Tag: knee pain san diego

A Good Outcome: Platelet Rich Plasma for Knee Pain

One of the services that we offer here at the San Diego Orthopedic Surgery Center is platelet rich plasma, or PRP. These are injections which are essentially comprised of the patient’s own blood, spun and purified to deliver healing platelet cells at the site of an injury.

The jury is still out on whether PRP works for everyone, and some of the mechanisms behind it remain poorly understood. But some patients experience dramatic healing and recovery with the injections, reporting a renewed mobility and comfort within a matter of weeks, even when other therapies failed to produce results for years. For instance:

Two days later, Dr. Jason Tucker treated both his knees on the same day. And two weeks later, the swelling around Zeledon’s knees was down, he walked steadily with braces, and felt no pain.

Stories such as these get added to the basket of anecdotal evidence suggesting that PRP seems to help people in many cases. And when PRP can’t do the job alone, it can be combined with supplemental measures such as the use of hydraluric acid (HLA) to keep the joints moving freely:

Whalen said he doesn’t advise using PRP alone for osteoarthritis, commonly known as “wear-and-tear arthritis.” But he said PRP could be used in conjunction with hyaluronic acid, a substance that occurs naturally in the body and helps lubricate the joint.

My orthopedic surgery practice offers the cutting edge in treatment modalities for knee pain, elbow pain, shoulder pain, and similar complaints. If you have pain and want to try the standard in orthopedic care, please reach out today.

After Cortisone: Do I Need Knee Replacement Surgery?

The line for when knee replacement surgery becomes essential has shifted in recent years, as pain management and better therapies have extended the lives of our natural joints. But there comes a time in any patient’s life when she must contend with the question of knee replacement surgery – and wrestle with the pros and cons associated with each.

Total knee replacement surgery has an easier recovery period than it used to, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t work involved. Therapy, exercise, and proper management of the surgical site will still be required, so it’s worth engaging your orthopedist about what to expect moving forward. One article recently described the profile of an ideal TKR patient like this:

The major indication for joint replacement is not being able to deal with the pain anymore. The vast majority of patients after the surgery have significant pain relief and better function. The absolute key to success from this surgery is a motivated patient who works hard with physical therapy to regain range of motion and strength.

Sound like you? Get in touch with the San Diego Orthopedic Surgery Center and we can begin an evaluation right away.

One Case Study for Treating Knee Pain

As an orthopedic expert, I am constantly reviewing the medical literature on how patients are able to escape chronically painful conditions of the shoulder, knee, and elbow.

Recently I came across one study that underscores some of the ways that orthopedic devices can supplement and even replace exercise, which is a boon to patients who don’t have the space or time to engage in vigorous physical therapy. The patient in question had knee pain and issues with the sacroiliac joint:

A computerized analysis showing how Jane walked provided the information we needed to appropriately calibrate therapeutic pods on the bottom of a special shoe to improve Jane’s joint loading pattern on the knee – redistributing pressure the knee takes from walking and retraining her neuromuscular function. After a few weeks on the therapy regimen, Jane’s pain improved, her body is appropriately compensating for the orthopedic issues associated with her osteoarthritis and she is able to jog again, as well as enjoy her service to her patients.

My offices proudly offer the vanguard in orthopedic treatments for knee pain, including access to the best medical devices in the marketplace. If you have pain in your knee that isn’t responding to rest or drugs, please contact orthopedic surgeon Dr. William Holland today.

Can a Synthetic Meniscus Help Me?

One of the wonderful things about working as a sports medicine specialist is the sheer speed of progress in our field. As surgical procedures for knee pain have grown steadily less invasive and more effective, more patients have benefited from these advances.

But when developments such as this one come along, they inevitably upend the order once again.

Chronic knee pain is a common issue in adults as well as young athletes. In many cases the pain can be traced to wear and tear on the meniscus, a disc-like structure which cushions the bones within your knee. Replacing this cushion has always been a fraught procedure, with wildly varying results. But now a new technology aims to address some of the more common complications by using a synthetic material. It is…

…a new meniscus implant made of a special medical grade plastic. Studies in Europe have been promising. “We put this implant in which is relatively stable and the patient gets up and puts full weight on it right away,” says Dr. McKeon. “And if it doesn’t work, I don’t burn bridges. I can take it out,” he adds.

Innovations such as this are the lifeblood of American orthopedic and sports medicine, and they are welcome additions to any San Diego orthopedist’s arsenal. To learn more and schedule your own consultation for knee pain, contact my offices today.

An Innovative Approach to Knee Pain

Here in San Diego, I see everyone from soldiers to civilians, and from athletes to couch potatoes. One constant among all my patients is an aversion to physical therapy, especially where chronic knee pain is concerned.

I get it: therapy is designed to push the limits of your comfort zone in an effort to increase mobility. But when that therapy proves too frustrating, a discouraging number of people simply give up altogether.

Now a group of researchers have discovered something that joggers with iPods have known for a while: keeping a steady beat can improve your performance in physical therapy:

[U]sing a device such as a metronome seemed to “fire up different parts of the brain”, allowing patients to workout without pain.

The audio “pacing” was accompanied by a single, heavy bout of stationary exercise, like weighted leg extension, targeted at the knee. The method resulted in 19 percent increased muscle strength over the 4 week trial.

Just one more good idea in our ongoing battle against the monotony of exercise, and the tyranny of pain. If your knee pain has lasted more than a few weeks, it’s time to see an orthopedic expert in San Diego. Please contact the offices of Dr. William Holland for an appointment today.

Do I Need Orthopedic Knee Surgery?

“Do I need orthopedic knee surgery” is a question many athletes and active people have asked in the wake of a traumatic injury such as a bang, twist or hyperextension. Although this is a question with no easy answers, we know a few ways that may help you gauge the severity of what you’re up against and make an educated guess.

Generally speaking, a fracture will require knee surgery to repair the damage and ensure a proper course of recovery. The plan gets a bit murkier when it comes to soft tissue injuries, however, including the dreaded ACL tear. Depending on the position and severity of the injury, many of these cases will require some form of arthroscopic knee surgery to restore full function as well.

Further injuries such as meniscal tears, ligament injuries and torn tendon can go either way depending on the gravity of the injury and the lifestyle of the patient. As a general rule, it is wise to find a San Diego orthopedic surgeon who can examine the injury and help you determine a proper course of action about what to do next.

My orthopedic surgery offices include the very latest technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of knee pain and knee injuries in San Diego. If you have wondered whether orthopedic knee surgery is right for you, please feel free to contact me today and set up a detailed consultation.