LA Ortho & Wellness evaluates knee, shoulder, hip, tendon, arthritis, and sports-injury concerns for active adults. The goal is to clarify what is causing the limitation, understand what you want to keep doing, and choose a reasonable next step—not to force every symptom into the same treatment.
Start With the Symptoms—Then Clarify the Diagnosis
Pain in the same body area can come from different structures and may require different treatment. A knee that swells after activity is not automatically the same problem as a knee that gives way. Shoulder weakness, stiffness, instability, and pain with lifting also point to different questions.
Dr. Jonathan Gelber connects the history, examination, appropriate imaging, activity demands, and your goals before discussing rehabilitation, injections, procedures, or surgery. If you already know the diagnosis, select the guide below. If not, start with the body-region page or an orthopedic evaluation.
Knee & Lower-Extremity Conditions
Knee and hip symptoms may reflect arthritis, a ligament or meniscus injury, tendon or muscle problems, or another source. The useful next step depends on the diagnosis, stability, function, and activities affected.
Knee Pain, Arthritis & Meniscus Problems
- Knee Pain — a starting point for pain, swelling, stiffness, locking, or activity limitation when the diagnosis is not yet clear.
- Osteoarthritis — diagnosis and treatment planning based on symptoms, weight-bearing imaging, function, and goals.
- Meniscus Tear — evaluation of traumatic and degenerative tears, including when rehabilitation or surgery may be considered.
Instability, Sports Injury & Hip Pain
- ACL Injury — decisions guided by knee stability, associated injury, rehabilitation, and return-to-activity goals.
- Hip Pain — evaluation of joint, tendon, muscle, and referred sources of pain before selecting treatment.
Shoulder Conditions
Shoulder pain can come from the rotator cuff, joint, biceps, labrum, instability, stiffness, the neck, or more than one source. Treatment should follow the diagnosis and functional limitation—not the MRI finding alone.
Pain, Weakness & Rotator Cuff Problems
- Shoulder Pain — a diagnosis-first guide for pain with lifting, reaching, sleeping, throwing, or exercise.
- Rotator Cuff Tear — evaluation of symptoms, weakness, tear pattern, healing potential, rehabilitation, and selected surgery.
Instability & Dislocation
- Shoulder Instability — care for repeated slipping, apprehension, or loss of trust in the shoulder.
- Dislocated Shoulder — urgent reduction when needed, followed by imaging, rehabilitation, and recurrence-risk assessment.
Tendon & Elbow Conditions
Overuse pain is not always simple inflammation. Tendon problems can involve changing load tolerance and tissue structure, while elbow pain may arise from several nearby structures. The plan should match the location, diagnosis, duration, and activities affected.
Tendonitis & Tendinosis
Review Tendonitis and Tendinosis to understand persistent tendon pain, load modification, progressive rehabilitation, and when imaging or additional treatment may be useful.
Tennis Elbow & Golfer’s Elbow
Review Elbow Tendon Pain for symptoms related to gripping, lifting, racquet sports, golf, work, or gym activity.
When Should You Schedule an Orthopedic Evaluation?
Consider an evaluation when pain, swelling, stiffness, weakness, locking, or instability is persistently reducing activity; symptoms are worsening; or a reasonable period of modification and rehabilitation has not restored function. A new traumatic injury, repeated giving way, or loss of motion may warrant earlier assessment.
Urgent evaluation is appropriate for a visibly deformed joint, inability to bear weight after major trauma, a cool or pale extremity, or new significant numbness or weakness.
Not sure whether to start with a condition or a treatment? Compare the current orthopedic and joint-longevity services, or review the Joint Longevity approach.
Build the Plan Around What You Want to Keep Doing
Start with the diagnosis, understand the reasonable options, and connect treatment and rehabilitation to your activity goals.
