steroid injections or physical therapy, looking at the amount of money spent to care for their arthritic knees during that time.
Knee-related medical costs averaged $2,113 in the injection group and $2,131 in the physical therapy group, results show.
But researchers found patients also were more likely to receive more long-lasting benefits from physical therapy when it comes to mobility and pain.
For example, four people in the knee injection group required surgery, while none of the physical therapy group did, Rhon notes.
The study was published Jan. 24 in in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Injections tend to be a quick and easy fix for pain but they wear off over time, says Dr. Edward Adler, chair of orthopedic surgery at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York City.
“If they have a tremendous amount of pain, we will give them an injection and they leave feeling better, but we know at the end of the day while the injection is giving them some relief, it’s really not helping them,” Adler shares. “It’s not making the arthritis go away, whereas exercises and physical therapy, that’s good for you. It builds up your muscle strength. It improves your range of motion.”
People who want to deal with knee pain outside of surgery should also consider weight loss and exercise as options, Adler adds.
Bent Out Of Shape: How To Protect Your Knees
Which option is best for you?
To sports medicine orthopedist Dr. Robert Brophy, the new study shows that both approaches are useful.
“They’re both good, reasonable options that give some improvement, and there are advantages and disadvantages to both,” according to Brophy, a professor of orthopedic surgery at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine.
“To me, it wasn’t that one was necessarily that much better or worse than the other,” he continues. “I see it as a positive support of using both of these options to treat these patients. I don’t think it delivers anything that changes either the willingness to use either of these or the impact on health care resources. I think they are both appropriate uses of resources and both are reasonable to consider.”
Exercises for arthritic knees
According to the Arthritis Foundation, knee exercises can better knee stability and mobility and strengthen the muscles around your knee joints. The following are exercises that can help your knees:
- Quadriceps Stretch
- Bridge With Leg Extension Progression
- Sit-to-Stands
- Step-Ups
- Side-Steps With Resistance Band
- Speed Skaters With & Without Resistance Band
- Leg Lifts
- Leg Press With Resistance Band
- Seated Knee Lift With Resistance Band
Before attempting these exercises, The Arthritis Foundation suggests safely stretching and using resistance bands with the following tips:
Tips to Safe and Successful Stretching:
- Stretch just until you feel gentle pulling in your muscles, then hold the stretch.
- The stretch shouldn’t be painful.
- Stretch gently and smoothly. Do not bounce.
- Breathe naturally as you hold the stretch. Don’t hold your breath.
- Repeat stretches as needed, slowly increasing their depth over time.
Tips to Safely and Successfully Use Resistance Bands:
- Use a resistance band or tube with foam handles. They’re easier to grip.
- Or add foam pipe insulation to bands or tubes to create handles.
- Handles not an option? Opt for resistance tubes. They’re gentler on hands.
- Resistance tubes and bands come in many lengths and resistance levels. Don’t rely on their color to gauge these factors. Manufacturers use different colors to indicate them.
- Try different ones to find the best fit.
- The last few reps in a set should be difficult, but not impossible.