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| Conservative Treatments |
| Activity Modifications, Weight Control, Rehabilitation |
| Patients are counseled to maintain an active lifestyle with the avoidance of high-impact activities. Weight reduction will decrease the load on the knee. Strengthening and flexibility exercises are encouraged to increase muscular support. The use of a knee sleeve or unloader brace may improve proprioception or unload diseased cartilage, respectively. |
| Antiinflammatories & Nutritional Supplementation |
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| Nonsteroidal antiinflammatories (NSAID’s) work by decreasing the inflammation in the joint. Over the counter nutritional supplements (Glucosamine & Chondroitin sulfate) are vitamin pills for the knee cartilage, and have proven to be effective for some patients. These supplements are important because there are no nutrients for articular cartilage present in our every day diet. |
| Injections – Corticosteroid & Viscosupplementation |
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| Judicious use of corticosteroid injections (3-4 times per year) can result in a decrease in joint pain, but will not prevent cartilage disease progression. More frequent injections may actually harm the articular cartilage. |
| Viscosupplementation (joint lubricants) help to restore the smooth gliding function, and improve the biochemical environment of the knee joint. One injection is given per week for three weeks for a total of three injections. Results are variable and dependent on the degree of osteoarthritis present. Success tends to increase with milder forms of arthritis. When symptomatic improvement occurs, significant relief of symptoms can last for six months or longer. |
