We are more than happy to provide patients with minimally invasive partial or total knee replacement operations to help restore their quality of life, but because a replacement procedure is a big undertaking, it’s not typically the first treatment that is pursued. Many patients look for alternatives to knee replacement surgery, and we are well-versed on some of the effective non-operative joint replacement options. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at five alternatives to knee replacement surgery.
Alternatives To Knee Replacement
We’ve helped set countless patients up with alternative solutions to their knee pain, but it’s worth noting that sometimes a replacement operation really is what’s best. If too much joint deterioration has taken place and it has severely impacted your independence and life quality, knee replacement may be the perfect solution. But for patients with mild or moderate symptoms that want to work to avoid a future knee replacement procedure, here are five alternatives to consider.
- Losing Weight – Losing weight is one of the best things you can do for your knees and your overall health. If you’re carrying less weight, that means your knees aren’t bearing as much stress, and that can serve to alleviate symptoms and help them become more stable. Weight loss is one of the most common recommendations for anyone dealing with arthritis-related knee pain.
- Physical Therapy – Another helpful technique to treat symptoms and improve knee function is physical therapy. Working with a physical therapist will help to strengthen and stabilize the knee so that it is better prepared to handle the stress that you throw at it. A stronger and more stable knee will be less likely to produce uncomfortable symptoms, so consider working with a PT if you want to avoid a knee replacement operation.
- Knee Injections – Cortisone shots and hyaluronic acid injections help to lubricate the knee joint and make movement easier, relieving arthritis-related pain. However, these aren’t great long-term solutions because their effectiveness will fade over time. They may provide some nice short-term relief, but be sure to pair an injection with other helpful treatments, like PT or weight loss.
- Pain Medications – Pain medications follow a similar line of thought as knee injections because they are not a good long-term solution and their effectiveness fades over time. Additionally, they have the potential to be addictive. Like knee injections, pain medications should be paired with active treatment options so that you strengthen your knee while discomfort is minimized.
- Radiofrequency Ablation – A final option for patients who have failed to find relief from any of the above techniques but who want to try one last thing before surgery is radiofrequency ablation. This uses concentrated radiofrequency waves to destroy sensory nerves that relay pain signals from your knee to your pain. However, this is likely a short-term solution, as these nerves tend to grow back within 6-24 months.
Dr. Botero and his team can go over all of your options and find the right treatment for your knee pain. And if conservative care fails, he’d be happy to explain how a minimally invasive replacement operation can help you achieve long-term relief. For more information, or for help with your knee issues, reach out to his clinic today.
