A common condition among older adults, osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage that usually serves as a cushion in a joint wears away, leaving bone to rub against bone. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons estimates that more than 8 million Americans older than age 45 suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee. Are you one of them?
For osteoarthritis of the knee, it is usually recommended that you lose any extra weight to take some pressure off the joints and develop an exercise program to strengthen the muscles around the joints. We can help with both of these. Ice packs, heat application and over-the-counter pain relievers can help alleviate pain too. A wide range of other treatments are also available, from acid injections to joint replacement or fusion surgery.
In recent years, a number of other treatments have been developed. One of them, cooled radiofrequency ablation, relieves pain by deactivating certain nerves in the knee. It is usually performed on people for whom conservative treatments have failed but who are too young or too old for knee replacement surgery. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, with no incision, and usually takes about 40 minutes. Pain relief can last from three months to two years. A new nonsurgical procedure, cryoneuromodulation, injects tiny needles frozen to –126° into the skin to kill targeted sensory nerves around the knee, thus preventing the nerves from transmitting pain signals. Pain relief from one session can last up to six months—in many cases, enough to help patients through a physical therapy regimen.
Regardless of what treatment you and your physician decide is best for you, physical therapy and daily exercise should be a part of your treatment plan. Exercise is considered the most effective nondrug treatment for osteoarthritis because strong muscles help support and protect the joints affected by arthritis. Walking and swimming are among the most recommended exercises for osteoarthritis patients.
If you suffer from knee osteoarthritis or are pursuing a new treatment such as cooled radiofrequency ablation or cryoneuromodulation, call us for an appointment. We can work with you and your physician to develop an individualized exercise routine. A regular exercise routine will deliver long-term pain relief that will last well beyond the effects of any short-term measures.
