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At Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics, we specialize in diagnosing and treating orthopedic and sports medicine conditions with an emphasis on nonsurgical care. Our goal is to identify the source of your pain, explain your treatment options, and help you stay active while avoiding unnecessary surgery whenever possible.

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We treat patients with joint pain, arthritis, tendon and ligament injuries, sports injuries, and other musculoskeletal conditions at our offices in Raleigh and Cary, North Carolina.

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Our physicians use a combination of clinical evaluation, diagnostic imaging, image-guided procedures, and modern nonsurgical treatments. Depending on your diagnosis, treatment may include traditional conservative care, targeted injections, viscosupplementation, shockwave therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and other orthobiologic procedures.

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Orthopedic Conditions We Treat

Many orthopedic problems can be evaluated and treated without surgery. Our physicians treat conditions involving the knees, shoulders, hips, elbows, hands, wrists, feet, ankles, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Knee Pain and Knee Arthritis

Knee pain is one of the most common reasons patients visit our practice. Causes can include osteoarthritis, meniscus injuries, tendon problems, ligament injuries, overuse, and sports injuries.

Treatment depends on the underlying diagnosis rather than simply treating the pain.

Learn more about:

Knee Pain Treatment

Knee Arthritis Treatment

Meniscus Tear Treatment

Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Injuries

Shoulder pain can result from rotator cuff injuries, tendinopathy, bursitis, arthritis, frozen shoulder, and other conditions.

Many shoulder problems can initially be treated nonsurgically. An accurate diagnosis is important because treatment for a rotator cuff problem may be very different from treatment for arthritis or frozen shoulder.

Learn more about:

Shoulder Pain Treatment

Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment

Hip Pain

Hip pain does not always originate from the hip joint itself. Arthritis, tendon injuries, bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy, and problems involving the surrounding muscles can produce similar symptoms.

Our physicians evaluate the source of the pain before recommending treatment.

Learn more about Hip Pain Treatment

Sports and Overuse Injuries

You do not have to be a competitive athlete to develop a sports injury. Running, tennis, pickleball, golf, weight training, recreational sports, and everyday activity can all produce tendon, ligament, muscle, and joint injuries.

Our approach emphasizes accurate diagnosis and treatments designed to help patients remain active whenever safely possible.

Learn more about Sports Medicine

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How We Diagnose Orthopedic Problems

Successful treatment begins with understanding what is actually causing your symptoms.

An orthopedic evaluation may include a detailed history, physical examination, review of previous imaging, and additional diagnostic testing when appropriate.

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Musculoskeletal ultrasound can also allow physicians to evaluate certain tendons, ligaments, joints, and other soft tissues in real time. Ultrasound may also be used to precisely guide injections and other procedures.

The appropriate evaluation depends on the individual patient and condition. MRI, X-rays, ultrasound, or other testing may be recommended when clinically appropriate.

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Nonsurgical Orthopedic Treatment Options

There is no single treatment that is appropriate for every orthopedic condition.

Our physicians develop treatment plans based on the diagnosis, severity of the condition, previous treatments, activity goals, age, overall health, and other individual factors.

Treatment may include activity modification, rehabilitation recommendations, bracing, medications when appropriate, image-guided injections, viscosupplementation, shockwave therapy, and regenerative or orthobiologic procedures.

Image-Guided Injections

When an injection is appropriate, imaging can help the physician identify the intended treatment location and accurately guide the procedure.

Depending on the condition, injection options may include corticosteroid injections, viscosupplementation, PRP, or other treatments.

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Learn about Gel Knee Injections and Viscosupplementation

Learn about Cortisone Injections

Shockwave Therapy

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a noninvasive treatment that may be considered for selected chronic tendon and musculoskeletal conditions.

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It is commonly used as part of a broader treatment plan rather than as a replacement for an accurate diagnosis.

Learn more about Shockwave Therapy

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PRP and Regenerative Orthopedics

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Regenerative medicine and orthobiologics are an important part of our practice, but they are not appropriate for every patient or every orthopedic condition.

Platelet-rich plasma, commonly called PRP, uses a concentration of platelets prepared from the patient's own blood. PRP may be considered for selected joint, tendon, ligament, and other musculoskeletal conditions.

The decision to use PRP should be based on the patient's diagnosis and individual circumstances rather than simply the presence of pain.

Learn more about PRP Injections

For selected patients, other orthobiologic procedures may also be discussed after a physician evaluation.

Learn more about MFAT Cell Therapy

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Do I Need Orthopedic Surgery?

Not every orthopedic problem requires surgery—but nonsurgical treatment is not always the right answer either.

Some fractures, severe injuries, advanced joint conditions, progressive neurologic problems, and other orthopedic conditions may require surgical evaluation.

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Our goal is not to avoid surgery at all costs. It is to help determine whether surgery is necessary and, when appropriate, explore reasonable nonsurgical options first.

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If our physicians believe that surgical evaluation is the appropriate next step, we can recommend that you see an orthopedic surgeon.

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Why Choose Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics?

Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics focuses on physician-led nonsurgical orthopedic and sports medicine care.

Our approach emphasizes:

• Accurate diagnosis before treatment

• Physician-performed orthopedic procedures

• Image guidance when appropriate

• Individualized treatment rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol

• Traditional nonsurgical treatments as well as regenerative options

• Helping patients remain active and functional whenever possible

• Recognizing when surgical evaluation is appropriate

Rather than beginning with a particular procedure, we begin by determining what is causing your problem and which treatment options make sense for you.

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Nonsurgical Orthopedic Care in Raleigh and Cary, NC

Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics sees patients from throughout Raleigh, Cary, Wake County, and surrounding North Carolina communities.

Patients can be evaluated at either of our Raleigh or Cary locations.

View Our Raleigh & Cary Locations

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Schedule an Orthopedic Evaluation

If joint pain, arthritis, a sports injury, or another musculoskeletal problem is keeping you from doing the things you enjoy, schedule an evaluation with Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics.

Our physicians can help determine the cause of your symptoms and discuss whether nonsurgical treatment may be appropriate.

Schedule an Appointment​

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Orthopedic pain does not always require surgery. Many joint, tendon, ligament, muscle, and sports injuries can be evaluated and treated using nonsurgical orthopedic treatments designed to reduce pain, improve function, and help patients remain active.

At Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics, our physicians specialize in evaluating musculoskeletal problems and developing individualized treatment plans for patients who want to explore appropriate alternatives to surgery. We treat patients at our Raleigh and Cary, North Carolina locations using diagnostic imaging, ultrasound-guided procedures, traditional nonsurgical orthopedic care, and advanced orthobiologic treatments.

Our goal is not simply to treat pain. We first work to identify what structure is causing the problem and why it hurts, and then determine which treatment options make sense for that particular diagnosis.

Depending on the condition, treatment may include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), SuperPRP+, MFAT, shockwave therapy, hyaluronic acid injections, rehabilitation, bracing, activity modification, or other image-guided orthopedic procedures.

 

What Is Nonsurgical Orthopedics?

Nonsurgical orthopedics focuses on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions without immediately turning to an operation.

Many orthopedic problems fall into a large area between simply “living with the pain” and having surgery. This can include osteoarthritis, tendon injuries, partial ligament injuries, overuse conditions, sports injuries, bursitis, and other causes of chronic joint or musculoskeletal pain.

A nonsurgical approach begins with an accurate diagnosis.

A patient who has “knee pain,” for example, could have knee osteoarthritis, a meniscus tear, patellar tendinopathy, a ligament injury, or another condition. Those problems should not automatically receive the same treatment.

Similarly, shoulder pain may originate from a rotator cuff tear, arthritis, calcific tendinitis, biceps or labral pathology, or other structures.

Identifying the underlying diagnosis helps us determine which nonsurgical treatment—if any—is most appropriate.

H2: Conditions We Treat Without Surgery

We evaluate a wide range of orthopedic and sports medicine conditions affecting the major joints and surrounding soft tissues.

H3: Knee Pain and Knee Arthritis

The knee is one of the most common areas we treat. Patients may be experiencing arthritis, meniscus injuries, tendon problems, ligament injuries, overuse conditions, or persistent pain that limits exercise and everyday activities.

Learn more about our approach to nonsurgical knee pain treatment.

For patients with osteoarthritis who are trying to remain active or explore alternatives to knee replacement, treatment may include exercise and strengthening, weight management when appropriate, bracing, hyaluronic acid injections, PRP, or other orthobiologic options depending on the severity of arthritis and individual circumstances.

Learn more about nonsurgical knee arthritis treatment.

H3: Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Problems

Not every rotator cuff tear requires surgery.

Treatment depends on factors including the type and size of the tear, strength, function, age, activity demands, symptoms, and whether the injury is acute or chronic.

We evaluate shoulder pain, rotator cuff tears, frozen shoulder, calcific tendinitis, arthritis, labral injuries, and other shoulder conditions.

For selected tendon injuries, treatments such as rehabilitation, shockwave therapy, ultrasound-guided procedures or PRP may be considered.

H3: Hip Pain and Hip Arthritis

Hip pain can come from the joint itself or the muscles, tendons and other structures surrounding the hip.

Our physicians evaluate hip pain, hip osteoarthritis, labral problems, impingement and lateral hip pain associated with gluteal tendon injuries.

For patients with arthritis who are trying to postpone or avoid premature joint replacement, we can discuss appropriate alternatives to hip replacement, including nonsurgical management and selected orthobiologic procedures.

 

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections

Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is an orthobiologic treatment prepared from a patient's own blood.

Blood is drawn and processed to concentrate platelets and associated signaling proteins. The resulting PRP is then injected into the targeted joint, tendon, ligament or other injured structure when appropriate.

PRP is not one standardized product. Preparation methods and platelet concentrations can differ significantly.

At Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics, we use high-dose PRP protocols and perform orthopedic PRP procedures under physician supervision, using ultrasound guidance when appropriate to accurately target the involved structure.

PRP may be considered for selected patients with conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, tendon injuries, partial rotator cuff injuries, gluteal tendinopathy, tennis elbow and other musculoskeletal problems.

PRP is not a guarantee of tissue regeneration and does not eliminate the need for surgery in every patient. Patient selection and diagnosis matter.

 

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SuperPRP+ With Hyaluronic Acid

For selected patients, we also offer SuperPRP+.

SuperPRP+ combines concentrated PRP with additional plasma proteins and hyaluronic acid (HA) as part of an individualized treatment strategy.

Hyaluronic acid has been used for years as a nonsurgical option for osteoarthritis, particularly knee arthritis. It is sometimes referred to as a “gel injection” or viscosupplementation.

Combining these approaches may be considered for certain patients with joint arthritis who are looking for options beyond repeated corticosteroid injections or who want to explore nonsurgical treatment before joint replacement.

 

MFAT for Selected Patients With Arthritis

Microfragmented adipose tissue, or MFAT, is another orthobiologic option that may be considered for selected orthopedic conditions.

MFAT is prepared from a patient's own adipose tissue and processed before being delivered to the treatment area.

Patients may see treatments like these advertised broadly as “stem cell therapy.” We believe it is important to provide realistic expectations.

MFAT should not be presented as an injection that predictably regrows an entirely new joint or restores severe arthritis to normal. Instead, it may be considered as one treatment option for appropriately selected patients seeking improvement in pain and function.

 

Shockwave Therapy for Tendon and Soft-Tissue Injuries

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a noninvasive treatment that uses acoustic energy directed into injured tissue.

Shockwave therapy may be considered for certain chronic tendon and soft-tissue problems, including plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow, calcific shoulder tendinopathy and other persistent conditions.

Because shockwave therapy does not require an injection or surgical incision, it can be particularly attractive for selected patients looking for a nonsurgical approach to chronic tendon pain.

In some situations, shockwave may also be incorporated into a broader treatment program with rehabilitation or orthobiologic procedures.

 

 

Hyaluronic Acid and Other Image-Guided Injections

Not every patient needs PRP or MFAT.

For certain patients with osteoarthritis, hyaluronic acid injections may be appropriate.

Other patients may benefit from targeted diagnostic or therapeutic procedures based on the specific condition.

The key is matching the procedure to the diagnosis rather than offering every patient the same injection.

 

Ultrasound-Guided Orthopedic Procedures

Musculoskeletal ultrasound allows physicians to visualize many tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, nerves and other soft-tissue structures in real time.

When an injection or procedure is appropriate, ultrasound guidance can help the physician visualize the target and surrounding structures during treatment.

We use diagnostic imaging and orthopedic ultrasound and X-ray when appropriate as part of the evaluation and treatment process.

Ultrasound can be particularly useful when targeting tendon injuries, joint spaces, bursae and other structures where precision matters.

 

Sports Medicine Without Surgery

Athletes and active adults often want something more specific than being told simply to stop their activity.

Our sports medicine approach focuses on identifying the cause of the injury, developing an appropriate treatment strategy and helping patients return to the activities that matter to them when medically appropriate.

We treat both competitive athletes and recreationally active patients with tendon injuries, overuse conditions, joint pain and other musculoskeletal problems.

Nonsurgical treatment may include rehabilitation, activity modification, bracing, shockwave, image-guided procedures, PRP or other treatments depending on the diagnosis.

 

Alternatives to Orthopedic Surgery

One of the most common reasons patients visit our practice is to ask:

“Is there anything I can try before surgery?”

Sometimes the answer is yes.

Advances in sports medicine, image-guided procedures and orthobiologics have expanded the number of options available for certain orthopedic conditions.

For example, selected patients may be able to explore nonsurgical treatments before proceeding with knee replacement, hip replacement, rotator cuff surgery or meniscus surgery.

However, avoiding surgery at all costs is not the goal.

Some injuries and advanced orthopedic conditions are appropriately treated surgically. Severe joint destruction, major instability, certain acute tendon or ligament injuries, fractures and progressive neurological problems are examples where delaying necessary surgery may be inappropriate.

Our goal is to help determine whether a reasonable nonsurgical option exists before a patient proceeds with an operation—not to promise that surgery can always be avoided.

 

Why Choose Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics?

Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics focuses specifically on nonsurgical orthopedic and sports medicine care.

Our approach combines conventional orthopedic evaluation with newer nonsurgical technologies when appropriate.

Patients have access to:

• Physician evaluation and treatment

• Raleigh and Cary locations

• Musculoskeletal ultrasound

• X-ray imaging

• Ultrasound-guided procedures

• High-dose PRP

• SuperPRP+ with HA

• MFAT

• Shockwave therapy

• Hyaluronic acid injections

• Treatment for arthritis and sports injuries

• Nonsurgical options for selected patients considering surgery

Most importantly, treatment should be based on the patient's diagnosis—not on selling a particular procedure.

 

Nonsurgical Orthopedic Treatment in Raleigh & Cary, NC

If joint pain or an orthopedic injury is interfering with work, exercise, sports or everyday life, surgery is not necessarily the first step.

A thorough orthopedic evaluation can help determine the source of the problem and whether nonsurgical treatment is appropriate.

Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics provides nonsurgical orthopedic care for patients throughout Raleigh, Cary and the greater Triangle area of North Carolina.

Whether you are dealing with knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, arthritis, a sports injury or a chronic tendon problem, our physicians can evaluate the condition and discuss appropriate treatment options.

Contact Carolina Nonsurgical Orthopedics to schedule an evaluation at our Raleigh or Cary office.