Elbow lateral epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)

It is a condition in which the elbow starts paining due to overuse. The tendons within the elbow and the muscles of the forearm become fatigued due to overworking of wrist and arm. Therefore, the tendons get inflamed and cause tennis elbow. The name, lateral epicondylitis, comes from lateral epicondyle that is the bump on the outer part of the upper arm bone (humerus). This part provides attachment to tendons from the forearm. This way, the pain is experienced on the outer part of the elbow as well. Apart from playing tennis or other racquet sports, one can be affected by this disease if he is a plumber, butcher, carpenter or painter.
How do I know I have tennis elbow?

You will experience pain in your elbow and find it radiating below towards your forearm and wrist. The pain starts off mildly and increases gradually to severe levels. If you are a right-hander, your right arm is affected more and left arm in cases of left-handers but this may affect both arms as well.  You may experience a burning sensation along with pain on the outer aspect of your elbow. The pain seems to worsen when you try to hold something (like a racquet), shake hands or chop meat (in case of butchers). During such movements, you may feel your arm becoming weak and you may not be able to grasp things perfectly as you used to do in the past.
If you find that your symptoms have shown no improvement even after rest taken after discontinuation of your strenuous activities you need to check your orthopedician.
How will your doctor examine you?

Your doctor will ask the details about the type of pain you experience and the sites where you have it.  He will ask you about your occupation or even the type of sport that you play mostly. With the description you provide, the doctor will be able to make out your problem almost exactly.

You can help your doctor by providing him every detail of any previous medical problem you had like rheumatoid arthritis or any nerve disorder. Your doctor may conduct few physical tests to make an exact diagnosis of the disease. An Xray may be required to rule out other conditions like arthritis. MRI is performed to check if the pain is due to any neck problem. EMG may be required to investigate for any nerve impingement as it also causes similar symptoms.
What are the various treatments available?

Non-surgical treatment methods are:
1 : Appropriate rest and quitting the work or sports (if there is sports injury).
2 : Administration of NSAIDS like Ibuprofen which are effective painkillers.
3 : Change of racquets (if due to tennis or other sports that require racquets) to a lighter form that is less straining to the arm.
4 : Physiotherapy like ultrasound and exercises that can stimulate the damaged muscles.
Surgical method:

Surgery is always the last treatment option doctors think of. It is only thought when a person does not get relief after at least 6 months to one year of treatment with non-surgical methods. The main idea is to remove the injured part of the muscles and connect the bone with the healthy portion of the muscles. After the surgery your arm may be immobilized and protected with a splint for a period of one week or so. With the help of exercises, gradually your arm is made able to function normally.
If you have been told that you have elbow lateral epicondylitis, please contact our sports medicine specialists at Orthopedic Surgery San Diego.

Sunblock
Although fertility is outside the scope of my practice as a sports medicine specialist in San Diego, I advocate the use of sunblock during outdoor activities. As a result, I want to make sure that my patients are well aware of issues that may arise from sunblock.
With the strange weather many areas have been having in the US lately, many people keep heading to the beach. And, just like during the summer, they’re taking to exercise, cycling and running, especially in San Diego. With an active lifestyle such as this, using sunblock for protection is a must. But, a new National Institutes of Health study shows that we should all be aware of what’s in the sunblock products we use.
For years, experts have recommended sunscreens to help protect us from UV rays. Now, according to the study, the chemicals responsible for filtering out those rays may be causing other problems. These chemicals may actually lead to fertility problems in men.
Studies Show Sunscreen Chemicals May Cause Male Infertility

An even larger study was involved, the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment. It examined the connection between fertility and environmental chemicals. 500 couples were chosen from this study, and followed around as part of the smaller National Institutes of Health study. Urine samples were collected from these couples. They were also asked to keep journals until they’d successfully conceived, or had unsuccessfully tried to for 12 months.
The study authors took deep looks at the data behind the couples who took the longest to get pregnant. They all seemed to have one thing in common:

Two chemicals responsible filtering UV rays, 4OH-BP and BP-2, were found in the urine of the men. Both chemicals, which are common in sunscreens and sunblocks, were in high concentrations in their systems. These same two chemicals can also be found in many shampoos and moisturizers.

How to Protect Your Fertility from Sunblock Chemicals

The lead author of the study, Germaine Buck Louis, admits that there hasn’t been much studying done in relation to this. She stated:
“Right now, it’s thought (these chemicals) are safe for use — in preventing ionizing radiation and sunburn, but what about better health?”
Louis adds that no one knows for sure exactly how these two chemicals affect the increasing infertility in men.
Protecting Your Healthy Skin VS Protecting Fertility

So, does this mean that any man with an active lifestyle now has to make a choice between worrying about infertility issues and keeping skin healthy and cancer-free? Well, according to scientists, there isn’t very much consumers can do about it right now.

They do agree that it may help to wash these products off after you’ve completed your day of exercise, cycling and running in the San Diego sun.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine reports that in about 40% of couples with fertility issues, the man is either a major contributing cause or the sole cause. What an alarming fact in light of this research study.
If your routine of daily exercise, cycling and running in the San Diego sun hasn’t helped your joint pain, you may need medical help. Dr. Robert Afra of San Diego can identify the root causes of your discomfort. Contact him at his Orthopedic Surgery San Diego clinic for an evaluation today.

Concussions are at the forefront of many of discussions involving football injuries these days.  And, rightfully so!  Football is a dangerous sport no matter how we look at it. The object of the game is to prevent the other team from moving down the field by any means necessary. This results in players being hit, shoved, thrown into each other and down on the ground. Sports injuries such as bruises, cuts, scrapes, and muscle pulls are a natural part of the game along with the occasional broken bone.  Every so often, we hear about more serious injuries such as ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears.  ACL tears have our attention, however.  The beast lurking in the shadows is the closed head injury, or concussion.

In 2013 over 4,500 former NFL football players successfully sued the league for concealing the long-term dangers of blows to the head and repeated concussions. Many of these players now have dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy due to head injuries during their career.  The long-lasting neurologic deficit seen among pugalists/boxers is lovingly referred to as ‘punch drunk’.

If these types of injuries can happen to seasoned and trained professionals, what are the impacts of head trauma of those playing youth football? In order to identify the risks involved with impacts to the head a study was conducted by the Wake Forest’s Kinematics of Impact Data Set, also known as KIDS

. They chose 24 youth football players, ages 16-18 to assess over a season. Before the study, the players had MRI scans, known as diffusion tensor imaging, which shows the inner structure of white brain matter, called axons, which transmit information in the brain.

During the season, the players were given helmets mounted with accelerometers called HITs (Head Impact Telemetry System) that detected the number of times the player was hit, the direction the of the blow, and its severity. Based on the data from the helmets, the youth were put into one of two groups: heavy hitters, of which there were 9, and light hitters, the other 15. When the season was over, the players had another MRI to detect any changes that might have occurred in their white brain matter.

Those that were considered heavy hitters had much higher abnormalities of the white matter in areas usually found after traumatic brain injuries. This was shocking in that not one of the players had a concussion during the season.

brain

Those players that were termed “light hitters” or those who did not get hit as much or as hard as the others, also had brain changes in their MRI, although not as significant as the heavy hitters. Out of all the blows, 66% of the impacts for youth football players, occurred during practice, rather than games. Study author, Joel Stitzel, professor at Wake Forest University and chair of biomedical engineering, notes the grim fact that most, if not all, youth teams are lacking a medical professional, such as an orthopedist, who is trained to look for concussions.

Because not all concussions result in loss of consciousness, a player may not even realize he has a concussion.

Signs of a concussion can include nausea, vomiting, confusion, memory issues, dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, and blurred vision. If a concussion is suspected, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine is the best bet for care and answers.

Meniscal Repair

Can a Meniscal Repair Surgery  Heighten a Patients’ Risk of Knee Osteoarthritis (OA)?
OA (Osteoarthritis) is also commonly known as wear-and tear-arthritis. This is a disorder which occurs when the cartilage (the natural cushioning between joints) wears out. It is the most common type of arthritis. When it occurs, the bones of the joints tend to rub more closely against one another owing to the reduced shock-absorbing benefits of cartilage.  The rubbing causes swelling, stiffness, decreased mobility and, in some instances, the development of bone spurs.
What are the risk factors associated with OA?
Although age is a major risk factor for knee osteoarthritis, younger people can also get it. For some people, it may be hereditary while for others it can result from knee injury or infection or even from having excessive weight. Arthroscopy is one of the surgical options used to treat knee osteoarthritis and knee replacement may become necessary in severe cases.

What is a meniscal tear and how is it treated generally?
A meniscus tear refers to a common injury caused to the cartilage that ensures the knee joint is appropriately stabilized and cushioned. Surgery to repair meniscal tears has been popular and the kind of the tear is what determines whether meniscus repair can be done. However, recent research indicates that it is likely to increase the risk of osteoarthritis and cartilage loss in some patients. Thus, according to researchers, there is need for careful consideration before the decision of surgery can be made so as to avoid hastened disease onset.
Can Meniscal Repair increase the risk of knee OA?

Meniscal tears are among the most prevalent knee injuries whose pain is alleviated and joint function improved by surgery. However, according to Frank W. Roemer, M.D., from Boston University School of Medicine in Boston as well as the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany there has been growing evidence suggesting that meniscal surgery might be harmful to the knee joint when used to alleviate knee pain.
A study was conducted by Dr Roemer and his team on patients with an average age of 60.2 years, and who were mainly overweight with a BMI of 28.3. Roughly, two-thirds of the patients were women. The team studied MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) examination of 355 knees that developed osteoarthritis in the course of 5 years, and a control group which matched for age, sex, the severity of arthritis in both knees as well as BMI. Out of all the knees, 31 had meniscal surgery in the preceding year before the arthritis diagnosis, and 280 knees showed signs of meniscal damage on MRI but did not undergo surgery. The researchers evaluated the risk of developing arthritis and cartilage wear during the following year for the different groups.
The scientists established that those patients that did not have knee osteoarthritis but who had meniscal surgery had a greatly increased risk of developing both osteoarthritis and cartilage loss in the next year as compared to their counterparts who did not undergo surgery.
The study found that all the knees that had meniscal surgery during the previous year developed osteoarthritis as compared with 165 of the knees which had meniscal damage but did not undergo surgery. Besides, cartilage loss was much more widespread among those knees that had undergone surgery. Hence, 80.8 percent of knees that had undergone operation showed loss of cartilage as compared with 39.5 percent of knees that had meniscal damage and no surgery.

There is a potential bias in this study.  Those patients that did not undergo the knee arthroscopy despite their ongoing knee pain, may have been less physically active as a result.  The lower level of aggressive physical activity may have led to decreased overall trauma over the years, and thus lower risk of osteoarthritis.  Further studies are necessary.  At this point in time, orthopedic dogma mandates that a repairable meniscus tear undergo a surgical repair.
Conservative management has been found to be an alternative to surgery and it involves prescription of physical therapy in helping to maintain and restore muscle strength and scope of motion. Ice and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are commonly used to treat the symptoms.

Running

is one of the most effective types of exercise for those trying to shed some weight and achieve fitness goals. It helps people maintain a proper weight, which is vital to preventing pain from developing in the hips and knees.
Runners are less likely to suffer from osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition that can lead to hip- or knee-replacement surgery. A recent study involving active, older people found that running reverses aging to a greater degree than walking, the New York Times reported in its “Well” blog.
Walking is worthwhile, the newspaper noted, because it lowers the risk of obesity, arthritis, heart disease and diabetes. People who take daily walks also tend to live longer. But researchers at the University of Colorado in Boulder and Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif., found evidence that running is better.

They assessed 30 men and women in their mid- to late-60s or early 70s. Fifteen of the study participants walked at least three times a week for 30 minutes or longer. The others ran three or more times per week for the same amount of time. The volunteers walked or jogged on biomechanics-measuring treadmills at the University of Colorado’s Locomotion Laboratory. They wore masks that recorded their oxygen consumption and other data.
The scientists determined that the runners exerted less energy to move at the same pace as the walkers. They also found that 70-year-old runners walked as efficiently as the average college student.
“Older walkers, on the other hand, had about the same walking economy as people of the same age who were sedentary,” the Times reported. “In effect, walking did not prevent people from losing their ability to walk with ease.”
The biomechanics of the runners and walkers were about the same. Runners and regular walkers took a similar number of steps, with comparable strides, while walking.

Justus Ortega, an associate professor of kinesiology at Humboldt University who led the study, said intense aerobic exercise like running increases muscle cells’ mitochondria. That gives the cells more energy, permitting people to exercise longer and move more easily. Runners’ muscles might be more coordinated than those of walkers because their form of exercise entails the contraction of fewer muscles, so less energy is required.
The study concluded that runners experience less severe declines in walking ability as they age. Ortega noted that people who find it easy to exercise, without pain, are more physically active than others. He said it’s never too late to start, pointing out that “quite a few of our volunteers hadn’t taken up running until they were in their 60s.”
Running makes the heart work harder, which promotes blood circulation. It is considered an aerobic, as well as cardio, exercise because it results in additional oxygen being pumped into the muscles. Running also increases enzymes and hormones that stimulate muscles and the heart.

Multiple studies have shown that the odds of suffering heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers are reduced when a person runs regularly. The activity boosts the body’s immune-response system, builds muscle mass, improves bone density and fights inflammation.
Failing to get the kind of exercise that running involves puts people in danger of becoming overweight. That results in excessive strain on their hips and knees, which causes long-term deterioriation of cartilage that cushions the joints’ bones and tissues.
This condition, osteoarthritis, gets worse with age. It is one of the leading reasons that older adults become disabled. In some cases, patients must get hip or knee replacements to relieve pain and regain mobility.
If you are experiencing joint pain, it is necessary to identify the cause of the discomfort to determine the appropriate treatment or surgery. Schedule an appointment for an evaluation by the nationally renowned sports medicine surgeons at Orthopedic Surgery San Diego to learn about your options.

Stem cell

The bones inside the human body often require active mechanical stimulation from the outside to be able to maintain their functions, and also to form new tissues. Sadly, not many therapies include mechanical stimuli in their treatment programs for the healing and regeneration of bones. One of the current therapeutic measures, which provides such dynamic mechanical stimuli for improved bone health is stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis. The pioneering field of stem cell therapy mainly aims at creating novel treatments for disorders that have limited or no treatment at all.

Stem cell research has been taking science and medicine to previously unknown vistas, one of which is the use of stem cells for knee pain and knee osteoarthritis. In fact, recent advances in stem cell and PRP or platelet rich plasma injections have led to better and improved measures for the treatment of bone damage in osteoarthritis and other bone diseases. Interestingly, stem cell therapy has the ability to replace or restore the functions of various tissues, cells, and bones to encourage normalcy in the various functions of one’s body. No wonder, stem cell therapy is proving to be extremely useful in the treatment of previously incurable bone diseases such as knee osteoarthritis.
Stem cell therapy for bone regeneration:

The mechanical stimuli in this therapy are delivered through magnetic nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are attached to the human mesenchymal stem cells before being injected into the bone to bring about regeneration. The stem cells are likely to increase the bone mineralization by almost 2.4 folds and increase the matrix density inside the bones too. These cells are also known to work positively in repairing and regenerating tissues of the bones, cartilage, muscles, and tendons alike. This ability of the stem cells to maximize bone formation is the major reason for their successful integration into orthopedic therapeutic measures.

How does stem cell therapy help knee osteoarthritis?
Although, knee pain often appears ordinary and inconsequential on the outside, the actual story within the knee joint is usually quite the opposite. Knee osteoarthritis typically results from degenerative changes to the bones within the knee joint.

These degenerative changes are likely to damage and weaken the bones, resulting in inflammatory changes in the tissues around them. Usually, the outcome of these changes is a weak and painful knee joint. Hence, knee pain is best taken care of as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the therapies currently in place for knee osteoarthritis and knee pain aren’t very effective in providing a cure for these disorders. At the most, the patient is likely to gain a small amount of relief from knee pain with painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines. However, stem cell therapy and PRP injections have the capability to enable tissue regeneration in the knee joint and reverse the degenerative changes to provide pain relief and cure for knee osteoarthritis.
Thus, stem cell research isn’t confined only to the laboratories anymore but it’s now entering the medical and therapeutic field to enhance certain areas of treatment for the benefit of longtime sufferers and patients.

knee

DOES YOUR KNEE HURT?

Reasons for knee pain can vary.
If you constantly suffer from knee pain, this could be as a result from a present or previous injury, or a medical reason such as gout or arthritis. Either way, knee pain is debilitating and restrictive to everyday activities. Failure to address the problem could result in long-term problems and possible disability.
What sort of injury or factors can contribute to knee pain?
• Sportsmen participating in vigorous sports such as rugby, tennis, squash, soccer and hockey, as well as runners, are very prone to knee injuries. These injuries include torn cartilage, damaged or torn ligaments, dislocation of the kneecap or perhaps even a broken bone. All or any of these will cause extreme knee pain needing speedy medical intervention.
• Another factor is the issue of overweight and obesity. The stress placed on the knees having to support excessive body weight can lead to permanent joint damage and a lack of mobility which grows worse with time.
• A medical issue will arise from the development of arthritis or osteoarthritis. This condition may be caused by the stress of obesity, old injuries, over use from vigorous sporting activities, or even genetic influences. Left untreated, knee pain will increase as you grow older.

What are the treatment options?
• The most suitable treatment depends on the cause of the pain and the degree to which mobility and function is limited. This will be determined by your doctor after an intensive examination and tests have been done.
• One option would be to embark on a course of conservative, non-surgical treatment such as anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy and specific exercises.
• If no relief is obtained from the conservative treatment, your doctor may suggest knee surgery to correct the problem and relieve the symptoms.
The knee surgery option.
If it has been recommended that you need knee surgery, the San Diego Orthopedic Surgeon Center is equipped to provide first-rate options for every type of knee condition. Supervised and administered by renowned orthopaedist Dr Robert Afra, we offer minimally invasive knee surgery options from arthroscopic cartilage repair to ligamental reconstruction, resurfacing techniques and partial or total knee replacement.

Before any knee surgery is undertaken, the medical team at the San Diego Orthopedic Surgeon Center will undertake a comprehensive orthopedic assessment to establish the reason for the surgical intervention as well as a preoperative medical clearance to reduce post-operative risks.
We also provide patient education about what to expect during knee surgery, how to manage pain and the best way to move about after the operation.
The San Diego Orthopedic Surgeon Center is focussed on addressing all patient concerns or questions and providing the best treatment to restore your quality of life.
Don’t be overwhelmed by suffering constant knee pain. The San Diego Center can assist you to find permanent relief.

Have you ever hear the phrase “carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders”? While this applies in a more figurative sense to those with large burdens, it still works on a physical level. We are always using our shoulders, and they are the most flexible parts of our body. We use them to stand upright, to lift, push, carry, reach, comb hair, brush teeth, cook, hold our clothes on, clean, work, drive, rest, type, along with giving our heads somewhere to rest. We put our shoulders to the test daily, and occasionally, our activities can cause them pain.
Shoulder pain can be debilitating. What once was an easy task, such as reaching for a shirt in the closet, can be a painful chore when the shoulder is not functioning. Our shoulders are ball and socket joints which allows for the wide range of motion we are used to. Inside the shoulder are bursae which are filled with fluid that allows the shoulder to glide when moving, rather than jerk and twist. Occasionally the bursae can become inflamed, or the muscles can became weak and damaged, effectively ending the ease of movement we once had.

It is important to note that not all shoulder pain is actually caused by the shoulder, however. Sometimes neck pain can manifest itself in the shoulder blade. If your pain is accompanied by numbness and tingling in the hand, this could be caused by bulging discs in the neck.
Degrees of shoulder pain can vary from mild to ferocious. Unless the pain is excruciating, start off with rest at home using NSAIDs and ice on the area. Use your good arm to lift your painful arm, and keep it close to your body as you rest. Keep a pillow behind your lower back to keep your posture correct, and rest the injured area on a pillow. If pain persists or gets worse, call the doctor.
An orthopedic surgeon can help determine the best cause of treatment for shoulder pain.
Because of the complex makeup of the shoulder, there are many types of injuries that can occur. Overuse can cause tendinitis or bursitis, which is usually treated by modifying actions. Rotator cuff tears are common, and the pain can be alleviated with cortisone shots or treatments. The shoulder can “pop” of the socket, which is called a dislocation. This is painful, but can be set back in with an orthopedic surgeon’s help.

If over the counter treatments, therapy, or rest do not help the problem, shoulder surgery may be required. For issues such as repeat dislocations, fully torn rotator cuffs, fractures of the collarbone, and osteoarthritis can often need surgical repair. The orthopedic surgeon always does a full assessment, noting your health history, a physical examination, along with diagnostic images such as an MRI or X-rays to determine the extent of the damage.
San Diego Orthopedic Surgery is committed to helping each and every patient become as pain free as possible.

Treatment for Knee Pain

We take our joints for granted, especially when they’re functioning properly.  We use them to walk, run, stand, sit, jump,cycling, play, and work. Even at rest, we put pressure and weight on our joints. Luckily joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments are pretty resilient and can take a lot of wear and tear. At some point, however, joints can begin to feel the strain of constant use and begin to wear down. Our knees are joints that we use all the time as we bend and straighten our legs throughout the day. Those that are active in sports or just daily activities use their knees to squat, kneel, and bend causing potential damage to the area. When the knees begin to hurt, it doesn’t take long for the rest of the body to feel it, too. When we have knee pain, it is human nature for our body’s to adjust to the pain. We put more pressure on our hips and back and the pain-free leg to compensate. This throws the body out of alignment which can cause aches and pains on its own.Depending on the type of knee pain, over the counter analgesics and NSAIDs can be helpful to reduce swelling and inflammation. The RICE treatment – rest, ice, compression, and elevation – are encouraged to allow the knee to rest and recuperate. Occasionally, a knee brace or Ace bandage can be used for extra support if needed.If the pain does not go away in a few days from this home remedy, and instead, grows worse, it is time to seek out an orthopedic doctor.

Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that deals with the musculoskeletal system, and encompasses a broad range of injuries of the bones, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, and muscles. While orthopedists are also knows as doctors of sports medicine, one does not have to be an athlete to seek one out for treatment . Orthopedic surgeons specialize in surgeries and treatment to help everyone regain mobility and function. Treatment for knee pain include cortisone shots, which is administered once and provides relief from 3-6 months, and sometimes years. Viscosupplement injections are given once a week for 3 weeks and provide relief for long periods of time. Platelet Rich plasma (PRP) injections are also a consideration. Knee surgery is a common surgery for an orthopedic surgeon. There are different types of surgeries, both inpatient and outpatient that can get you back on your feet. The most common type of knee surgery is arthroscopic surgery, which involves small incisions being cut into the damaged area followed by a tiny camera inserted inside to allow the doctor to assess the damage. While inside, he can use tools to smooth away rough areas, and remove tissue. For more severe issues of the knee a partial or total knee replacement is a possibility. At San Diego Orthopedic Surgery, we are with you from beginning to end and consider ourselves your partner in the attempt to give you the best care possible.

Glucosamine Does Not Relieve Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is a leading cause of pain and disability in middle-aged and elderly adults. Many people who suffer from the disease take dietary supplements of glucosamine and chondroitin, components of cartilage that the body naturally creates to cushion joints.
Some research has indicated that glucosamine and chondroitin, when combined with sulfate, strengthen knee cartilage and reduce the need for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, according to the Mayo Clinic.
However, data recently published online in the journal ” & Rheumatology” suggests that the supplements are not particularly helpful in relieving knee-osteoarthritis symptoms or preventing them from getting worse.
Shibing Yang, PhD, of the Division of Epidemiology at Virginia Commonwealth University led the study. Researchers analyzed the cases of 1,625 patients. Eighteen percent of them received treatments of glucosamine or chondroitin. Their pain, stiffness, function and joint-space widths were not significantly different than that of patients who did not take the supplements.

“Our data join a growing body of evidence suggesting that glucosamine or chondroitin has no impact on relieving OA symptoms,” the study’s authors concluded. “We found that treatment with glucosamine or chondroitin for three years did not appear to bring about relief in symptoms or retardation of disease progression.”
There is no cure for osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis that affects the knee, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. It is a degenerative condition that advances over the years due to wear and tear. That is why most suffers are 50 years of age or older.
As cartilage in the joint deteriorates, bones begin rubbing on each other. This causes pain and, in some cases, bone spurs that increase the discomfort.

The disease’s major symptoms are pain and inflammation. Patients also report weakness and stiffness that make it hard to bend or straighten the knee. The joint may lock, buckle, creak or click as a result of loose cartilage fragments inhibiting knee movements. Other signs include warmth or redness, tenderness, decreased range of motion, joint instability, crepitus (a grinding sensation), and a narrowing of the space between bones in the knee.
Doctors perform physical examinations, conduct diagnostic tests (like X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and bone scans), and sometimes draw blood samples to determine whether patients have knee osteoarthritis. They must make sure a person does not instead suffer from rheumatoid arthritis or another condition.

Many patients find some relief by altering their physical activities. Doctors recommend low-impact exercises like swimming, rather than jogging and other activities that strain the knees.

Losing weight also takes pressure off the joints. Physical therapy involves exercises designed to strengthen muscles, increase mobility and improve knee function.

Assistive devices such as canes, shock-absorbing shoes or inserts, and knee braces and sleeves can make it easier to walk. Patients also alternately apply ice and heat pads, use pain-relieving ointments and creams, wear elastic bandages, and take corticosteroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

Visco supplementation is the injection of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance, into the knee to lubricate bones and enhance the joint’s shock-absorbing ability. Other techniques include acupuncture, the use of needles to relieve pain; and magnetic-pulse therapy, the application of an electromagnetic signal.
When such treatments prove to be insufficient, doctors sometimes suggest surgical solutions. In some cases, symptoms can be treated with an arthroscopic procedure, a minimally invasive operation in which tiny cameras and instruments are inserted into the knee through small incisions.

Other types of surgery are grafting, in which healthy cartilage is transplanted from another part of the knee or a tissue bank; and osteotomy, the cutting and reshaping of the tibia (shin bone) or femur (thigh bone) to reduce pressure on the joint.

In more serious cases, total or partial knee replacement (also known as arthroplasty) may be recommended. The surgeon removes damaged cartilage and bone, and implants metal or plastic prosthetic devices.
If you suffer from knee pain, stiffness and impaired mobility, it is important to get a diagnosis and begin treatment before the symptoms worsen. Schedule an appointment for an evaluation by the nationally renowned sports medicine surgeons at Orthopedic Surgery San Diego to learn how to relieve the discomfort and regain full use of your knees.