Knee Arthritis|Knock Knees|Virtual Knee Surgery

Remember when simple routine tasks were something you took for granted? If knee pain is changing your lifestyle, then you need to know this: The new concept in joint replacement surgery is to only replace the worn out portion of the arthritic joint. A large number of people with osteoarthritis of the knee have worn out only one of the three compartments in the knee. If this is the case, the individual may only require a partial replacement.

The Oxford Partial Knee Replacement is the first implant that can accomplish this task with proven long term results of 95% at 15 years and beyond. For this reason the Oxford makes a whole or total knee joint replacement NOT necessary in many cases. A very common patient scenario is bone on bone osteoarthritis. This occurs due to degeneration or "wear and tear" of the articular cartilage, and degeneration or surgical removal of the meniscus. Once this situation develops, the individual usually has severe pain. An Oxford is perfect for this situation.

After an Oxford has been placed, the bone on bone rubbing condition has been replaced by the Oxford with it's meniscus replacement bearing. The implant actually sits between the bones and cruciate ligaments (white ropes in the middle of the knee) and the medial collateral ligament (white rope on the right side of the knee). A total knee replacement is not necessary for this situation.

The Oxford Advantages:

The Oxford Unicompartmental Knee System offers these advantages:

At 15 years following surgery, 95% of implants are still functioning well.
More normal motion of the human knee
Only a portion of the knee is replaced, making this procedure available to a younger population
Minimally invasive - a small incision is utilized
Less pain due to a smaller operation
Outpatient, or one or two nights in hospital
Quicker recovery - discontinue crutches as fast as one desires
Covered by Insurance and Medicare

No other partial knee replacement has the proven success rate and longevity of Oxford. Until Oxford came along most orthopedists in the United States did not do partial knee replacement because of the high failure rate of these earlier implants. Many orthopedists today still do not recommend partial knee replacement for their patients because they are not familiar with Oxford or qualified to do it. If your orthopedist tells you "partial knee replacement does not work", you need to get another opinion. If your orthopedist tells you a different brand of partial knee replacement has the same success rate of Oxford, ask him to show you the scientific paper or data supporting his opinion.

The Oxford Partial Knee Replacement prosthesis allows for better range of motion of the knee by virtue of replication of the function of the menisci and allows for more normal motion of the human knee. With the Oxford partial knee replacement, only a portion of the knee is replaced. In performing an Oxford, the anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments are always preserved. In performing a total knee replacement, the anterior cruciate ligament is always removed; sometimes the posterior cruciate ligament is removed as well.

In some cases, this prosthesis may be applicable to individuals who were previously considered too young to undergo a total knee replacement. The Oxford implant utilizes a minimally invasive procedure in which patients may experience less pain and a quicker recovery time than experienced with a total knee replacement.

Talk with your orthopedic surgeon to find out if you are a candidate for a partial knee replacement.

Because Arthritis joint pain is caused by wear and tear on the joints you may not even consider exercising when you are hurting. To alleviate some of the pain and stiffness you are feeling, low impact exercises can be the best thing you can do.

Exercising the muscles that cushion sore joints can lessen the pressure on the joints. Some of these sore joints include: the hips, shoulders, knees, and hands?wrists.

The most common cause of arthritis joint pain is mal-alignment. A properly aligned joint with balanced muscle strength coming from opposing sides can reduce pain and support your activities that you enjoy.

What this means is that if you are strengthening the muscles in the thigh or front of the leg you also need to work the opposing group of hamstrings in the back of the leg.

Pilates exercises are designed to stretch and strengthen muscles groups at the same time. What this means is that the muscle groups that support your spine, knees, hips, and shoulders will be equally balanced. This corrective practice will, in turn, cause them to move more efficiently with less wear and tear, which equals less pain.

Stronger Muscles = Less Pressure on Joints = Less Pain!

Some sample Pilates exercises to help relieve the arthritis joint pain that you are feeling:

------------------------ Joint Pain Exercise for the Hips:

· Pilates leg circles are a great exercise to stabilize the pelvis while lubricating the hip joint and simultaneously stretching and strengthening those muscles of the hip and upper leg.

Leg circles are done by lying on your back with one leg extended out along the floor and the other can be extended almost to a 90 degree angle or modify by bending at the knee. Feel the femur or thigh bone heavy in the hip socket and rotate in circles keeping the torso anchored into the mat. Do this 5-8 times each direction.

--------------------------- Wrist Joint Pain Exercise:

· Wrist/finger curls: One of my favorites to strengthen the wrist and increase finger dexterity is to do curls using a small dumbbell or weighted ball.

Leaning forward in a chair with your forearm resting on your thigh palm up and the back of the hand hanging off your leg. Roll the weight out to your finger tips and then slowly curl with your fingers and then make a fist around it as it curls into your palm. Do this 10 times on each hand.

--------------------------- Shoulder Joint Pain Exercise:

· A great way to stabilize the shoulder joint is by doing scapular protraction and retraction exercises.

Standing with your arms extended at chest height, protract the scapula by reaching the arms out farther away drawing the shoulder blades apart. Retract the scapula by drawing or sliding the shoulder blades together. Complete 8-12 repetetions of this exercise in each direction.

-------------------------- Joint Pain Exercise for the Knees:

Eve's Lunge on the Pilates reformer is one of the best ways I have found to stretch and strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee joint. If this equipment is not available for you try doing a non-impact exercise such as leg extensions with a small soft ball.

Place a small ball between your knees as you are lying on your back. Extend your legs squeezing the ball more feeling your inner thighs working and your spine stretch flat into the mat. Bend your knees again to relax. Do this for 10-15 times.

If you are looking for a qualified Pilates instructor in your area go to: http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org

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Tips to begin any arthritis joint pain exercises:

1. Start slowly - Begin with low repetitions (4-8 times) and light weights (2-5 lbs).

2. Progress in small increments - after a week or two with no pain and soreness increase reps or frequency by a couple of reps or minutes.

3. Set goals you can achieve - If it's only exercising one day per week then start there.

4. Work in a pain free range of motion. No Pain - No Gain is not allowed here!

Knee bears a great amount of weight especially when we stand or walk. So if it is not working properly, you do not have any other way but to hobble around. If the condition worsens over time then you will feel pain even when you are reclining on the beds. The consultant orthopedics will suggest some sorts of physical exercises to lessen the pain. But if the problem has reached to a critical stage, then the total knee replacement is the only way to provide the healing touch.

Know more about the total knee replacement: This surgery is termed as arthroplasty in medical jargon. It is a major operation that aims at replacement of the damaged knee joint cartilage, responsible for the severe pain. The lower end of the femur and upper end of the tibia are shaped to allow the insertion of the specially built up metal components into the gap. The metal tray that is fitted to the upper end of tibia is teamed up with a plastic bearing.

Varieties of total knee replacement: The plastic bearing comes up only in two varieties. The orthopedic surgeon will ultimately decide which one will work best in case of a typical individual. The plastic material, inserted as the replacement of the original knee joint can be of fixed type or have enough mobility. The former bearing is the most common and it works for longer time span. The moving or rotating total knee replacement technique is used in case of the younger persons or those who are bulky in shapes and sizes. The doctors have devised an improved technique of medical pivot implant. It is a superior technology and the implant can do all the functions of a knee and it gives the patient a feel of an original knee.

Success of the total knee replacement surgery: The main objective of the knee replacement is to restore the normal flexibilities of the knees. It is a major operation and the recovery time stretches to a long period. Success of the total knee replacement depends upon the constellation of several factors such as the age of the patient, general health condition etc. etc. The rehab programs will also be of short duration if the person is in the finest and fittest shape. It deserves a special mention in this context that the success of the total hip replacement surgery is also a function of the various criteria among which the age and health of the patient are the major factors. The patients often complain about pains in the post surgery period. In some of the cases, the pain lasts for too long and the patients are forced to think that total knee replacement is an utter failure in their cases. Hopefully, there are some powerful medicines that can reduce the suffering by significant margin. Once the initial stage of the rehab period passes by, the patients will be handed over the walking supports for the sake of locomotion. The total hip replacement as well as the total knee replacement surgeries offer high success rate if accompanied by the timely and progressive rehabilitation mandates.

What is frontal knee pain?

Frontal knee pain is a pain people experience beneath the kneecap (additionally referred to as patella). It's the most typical reason behind chronic pain related to the knee. It originates from deterioration of cartilage, which happens because of inferior position in the kneecap while it glides across the lower end in the quad cuboid bone (femur).

Indications of frontal knee pain!

Indicators of frontal knee pain are often some sort of fuzzy feeling inside the knee, irritated through action (running, mountaineering as well as climbing down a stairway) or simply by extended seating using legs in the twisted position (soreness and pain as a result of long time seating in the workplace for example). Some individuals furthermore record experiencing a weird sensation or firmness inside the knee. It may afflict a single as well as both legs. When continual signs are overlooked, losing quadriceps (upper leg) muscle tissue power causes leg to "give up". Moreover an evident decrease in quadriceps muscle tissue and slight inflammation in the knee location might show up.

What is causing frontal knee pain?

The patella (kneecap) is normally pulled over the end of the femur in a straight line by the quadriceps (thigh) muscle. People experiencing this kind of pain typically have unnatural patellar "tracking" in the direction of the side (external) section in the femur. The following just a bit off the path glide permits that under surface patella grates alongside femur creating constant swelling together with pain. Some people are more likely to develop frontal knee pain than others(women, older people etc..), however it is usually the result of muscle weakness, which often will not put adequate tension with an individual's kneecap to produce the ideal route for the kneecap. This problem is also well-known to individuals who participate in a number of sporting activities, both professionally or as a recreation. In these instances frontal knee pain is mainly a result of muscle imbalances.

How to get rid of frontal knee pain?

Stretching out together with strengthening of quadriceps and hamstring muscles is essential for long-lasting effect and efficient rehab. You must do the exercises and you must do them the right way. For instance executing weighted squats, lower leg pushes and training on leg extension machine can cause even bigger injury. Swimming might help reduce soreness; yet, in the majority of conditions it isn't enough to take care of frontal knee pain completely.

The most frequent procedure is ice together with pain killers, though this is the improper strategy to use. The trouble with drugs is usually the following: when you stop taking them, the pain returns and you must take even more pills.. This way you're not taking care of the problem itself; you're simply eliminating the pain. Going this route you are closer and closer to knee surgery. If you carry out appropriate exercises you may be certain to prevent the knee surgery, which is usually the last phase in case damage is already too heavy.

In normal conditions, there's a fast recovery and return to full functional level when quadriceps and surrounding muscles are finally normally developed and after reducing muscle imbalances.

Just keep in mind the following: the only method to build tougher knees, to eliminate frontal knee pain and to resume your regular way of life is to increase quadriceps muscle power and muscle coordination through executing the correct exercises the correct way.

When I was growing up, my father frequently passed along nuggets of wisdom in the form of short phrases that still stick with me to this day. One of those sayings was in regards to me wishing I would get a good grade on a math test. His response was, "Wish in one hand, sh*t in the other and see which one fills up faster." Now before you get all offended and decide to stop reading, take for a moment to see the genius in the statement.

It may have been a little rough at the time while I was in elementary school however, the phrase did teach me a life long lesson that I applied to my own healing after ligament (ACL) reconstruction back in 1999. No matter how much I wished my knee pain would go away, the fact of the matter was, I needed to do the things necessary to make sure I was setting up the conditions for my knee to heal.

No one else could make me do it or do it for me.

It is important to understand having a good solid game plan is key to resolving the pain other wise you will still be wishing the pain goes away after you pick up your prescription at the pharmacy, after you go to the doctor's to get the cortisone shot, or after you wake up from the anesthesia in the recovery room.

Please do not misunderstand me. If something it broken or torn. Get it fixed! However, if nothing is showing up on an X-ray, a CT scan, or an MRI then the solution for your painful knees is not at the doctor's office. Like I had mentioned earlier I needed to setup the conditions in my knee would go away which meant everything that I was doing at that time was creating the conditions for my knee to hurt. This point is huge!

You get this one and the path to resolving your situation will light right up and become apparently clear. So here are some condition that need to be looked at in order to resolve your specific situation.

Sleep - How much sleep do you get per night? Sleep is what your body needs in order to heal itself. If you are getting less than 9 hours of sleep per night then your body is not getting the recovery it needs in order to heal damaged tissue.

Water - Are you drinking any? Anything that's not water doesn't count! Your body is made up of 80% water (at least it's supposed to be). When your body doesn't get enough water it needs to rob it from your bones and joints to make sure there is enough to keep your brain and your blood functioning properly. Yes, your body is that smart and knows how to re-allocate its water resources. The proper amount of water is key for your body to be able to heal the damaged cells causing your knee pain.

Nutrition - What kind of food do you eat? In general the better fuel you put in the gas tank of your car, the better the performance you get. The same thing goes for the speed at which your body heals damaged tissue. The better the food the faster the healing that can take place and the faster the pain in your knee can disappear.

Exercise - What kind of leg exercises are you doing? Hint: Are you trying to strengthen the muscles in your legs or the ligaments in the joint? Because these two types of exercises are extremely different. One makes your the pain go away, the other tends to make the pain worse. Only someone who has gotten to the other side of severe knee pain is really going to know.

Stretching - Do you stretch? If you do, how long? Are you stretching the key muscles that contribute to chronic knee pain? Proper stretching helps to balance the tension in the body so the pressure doesn't all end up in you knees causing you more pain. This also ties into exercise and if you don't stretch you are just strengthening an already dysfunctional tension pattern. Proper stretching will help your knees get better, improper stretching at best will probably do nothing at all.

Breathing - So you may ask, "What the heck does breathing have to do with my knees?" I would answer, "Everything!" First of all, if you don't breathe, you die. If you hold your breath your body begins to immediately to tense up. Think of the very last time you felt a twinge of pain in your knee, the first thing you did was hold your breath. The more tension you have in your body the less space there is in your joints. When your joints have less space they rub on the nerves sending a signal to your brain that you are experiencing pain. The more you breathe properly the more relaxed your body gets the more space your joints have and the less pain you feel.

All of these conditions and the proper amount of each are crucial to eliminating your chronic knee pain. If your knee pain elimination strategy does not include all of these components you are leaving so much out of the equation and odds are your situation either will not go away or if it does for a time, will return.

Wishing isn't going to work, take it from my dad. You are the one that needs to take these 6 steps. No one else can.

To most people, the staircase represents the most dangerous part of the home. Every year, more accidents happen on the stairs then anywhere else, with the majority of accidental deaths and serious falls occurring on the stairs. The senior age group is typically most at risk for a fall, so it is imperative to help reduce the risk of a fall whenever possible. This is one of the reasons that stair lifts have been used for over eighty years.

The first stair lift was developed in the early part of the twentieth century, by a man who saw how his neighbor struggled with the stairs. It was a simple device that used a chair and track to lift a person up the stairs. Since this early model, the basic design has remained the same, but there have been many improvements to the quality, durability, and safety of the lift.

The most common type of stair lift used today is the straight stair lift. These are installed onto a straight or 'L' shaped staircase and are one of the most cost effective ways to increase safety, without requiring a major home renovation or lifestyle change. It is also one of the quickest ways to increase accessibility, with lifts often arriving in less than a week after being ordered. For curved staircases, a stair lift is a much more expensive option, which can also take months to be built and installed. A straight stair lift, on the other hand, can often be installed by the homeowner or a handyman, saving on installation costs.

Stair lifts are typically either battery powered or powered directly from an electrical outlet. The lifts that are powered directly from an electrical outlet are usually called AC Stair Lifts and cost a little bit less. Since these lifts are getting their power directly from the home, they will only work while the power is on. If there is a power outage, such as during a severe thunderstorm, the lift will stop working.

The battery powered lifts are called DC Powered Lifts and while they will still require access to an electrical outlet, the lift itself is actually powered by one, and sometimes two, rechargeable batteries. This way, if the power goes out, the lift will still continue working. The upfront cost is a little greater and there is a higher maintenance cost, because the batteries need replacing every twelve to eighteen months. The cost of batteries is usually between $35 and $85 dollars, but the added advantage of always being able to use the lift, even in the event of an emergency, usually outweighs these costs.

Usually the chair lift model is used. This is the kind that is loosely based off of the original stair lift and allows its occupant to sit in the chair as they move between floors. For some, however, it is not medically possible to sit done on the chair, nor is it safe for them to do so. This is true of individuals who have had a major surgery, such as knee replacement surgery. For these individuals a standing stair lift, called a perch lift, is available as an option. Due to the fact that the individual must stay standing while the lift moves, it is not as safe as the traditional chaired stair lift.

People use and rely upon stair lifts to safely carry them up the stairs every day. They have a rich history and are today packed with safety features.

Having surgery to replace one's knees can be quite stressful on the body, as well as the psyche. Life after knee replacement is probably not going to be the same as life before the surgery. Those who loved having an active lifestyle were probably concerned they would have to alter their lives drastically after they undergo the procedure. While it is certainly true that there are going to be some differences in life, it doesn't have to be as frightening as you might believe. Understand more about what is going to happen via the orthopedic surgeon and your own research. You will find that you should be able to resume the majority of your normal activities, although you should avoid those activities that are going to put stress on your knee.

What to Expect in the Hospital

After knee replacement surgery, while you are still in the hospital, one of the things that the doctors are going to require is rest. The procedure can be demanding, and it is important to make sure that you get plenty of rest before attempting to mobilize your knee. The orthopedic surgeon will be able to let you know how long you should rest before you begin to rehabilitate. The leg muscles are likely going to be weak when you first start to use your knee again, and having a good physical therapist to help you through the early stages of recuperation will be very beneficial. The therapist will show you some exercises that you can do while you are still recovering in the hospital.

Managing your pain is also quite important during the first stages of recovery. Pain medications can be useful for this, but one never wants to grow dependent on pain pills to help them deal with pain. Other medications that those who have surgery are sometimes prescribed include antibiotics to prevent infection and blood thinners to prevent the possibility of blood clots. In the first days after knee replacement surgery, you are going to have a dressing on your knee, as well as a drain to remove any fluid buildup.

Most of the time, patients are going to stay in the hospital for between three and seven days, but it depends on the patient. As long as you are able to get in and out of bed on your own, bend your knee to about a 90-degree angle, extend your knee, then they will likely discharge you. They also want to make sure that you can use crutches or a walker on a level surface and that you can climb some stairs with them. You also must remember to do the exercises given to you by the hospital's physical therapist.

Going Forward

Chances are that you will need someone to help you around the house those first couple of weeks after knee replacement surgery. Make sure that you keep your wound clean and dry, and do not shower or bathe until the staples or stitches are removed. Take care with all of the normal daily activities, and go slow. If you have any side effects that you believe could be from the wound, the surgery, or your medication, then you should contact your doctor right away.

Over the course of about six months to a year, you will be able to start to add other activities back into your life that you did before the surgery. In general, it should take about six to eight weeks before you can return to work or drive. Keep up with the physical therapy, start walking, go swimming, and heed the advice of your physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon. You will not heal overnight, but you will heal and get back to your normal routine.

Arthritis is the #1 cause of disability in America today. It is now one of the most prevalent chronic health problems. Shockingly, nearly 1 in 3 Americans (nearly 70 million) live with some form of arthritis, costing the United States $86 billion a year in healthcare costs related to treating the illness. New science confirms nutritional supplements glucosamine and chondroitin are the right combination for effective knee pain relief. The Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), funded by NIH, rigorously evaluated the efficacy and safety of glucosamine and chondroitin in 1,258 people, concluding in its abstract that the "combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is effective in treating moderate to severe knee pain due to osteoarthritis."

GAIT lead researcher Daniel O. Clegg, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Chief of Rheumatology at the University of Utah, presented his landmark findings at the American College of Rheumatology's Scientific Meeting in San Diego, California.

Funded by NIH, the $14 million GAIT study is the largest placebo controlled, double blind, clinical trial ever conducted to test the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin. All 1,258 patients who completed the study were over the age of 40 with knee pain and randomly assigned placebo; glucosamine 1500 mg; chondroitin 1200mg; glucosamine/chondroitin at above mentioned doses; or celecoxib (Celebrex) 200 mg daily for 6 months. The abstract published each treatment group's response rate to pain. Of particular note, the group taking the glucosamine/chondroitin combination experienced greater relief for the treatment of moderate to severe knee pain than the Celebrex group.
GAIT was designed to test the safety and efficacy of glucosamine and chondroitin alone and in combination in reducing knee pain associated with osteoarthritis. The study's abstract concluded that when taken together, "glucosamine and chondroitin is effective in treating moderate to severe knee pain due to OA [osteoarthritis]."

Naturally occurring in the body, glucosamine stimulates the production of cartilage, the connective tissue which cushions joints. Chondroitin is also naturally occurring in the body and like glucosamine stimulates the production of cartilage. Previous research has indicated that glucosamine is just as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in reducing osteoarthritis pain and has fewer gastrointestinal side effects than NSAIDs.

After extensively researching treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, a natural non-prescription treatment that seems to be gaining a lot of attention recently is a nutraceutical product called Flexcerin. This arthritis supplement contains all of the natural arthritis relieving nutrients, including glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and other special ingredients to help reduce inflammation, swelling and stiffness as well as protect the joints and provide long lasting pain relief. World renowned arthritis specialist, Dr. Andrew Weil MD., states "Supplements such as glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate may actually help restore damaged tissue structure in joints, perhaps because these two substances are natural constituents of healthy cartilage." Flexcerin could definitely provide relief from your painful arthritis. Widely used in Europe for years to treat osteoarthritis, glucosamine and chondroitin are safe and effective nutritional supplements, as proven by the GAIT abstract.

Whether you are interested in all things "natural," want to avoid side effects from prescription drugs, or want to leave no stone unturned in your quest for relief from arthritis pain you should realize that leaving yourself open to waiting for a viable option could prove to be a very unwise choice. Arthritis causes the most damage in the first six months if left untreated.

An infection can occur in some cases after a hip replacement procedure is handled. It will help to know about the signs of an infection. This is because if they are found early it will be easier to treat the infection before it can become worse in its intensity. A fever is a common sign of an infection. This is a condition that occurs when a person's oral temperature is greater than a hundred degrees Fahrenheit on a consistent basis.

In addition to a fever chills can occur in the body if it is infected. These chills can be ones that can cause the body to shake. They can also make the body feel unbearably cold. The area of the hip that was handled in the process should also be checked. An infection can be visible if the area is red or swollen. An infection can also be present if the treated area is one that feels tender to the touch.

In some cases pains can be felt in the hip area after the hip replacement procedure is handled. This is a natural effect of the procedure. The body will need to have some time to adjust to the new hip. In cases where an infection takes place the pains may not go away. In addition to this the pains can get to be even more intense as a person is active or rests for a longer period of time.

A good thing to know is that when an infection is found early it will be easier to get the damage of an infection reversed. This is done by working to help with getting the new joint to be altered quickly. Doing this can be done as a means of making sure that the effects of an infection will be less intense.

Several forms of Arthritis of the Knee exist. Osteoarthritis is the most common and one of the leading causes of disability in the world today. Estimates in the US vary from 21 million to 40 million people who suffer from Osteoarthritis today. Other reports claim that half of the people in the world today will eventually suffer from Arthritis of the Knee.

Arthritis of the knee occurs for many reasons and few of the causes have been defined by modern medicine. Wearing of the lining of the joints caused by repeated use under trying circumstances such as running or the result of old injuries are some of the causes being explored today for Arthritis of the knee.

While the cause is poorly understood, the effects of Arthritis of the knee are clearly defined. The constant inflammation of joints in arthritis of the knee causes discomfort and further deterioration of the lining of the knees. The fluid cushion of the knee is reduced causing further damage to the lining of the knee joint. The lining of the knee joint wears thin and eventually bone against bone contact occurs damaging the bones themselves. The primary treatment in modern medicine for Arthritis of the Knee has been the use of anti-inflammatory medicines and joint replacement surgery for many years. Both of these treatments have other effects and should be considered with alternative treatments for Arthritis of the Knee. However anti-inflammatory drugs have many side effects that are undesirable. Knee replacement surgery can only be done once per knee and if performed too early may wear out resulting in physical limits.

Modern medicine tends to ignore or play down the ability of alternative treatments to help in combination with their treatments because they have a poor understanding of how they work in Arthritis of the Knee. Your physician is concerned with improving your health and functioning in a way he thoroughly understands and believes is best for you. The modern medical field simply has little or no motivation to understand or investigate alternative therapies related to Arthritis of the Knee and as a result most physicians have a poor understanding of how, why or even IF they work. Your physician does not want to recommend something he does not understand! There are few medical studies related to alternative treatments for Arthritis of the Knee.

My studies have provided several theories that help form opinions about alternative treatments of potential value. Every individual who tries an alternative treatment for Arthritis of the Knee needs to know that they are embarking on their own adventure to find the right combination of what works for them and their Arthritis of the Knee. Alternative treatments for Arthritis of the Knee work better when combined with a medical treatment plan. Speak to your physician about the alternatives you are trying so that he/she may assist if possible. Remember that your physician may be resistant to alternative treatments because they do not understand them but, YOU are in charge and have the right to make your own decisions. You are the person in pain and suffering from Arthritis of the Knee. Alternative treatments will not prevent people from needing joint replacement surgery in Arthritis of the Knee, but they may provide help and comfort before the surgery is needed. Alternative treatments may even help you to extend the time before you HAVE to have the joint replacement surgery for your Arthritis of the Knee.

And finally remember that you should try a combination of alternatives rather than what one company or person recommends. A good example of this is Chondroitin and Glucosamine combined with Gelatin. Studies performed on Chondroitin and Glucosamine do not mention Gelatin and yet the best responses I have been able to discover to date have always contained all three ingredients in treatments for Arthritis of the Knee.