effectiveness than by previous "open surgery". A television camera attached to the arthroscope allows the surgeon to see and work with great accuracy. This surgical option is now being used to preserve healthy joints in active patients and to minimize the need for major prosthetic repairs later in life.

By earlier Arthroscopic intervention, patients can continue their active, healthy lifestyles and mitigate the risks of health complications often associated with more sedentary lifestyles.

"Thirty years ago, we could really only counsel patients to ‘just deal with it' until the damage was so bad that extensive open surgery was necessary," says Dr. Jackson. "Now, we can use modern Arthroscopic techniques to repair the damage while it's still small and before it gets worse."

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