Non-Operative Treatments

Viscosupplementation is used to treat knee osteoarthritis. If you have osteoarthritis, you likely do not have enough synovial fluid (a lubricant that helps the bones glide smoothly) in your knee joint, resulting in increased pain and stiffness.

This treatment involves injecting hyaluronic acid into your knee joint to supplement the synovial fluid, resulting in reduced knee pain and increased movement. It is useful for people who are trying to delay surgery or are not candidates for knee replacement surgery. Dr. Sidani uses Supartz® viscosupplementation products. Injections are typically given weekly for 3 or 4 weeks.

Injectable cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory medication, a synthetically produced steroid that lasts for a longer period of time than the cortisone your body naturally produces. It is injected directly into joints such as shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles to decrease inflammation, which can subsequently decrease pain. Cortisone injections usually work within a few days, and the effects can last up to several weeks.

Physical therapy may sometimes be used in place of orthopedic surgery (depending on the severity of your injury), prior to surgery to strengthen the muscles surrounding the body part that will be operated on, or as an essential part of the healing process after surgery to help re-build your strength and restore proper function to the joints involved in the operation.

Physical therapy can help shorten your recovery time and ensure optimal outcomes. Therapists will create a personalized treatment plan targeting specific muscles and use exercise, manual therapy, joint mobilization, and modalities such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, heat and cold to re-train your body to perform normal movements.