Non-Surgical Knee Treatment Specialist

Board Certified Orthopedic Providers in Tucson, AZ & Phoenix, AZ

Non-Surgical Knee Treatment

Not so long ago, the only hope for severe knee arthritis was joint replacement surgery. If you have osteoarthritis but want to avoid an operation, Shaun Peterson, MD, Ashley Ciallella, PA-C, Marianne Parham, RNFA, and Ambrosia Boyd, DNP, FNP-C, of Knees First can help. At their offices in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, you receive specialized nonsurgical knee treatment from board-certified practitioners. To find out about cutting-edge therapies like injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cells, and hyaluronic acid for knee pain, call your nearest Knees First office today or book an appointment online.

Non-Surgical Knee Treatment Q & A

What is nonsurgical knee treatment?

Nonsurgical knee treatments cover a range of therapies and procedures that can help relieve knee pain without the need for surgery. They include:

Physical therapy
Medication
Bracing
Walking aids
Ice and heat
Knee supports
Knee injections

Knees First specializes in using knee injections to delay or prevent the need for surgery.

How does nonsurgical knee treatment help me avoid surgery?

Knees First focuses on treatments that bridge the gap between conservative methods (physical therapy and medication) and surgery. They use products that are relatively new to medicine, based on natural substances. These include:

Hyaluronic acid injections

Hyaluronic acid is your body’s joint lubricant. When you have osteoarthritis, levels of hyaluronic acid tend to be low, which worsens joint pain and stiffness. Injecting fresh supplies improves joint operation and eases your symptoms.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

PRP injections deliver large quantities of growth factors to injured tissues, which stimulates the body’s healing processes. Another option, stem cell therapy, is similar.

These nonsurgical knee treatments give you years of joint comfort, and many Knees First patients never need surgery for their knee pain.

Why should I consider nonsurgical knee treatment?

Surgery is often vital for severe injuries to the knees. It can also be an effective solution for patients with advanced arthritis who are experiencing severe symptoms and can’t get relief with other treatments.

However, there are some significant risks you should consider before having knee surgery:

General anesthesia

If you need to be unconscious for your operation, you require a general anesthetic. Possible side effects include nausea and vomiting after you wake up and potentially life-threatening complications in a minimal number of cases.

Pain

Open surgery (where you have a large incision in your knee) causes pain for some time afterward until you heal properly. That means you need to take medications that might carry a risk of side effects.

Minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques are less damaging but still cause discomfort and require rehabilitation time.

Infection

Surgical and nursing staff take every possible precaution to prevent infection during surgery, but it’s still possible for bacteria to enter the wounds. Infections are painful and unpleasant, and could lead to further surgery.

Recovery

Surgery requires a period of rest and rehabilitation. You might struggle to look after yourself and need help with daily tasks. You may need to take time off work or stop doing activities you enjoy while you heal. Sometimes surgery doesn’t have the intended effect, so you must have further procedures.

Today’s orthopedic surgeons use increasingly advanced approaches to minimize tissue damage and help you heal more quickly. Nevertheless, they usually recommend that you try all nonsurgical knee treatments before considering an operation.

Find out how you can avoid knee surgery by calling Knees First today or booking an appointment online.