The knee is a large and robust joint carrying about half of the body’s weight. However, it can be vulnerable to serious injury, arthritis, infection and congenital problems. There are a range of surgical procedures that can be performed depending on the diagnosis, from arthroscopy to joint replacement.

Dr Rimmington specialises in all sports injuries to the knee and shoulder. He treats a wide range of athletes across many sports with varied injuries and problems. During his extensive training in Canada in 2006 at the renowned Fowler-Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic,  Dale worked under the supervision of Dr. Peter Fowler a past President of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, as well as other leading surgeons at the Fowler-Kennedy clinic including Prof. Bob Litchfield, Dr. Robert Giffin and Dr. Kevin Willits.

Common sports injuries can include but are not limited to the knee ligaments – anterior cruciate ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament, the medial collateral cruciate ligament, and the lateral collateral ligament. If left untreated they can cause recurrent knee instability preventing a return to rigorous activity, and can continue to “give way” during normal daily activities and cause pain.

Due to the complex and elegant structure of the shoulder joint and the stresses often placed upon it, the muscles and tendons of the shoulder are highly vulnerable to injury. One of the most common injuries occurs to the rotator cuff, a very important structure composed of four tendons that connect the muscles of the shoulder blade (scapula) to the upper arm bone (humerous), and responsible for keeping the shoulder joint stable and allowing flexibility of the arm and the shoulder.

Knee or shoulder arthroscopy is a common procedure that orthopaedic surgeons use to examine and treat the inside of the joint. It involves an arthroscope, a thin fibre-optic telescope about the width of a pencil which is passed into the joint through a small incision. This is done under an anaesthetic. A camera is attached to the arthroscope, and a clear view of the inside of the joint can be seen on a video monitor. This allows your surgeon to examine all areas inside the joint, make a diagnosis, and depending on the diagnosis treat a number of abnormalities during the same procedure. Arthroscopic surgery has become a routine procedure. The incisions are much smaller which assists faster healing and lowers the risk of complications.

Shoulder or Knee joint replacements are major surgical procedures to remove the damaged joint and replace it with an artificial joint. In a shoulder replacement the surgeon may replace only the head of the humerous leaving the natural socket, or both the head of the humerous bone and the socket. This depends on the extent of the damage to the joint. Knee joint replacement also may mean replacing part or all of the knee joint, depending on damage to the knee and other various issues relating to the patient and their individual problem. During a knee replacement surgery the surgeon will remove the damaged areas of the end of the femur(thigh) bone and the top end of the tibia bone.

The aim of Ligament Reconstruction surgery is to provide the most stable joint possible in the circumstances of your case. A torn ligament cannot heal by itself and in most cases needs to be repaired or re-attached. Without reconstructive surgery, the knee joint may degenerate further, with damage to the articular cartilage of the femur or tibia and the menisci of the knee.

The shoulder joint is a complex structure that allows a wide range of motion, rotation, speed and power. It is the most mobile and flexible joint in the body. However, it is highly vulnerable to injury. The head of the humerous is normally held firmly in place in the glenoid cavity ( shoulder socket) by shoulder ligaments, shoulder tendons and soft cartilage called the labrum that encircles the glenoid cavity. There are many different types of surgery that may be used to stabilise and repair the shoulder joint and Dr Rimmington would discuss the best option for your situation.

Dr Rimmington is a Certified Independent Medical Examiner and is registered with the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners. He is qualified to perform Medico-legal Examinations for the purpose of a legal report with designated appointments available for clients needing this service.

 Dr Dale Rimmington is a member of the Australian Orthopaedic Association, the Queensland Shoulder Society, the Australian Medical Association, and  the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Dr Rimmington designates time each week for assessment and reports for Workcover patients. If you would like to make an appointment for your client/claimant please call the office on 1300 374664 or email [email protected] and our staff will schedule an appointment as soon as possible.