Knee Pain Management: Knee Arthroscopy (PART 2)

Spine Center of Texas will be continuing our discussion about knee pain management.

Knee Injury Diagnosis

When our knees become injured, we can experience a wide spectrum of symptoms, including pain, decreased range of motion, swelling, stiffness, and the inability to play sports or work. Specialists use a variety of tools to accurately diagnose knee injury, such as history information forms, physical exam, and imaging studies (X-Ray, MRI and CT scan.) When it comes to evaluating knee ligament and cartilage injuries, MRI is the best test.

Knee Injury Treatment Options

It’s normal to feel frustrated, angry, or depressed when you discover you have a knee injury. Knowing the severity of the injury and damage to the menisci, ligament, and other knee structures is important for your recovery. Your medical provider will formulate an optimal treatment plan after you undergo MRI.

Every knee treatment plan should be personalized. There is no need to rush to any decision when it comes to determining the best treatment approach. Make sure to take the time to understand your diagnosis and all available treatment options. It will also be helpful if you inform your medical provider about your athletic goals and what types of sport/lifestyle you wish to return to. Discuss how your knee injury may disrupt your work.

Conservative Treatment Options

If you are not a good candidate for surgery, conservative treatment may be the best option for you. This type of treatment focuses on regaining motion range, conditioning, and even physical therapy so you can return to all functional activities. Conservative treatment may include viscosupplementation-Supartz injection (helps improve knee resilience while nourishing the cartilage) and cortisone injections (anti-inflammatory medications.)

Knee Arthroscopy – Surgical Treatment Option

Patients with meniscus tears or articular cartilage defects can choose to undergo knee arthroscopy. This outpatient treatment includes an examination under anaesthesia to exactly determine the damage in the articular cartilage and the tears in the meniscus and ligament.

Contact Spine Center of Texas if you want to learn more about how knee arthroscopy can help with your knee injury.