The approach is absolutely surgical, given it is accurate and precise. But there is no surgery at The Knee Clinic.
Indeed, many Albertans suffering from knee pain and dysfunction do not have to go under the knife to solve their issues, says Clinical Director, Dr. Dale Macdonald.
“We make family doctors look good in the eyes of the patient by giving them access to specialized care with a minimal wait time. They can refer them and a week later they have an assessment, diagnosis and a plan,” he says. “Only a small percentage of bad knees need surgery.”
He says many languishing in limbo on surgical wait lists haven’t had an expert knee assessment. That’s where The Knee Clinic, Alberta’s only private knee facility, steps in.
“Every year there are about 140,000 knee injuries in Alberta – not counting any of the degenerative and arthritic cases. There is nobody to see all of these chronic ones that aren’t quite surgical yet,” MacDonald says.
“We fill the void between the family doctor and the surgeon.”
The 20 person-strong team includes professionals from the fields of sport medicine, chiropractic, physiotherapy, nursing, massage therapy, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine, all relying on specialized skill and advanced imaging to identity the problem and ensure patients receive the most effective treatment plan for everything from acute injuries to degenerative issues.
“Our mandate as sport specialists is to find ways to help people continue to do the things they are passionate about. They may need to modify a few things, but we will find a way to keep them going. And, psychologically, that’s a big win for the patient,” he says.
Many find success with a more conservative and tailored treatment trajectory and are grateful to avoid surgery.
“One of the worst things for patients is to have a referral made by a family doctor and wait idly, not knowing what they should or should not do. They end up doing less for fear of injury and their whole life gets put on hold. Our tag line is stop waiting, stop guessing. People find tremendous value in the timely, expert services we offer.”
Macdonald says the clinic sees a high rate of sucess because patients who are serious about chasing down the expertise required to get to the root of the problem and then tackle solutions are motivated to be active participants in their road to recovery.
The team also hosts Canada’s first online knee clinic, conducting clinical consultations with patients across North America.
The Knee Clinic
Suite 535 10333 Southport Rd SW Calgary, AB T2W 3X6
403-457-5633
Instagram: kneeclinicyyc • Twitter: kneeclinicyyc • Facebook: kneeclinicyyc
www.kneeclinic.ca
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