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.)
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.)
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.)
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.)
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