What are the treatment guidelines for osteoarthritis before reaching the stage of knee replacement surgery?
Early stage treatment with medication can cure it
Most doctors will prescribe pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce knee pain in the early stages. However, long-term use of these medications may cause side effects, such as affecting the stomach. If medication does not relieve the symptoms, doctors may use steroid injections into the knee joint to help reduce inflammation instead.
Physical therapy combined with medication
In addition to taking medication, physical therapy should be done to strengthen the muscles around the knee. You can easily do these 4 exercises at home:
1. Lie on your back and press your knee Lie on your back on the floor with a pillow under your knee and press the knee straight one side at a time.
2. Lie on your stomach and bend your knee Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight, bend your knee towards your body one side at a time as much as possible.
3. Sit dangling your legs and straighten your knee Sit on a chair with your back against the backrest, slowly extend your leg forward while flexing your ankle.
4. Lean against the wall and squat Lean your back against the wall with your feet about 1 foot away from the wall, slowly slide down to bend your knees slightly.
Injecting joint fluid to reduce friction
If initial treatments are ineffective, doctors will recommend injecting synthetic joint fluid or Hyaluronic Acid. Most patients with osteoarthritis have thickened joint fluid causing stiffness, so injecting fluid helps lubricate the joint, reduce friction, stimulate new joint fluid production, and relieve pain. Doctors inject the fluid once a week for 3-5 consecutive weeks. The treatment effect lasts 6 months to 1 year.
Cleaning the joint with arthroscopic surgery
This method is suitable for patients in the moderate stage who have had long-term inflammation and have not responded to other treatments. Arthroscopy is used to clean the joint, remove worn or loose bone fragments to reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain, making knee movement easier. The incision is small, only 0.5-2 centimeters. This not only helps patients return to daily life quickly but also reduces the risk of infection from surgery.
