Knee Injections

About This Treatment

At Franciscan Health, we want everyone to find relief from knee pain. That’s why we offer a range of nonsurgical alternatives to knee replacement surgery. Therapeutic knee injections can reduce pain, retain mobility and help you maintain a high quality of life.

Steroid knee injections

Steroid knee joint injections can reduce the pain and swelling caused by arthritis. You can have up to three shots per year and the effects can last for months. Your doctor or physical therapist can recommend exercises and stretches that will decrease the chances of your knee pain returning.

Viscosupplementation

Viscosupplementation replenishes the synovial fluid surrounding the joints with injections of hyaluronic acid. This viscous liquid occurs naturally in synovial fluid and acts as a shock absorber and an anti-inflammatory agent. The injections are given in a series and may take several weeks to be effective, but the results may last several months. Your doctor may repeat the injection in about six months.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections use substances from your own blood to help stimulate the body's natural healing process. Your provider will draw a blood sample and process it to extract the platelets. Your doctor will then inject the concentrated platelets into the affected area. If cortisone injections and physical therapy are unsuccessful, PRP injections may be an option.

When to consider knee replacement alternatives

Knee replacement is the standard treatment for severe knee arthritis that doesn’t improve with conservative treatment. However, there are many reasons why some people won’t be candidates for a major surgery like knee replacement, including:

• Heart or lung problems
• High body mass index (BMI)
• Infection of your knee or hip
• Previous surgery or injury that may hinder successful joint replacement
• Unhealthy tissue surrounding the knee joint
• Weak thigh muscles