The most common cause of chronic hip pain and disability is arthritis. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic arthritis are the most common forms of this disease. While you cannot reverse the effects of osteoarthritis, early nonsurgical treatment, including exercise (for weight loss and muscle strengthening), nutrition, and medication, may help you avoid a lot of pain and disability and slow progression of the disease. Surgery can help you if your condition is already severe. More than 230,000 primary total hip replacements are performed each year in the United States, and that number is expected to grow significantly as the Baby Boomer population ages.

Osteoarthritis of the Hip - This common disease can be treated with or without surgery. Find out about the options available to you.

Total Hip Replacement - Is hip replacement right for you? Learn more here.

What most people call the shoulder is really several joints that combine with tendons and muscles to allow a wide range of motion of the arm, from scratching your back to throwing the perfect pitch. Therefore, shoulder pain can be caused by numerous types of chronic conditions (such as arthritis or tendinitis) or acute injuries (such as rotator cuff tears, dislocations, or separations) to the different body parts that make up the shoulder. The pain may be temporary and disappear in a short time, or it may continue and require medical diagnosis and treatment.

Shoulder Pain - Learn about the causes, methods for diagnosis, and treatment for pain in this complex joint.

Shoulder Trauma - How can your shoulder be injured? What can you do to prevent injury? Find out here.

Common Shoulder Injuries - Get the warning signs that let you know it's time to see a physician.

The elbow is one of the least injured joints because of its well matched joint surfaces and strong stabilizing ligaments. As a result, the elbow joint can tolerate large forces across it without becoming unstable. However, it can still become damaged due to osteoarthritis or overuse injuries such as tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), which can be caused by repetitive activities such as painting, cutting, or raking, as well as sports such as tennis. Wearing proper protective gear and taking precautions against overusing the elbow joint can help prevent elbow joint pain.

Osteoarthritis of the Elbow - What causes this condition, and what do treatments entail? Learn more here.

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) - Find out how this painful condition can be prevented and treated to get you back in the game.

Ankle pain is commonly caused by injuries, such as sprains or fractures, or osteoarthritis, which can be particularly problematic in weight-bearing joints such as the ankle. If you have chronic ankle pain, your physician may need to perform a number of tests to make a diagnosis, which will determine the treatment. Depending on the cause of your ankle pain, treatment may include exercise and physical therapy, medication, bracing or casting, or surgical repair. Chronic ankle pain is often the result of an improperly healed sprain or fracture, so following your physician's treatment instructions is vital to your recovery.

Chronic Lateral Ankle Pain - Learn about the causes of chronic ankle pain and how it can be treated and prevented.

Ankle Fractures - How do you know when you may have suffered a fracture, and when it's time to see a physician? Find out here.

Sprained Ankle - Learn how this common injury occurs, what you can do to prevent it, and when to go to the doctor.

Arthritis of the Foot and Ankle - Get more information on the types and causes of arthritis of the foot and ankle, and learn about the treatments available.

Knee problems are among the most common reasons for visiting an orthopaedic surgeon—knee pain and knee injuries resulted in more than 12 million visits to physicians' offices in 2006. Knee pain and damage are most frequently caused by injuries to the joint or oarthritis. Depending on the cause of the knee pain, it may be treated with exercise, medication, other nonsurgical therapies, surgical reconstruction and repair (particularly for ligament injuries), or total knee replacement. More than 540,000 total knee replacements (also known as knee arthroplasties) are performed in the U.S. each year; about 2/3 of them are done on women.

Knee Arthritis - Find out about risk factors, causes, and treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Total Knee Replacement - Learn more about this increasingly common surgical treatment for knee pain.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are one of the most common types of sports-related injuries. The ACL connects the front part of the shin bone to the back part of the thigh bone, keeping the shin bone from sliding forward. It is usually injured by either a direct blow to the knee or through a non-contact injury resulting from planting the foot and cutting, landing on a straight leg, or making an abrupt stop. The incidence of ACL injuries among female athletes is significantly higher than among male athletes. When the ACL is torn, it often must be repaired through ACL reconstruction surgery and subsequent rehabilitation. About 200,000 ACLs are injured in the U.S. each year, resulting in approximately 100,000 ACL reconstructions. With time, rehabilitation, and hard work, ACL surgery results in a 75%-95% success rate.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries - Learn about what ACL surgery entails, and how injuries can be treated.

Common Knee Injuries - Find out more about the anatomy of the knee and what you can do to keep your knees healthy.

Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, is one of the most common types of spinal deformity. It can occur at birth, but is usually diagnosed between the ages of 10 and 15. The first indications may include uneven shoulders or one hip higher than the other. About 10% of adolescents have some degree of scoliosis, and it affects equal numbers of boys and girls, across all racial and ethnic groups. One-quarter of these children have spinal curves serious enough to require medical attention, and most of them are girls. Be sure to see your child's physician if you have reason to believe your child may have scoliosis. A routine physical exam can often spot these first signs, and early treatment is key to avoiding a severe deformity.

Scoliosis in Children and Adolescents - This is the most common type of scoliosis. Find out how your child may be diagnosed and treated.