Is a Winter Joint Replacement Right for You?
Do you want to stay active this summer? Plan early for your joints. A winter intervention gives you plenty of time to recover so that you can enjoy your summer travels pain-free.
What Is Visco-Supplementation and Could It Help Your Knee Arthritis?
Arthritis is a condition in which the cartilage surrounding your joints is damaged. This can occur due to wear and tear or an autoimmune attack on the knee joints. For knee arthritis, the first-line treatment includes NSAIDS like Ibuprofen, pain medications, and local injections that reduce inflammation and pain.
However, as arthritis progresses, the cartilage around the joints wears down, leading to bone-on-bone friction that can be quite painful. At this stage, many patients complain of pain that does not go away or that keeps coming back, along with a limited range of motion and resultant decreased quality of life.
Fortunately, there is a way to reduce some of the friction occurring in the knee. Dr. Thomas Kane III, Hip and Knee arthritis specialist, sometimes recommends viscosupplementation, which involves injecting hyaluronic acid into the knee. Read on to learn more about how these injections may help and who is a good candidate for them.
How visco-supplementation relieves knee pain
The principal component in viscosupplementation is hyaluronic acid, a natural molecule in the synovial fluid of healthy joints. Its main role is to act as a lubricant and shock absorber, allowing joint surfaces to glide smoothly as you move.
Arthritis in the joints often leads to a lower concentration of hyaluronic acid in synovial fluid, making it thinner and less effective at reducing friction. In addition to reducing friction, hyaluronic acid has mild anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation in arthritic joints.
Viscosupplementation involves injecting hyaluronic acid gel directly into the knee joint to reduce friction and increase comfort during movement. These injections can provide relief for up to six to twelve months after treatment.
Who is a good candidate for viscosupplementation?
Viscosupplementation tends to work best for patients with some cartilage remaining, especially when physical therapy, activity modification, pain medications, and corticosteroid injections no longer provide sufficient relief.
Good candidates are typically patients who want to delay or avoid knee replacement surgery while maintaining a good quality of life. Viscosupplementation may be less effective for patients with end-stage arthritis, where cartilage is severely worn, and joint space is minimal.
Learn more about managing your knee arthritis
Depending on the stage of arthritis, your lifestyle, the type of arthritis you have, and your symptoms, our expert will work with you to determine the most appropriate treatment plan.
Knee arthritis is not a one-size-fits-all condition, and effective treatment depends on careful evaluation and personalized care. To learn more about your treatment options and whether viscosupplementation or other therapies are right for you, contact us to schedule an appointment at our office in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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