Knee Arthritis Surgery in Maryland and DC | Knee Surgeon for Arthritis
Dr. Movement and Knee Arthritis
Keeping you moving forward
Knee arthritis occurs when the articular cartilage breaks down and no longer provides a smooth, cushioned surface for bones to glide. This happens naturally due to wear and tear associated with aging. You are at higher risk for developing arthritis if it runs in your immediate family, if you have had previous knee surgeries, have had a previous knee injury or if your occupation/hobbies cause significant stress to your knees over many years. In some patients, their own immune system can attack the knee joint tissue and cause inflammatory arthritis.
The knee has 3 compartments in which arthritis can occur – inside (medial), outside (lateral), under the knee cap (patellofemoral). Arthritis can be in either one or in multiple compartments. This determines further treatment for arthritis.
Symptoms of arthritis can include joint pain, stiffness and joint instability. The pain is often described as a deep ache and becomes progressively worse over time. You may hear and feel a grinding sensation as you move your knee. Cold and damp weather can make these symptoms worse.
Anatomy
Articular cartilage covers the surface of a bone where it meets with another bone at a joint. In the knee, cartilage covers the thigh bone (femur), leg bone (tibia) and the knee cap (patella). This cartilage is important to provide both a smooth, lubricated surface for joint articulation and to help distribute load to reduce stress on your bones. In addition to the cartilage, there is a shock-absorber called the meniscus in the knee. There is one on the inside (medial) and one on the outside (lateral). Muscles and ligaments (rubber bands) around the knee help control movement and stability of the knee joint.
Evaluation
Your healthcare provider will evaluate your range of motion, measure strength, and perform special tests to help diagnose the source of your knee symptoms.
They will use the results of their exam to determine if you need further testing (e.g. x-ray, MRI, CT scan).
Knee Arthritis Management
We offer a step-wise series of treatment options for patients with knee arthritis. These range from simple, non-invasive modalities to more procedural treatments. Some examples are as listed here:
- Physical therapy and conditioning with our experience physical therapists
- Medical management with anti-inflammatory medications and lotions
- 3 types of injections
- Corticosteroids
- Hyaluronic acid (joint lubricant)
- Stem cells or PRP (platelet rich plasma)
- Surgical options
Surgery for knee arthritis is the end treatment. This is the best option to relieve pain and restore function when more conservative options have failed.
There are several options for knee arthritis surgery depending on how many compartments are involved:
- Single compartment disease – partial knee resurfacing (unicompartmental knee arthroplasty)
- 2-compartment disease – 2 partial knee resurfacings (bicompartmental knee arthroplasty)
- 3-compartment disease – total knee replacement
Each of these surgeries are performed in a minimally-invasive, robotic and computer-assisted fashion. In all cases, patients are active right after the surgery and in many cases, patients can go home the same day of surgery.