Advances in surgery regularly make the news. But the good news for YOU is that there is a growing body of research showing that knee surgery can be prevented!
Many injuries that were thought to require surgery now have evidence to show that physiotherapy has the same, or better, results. Let’s have a closer look at a few of them.
Meniscus tears:
Each knee has a pair of these C-shaped cartilage structures. They help the “fit” of the knee, are shock absorbers, and add to the stability of the knee. Degenerative tears of the meniscus are very common. They can cause pain, swelling and some restriction of movement. It was thought that surgery was needed to trim the meniscus and prevent further problems. No we know that surgery is not only necessary, it can cause more problems in the short and long term. This is when compared to a comprehensive physiotherapy rehabilitation programme. Further, surgery has greater risks is more expensive and can be more painful. So if you have a meniscal tear, physiotherapy is your first port of call. This is a link to a study on meniscal tears, osteoarthritis and surgery vs physiotherapy.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears:
This ligament has often been inaccurately termed the “crucial” ligament. There is strong evidence that shows the first line of treatment for an ACL tear should be 3-6 months of intense physiotherapy. This includes a challenging and progressive strengthening programme. Physiotherapy rehab should happen before surgery is even considered! Once this is completed, it is entirely possible to return to cutting and pivoting sports. We have two local graduates of this programme: one returned to hockey and touch football, and the second returned to AFL. All the while, they avoided the costs, time off work and exercise, and pain of surgery. This YouTube video explains it in more depth.
Osteoarthritis and Total Knee Replacements:
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is very common. Signs of arthritis on x-ray are often considered normal signs of ageing, just like grey hairs and wrinkles! These signs of “degeneration” do not mean you need a knee replacement. Even in the presence of pain, a knee replacement is not the first answer. It is important to explore non-surgical options first. Most people with osteoarthritis in their knee will benefit from physiotherapy-led strengthening exercises. Physiotherapists can also help with guiding what other activity you do. This keeps you enjoying being active without irritating your knee joint. Many people can delay or completely avoid joint replacement surgery by the right type of exercise! Being told your knee is “bone on bone” does not stop you from gaining benefit from physiotherapy! This is a link to some greater detail about knee OA.
Do you have any more questions about knee pain and surgery? Get in touch here.
