Knee Pain Management
Knee pain affects young and old alike. healthy knee should be able to bend, straighten and work with your hips and ankles to bear your body weight. Comprised of bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons, the knee is also flexible enough to twist and rotate. Any of these components can become injured or diseased, causing pain that can disrupt daily life.
Causes
Generally, knee pain is either acute (immediate, typically caused by infection or injury) or chronic (persistent, typically originating from injury or inflammation, like arthritis).
- Any of the bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, or the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that surround your knee joint can suffer injury. Common injuries include torn ligaments or cartilage, broken bones, bursitis (inflamed bursae, the small sacs of fluid that cushion your knee joint) or tendonitis (irritation or inflammation of one or more tendons).
- We may discover that your problem originates in your hip, ankle or lower back. These conditions may change the way you walk, but as a result puts stress on your knee.
- Finally, you may be suffering from osteoarthritis, which is regular wear and tear from age and use.
Whatever the reason, we’ll review notes from your referring doctor, perform a physical exam and conduct any necessary tests, such as MRI or X-ray, before recommending treatment.
Signs and symptoms
Knee pain can come with swelling, stiffness, or weakness in the joint. You may hear or feel popping, and there also may be redness or warmth to the touch in that area.
You should see a doctor if:
- Your knee can’t support your weight or gives out
- You can’t fully extend your knee
- There is clear puffiness or swelling
- You are obviously injured, such as from a badly broken bone
- You have a fever, in addition to other signs and symptoms
Non-surgical treatment options
- You can stabilize your knee by strengthening the muscles around it. Improved flexibility and balance is also important.
- Shoe insoles, knee braces and other tools can support the joint and shift pressure away from what’s causing the pain.
- Some medicine, taken orally or injected directly into the joint, can relieve pain, reduce inflammation from arthritis and even promote healing.
Surgical treatment options
We will do our best to fully inform you of all your options before heading down the road to surgery. If you decide to have surgery, you have a few options:
- Arthroscopic surgery: A minimally invasive procedure where an orthopedic surgeon takes a fiber-optic camera to look inside your knee, remove and repair any damaged cartilage, rebuild torn ligaments, and clear out any loose bodies from the joint.
- Partial knee replacement surgery: Your orthopedic surgeon replaces the damaged part of your knee joint with parts made from metal alloys and high-grade plastic.
- Total knee replacement surgery: This should only be considered when other options have failed. Damaged cartilage and bone are surgically removed and replaced with an artificial joint made from metal alloys and high-grade plastic.
Rehabilitation
Our comprehensive Joint Solution program involves you in each step of your treatment. Every detail, from pre-operative teaching to post-operative exercising, is considered and reviewed with you. The Joint Solution Coordinator will plan your individual treatment program and guide you through it.