Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal, MBBS, MS (Orthopaedics), Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Surgeon, Founder & Owner, MAHI Multispeciality Hospitals, Kilpauk, Chennai.
Last medically reviewed: August 2026
Why People Search for an Orthopaedic Doctor in Chennai
Nobody walks in on day one of joint pain. That’s the pattern we see most often at the clinic: someone has been managing a knee or a shoulder quietly for weeks, sometimes months, telling themselves it’s just age, or that it will settle down on its own. A construction worker keeps working through a meniscus tear because taking time off isn’t an option. A weekend runner ices a hip and hopes. A grandmother stops picking up her grandchildren without quite admitting why.
By the time most people search for an orthopaedic doctor in Chennai, the pain has already started shaping their choices, what stairs they avoid, what they no longer do without thinking twice.
If that sounds familiar, here’s what’s actually useful to know: what an orthopaedic doctor does, how to tell if you need one now versus later, and what Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal’s practice at Kilpauk and Aminjikarai looks like in practice, not in marketing language.
When Should You See an Orthopaedic Doctor in Chennai?
Not every ache needs an urgent visit. But a few signs shouldn’t be waited out.
See someone this week if:
- Pain has lasted more than 2 to 3 weeks without easing
- A joint is swollen with no obvious injury behind it
- You’re limping, or catch yourself avoiding weight on one leg
- Pain is waking you up at night
- There’s numbness or tingling running down an arm or leg
Go the same day if:
- There was a fall, an accident, or a sudden sharp pain
- A joint looks visibly out of shape
- You genuinely can’t put weight on the limb
Everything else, the general stiffness, the occasional twinge, is still worth getting checked. It just doesn’t need to happen today.
About Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal, Orthopaedic Doctor in Chennai
Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal has been operating on knees and hips in Chennai for over 18+ years, long enough to have watched robotic-assisted surgery go from experimental to standard practice. He trained internationally in Germany and Australia, previously led the robotic joint replacement programme at Medway Hospitals, and currently practises as a senior joint replacement surgeon at MGM Healthcare, alongside his own clinic in Kilpauk.
Ask patients what stands out and it’s rarely the credentials. It’s the pace of the consultation. He works from a simple rule: nobody leaves the room without understanding, in plain language, what’s actually wrong and why one treatment is being suggested over another. In a field where “you need surgery” sometimes gets said too quickly, that explanation is where trust is either built or lost.
Where he practises:
- Founder and Owner: MAHI Multispeciality Hospitals, 118, Poonamallee High Rd, Purasaiwakkam, Chennai, Greater Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600084
- MGM Healthcare: 54, Nelson Manickam Rd, Aminjikarai, Chennai 600029
- Qualifications: MBBS, MS (Orthopaedics), Advanced Fellowship in Joint Replacement Surgery, international training in Germany and Australia.
Conditions Treated and How Treatment Decisions Are Made
Orthopaedics covers a lot of ground, and not every orthopaedic doctor in Chennai approaches every joint problem the same way. Here’s a realistic sense of what comes through the door, and roughly how the decision between treatments actually gets made, not a generic symptom checklist, but the real logic behind it.
| Condition | What patients usually notice first | How treatment is typically decided |
| Knee osteoarthritis | Morning stiffness, difficulty with stairs, a grinding feeling | X-ray and clinical exam first; physiotherapy and medication tried before any talk of replacement |
| ACL or meniscus tears | A sports injury, a “pop” sound, the knee giving way | MRI confirms the tear; partial tears are often managed conservatively, complete tears usually need arthroscopic repair |
| Hip pain or avascular necrosis | Groin pain, stiffness getting in and out of a car | Imaging decides whether the joint can be preserved or needs replacing |
| Fractures | Sudden injury, visible swelling or deformity | Immediate stabilisation, then a decision between casting and surgical fixation based on the fracture type |
| Shoulder pain or rotator cuff issues | Pain reaching overhead, weakness lifting | Conservative care first in most cases; arthroscopic repair reserved for full tears that don’t respond |
| Spine-related pain | Radiating pain, numbness down a limb | MRI to rule out disc issues before anything more invasive is discussed |
The thread running through all of it: imaging and an accurate diagnosis come before any treatment recommendation, never the other way around.
Robotic vs Conventional Joint Replacement: Which One Do You Need?
This comes up in nearly every consultation about knee or hip replacement, so it’s worth answering plainly instead of just listing benefits.
Robotic-assisted replacement isn’t automatically the better choice for everyone. It genuinely helps with implant positioning accuracy, and that matters more for patients with unusual joint anatomy or significant deformity. For a straightforward case, a well-performed conventional replacement can deliver results that are very close. Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal’s approach is to look at the anatomy first and recommend the technique suited to that specific joint, rather than defaulting to whichever option sounds more advanced.
What robotic assistance reliably improves: alignment precision, soft tissue preservation, and for many patients, a somewhat faster early recovery. What it doesn’t do: replace the surgeon’s judgement, or guarantee a better outcome regardless of how experienced that surgeon is with the system.
What to Expect During Your First Consultation
A lot of the anxiety around a first orthopaedic visit comes from simply not knowing what happens. In practice, it’s fairly straightforward:
- History and physical exam — how the pain started, what makes it worse, a hands-on check of movement and strength
- Imaging, if needed — X-ray done on-site in most cases; MRI referred out and reviewed at a follow-up if soft tissue damage is suspected
- A plain-language explanation — what’s actually causing the problem, shown on the imaging where possible
- A treatment plan with real options — including the conservative route, when it’s viable, not just the surgical one
- Clear next steps before you leave — what to expect, what it will cost, and a realistic timeline
Most straightforward consultations run about 20 to 30 minutes. Same-day appointments are usually possible for acute pain or injury.
Recovery Timeline After Orthopaedic Treatment
Recovery timelines tend to get oversold online. Here’s a more grounded picture, based on typical patient progress:
- Weeks 1 to 2: Pain management, wound care, very limited movement; walker or crutches for joint replacement patients
- Weeks 3 to 6: Physiotherapy becomes the main focus; most patients manage light activity at home
- Weeks 6 to 12: Strength and range of motion improve steadily; return to office work is common in this window
- 3 to 6 months: Return to sport or physically demanding work, for those who need it, and only with consistent physiotherapy
The variable that matters most isn’t the surgery itself. It’s how consistently a patient follows through on physiotherapy afterward. Patients who skip sessions in the first six weeks routinely take longer to recover, no matter how well the surgery went.
Clinic Locations: Kilpauk and Aminjikarai
MAHI Multispeciality Hospitals, Purasaiwakkam, Chennai, Greater Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600084 is the primary Hospital for consultations, follow-ups, and pre-surgical planning. Better suited for routine appointments and second opinions.
MGM Healthcare, Aminjikarai is where Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal operates as senior joint replacement surgeon. Better suited to patients already moving toward surgery, or who prefer a larger multi-speciality hospital setup.
📞 +91 91597 11355 📧 mahiclinicchennai@gmail.com
Patient Reviews and Testimonials
I went for knee replacement surgery. He is one of the best Ortho doctors I have ever seen. The best knee surgeon in Chennai. He is a very kind and highly knowledgeable person. I am happy to give a five-star rating to Dr. Vijay Sohanlal.
Kandakumar Ramachandran
We visited doctor for a mild pain near hip for over two months constantly.. We consulted many doctors earlier but pain didn’t reduce.. Then we visited Dr Vijay… He diagnosed that it was a small subchondral stress fracture in femoral head of hip and advised us for non surgical conventional treatment… Doctor was very considerate and allowed us to choose conventional treatment over surgery… We followed his advise religiously and found tremendous improvement ..
After 12 weeks the fracture line was completely healed and i was able to walk without any support and pain… Thanks to doctor for patiently guiding us through all stages of treatment.. We are very grateful to the doctor for his expertise and guidance which helped us to heal the fracture without Surgery.
Choosing the Right Orthopaedic Doctor in Chennai
Ignoring joint pain doesn’t make it go away. It usually just narrows your options later. Whether it’s a knee that’s been quietly getting worse for months, or a fresh injury that needs attention today, the earlier you get an accurate diagnosis, the more choices you have, including the choice to avoid surgery altogether.
Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal consults at MAHI Multispeciality Hospitals, Poonamallee High Rd, Purasaiwakkam, Chennai, Greater Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600084 and MGM Healthcare, Aminjikarai,
six days a week. Book a consultation or call +91 91597 11355.
Conclusion
Bone and joint health directly affects your independence, your comfort, and your quality of life. Ignoring pain may feel easier in the short term, but it rarely solves the underlying problem — and often makes it worse. Whether you need a routine consultation, a second opinion, or a complex surgical procedure, finding the right orthopaedic doctor in Chennai is the most important first step. Dr. Vijay Kumar Sohanlal combines the surgical precision of a highly trained specialist with the communication style of a doctor who genuinely cares about your outcome.
Read More: Best Robotic Surgeon in TamilNadu.
