Are Any Of These Nonsurgical Knee Treatment Options Right For You Talk With A Doctor
You might be tempted to grit your teeth and continue to tough out your knee pain. But before you resign yourself to missing out on your favorite sport, jogs around the neighborhood or dancing at your grandkids wedding, ask an orthopedist how they can help.
I have the pleasure of working with experienced orthopedists and orthopedic surgeons who are among the best in the Midwest. At TRIA, nonsurgical treatments are always the starting point.
Well work with you to create a tailored treatment plan to help reduce and heal knee pain. If or when the time comes to consider knee replacement surgery, well talk you through the process and answer any questions you may have.
Ready to talk with an orthopedist? Were here for you.
Treatment Options For Knee Osteoarthritis Patients
The good news for those who are suffering from this condition? Numerous effective nonoperative treatments options are available for patients. The orthopaedic experts at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute have compiled the following overview of four top non-surgical treatment options.
Changes to LifestyleFor active people, a moderation of activity may be helpful in reducing pain and inflammation. Those who take part in high-impact sports and activities may simply need to reduce the intensity or duration of activity or switch to low-impact athletic activities . In some cases, reducing intense, non-athletic activities may also be helpful. For inactive or overweight persons, losing weight and pursuing improved overall physical health may help to alleviate stress on your knees and reduce symptoms.
Physical TherapyPhysical therapy is likewise commonly prescribed – either alongside lifestyle modifications or as an independent treatment. Performing osteoarthritis knee exercises that improve flexibility, range of motion, and build muscle in the leg and knee is an effective means of relieving the effects of knee degradation and restoring strength and mobility to the knee.
MedicationsPatients who wish to try medications for the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms have several options available. These include non-narcotic pain relievers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and corticosteroid injections, which are injected into the affected joint and reduce pain and inflammation.
What Is Knee Pain
Knee pain can be a major source of discomfort that can lead to other problems such as an abnormal gait and back issues. The pain can have a profound impact on your life by impairing your capacity to perform a number of activities, ranging from those of your normal day-to-day routine to participating in sports and recreational activities. If you begin to notice that the pain lingers for more than a couple of weeks or is more severe than what you typically experience, then its important to consult a physician for further evaluation.
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Treatments For Quick But Short
The following treatment options can ease knee pain quickly usually right after doing them.
This makes them ideal for flare-ups. Or for helping you navigate your life with knee osteoarthritis.
Yet, their effectiveness will wear off if you dont pair them with long-term strategies. Also, some of them shouldnt be done for long, as they can cause other health issues.
These treatments include:
Physical Therapy For Knee Pain
Knee pain can affect your strength, balance and mobility. If knee pain has stopped you from doing something you enjoy, physical therapy may be able to help you get back to it.
Physical therapy, sometimes called rehabilitation, is a type of treatment that combines exercise, education and hands-on care to strengthen and loosen muscles and joints.
During physical therapy, a physical therapist will guide you through a treatment plan that fits your specific needs. Youll work together to come up with a treatment goal, such as improving your knee mobility, reducing swelling or improving your balance.
Treatment plans often include guided exercise with a physical therapist a few times a week, a personalized exercise plan to do at home and hands-on care like massage.
A physical therapist will also teach you about the causes of your knee pain and show you how to perform regular activities to avoid pain or further injury.
Youll likely finish your physical therapy plan in about three months. However, for lasting results, you should continue physical therapy exercises at home. By strengthening your knees and learning how to move, physical therapy can provide long-term pain management.
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Mesenchymal Stem Cells Or Mscs
Your bone marrow makes these types of cells. They can grow into new tissues, including cartilage. By gathering these cells and injecting them into the knee joint, the hope is that they will give rise to new cartilage and reduce inflammation.
Itâs a hot area, with clinical trials going on. But most studies are still early.
A review published in 2016 in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders concluded that MSC-based therapies offer an âexciting possibilityâ for treatment, but further studies need to work out how they can best be used and how well they work. Also, they’re expensive.
Types Of Braces And Dme Equipment
We carry a variety of braces in our clinic, and we specialize in making sure that you find something that relieves your symptoms, and fits your lifestyle. Some of the braces and other DME equipment we carry are:
- Hinged Knee Braces
Fitting for knee braces and other rehabilitation equipment can be a challenge. At Wake Sports Medicine, we have our skilled team ready to properly fit you for the correct piece of equipment. It is important to make sure that the equipment is not only the right fit, but that it is also designed to fulfill the intended use of the patient. Ill-fitting or the wrong equipment could cause injury and the medical condition to worsen.
How does a brace help relieve joint pain?
Joint pain is caused by a variety of factors, and often times arthritis is involved. When you have arthritis there is a great deal of friction within the joint, and this in turn causes inflammation and pain. When you use a brace you can sometimes stabilize the area of pain, and reduce the joint pain.
Wake Sports Medicine carries some very high tech braces that are also called unloading braces for the knee in particular. An unloader brace will actually change the forces in the knee to alleviate knee joint pain. This is a great option for patients that have specific knee arthritis but want to stay active.
Can a brace help avoid knee surgery?
Our Philosophy
Dont wait! Contact us today to experience knee pain relief without the risk of surgery. Call our office in Raleigh, NC at .
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What To Expect After Treatment
After arthroscopy, you may be on crutches and in a boot for six to eight weeks. Some patients experience stiffness, but little pain, while others find they need relief through regular icing, compression or medications.
Physical therapy and home exercises over this period are crucial to healing and optimal mobility. However, if you cannot undergo physical therapy, your doctor may recommend use of a continuous passive motion machine , a device that is used to gently flex and extend the knee.
We offer physical therapy onsite and will closely monitor your progress using advanced quantitative MRI imaging.
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Is Walking Good For Bone On Bone Knees
Walking is an excellent option for many patients with knee arthritis due to its low-impact nature that does not place undue strain on the joints. Furthermore, walking increases the range of motion in the knee while keeping it from becoming stiff.
Is walking good for your bones? According to the majority of studies, walking increases bone mineral density in the femoral neck and hip area. Walking on bones in other parts of the body is associated with a variety of side effects. You can also learn how to stay active even in the rain with these tips. The ability to walk quickly is likely the most important factor affecting your bone health and osteoporosis. At a walking speed of 5 to 6 km/h or between 3 and 3.7 mph, compressive and tensile strains were produced at levels similar to running, hopping, or jumping. A study published in 2018 recommends walking slowly to increase bone density.
Youll need to gradually build up your walking speed if you cant walk at more than 3%. Wearing a weighted vest transports a large amount of weight through the spine and the lower body. HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training, has been shown to be extremely beneficial in the past. Exercise should be included in your osteoporosis treatment program if you have it. Walking improves femoral and hip mobility. What exercise should one do to improve his strength and balance? What is the health benefit of yoga for bones?
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New Arthritic Knee Pain Treatment Can Lessen Pain Without Surgery
- A nonsurgical, minimally invasive treatment effectively provides pain relief both immediately and in the long term.
- Patients usually go home the same day after a short post-operative observation after undergoing genicular artery embolization or GAE.
Arthritis is one of the leading causes of joint-related pain for people throughout the world. Nevertheless, there may be a promising nonsurgical procedure that might relieve pain for at least 12 months.
Researchers at UCLA Health have studied a nonsurgical and minimally invasive treatment option for arthritis that effectively provides pain relief both immediately and in the long term.
Through a technique called genicular artery embolization, or GAE, physicians can relieve arthritis pain in the knees within hours of the procedure.
Arthritis is pain and swelling in the bodys joints after cartilage becomes damaged from overuse. It causes stiffness, immobility, and discomfort, which typically worsens with age.
When cartilage gets worn down, inflammatory enzymes are released, causing joint pain.
And with more than 100 types of arthritis, it is one of the most common ailments affecting people.
Genicular artery embolization is an outpatient procedure designed to limit inflammatory enzymes. GAE takes approximately 1 to 2 hours to complete, and patients usually go home the same day after a short post-operative observation.
Treatments For Slow But Long Term Knee Oa Relief
These are the most effective ways to treat knee osteoarthritis. The downside is that their results take a while to show.
Its very tempting to stop doing them and stick to the treatments above. But the real healing happens here, so you must persevere with these treatments for long-term management of knee OA:
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Who Is A Candidate
Our treatments are designed to help relieve pain in the joints due to sports injuries and arthritis, as well as non-sport-related musculoskeletal conditions. Have you been told you need a hip replacement? Are you looking to avoid knee surgery? Perhaps chronic arthritis has taken a toll on your body and is affecting your everyday activities. Early detection and treatment can make a huge difference in preventing long-term joint damage. However, even if youve suffered for a while, we can help. With the integration of all our treatment options, weve achieved maximum results time and again, for people who are suffering from:
- Chronic knee pain & instability
- Pain due to arthritis and osteoarthritis
- Torn ACL, MCL, LCL & meniscus
- Torn rotator cuff
- Hand and foot pain due to plantar fasciitis
What Is The Cost
The first office visit IS COVERED by insurance, and will be a history and physical. We will discuss the process, and get the consent for the procedure.
We will then schedule you for a second visit for the actual injection. This visit is NOT covered by insurance, and will be about 1 hr long. You will need to pay up front for the injection. Contact us at our Raleigh, NC office to inquire about our injection pricing.
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Regenerative Medicine For Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can be frustrating. Those affecting tendons and ligaments, such as torn ACL/torn meniscus injuries, take several weeks or months to heal and require complete rest to heal completely. More serious injuries can even derail your entire sports career. Whether you’re a professional athlete or just someone who enjoys sports and moving around, you need a reliable and effective way of managing your injuries.
Regenerative medicine takes advantage of your body’s natural capabilities to stimulate the restoration of damaged tissue. It can help provide golfers elbow pain relief, and may even be a non-surgical alternative to traditional knee replacement surgery.
Our protocols at QC Kinetix usually work best as part of a full recovery regime that can include rest, bracing, and physical therapy. By combining traditional sports injury treatments with regenerative medicine, you get the benefits of both. Not only will you recover faster, but you’ll also find that you’re less prone to re-injury, as the regenerative therapy can help to strengthen existing tendons, ligaments, and even cartilage.
Use Pain Medications With Care
Except in very rare cases, the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons advises against using opioid medications for knee osteoarthritis. Opiate pain relievers, in addition to being addictive, are not proven to address knee pain over the long term any better than nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs .
Though safer than opioid drugs, NSAIDs arent for everyone, and experts advise caution in using them. Even over-the-counter drugs like naproxen and ibuprofen can have side effects, so check with your doctor.
You can get an increase in blood pressure with NSAIDs. Larger studies have linked some of these pain relievers with a small increase in the risk of heart attack and the more you take, the more likely you are to have heartburn, stomach irritation or even bleeding ulcers.
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Nonsurgical Treatment Options For Knee Pain
Read Time: 6 Minutes
If you suffer from chronic knee pain, you may feel like youre unable to enjoy the things you love doing. While a knee replacement surgery is one option to help relieve joint pain, you may feel like youre either too young or not ready for a knee replacement surgery.
Many nonsurgical treatment options exist to help relieve knee pain, increase mobility and improve your quality of life.
Alan Heincker, DO, an orthopedic surgeon at Phelps Health, discusses ways to treat chronic knee pain without surgery.
Stem Cell Therapy At Wake Sports Medicine
The use of adipose tissue has taken on increasing importance in the field of regenerative stem cell therapy. It has recently obtained FDA clearance. It makes use of the high stem cell density of adipose thought to be 1 out of every 100 cells. This technique utilizes mild mechanical forces in a closed system to produce micro-fractured and purified adipose tissue graft which is non expanded and ready to use in a variety of regenerative applications. More importantly, this adipose product has a very well preserved vascular stroma with slit-like capillaries wedged between adipocytes and vascular channels.
Lipoaspirate is a type of autologous , same-day stem cell therapy.
This means the collected stem cells are put into a different part of the body in the same person during the same day procedure. Lipoaspirates are obtained from the abdomen or love handle area through a quick liposuction procedure. The gentle liposuction takes a few minutes, and the whole time in the office is an estimated 60-90 minutes.
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Find Relief From Joint Pain
Each year, Memorial Hermann Joint Center physicians perform more than 3,000 hip and knee joint replacement procedures, more than are performed at any other hospital system in the Greater Houston area.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of knee pain and are seeking relief, Memorial Hermann Joint Centers can help. Our orthopedists see patients with everything from minor knee pain that requires rest and self-care, to those with chronic, serious knee pain, requiring a targeting non-surgical or surgical treatment plan. Find a location near you.
Contact Us and Take the First Step
Complete and submit the form below and a Nurse Navigator from Memorial Hermann Joint Centers will reach out to answer your questions and help guide you down the path to a life with less pain.
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If you need more immediate assistance, please call us at .
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Braces Orthoses And Other Therapies
There is little evidence that the use of knee braces causes harm therefore, it is a reasonable option to consider as part of a multidisciplinary approach to the management of chronic overuse injuries, including knee osteoarthritis. However, the use of a brace should not replace a comprehensive physical therapy or home exercise program that addresses functional deficits in strength and flexibility. Small studies have shown medial unloader valgus braces to be beneficial in patients with predominant medial compartment osteoarthritis.21,22
There is no evidence that orthoses decrease pain or improve function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.22 A recent study recommended against the use of lateral wedge inserts, which agrees with the recent AAOS guideline.53 A 2010 Cochrane review on the use of therapeutic ultrasonography for knee osteoarthritis concluded that studies were small and of poor quality, and did not show evidence of clinically or statistically significant benefit.12
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Knee Arthritis: 5 Alternatives To Knee Replacement Surgery
Topics in this Post
Millions of of people in the U.S. endure knee arthritis, which can cause pain, stiffness and a decrease in activity level and quality of life. Eventually, this often leads to knee replacement surgery, which remains the most effective treatment for permanent pain relief. However, knee replacement should be reserved as a last resort.
When To Consider Knee Replacement Surgery
Knee surgery becomes an option when your quality of life has severely deteriorated due to osteoarthritis, and no conservative treatment eases the symptoms.
This usually happens in the severe stages of cartilage degeneration. However, incapacitating symptoms can be present in the early phases as well, requiring surgery to relieve the pain.
Yet, total knee replacement is not the only surgery available for knee osteoarthritis. There are other options that may be more appropriate for certain people.
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