Pain Management for Knee Pain and Injuries

The knee joint is very susceptible to injury, and it’s likely that you’ll experience a knee injury or knee pain at some point in your life. Luckily, there are many options for finding knee pain relief, whether you’re suffering from an acute sports injury or long-term knee arthritis. 

Keep reading to learn more about pain management for knee pain and injuries. 

At-Home Care

At-home care is the first course of action for acute pain and minor knee injuries. Many mild injuries — like sprains, strains or inflammation — resolve within a few weeks if you take care of your knee at home using the treatment methods listed below. 

At-home measures are also a critical component of treating a chronic condition like osteoarthritis, gout, or rheumatoid arthritis. The following care measures can help you manage daily pain or flare-ups of your condition. 

• R.I.C.E. Rest, ice, compression and elevation are the first steps you should take to treat minor knee aches and pains. R.I.C.E. can also help you find pain relief during an arthritis flare-up. Rest the achy knee, apply ice to reduce pain and swelling, use a compression wrap and keep the knee elevated above the heart.

• Heat. Applying heat can soothe a sore, achy joint and release tense, tight muscles. You can alternate heat and ice packs if that feels good. 

• Medications. Taking over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can relieve mild to moderate pain from an injury or arthritis flare-up. 

• Exercise. Remaining active is one of the most important things you can do to maintain healthy, strong knee joints. Joint-friendly exercises like walking, stationary cycling, elliptical machines, swimming, water aerobics, yoga and tai chi can help you strengthen the muscles that support the knees, increase flexibility, and preserve range of motion. If you’re recovering from an injury, you may benefit from performing specific knee-strengthening exercises and stretches. 

• Weight management. Along with exercising, losing excess weight is the other most important thing you can do to maintain healthy joints. Extra pounds add extra pressure to your knees, which speeds up joint damage and degeneration. 

Medical Management

If at-home care isn’t effective, it’s time to seek diagnosis and treatment from your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe one or more of the following conservative methods, depending on your injury or condition.

• Medications. Your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medications to control moderate to severe pain. If your knee pain is caused by arthritis, your doctor may recommend topical treatments with capsaicin or NSAIDs to deliver relief.  

• Injections. Therapeutic injections provide temporary pain relief for arthritis pain or a sports-related injury like tendinitis. Cortisone injections reduce inflammation and swelling around a painful knee joint. The pain-relieving effects can last anywhere from a few weeks to six months to over a year. Hyaluronic acid injections lubricate a painful joint with arthritis damage. The pain-relieving effects can last up to six months. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections help stimulate tissue repair and healing for injuries like tears, sprains, and cartilage defects. Research also shows that PRP injections may be able to slow the progression of arthritis. 

• Physical therapy. Physical therapy is highly beneficial for recovery after a knee injury or managing a chronic condition like arthritis. A physical therapist can help you improve strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance and endurance. Your therapist can also provide education on stretches and home exercises to relieve pain and activity modifications to make daily tasks less painful.  

• Assistive devices. An assistive device like a knee brace can provide support and stabilization during sports or daily activities. If you have progressive arthritis, a walker or cane can help you get around with more ease. 

Surgery

Surgery may be required for a knee injury like a severe ligament, tendon or cartilage tear. Surgery is also a treatment option for arthritis that’s caused significant joint damage. If you’re living with chronic pain, loss of mobility and a decrease in your quality of life, it may be time to discuss surgery with your doctor. 

• Arthroscopic surgery. Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used to view the inside of the knee joint, identify problems, and perform repairs. During the procedure, a tiny camera is inserted into the joint, and the surgeon uses an accompanying video monitor to find and assess problems. Arthroscopy is recommended to remove or repair a torn meniscus, reconstruct or repair a torn ligament, remove inflamed tissues, debride damaged cartilage, remove loose fragments, and wash out infection. Arthroscopy is very safe, and because the procedure requires smaller incisions, patients experience less pain and stiffness and a faster recovery time. 

• Partial knee replacement. A partial knee replacement is recommended when only one compartment of the knee has significant arthritis damage. It’s performed much less often than a total knee replacement. The primary benefit of a partial replacement is that it preserves more of the original joint and supporting ligaments. The primary downside is that arthritis could continue to progress and affect other compartments in the knee, requiring a second surgery down the road.  

• Total knee replacement. A total knee replacement is recommended when joint damage from arthritis affects 2-3 compartments of the knee. During the procedure, all joint surfaces are replaced with metal and plastic hardware. Additionally, the supportive ligaments are balanced and stabilized to support the newly reconstructed joint. Due to better, more durable prosthetic materials, a knee replacement can last up to 10, 15, or even 20 years before a revision is necessary. 

iO-Core™ Procedure

The iO-Core™ procedure is changing the way we assess and treat arthritis. For many years, doctors believed arthritis was only a “surface problem” — that it only affected the cartilage covering joint surfaces. Traditional treatment methods like medications, injections, physical therapy, weight loss and exercise are focused on treating arthritis pain and slowing the progression of the disease. They’re effective, but only to a point. None of the treatments listed above can prevent progressive degeneration. Eventually, joint replacement surgery is the only treatment option left. 

But that was the old way of thinking. Today, we know that arthritis is a disease that affects the entire joint, including cartilage, underlying bone, and connective soft tissues. We also know that underlying bone damage and bone marrow lesions are a significant contributing factor to arthritis pain, cartilage loss and the rate of degeneration. Traditional treatments can help reduce pain and symptoms, but without treating the underlying bone damage, patients will continue to experience pain and loss of mobility. 

That’s where the iO-Core™ procedure comes in. iO-Core™ is a minimally invasive procedure that combines orthopedics and biologics to treat degenerating cartilage and underlying bone and tissue damage caused by arthritis and joint injuries. 

Treating the underlying damage and not just the surface layer of cartilage has shown better results over “standard of care” methods in decreasing pain and improving mobility for many patients. Many people who were told they needed a total joint replacement surgery have found long-term pain relief from iO-Core™ instead. 

If you’ve been told that joint replacement surgery is the only treatment option left for you, contact our team today to find out if you’re a candidate for the iO-Core™ procedure.