Locations
Office
Jacksonville, NC
Address
(910) 353-1437, Coastal Carolina Orthopaedic Surgeons, PA 237 White Street, Jacksonville, NC
DirectionsPractice website
About
Bio
Dr. McClurg is a Board Certified noted Orthopedic expert focusing on Joint restoration and replacement treatments both conservative and surgical. In addition to being a Medical Doctor, Dr. McClurg also earned a Doctoral degree in Medical Biochemistry. His research interests are in Cartilage repair, replacement and growth. Dr. McClurg trained at The Ohio State University and has received a number of Patient care awards including compassionate physician awards, Patient choice awards, and has been named one of America’s Best Orthopaedic Surgeons by the Consumers’ Research Council of America. Dr. McClurg is currently interest is in using health information technologies to enhance patient care.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Orthopedic Surgery
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
102 Answers
3 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 40-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Nothing: Djd and oa are two descriptions for the same basic process.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
6-8 weeks: While the bone usually heals in 6-8 weeks patients often continue to have symptoms beyond that time. This is due to the soft tissue injury that also o... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 16-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Cartilage wear: Bow leggedness or the varus knee can develop in adulthood if the cartilage on the inside of the knee wears down faster than the outside of the knee. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
No: The dislocation of the hip would cause severe pain, shortening of the leg, and an in ability to walk normally.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
6 weeks: Ankle fractures usually heal over 6-8 weeks. However, while the bone may heal in a short time the swelling, pain and stiffness may persist long after... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
See a doctor: Dislocations require early reduction, and sometimes require surgery. Non-treatment or delayed treatment of dislocations can result in permanent hand ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Relocation: Whether the hip is artificial or native prompt reduction decreases pain and restores function. Due to the spasm of very large muscles around the hip ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
These Symptoms: Prosthetic hip dislocation is usually but not universally a dramatic, painful event. There is usually deformity (shortening of the leg), pain and the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: A multitude of things can make someone more prone to tendonitis including genetic predisposition, repetitive activities associated with work or play, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Unlikely: Once the bones are healed there is very little motion of the bones, and it is highly unlikely that a fall would damage anything. The screws and or ot... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: The removal of the patella called patellectomy is a rare operation and has consequences for walking and other activities. Removal of the patella dece... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Probably not: This answer may generate controversy. Many of my patients absolutely swear that they can predict the weather based on their joint symptoms, and there... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Usually not: Pcl injuries, if complete, have zero healing potential. In partial injuries (sprains) depending on your age and other factors healing is possible.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
6-8 weeks: While the fracture usually heals in 6-8 weeks patients often experience symptoms related to the soft tissue injury that occurred at the time of the in... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Soft tissue injury: When bones fracture they release a large amount of energy into the soft tissue around them which damages that tissue. In addition swelling also occur... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: Fracture healing depends on a number of fractures including the severity of the break, the treatment the fracture receives, and the health of the pati... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Many things: Total joints can be made out of various metals including stainless steel, cobalt-chrome, or titanium, and the inserts are made out of these metals, or... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Many: Swelling, bruising, pain, deformity. The only way to know for sure is an x-ray.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Maybe: A very important question is why do you have severe osteoporosis at such a young age and what can be done about it. There are new developments in ost... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It relaxes collagen: Stretching has several benefits before activity including taking joints through their full range of motion, and increasing blood flow. Most important... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
No: Meniscal treatment will not result in leg lengthening. You may feel a difference in the leg, but it isn't a change in length. The meniscus is a soft... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
1-2 hours: Depending on what exactly has to be done. If grafts have to be harvested, etc. It takes longer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: Swelling in the hand after any surgery on the shoulder, elbow, or wrist is usually not a problem. The combination of increased blood flow to the arm ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Probably not: The more likely diagnosis in your age group is extensor tendinitis. This is often caused by a tight heal cord, and usually responds to Achilles stre... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: Significant spine arthritis can be accompanied by either foraminal stenosis (narrowing) or central stenosis (narrowing) which cause pressure on indivi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: Fracture healing depends on a number of factors including the severity of the break, the treatment the fracture receives, and the health of the patien... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: Finger deformity after an injury can be a boney malunion, a soft tissue problem only or a combination of the two. Osteotomy will help a malunion but ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: A colles fracture is a type of wrist fracture and the usual signs of a fracture are pain, swelling, and possibles deformity. Fractures are diagnosed ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
1-2 hours: The surgical time for a broken femur usually last 1-2 hours.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Big difference: Sprains are stretching or tearing of tissues holding bones together, while fractures or breaks are actually failures of the bone itself. Sometime you... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
No: There is no evidence that there is an treatment that reliably reverses knee cartilage injury including acupuncture.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: The early treatment is focused on the fracture, the long term treatment focuses on soft tissue healing. When bones fracture they release a tremendous... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Life changing: In the right expert hands and in the right patient knee replacement surgery can be life changing. When patients have exhausted conservative treatment... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
No: While there is no reliable cure for recalcitrant plantar fasciitis there are surgical procedures including gastronemius recession (strayer type proced... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: The scaphoid is sort of like the transmission of the wrist. Fractures of the scaphoid often heal slowly or not at all and require surgery. Playing c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: Full recovery after knee replacement usually takes more than a year. Most patients reduce their use of pain medicines within two weeks of the replace... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
A lot: Avoiding excessive cutting and pivoting and pounding activities (like running and jumping) are important. Otherwise there aren't many limitations aft... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Trauma or not: Both are forms of joint degeneration. In traumatic arthritis there is an identified injury to the joint which leads to the degeneration. In degenera... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: Some joints are frequently treated with strengthening exercises, especially the shoulder and kneecap dislocations. These treatments can be very succ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: Some ankle fractures can be treated with braces and early weight bearing, while some require extensive surgery, and long periods of not putting weight... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: Yes, subacute or chronic osteomyelitis (bone infection) can occur without fever.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Yes: Depending on the location they are usually called bouchard's or heberden's nodules. They are rarely of an significance, but are harbingers of joint a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: Most clavicle fractures are treated without surgery. When they are severely displaced or shortened surgery is indicated.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Bad things: It is exceedingly unlikely that all of the cartilage would be removed. Nothing good comes from having all the cartilage removed from a joint. Unfort... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Gentle: Activities that take these joints through gentle ranges of motion and avoid pounding on them are best. Biking, swimming, walking, and hiking are grea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Ask your doctor: Post surgical rehabilitation and return to activity is usually strictly controlled by the surgeon and the time to return to full activity is dictated ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
Probably not: While they could i would be surprised if you could find an emergency room physician that would be willing to do that procedure. That injection is bes... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
There is only one: Orthopedic surgeons are uniquely qualified to perform bone and joint surgery. Podiatrist also perform some type of joint surgery which are limited to... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
No: It is hard to see how a simple injury to a joint would lead to cancer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:

Dr. Joel McClurganswered
Specializes in Orthopedic Surgery
It depends: Small bones usually take around 6 weeks while large bones like the thigh bone can take months, and months to heal even in perfectly healthy people.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
2
Recommendations
267
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. McClurg is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. McClurg is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Please invent a cartilege replacement. It could look like a newly unwrapped condom. Produce it in surgical nylon. Roll iit up and insert i
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! AT LEAST THERE'S STILL HOPE FOR THE FUTURE FOR OTHER PEOPLE
HealthTap member
Am 8wks postop; told 6mos recov; soft tissue work ext. expect 12mos
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