Treating Knee Pain Without Surgery

Your knees are the biggest joints in your body. Unlike other big, complex joints like your hips or shoulders, they don’t have the benefit of being anchored by your torso. Without that trunk-based support, your knees have to do a lot to keep you mobile and stable. 

So it’s no surprise that a lot of people end up with knee pain. If you’re one of them, you’re in the right place. 

With a specialization in knee pain, Dr. Jonathan Carlson can work with you to find treatment that brings you relief. Better still, he prioritizes nonsurgical interventions. If you’ve put off dealing with your knee because you know you don’t want surgery, we can help. Visit us at Hawai’i Pain & Spine on the Windward side of O’ahu in Kailua, Hawai’i. 

First, try minor modifications

Some small changes can make a big difference for your knee. Dr. Carlson starts by exploring conservative approaches with you. 

That might mean activity modification, such as finding an alternative, lower-impact form of exercise. Or it could mean wearing a knee brace to support your knee and alleviate the strain on it. 

As part of your early-stage treatment, Dr. Carlson may recommend a physical therapy regimen. A conditioning program focused on your knee can help strengthen the muscles and tendons that support the joint. 

Working on key muscle groups throughout your legs can lessen strain on your knee while helping it function the best it can. 

Then, we can explore targeted treatments

If your knee doesn’t improve with activity modification, bracing, or physical therapy, Dr. Carlson can scale up your treatment. He might recommend injecting a medication or another solution into your knee to help ease your pain and improve its function. 

Dr. Carlson offers a few injection-based treatments for knee pain. Those include:

• Steroid injections to minimize inflammation
• Joint fluid replacement (viscosupplementation) 
• Regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine harnesses your body’s innate healing properties. Dr. Carlson might recommend platelet-rich plasma (PRP). By using the platelets from your blood, he can supply your knee with growth factors that can stimulate and support healing. 

Surgery as a last resort

Dr. Carlson does what he can to help you avoid a procedure. In some cases, though, you may require surgery. Some ligament tears, for example, won’t heal without surgical intervention. 

Fortunately, you can explore multiple options before going under the knife. To see what kind of nonsurgical treatments Dr. Carlson recommends for your knee, call our office to book an appointment today.