Baldwin Bone & Joint to Host Free Lunch and Learn on Chronic Knee Pain Solutions in Spanish Fort

SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Daphne-based orthopedic practice Baldwin Bone & Joint, P.C. will host a complimentary Lunch and Learn on Thursday, September 10, focused on chronic knee pain solutions. The event is part of the practice’s ongoing effort to bring orthopedic specialists out of the clinic and into community settings where residents can ask questions in a relaxed, low-pressure environment.

Dr. Andrew McGee, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacements, and Dr. Andy Harcourt, a fellowship-trained non-surgical sports medicine specialist, will present “Non-Surgical & Surgical Solutions to Chronic Knee Pain – Understanding the Process: When to Choose, What to Expect & Keys to Effective Recovery.” The presentation is built around one of the most common questions patients ask: whether surgery is the right answer, or whether a less invasive path might bring meaningful relief.

Event details

The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with lunch served beginning at 11 a.m., at the Spanish Fort Community Center, 7361 Spanish Fort Blvd., Spanish Fort, Alabama. The format is designed to fit neatly into a lunch hour, allowing working professionals, retirees and caregivers to attend without disrupting the rest of their day. In-person reservations are required for all who wish to attend and must be made by Monday, September 7. No call-in reservations will be accepted. For more information about Baldwin Bone & Joint, call (251) 625-2663 or visit baldwinboneandjoint.com.

Organizers say they have planned for ample time during the session for audience questions. Both physicians will be available to discuss specific concerns from attendees, and the practice’s team will be on hand to talk through what a first-time patient visit looks like, what insurance questions typically come up and what rehabilitation services are available locally after any procedure.

Why chronic knee pain deserves attention

Chronic knee pain is one of the most common reasons adults in the Gulf Coast region — and across the country — limit their activity, and it can stem from many sources: arthritis and gradual wear over time, old sports injuries, or acute damage from a fall or accident on the job. Left unaddressed, persistent knee pain often leads people to move less, which can set off a cycle of stiffness, weakness and further discomfort that can be difficult to break once it has started.

For older adults, knee pain can quickly become a quality-of-life issue. Walking the dog, climbing stairs, getting in and out of a car and keeping up with grandchildren all depend on healthy knees, and chronic pain can quietly chip away at independence. For younger adults and athletes, knee problems can derail fitness routines and sideline active hobbies. The Lunch and Learn is designed to address both groups with practical guidance tailored to their stage of life.

Non-surgical and surgical options side by side

The good news, specialists stress, is that surgery is far from the only option. Non-surgical approaches — from targeted physical therapy and activity modification to injections and bracing — can deliver meaningful relief for many patients, and knowing when those options are appropriate is a key part of any treatment plan. Physical therapy, in particular, has grown more sophisticated in recent years, with therapists using targeted exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and improve mechanics in ways that can delay or even eliminate the need for surgery.

When surgery does become the right choice, modern techniques have generally shortened hospital stays and sped up recovery compared with a generation ago, but outcomes still depend heavily on preparation and a committed rehabilitation effort afterward. Joint replacement surgery in particular has benefited from improvements in implant design, surgical technique and pain management, and many patients are back to light activity within weeks rather than months.

That decision-making process — when to choose conservative care, when to consider a procedure, and what recovery actually looks like — is exactly what the September 10 session aims to demystify. Pairing a surgical specialist with a non-surgical sports medicine physician lets attendees hear both sides of the decision from clinicians who work together in the same practice. Dr. McGee and Dr. Harcourt see patients collaboratively and consult on cases where the right path forward is not immediately obvious, an arrangement that allows them to offer balanced perspectives during the presentation.

Education in the community

Baldwin Bone & Joint has long used free community education events as a way to connect Baldwin County residents with specialists before an injury or condition becomes severe. The Lunch and Learn format keeps the commitment light — an hour, plus a meal — while giving attendees direct access to ask questions about their own knees, hips and activity goals. Previous sessions hosted by the practice have covered topics ranging from shoulder pain and hip arthritis to sports injuries and fall prevention for older adults.

For a practice that has served the Eastern Shore for many years, community education has become part of how the physicians define their work. Specialists say they would rather see patients earlier in the course of a problem than later, when conservative options may no longer be enough. Events like the Lunch and Learn are part of that philosophy, lowering the barrier to a conversation that might otherwise feel intimidating.

Who should attend

Seats are limited by the venue, and organizers encourage early registration before the September 7 deadline. Whether you’re a longtime runner dealing with a nagging ache, a weekend golfer wondering about that persistent swelling, or a family member researching options for an aging parent, the session promises practical, jargon-free guidance on the path from chronic pain back to an active life. Attendees do not need to be current patients of the practice to attend, and the session is open to anyone who wants to learn more about managing their own joint health.

Spanish Fort and the surrounding Eastern Shore communities have grown increasingly interested in staying active well into older age, and knee health is central to that goal. From the boat ramps and bayou access points that draw residents outdoors to the golf courses and walking trails that fill the weekends, the Eastern Shore offers countless opportunities for activity, but only if knees cooperate. The Lunch and Learn is designed to help residents keep those opportunities open for as long as possible.

More information about Baldwin Bone & Joint’s services, providers and upcoming community events is available at the practice’s website or by calling (251) 625-2663. Reservations for the September 10 Lunch and Learn can be made through the practice’s event page.

What to expect from a knee pain evaluation

For residents who have not seen an orthopedic specialist before, the idea of a knee pain evaluation can feel intimidating. In practice, the process is straightforward. A specialist will typically begin with a detailed history of the pain, including when it started, what makes it worse and what activities it has begun to limit. A physical exam follows, with the physician checking range of motion, strength and the stability of the joint. Imaging, including X-rays or MRI scans, may be ordered if the cause of the pain is not clear from the history and exam alone.

From there, treatment plans are built around the specific diagnosis. Patients with arthritis that has not yet progressed to bone-on-bone contact may be candidates for injections, bracing or physical therapy. Patients with more advanced joint damage may be candidates for partial or total knee replacement. The Lunch and Learn will walk through each of those paths so attendees can understand which one might apply to their own situation.

The role of rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is the often-overlooked part of any knee treatment plan. Whether a patient ultimately has surgery or sticks with conservative care, the work that happens afterward — physical therapy, home exercises and gradual return to activity — is what determines how well the knee performs in the long run. Dr. Harcourt’s presence on the panel reflects that emphasis, with his fellowship training in non-surgical sports medicine giving him particular insight into how athletes and active adults recover from knee injuries and surgery.

Patients who commit to their rehabilitation plan tend to see better outcomes than those who do not, and the Lunch and Learn will give attendees a clear picture of what that commitment looks like in practice. For many people, that conversation alone is enough to help them move forward with confidence, whether they end up scheduling a follow-up appointment or simply making changes to their daily routine.

Looking ahead

With chronic knee pain affecting so many adults along the Gulf Coast, the Lunch and Learn is part of Baldwin Bone & Joint’s broader effort to make orthopedic care more approachable. The practice has grown to include multiple physicians, advanced practice providers and rehabilitation specialists, all of whom work together to provide care across the Eastern Shore. Events like the September 10 Lunch and Learn give residents a no-cost way to begin that relationship before a problem becomes urgent.

A Growing Population, A Growing Need

Baldwin County has been among the fastest-growing counties in Alabama for years, drawing retirees and working families alike to communities along the Eastern Shore such as Spanish Fort, Daphne and Fairhope. That growth has brought with it a rising demand for orthopedic and sports medicine care, as newcomers of every age settle into a region built around outdoor living — boating, golf, walking trails and youth sports leagues that keep joints in near-constant use. Nationally, arthritis and joint pain remain among the leading causes of activity limitation among adults, and knee problems specifically are consistently cited by public health researchers as one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints driving visits to primary care and orthopedic offices alike. For a fast-growing area like Baldwin County, that translates into steady demand for exactly the kind of specialist guidance the Lunch and Learn series is designed to provide.

The Value of Preventive Orthopedic Education

Health systems and physician practices across the country have increasingly leaned on free community education sessions as a way to reach patients before a condition worsens to the point of requiring emergency or urgent intervention. The logic is straightforward: a patient who understands their options early, whether that means starting physical therapy, modifying activity or simply monitoring a mild ache, is more likely to avoid the kind of advanced joint damage that leaves surgery as the only remaining option. Lunch and Learn-style events, held at accessible community venues rather than inside a clinical setting, have become a common outreach tool for orthopedic, cardiology and other specialty practices precisely because they lower the psychological barrier that keeps many people from seeking care until a problem becomes severe. For a practice serving a region with an aging population and an active lifestyle culture, that kind of early engagement can meaningfully shape long-term outcomes for the patients who attend.