You Don’t Have to Live with Knee Arthritis Pain
Osteoarthritis (OA) can be defined as joint pain. It is a complex joint problem. OA usually manifest due to either obesity, muscle weakness causing changes in walking, trauma, aging, or metabolic changes. There is high cost to the management of OA, both is personal pain and in healthcare dollars.
A diagnosis of OA does not mean bone on bone and it does not mean wear and tear or progressive joint disintegration or decay. The joint is not destined to get worse and it definely does not always require surgical intervention. Only 8-11% of all cases actually require joint replacement surgery. It is important to know that and MRI or radiographs do not change the clinical management of OA. Often imaging does not correlate with symptoms and signs and may place the notion of hopelessness in a patient’s mind.
There are non-invasive treatments that should be attempted before considering surgery. Treatments include lifestyle modifications such as an anti-inflammation diet and weight loss, physical therapy, daily activity, and injections such as hyaluronic acid (HA), corticosteroids (least desirable), and prolotherapy. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have begun to be included in more research and clinical practice. Orthopedic surgeon, Etan Kellum, MD practices regenerative rehab for shoulder and knee OA. He believes in lifestyle medicine, stem cell, PRP and hyaluronic injections as well as diet change, stress management, proper sleep and hydration to prevent poor joint health with surgery as an outcome. He reports regenerative rehab positives as: it cost 1/10th of surgery, patient down time will be 2-3 weeks as opposed to 3-6 months. The unfortunate thing is these alternative treatments are usually cash pay. According to Dr. Kellum, just because insurance pays for it, does not make it the best option. He states physicians are taught to manage disease and not prevent health issues. It is important to consult with a provider such as a physical therapist or naturopathic physician or regenerative physician to learn options for transformational care.
What is PRP and How Does It Work?
PRP is plasma that contains There is three- to five-times more platelets in the plasma that is PRP than whole blood. The platelets in PRP contain numerous proteins which aid in the initial phases of healing and in the growth of new cells. When there is more protein in the joint space, the progression of OA may potentially be slowed or paused. How PRP is created is by taking venous blood from the patient, centrifuging it, and then injecting it into the patient’s joint space.
What About a Corticosteroid Injection?
In a study comparing PRP to corticosteroid injections, PRP provided superior pain and symptom relief for patients with OA as well as significantly improved quality of life when compared to those receiving a cortisone injection. Cortisone often is short lived and can cause more harm than positive outcome.
Limitations of PRP Use
First, the research is lacking due to the inconsistency among PRP preparation, which makes it ineffective for use in clinical trials. Secondly, there is little research on long-term effects of PRP. And lastly, the cost can be high, and most insurance companies will not cover PRP injections (out-of-pocket costs range from $500 to $2,000 per injection). This can limit the number of people who can or want to afford it.
Peak
Physiotherapy Exercise and Activity Program for Knee OA
The program is guided by a Doctor of Physical Therapy with best-practices and evidence-based theory. The program is delivered over 12 weeks with 5 one-one or small group consultations, via video-conferencing (HIPAA complaint Google Meetings). The PEAK program training modules teach management of knee OA with education, exercises, diet changes and activity guidelines to help you decrease the snap, crackle pop, walk with less pain and get back to activities that knee pain has kept you from.
For more information on the program and to schedule a FREE information call, contact: Dr. Rozalyn Moore, DPT @ rozalyn@rekineticpt.com or go to pteverywhere.
Download a FREE: 5 Easy Knee Exercises at http://bit.ly/34meBhg
Dr. Rozalyn Moore, DPT is certified in FMS Level 1, SFMA Level 1, Dry Needling, and is a TRX Suspension Trainer and retired Certified Athletic Trainer
Reference
Southworth, T., Naveen, N., Tauro, T., Leong, N., Cole, B. (2019). The Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis. The Journal of Knee Surgery. 32:37-45.
Kellum, E. (2020). Virtualsummit https://www.thevirtualpracticeintegrationsummit.com/
