sports injuries—particularly those related to the knee or shoulder— are a reality at every level of athletics. Even when taking all of the right precautions, the most seasoned athlete can tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or sustain another serious injury.

However, athletes can take some comfort in knowing that there are minimally invasive surgical options for many of the most common sports injuries. For athletes who do not require open surgery, an arthroscopy is the ideal surgical option because it targets the injured area, while keeping healthy bone and tissue intact.

How Does Arthroscopic Surgery Work?

Arthroscopy, also called arthroscopic surgery, is a minimally-invasive and highly effective technique for treating joint problems. During an arthroscopy, the surgeon makes a few small incisions at the affected area and uses these openings to insert a small camera (Arthroscope), and surgical instruments. The surgeon can then see and explore the inside of the joint to repair or clean out the joint using the inserted instruments. The benefits of arthroscopy over open surgery include:

  • Smaller incisions are used
  • Less invasive to surrounding, healthy areas of the joint
  • Faster recovery
  • Less post-operative pain
  • Less scarring

While these benefits apply to both athletes and non-athletes alike, they can make all of the difference for someone who wants to return to a sport or needs to return to work as soon as possible.