Orthopedic Surgery in Dodgeville
If you have pain or weakness in your joints, it can be hard to remember what “normal” feels like. Injury, illness, repetitive motion, age and arthritis can all give you problems in your knees, hips, shoulders, hands and other joints. But how do you know the difference between a temporary ache or pain and a condition requiring joint replacement or a repair like carpal tunnel or rotator cuff surgery? How do you know when the time is right? What are your options?
Our experienced orthopedic surgeon and team can answer your questions, evaluate and diagnose your condition and provide a range of treatment options. Joint replacement is an option offered by our exceptional shoulder, hip and knee specialists in Dodgeville. We offer minimally invasive procedures and state-of-the-art technology like Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted surgery and the VIP System for joint replacement.

Knees
Several types of arthritis are the main cause of knee pain and mobility problems. You may be a candidate for surgical or non-surgical treatments, such as iovera. If your knee is always swollen, or if your knee pain keeps you from sleeping or from your normal activities and non-surgical treatments are no longer effective, it may be time for joint replacement. Talk to our orthopedic surgeon and knee specialists in Dodgeville.

Hips
A worn-out hip joint can cause hip or groin pain while walking, exercising, sleeping or balancing on one leg. It can cause stiffness that makes it hard to get dressed. If these challenges affect your quality of life, you may be a candidate for hip joint replacement surgery. Talk to an orthopedic surgeon here at Upland Hills Health to learn the next best steps for pain relief.

Shoulders
Osteoarthritis, repetitive motion and injury to the rotator cuff, often made worse by age, are the most common reasons for considering shoulder surgery. There are surgical and non-surgical treatments to reduce shoulder pain and regain mobility. Shoulder joint replacement is the fastest-growing type of joint replacement. Outstanding technology is available for planning and completing a shoulder joint replacement procedure.
Common Questions for Orthopedic Surgeons & Procedure
Absolutely! Often a person with arthritis pain can find relief without surgery or can delay surgery for a good amount of time using what we call conservative treatment. For some people, arthritis pain is managed using physical therapy, over-the-counter medications, corticosteroid injections, or integrative medicine techniques such as massage, acupuncture, yoga or other movement therapies. We also offer iovera treatment, which uses cold therapy to temporarily damage nerves around the knees. These treatments can often provide enough relief for arthritis sufferers for months or years before pain progresses to the need for joint replacement surgery.
Our orthopedic team will start with an x-ray to see what level of deterioration you are living with. When we find arthritis, patients often ask when they should get the joint replaced. The short answer is that it is a personal decision. Most patients who see our orthopedic surgeon have already been adjusting their lives to deal with the pain for a while — giving up certain activities, moving differently or more slowly or managing the pain with medications. When those lifestyle changes become unacceptable for you, or the pain becomes too much to bear, that’s when you’ll decide to have the joint replaced. A joint replacement also takes commitment. You will want to be ready for that commitment to healing as well.
A rotator cuff injury can cause a dull ache in the shoulder, which often worsens with use of the arm away from the body. Motions like combing your hair or reaching behind your back can be difficult and painful. Rotator cuff injuries are more common as we age, especially for people working in a job that uses repetitive overhead movements. Rotator cuff surgery is an option when non-surgical treatment is no longer effective in reducing pain or maintaining mobility.
In the early stages, you can:
- Take breaks to rest your hands, especially if you are doing something repetitive
- Avoid activities that make symptoms worse
- Use ice or cold packs to reduce swelling
- Rotate your wrists and stretch your palms and fingers
- Wear a splint designed for carpal tunnel pain
- Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
When these treatments are no longer effective, or if you have pain or numbness in your hands, talk to an orthopedic surgeon at Upland Hills Health to learn the next best steps for pain relief.
The recovery time for a hip replacement and a knee replacement are quite different. Our experienced knee specialists in Dodgeville say knee replacements have a longer recovery time and a more intensive therapy because of the way the joint works. The soft tissues around the knee need more time and work to get back to full function. A hip joint relies more on muscle than other soft tissues, so while recovery can be faster, the muscle needs continued exercise so that it doesn’t become weak. When committed to therapy and home exercises, most patients feel about 85% recovered within 6 weeks after surgery.
Conditions We Treat
- Arthritis
- Fractures & dislocated bones
- Hand and finger problems
- Knee pain
- Hip Pain
- Shoulder problems
- Cartilage, ligament, muscle tears
- Tendonitis
- Ganglion cyst
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Meniscus tear
- ACL tear
- Rotator cuff repair
- Wrist fractures
- Sports injuries
- Separated shoulder
Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology
for Total Knee & Total Hip Joint ReplacementKnee and hip replacement patients now have a truly advanced surgical option. Our Mako robotic-arm assisted technology allows surgeons to create a patient-specific 3D plan and perform joint replacement surgery using a surgeon-controlled robotic arm that helps the surgeon execute the procedure with a high degree of accuracy. This option is now available to qualified total knee and total hip joint replacement patients at Upland Hills Health.

Our Orthopedic Providers
Tom has been a runner for 50 years and now his granddaughter Raina has taken up running as well. He didn’t want to miss the opportunity to stay active and run with her.
“I was really apprehensive about going through with the surgery. But it got frustrating, not being able to go out and run and do as much as I wanted to,” he explained, “After reading a lot about the robotic arm assisted surgery and how precise it can be, well, that was a gamechanger for me,” he said.
During his pre-operative health checks Tom found out that he has two heart conditions. Both have improved because of his new hip.
“If I hadn’t had my hip done, I wouldn’t be able to exercise the way I can now, which is what I need to do to help my heart,” he said. The bonus for Tom has been enjoying running with his granddaughter. Since his hip surgery they both completed the CrazyLegs Classic and the Farmers Appreciation Day 5K.