Injection Therapy for Knee and Lower Leg

Injections often help relieve pain and inflammation and improve joint movement. To control your pain, your doctor can inject medication directly into the problem area instead of prescribing pills. We at YourOrthoSolution are focused on using the most effective treatments to relieve your pain.

Injections are not a cure, but they can help you get through a period of intense pain. Injections can be a good treatment option when your only other choice is surgery. Injections may also form an important part of your treatment plan when you are not considered an appropriate candidate for surgery. Injections can relieve pain in the knee and lower leg resulting from acute injuries, overuse injuries, and chronic conditions, such as arthritis.

YourOrthoSolution has some of the top orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine physicians in the country. Our caring team always goes that extra step to make you feel like part of our family. We are dedicated to getting you back to the things you love through a customized plan that fits only you. Your physician at YourOrthoSolution will customize a treatment plan that will work best for you as an individual to facilitate a fast recovery.

Knee Joint Injections

Injections of corticosteroid medication directly into the knee joint often reduce inflammation and provide good pain relief. They are frequently combined with a local anesthetic, are usually effective in 24-48 hours, and typically last for six to twelve weeks. Because corticosteroid injections may damage cartilage-forming cells, they are not performed on a frequent basis. Generally, their use is restricted to two to three times per year.

Knee joint injections with a gel-like substance known as hyaluronic acid are also an option, especially for people with osteoarthritis. This type of treatment is called viscosupplementation therapy. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally within knee joints. It acts as a lubricant to enable bones to move smoothly over each other and as a shock absorber for the joint. Increasing the amount of hyaluronic acid in the joint may improve movement and decrease pain.

Viscosupplementation is typically tried after corticosteroid injections have not provided adequate pain relief, but before surgery is considered. Hyaluronic acid injections work well for some people, but not for others.

Soft Tissue Injections

Injections of corticosteroid medication into a bursa can help reduce the inflammation and pain caused by bursitis. You have more than 150 bursae — which are small, fluid-filled sacs — in your body that cushion the pressure points between your bones and the tendons and muscles near your joints. When a bursa becomes inflamed, movement or pressure on the affected joint can be painful. Prepatellar bursitis and pes anserine bursitis are examples of bursitis affecting the knee. For bursitis, the medication is injected directly into the bursa using a thin needle.

Trigger Point Injections

Trigger points are small areas in muscle that are very painful when touched. The muscle around the trigger point is generally in spasm, causing it to be tight and often feel like a “knot” in the muscle. Inflammation and tightness in the area produces pain and stiffness. During trigger point injections, a local anesthetic medication is injected through a thin needle into the point. A corticosteroid medication may be injected at the same time, especially if inflammation is prominent. The ultimate goals are to reduce pain and to relax the muscle, which should facilitate stretching and help improve flexibility and range of motion.

Nerve Block Injections

A nerve block prevents pain messages from traveling along a nerve pathway to reach your brain. Nerve blocks with local anesthetic are often used to relieve pain for a short period, such as during surgery. If there is inflammation around a nerve, an injection of corticosteroid medication in conjunction with the local anesthetic can provide longer relief.

There are three major types of nerve blocks: peripheral, spinal or epidural, and sympathetic. Your doctor at YourOrthoSolution will work with you to determine which, if any, is appropriate for your individual situation.

• Peripheral injections – these are used for localized pain. They are injected at a site distant from your spine.
• Spinal or epidural injections – these are intended for pain that affects a broad area. They are injected into the spine, near the spinal cord.
• Sympathetic nerve blocks -these are typically used to treat chronic pain caused by a disorder of the sympathetic nervous system, such as complex regional pain syndrome (also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy or causalgia).

At YourOrthoSolution, we have extensive experience in injection therapy and will customize your entire treatment and rehabilitation process to get you on the path to recovery.

All of our doctors and staff at YourOrthoSolution are committed to ensuring that you not only receive the best orthopedic care in the area but also have an exceptional experience each time you visit our locations. Our dedicated staff will handle all insurance processes for you. You can expect to be in a friendly atmosphere and receive top orthopedic treatment to help you return to your usual activities as quickly as possible.