Effective Treatments for Knee Injuries

December 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Knee injuries are one of the most common issues among highly active people. It is not just a minor inconvenience when one or both of your knees are in pain. With so many people searching for relief it is not surprising that people turn to drugs like Advil and Tylenol. However, there are also many other types of remedies.

There are many people who now turn to alternative medicines to solve everyday issues. It has been hinted that acupuncture can relieve knee pain that is due to osteoarthritis. For those who are still a little skeptical about new and possibly unusual treatments there are medications that can be properly prescribed by medical professionals, and of course the over-the-counter alternatives.

Those who have more serious injures or recurring problems often turn to physical therapy. Specialists work with patients to tone and strengthen tendons and muscles around the knee. Often physical therapists will use electroshock therapy in conjunction with physical therapy. This form of treatment involves two or three round discs that are placed on the muscles connected to the knee cap. Waves of electricity are sent through the discs from a machine that is attached to them. This may sound scary at first, but it feels like a small vibrating pinch that you get comfortable with after a minute or two.

There are people who have to continually see specialists for their knees. Others may just find a quality brace and wear it any time they are more active. Some chose a combination of therapy, medication, and a brace to solve their knee problems. Depending on the problem, there are people who, even after all of the treatment and therapy, still end up having knee replacement surgery. In any case, there are a wide variety of options for treatment to consult a doctor about.

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Medical advances in the field of joint replacement

November 2, 2010 by Leave a Comment
WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 28: Former National Foot...
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If you have aches and pains that are going to necessitate surgery but you’ve been holding back for fear the process might be too invasive, it might be time to check new advances in the field of joint replacement.
Let’s face it, the thought of lying in bed for two months after a knee of hip replacement just isn’t that appealing.  Some fear the thought of their femur getting sawed in half and a giant incision to replace that hip that’s been bothering for years, while others fear the long rehabilitative process that comes following major knee surgery.
With advances in technology, some in the Medical field are looking at new ways to give patients comfort, without going under the knife.
Many surgeons in this delicate Medical field are turning to alternate solutions that inject jells and other fluids into problem areas to give major relief.  Prior to the start of the NFL football season, Vikings quarterback Brett Favre had his surgically repaired ankle, ‘lubricated’ in order to give relief to the certain NFL Hall-of-Famer.
Others in this Medical field are investigating new ways to remove cells from an injured area, and then grow new cartilage or meniscus’s for damaged knees.  After the cells are scraped from the injured area, they are grown in a laboratory environment before being transplanted into the injured patient’s knee.
The technology is new, and in some cases doesn’t work if an injured area is incapable of producing healthy cells.  However, for those able to garner relief from these types of medical procedures, the relief is instantaneous and gives patients a successful transplant without removing more of the problem area.
If you have been suffering with a long-aching and problem area, it might be time to investigate some of the new technologies that have been giving patient’s relief across the globe.

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Knee Injury

July 11, 2010 by 1 Comment
Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ...
Image via Wikipedia

Possibly one of the most common injury among athletes is the knee injury. The knee joint is a part of the body exposed to some of the highest degrees of stress, from sport dependent to posture. Few serious athletes manage to escape a visit to the doctors office when it comes to this specific joint.

One example of a common knee injury amongst even the most casual weekend warriors is the torn meniscus. The menisci consist of two separate pieces of cartilage that rest between the femur and tibia, or shin bone. The meniscus that lies on the inside of the knee joint is the medial meniscus. The one that lies on the outside of the knee joint is the lateral meniscus.

As movement in the joint occurs, the menisci play a critical role by distributing the pressure between the joints evenly. Normal pressure and movement throughout a healthy joint result in comfortable and fluid operation. However, when excessive pressure or force is applied to the joint as the knee is turned and bent, the meniscus is most susceptible to a tear.

Meniscus tears are also common and often coincide with injuries or tears to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL). When these ligaments tear, the only solution is to reattach the ligament via arthroscopic surgery. However, when a meniscus tears, there are possible several solutions depending on the extent of the tear and the level of activity of the patient. The most common solution is the removal of the torn portion of the meniscus, also known as a menisectomy. Another alternative, though less common, is the repair of the mensicus, where the torn portion is reattached. This latter alternative is only effective if the tear is fairly recent and the torn piece remains sufficiently viable to reattach and heal properly.

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