A Common Treatment for Knee Pain Might be Making it Worse
A common treatment for some arthritis pain might actually be making the condition worse, according to two new studies.
According to articles on the study, researchers in both studies chose cohorts from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a multicenter, longitudinal, observational study of nearly 5,000 participants with knee osteoarthritis currently in its 14th year of follow-up
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting 32.5 million adults in the U.S. Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic, degenerative and progressive condition with an estimated incidence of 800,000 patients each year. More than 10% of patients with knee osteoarthritis seek noninvasive treatment for pain relief through corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections.
The reports showed a statistically significant increase in the progression of degenerative changes in knee cartilage over two years in people who had corticosteroid injections compared with those who had hyaluronic acid or no injections, according to the study authors.
In one study, hyaluronic injections showed a decreased progression of knee arthritis, specifically in bone marrow lesions. Hyaluronic acid may slow down the progression of knee osteoarthritis and alleviate long-term effects while offering symptomatic relief.
Patients injected with corticosteroids had significantly more osteoarthritis progression, including medial joint space narrowing, a hallmark of the disease.
However, just because the images might look worse doesn’t always mean that the patients are feeling more pain.
The takeaway from these studies is that corticosteroids should be used with caution for osteoarthritis pain.
At Active Spine & Joint Institute, we offer treatment for a variety of conditions that affect the knee, with our Active Knee© program. Our experts will develop a personalized treatment plan to help you return to normal, without debilitating knee pain. With our Active Knee© program, you can start walking your path back to greater health.
Our Active Knee© program includes
Chiropractic Therapy
Extremity Adjustments
Therapeutic Exercises
Supplements
Orthotics and Knee Brace Supports
Knee Decompression Therapy
If you are someone that suffers from Osteoarthritis or has been told that you are bone on bone, the Active Knee© program may be for you. Schedule a consultation by calling 609-886-8585 to see if you are a candidate for our program.
Source: https://press.rsna.org/timssnet/media/pressreleases/14_pr_target.cfm?id=2386
Presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, November 2022