Are you considering surgery for your chronic knee or other joint pain? Have you tried conservative treatments but not obtained enough relief? Maybe you should consider Regenerative Medicine. Innovative and advanced regenerative medicine treatments, such as PRP therapy, can enhance the body’s natural healing ability, providing remarkable solutions for all types of joint pain.

The body uses natural growth factors and stem cells to repair and regenerate tissues. These can be obtained from your own body in the form of PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) or stem cells. Platelet-rich plasma is derived from blood taken from the person’s own body. Platelet rich plasma contains platelets and growth factors essential for healing.

How does PRP treatment help with joint pain?

Chronic joint pain is often the result of loss or wear and tear of the smooth, articular cartilage that helps the bones of a joint glide over each other during movement. Joint pain is mainly caused by osteoarthritis or inflammation of the joint due to rubbing of the bones against each other. Pain may result from injury to the soft tissues surrounding the joint such as ligaments, tendon, and bursae.

When fluoroscopy-guided injections of PRP are administered into a joint over a period of time, the cartilage regenerates, pain reduces and joint function improves.

Regenerative medicine treatments allow deep tissue healing and can be used to effectively treat joint pain and delay the need for surgery. Discuss with your orthopedic if regenerative medicine options are right for you.

Every year orthopedic surgery allows millions of people suffering from debilitating injury or disease to return to their normal lifestyle.

Any type of surgery on the musculoskeletal system, performed to treat painful symptoms or restore mobility may be considered orthopedic surgery. Orthopedic surgery includes a wide range of procedures, from the repair or removal of torn ligaments and tendons to complex procedures, such as joint replacement surgery.

However, many people suffering from painful, degenerative joint diseases or painful injuries are unaware of the benefits of orthopedic surgery. Advancements in surgical techniques allows many patients to undergo outpatient surgery and return home the same day or the day after and recover much faster than ever before.

It may be time for orthopedic surgery, if you have tried conservative treatment options ,such as medications, steroid injections, physical therapy, lifestyle modifications and still experience the following signs –

• Persistent or returning bone and joint pain
• Pain worsens upon with activity
• Limited mobility
• Difficulty with activities of daily living
• Pain interferes with sleep
• Grinding sensation in the joints
• Poor quality of life due to pain, restricted mobility and inability to carry out normal activities

Why should you live with pain when orthopedic surgery offers a safe and permanent solution to many bone and joint conditions? Waiting too long to seek treatment may worsen your condition. If you have been living with an orthopedic condition that seems stubborn, visit an orthopedic doctor or surgeon to have it diagnosed and to explore possible treatment options.

Meniscus is a disc-shaped cushion that keeps the surfaces of bones at the knee joints from coming in contact with or rubbing against each other. The meniscus keeps the knee joint stable and helps in movement as well as maintaining balance.

When the meniscus is damaged, it can make even daily movements painful or even cause the knee joints to lock up.

Meniscus repairs have become more successful with the development of newer tools and advanced technology.

Each knee has two menisci and they can be torn due to some form of twisting or excessive knee bending. The meniscus may get torn due to –

• Kneeling
• lifting something heavy
• squatting down
• playing basketball
• stepping off a curb
• aging and having arthritic damage

Large tears can cause the knee to lock up. Meniscus damage can cause knee pain and swelling due to the irritation to the joint from the unstable meniscus tissue or the excess stress to the joint from the loss of the cushioning.

Most meniscus tears do not require surgery. There are a variety of treatment options that can be effective in reducing symptoms.

Your orthopedic surgeon would determine the need for and viability of a meniscus repair for you.

After surgery, physical therapy is needed to retsore range of motion, reduce swelling and regain muscle function. After 4-6 weeks, weight bearing is gradually initiated, and a normal gait is the next goal.

The decision to undergo a knee replacement is tough. Several factors need to be taken into consideration. If your doctor recommends a knee replacement procedure but you are still sitting on the fence, here are important facts things that may help you make an informed decision.

Indicators for a knee replacement

Knee replacement surgery is typically advised when –

• the pain makes it impossible for you to sleep or perform normal, everyday activities
• you suffer from arthritis of the knee
• your knee is significantly damaged (e.g., due to injury)
• other treatments have proven ineffective

Knee replacement procedure

During the procedure, you’ll be given a local (in the joint), regional (from the waist down) or general (that will make you sleep through the surgery) anesthesia. A small incision is then made in the knee. The knee is pumped with saline and a small camera or arthroscope is inserted inside the joint to make it easier for the surgeon to look inside the joint and carry out the procedure. Your orthopedic surgeon then investigates the source of the knee pain. Depending on the underlying condition, the doctor clean up or repair the joint tissues. Artificial implants are used to replace the damaged parts of the joint. The procedure presents minimal risk and has proven beneficial to a majority of the patients.

Recovery after the knee replacement

The post-surgery period is critical in terms of getting back on your feet. You have to do rehabilitation exercises at home to ensure your knee can completely recover.

The Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain among adolescents. The pain is experienced in the front of the knee, just below the kneecap. The condition involves inflammation of a growth plate of the shin bone or tibia.

The bones of growing adolescents have growth plates. These are areas of cartilage located near the ends of bones. When full growth is achieved, the growth plates turn into solid bone. Some growth plates also serve as attachment sites for tendons, the tissues that connect muscles to bones.

At the end of the tibia, there is a bony bump called the tibial tubercle, which covers the growth plate. The quadriceps (muscles in the front of the thigh) attach to the tibial tubercle.

When the child is active, the quadriceps muscles pull on the patellar tendon, which in turn, pulls on the tibial tubercle. In some children, this leads to inflammation of the growth plate. The tibial tubercle may become very noticeable as a bump.

Causes and Symptoms

Osgood-Schlatter disease typically occurs during growth spurts. Since physical activity causes additional stress on bones and muscles, children who engage in strenuous activity are at an increased risk for this condition.

Symptoms for Osgood-Schlatter disease include –

• pain caused on jumping or running
• knee pain and tenderness
• swelling
• tight thigh muscles

Osgood-Schlatter disease Treatment

In most cases the condition improves with –

• rest
• limiting activity
• over-the-counter medication
• stretching and strengthening exercises
• symptoms typically go away when the individual completes the adolescent growth spurt, around 14 years in case of girls and 16 years for boys.

Meniscus tears are the most common knee injuries. These injuries can affect either the medial or lateral meniscus. Tears may occur because of a sudden, twisting motion resulting in –

• pain
• swelling
• ‘catching’ or ‘locking’ sensation

If the physical examination by the orthopedic surgeon shows a torn meniscus, an MRI can be advised for confirmation.

Initially, meniscus tears are treated conservatively with rest, ice and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen. It may be complemented with physical therapy for muscle strength and improved range of motion. Arthroscopic surgery may be recommended for severe cases.

However, now a highly effective, non-surgical intervention is available – PRP therapy. PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma therapy uses concentrated platelets from your own blood. With the help of ultrasound guidance, the injection is administered into the tear, allowing the tear to heal naturally. The injection is given under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting.

Other common knee injuries are –

• ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear

This tear occurs as the result of a sudden stopping, sudden change in direction or hyperextension. This could be accompanied with a ‘popping’ sensation followed by deep pain, swelling, and instability.

• PCL or Posterior Cruciate Ligament tear

The PCL can become inured due to a force to the anterior shin bone when the knee is flexed.

Both ACL and PCL tear can be treated with PRP therapy, stimulating the body’s natural healing mechanism.