Tag: knee surgery san diego

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.

Further Reading on Injections for Knee Pain

As a San Diego orthopedic surgeon specializing in disorders of the knee, I am constantly scouring the medical literature for new approaches that might help my patients achieve lasting relief.

This recent study was picked up by national media outlets because of its unexpected conclusion: BOTOX, that mainstay of cosmetic care, has now been shown to help many patients who suffer with the chronic pain of runner’s knee, a condition known as lateral patellofemoral overload syndrome, or LPOS:

According to the investigators, two-thirds (69 percent) of the patients required no further treatment and were free of pain when assessed five years after the injection into the hip muscle.

I have written before about the connection between hip and knee pain, and especially how treating one can often relieve pain in the other. This study reinforces that link, and offers some hope for better pain relief for many active patients whose knee pain has resisted other therapies.

If you want to find lasting expert care for knee pain in San Diego, contact Dr. WIlliam Holland at AOSM, the center for American Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.