By Debra K. Brinker, RN
Joint instability is the primary cause of chronic pain and degenerative arthritis in the majority of joints in the body, including the knee and the hip. (See figures 1a and 1b.)
In the knee, instability is oftentimes due to ligament, tendon and meniscal injuries and tears. In the hip, damage to the labrum as well as supportive ligaments can also cause instability. These structures are commonly injured when some type of trauma occurs, such as in sports injuries, or due to a minor ligament tear or sprain that does not heal and progresses over time. Chronic pain conditions are degenerative by nature. Therefore, choosing not to do treatment or choosing treatments that further joint instability only accelerate the osteoarthritic process. Fortunately, there are fast-acting, non-surgical regenerative options that are accessible in southwest Florida to stop the degenerative process and alleviate pain.
Meniscus tears
The menisci protect the cartilage in the knee from high stresses that are placed upon the joint and allow for smooth, stable joint motion. Meniscal injuries are some of the most common knee injuries where medical care is sought. The various types of meniscus tears include bucket handle tears, radial tears, horizontal tears, and oblique tears. When more than one of these patterns are present, the tear is called a complex tear. (See figure 2.)
Meniscus surgery accelerates joint degeneration
When any structure of the knee is damaged, especially ligaments and menisci, it can lead to destructive joint motion and eventually to osteoarthritis. (See figure 3.)
Surgery, including arthroscopic surgery, worsens joint instability, because ligaments and supporting structures are cut, stretched, scraped and removed. In the knee, meniscus and cartilage tissue are the most commonly removed structures, changing the joint dynamics and leading to destructive joint motion. The subsequent degeneration of the articular cartilage appears to be proportional to the size of the segment removed. (See figure 4.)
The joint breakdown leads to further thinning of the remaining articular cartilage, creating a vicious cycle of pain and progressive arthritis.
Hip Labral Tears and Osteoarthritis
The hip labrum is a fibrocartilage ring that covers the acetabulam and has similar biomechanic properties as the meniscus and helps stabilize the hip joint. Surgical repair of the hip labrum is often performed upon MRI diagnosis of a labral tear.
But is it really the best treatment for long-term joint health? Just as removal of the meniscus increases instability in the knee, extraction of the labrum makes the hip joint more unstable, and will eventually lead to osteoarthritis.
Treating Meniscus and Labral Tears Non-Surgically with Regenerative Injection Therapy
Non-surgical options to treat both meniscal and labral tears provide viable options to avoid joint replacement in the future. Prolotherapy, a regenerative injection therapy, can be successfully utilized to repair and regenerate the injured ligaments, tendons, meniscus, labrum and cartilage in injured and degenerated knee and hip joints. (See figure 5.)
Prolotherapy stimulates our own bodies to repair damaged tissue both outside and inside joints. Cellular Prolotherapy, such as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) or Stem Cell Therapy may also be warranted when treating meniscal or hip labral tears and in advanced osteoarthritis. These cellular techniques provide healing cells and growth factors directly into cell-deficient areas, and improve cell signaling so the cells are activated to become strong, healthy tissue.
Why Regenerative Options Make Sense
Comprehensively treating all of the ligament attachments ensures the stability of the hip and knee joint, since treating the ligaments tightens the loose supporting structures, aiding in the elimination of pain. This rationale can be compared to using a screwdriver to tighten a loose hinge on a cabinet door in order to stop the doors from hitting each other which slowly but surely causes permanent damage. (See figure 6.)
Most painful joint conditions begin with joint instability due to damage to the surrounding ligaments, just like a wobbly cabinet door starts with a screw loosening in the hinge. The instability can progress to meniscal injuries or labral degeneration and eventually to knee or hip osteoarthritis.
Non-surgical Regenerative Injection Therapy is an excellent option to stimulate the body to repair the entire joint, and alleviate chronic knee and hip pain due to osteoarthritis or as a result of ligament, tendon, meniscal and labral tears.
Regenerative Medicine Specialists
CaringMedical.com
239-303-4546
with locations in Fort Myers and Chicagoland