The Trusted Orthopaedic Specialist in Singapore

I always advise my patients to listen to their body and not to push through the pain barrier. If you have tried RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) and simple painkillers, and your pain continues, then I advise you to seek medical advice, as continuing to play sport may worsen the problem.

Most patients will need some form of imaging. X-rays and CT scans are useful to rule out bony problems, whilst an MRI scan is excellent at looking at soft tissue (e.g. tendons, ligaments, cartilage) problems.

It depends how bad your problem is. If you have a broken bone which is extremely painful and disabling, then you may benefit from immediate surgery.

For less severe problems, then it may be worth trying non-surgical management initially such as painkillers and physiotherapy. If your symptoms do not improve or even worsen, then you may benefit from surgery.

Usually not, although I warn patients to avoid Traditional Chinese Medicine and blood thinning medications 2 weeks before surgery, as these may increase risk of bleeding during and after the operation.