Orthopedic Knee Doctor Pottstown, PA

Orthopedic Knee Doctor in Pottstown, PA

If you are struggling with knee pain due to arthritis, rest assured that there are ways to help alleviate the severity of your discomfort with help from an orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA patients trust from the Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania. As an initial response to knee pain, people may begin to decrease or avoid physical activity. While it can help to give your knee rest periods, halting activity altogether isn’t the route to knee wellness. What you can do about knee arthritis pain is seek support, get a medical exam, make lifestyle changes, stay active, and more.

Your knee doctor is likely to suggest following these simple yet very impactful strategies to help with knee arthritis pain:

Stay Active, But Low-Impact

Many people who have knee pain can still be active, but they have to be strategic about what type of physical activity they are engaging in. Being physically active can actually help relieve pain without the need for prescription medication. Other benefits from gentle exercise include improved knee joint function, mood boost, and reduction of risk for developing other health problems. If you want to be more active, it is important that you only do low-impact exercises such as swimming, biking, or walking.

Talk with Your Doctor

If you haven’t already, it’s imperative that you speak with an orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA residents rely on for care about the pain you are experiencing. Your doctor can run diagnostics to give you more information about the severity of your arthritis, and what you can do to help prevent inflammation of the knee joint. Your knee doctor can create a treatment plan with the intention to:

Reduce the overall severity and frequency of the knee pain
Minimize knee point damage and inflammation
Improve your quality of life and enjoyment

Sign Up for a Workshop or Support Group

There is something powerful about attending a workshop or support group for those who are having similar health struggles. It can help to attend a workshop so you can learn the skills needed to manage your knee pain while making positive choices for your health. During a workshop or support group, you are likely to learn:

How to feel more in control of your wellness
How to manage the severity of pain and other related symptoms
How to still participate in hobbies, spend time with loved ones, and go to work while managing knee pain
How to improve your mood when you feel worn down by arthritis knee pain
How to communicate with your knee doctor about your healthcare and treatment plan

Lose Excess Weight

Your orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA patients can depend on, understands that you may not want to talk about your weight. It is a delicate issue that can make a patient feel attacked or judged. However, remember that your doctor has only your best interest in mind. In fact, if you lose only a few pounds this alleviates a substantial amount of pressure that is applied to your knees as you move around. Your doctor can talk with you about dietary changes and how low-impact physical activity can help you lose excess weight.

As an orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA families trust, we can treat a broad range of patients. Many come to us because they have the early signs of arthritis. Others suffered an injury and are in pain and there are those who have been suffering from osteoarthritis for many years. Regardless of why they have come to us, it is our objective to treat them with professional care and expertise. If you have knee pain, please call us at the Premier Osteoarthritis Center for Pennsylvania right away.

4 Things To Know About Knee Injections

Knee pain can have a wide range of causes: strained muscles, tendon problems, torn cartilage, arthritis and more. While you may not know the root cause of your pain, other symptoms such as inflammation and tenderness may be present. Your orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, may present you with several options for pain relief, including knee injections. Knowing how these injections work can help you choose therapies that best meet your needs.

What Are Knee Injections?

While pain relief can come in topical or oral forms, knee injections deliver that relief directly inside the joint. The injections’ active ingredients can work inside your knee to help heal the joint itself and/or target the causes of your pain. Each injection pairs medication with local anesthesia to reduce pain and discomfort during the process.

What Types of Knee Injections Are Available?

Some knee injections use steroids, which reduce inflammation to minimize the pain you’re experiencing. Other kinds of knee injections include infliximab, which also relieves inflammation, along with hyaluronic acid, Botox or platelet-rich plasma. Hyaluronic acid and PRP both lubricate the knee joint, with PRP also promoting collagen formation and healing. Botox targets sensory neurons in the knee that send pain signals to your brain.

How Does Inflammation Lead to Knee Pain?

When there’s an infection or injury in your knee, your body’s systems mobilize to aid in healing and attacking foreign bodies that cause infection. Part of this process can include collagen production. Collagen, an essential protein present throughout your body, helps injured tissues regenerate. But it can also contribute to inflammation. When tissues inside your knee swell, they can press against nerve endings that trigger pain.

How Do Steroid Knee Injections Work?

Steroid knee injections contain corticosteroids, a special class of steroids similar to the ones produced by your body’s adrenal cortex. These substances work on your body’s immune system to suppress activity that may be aggravating inflammation inside your knee. Corticosteroids temporarily inhibit the collagen production process, which is performed by specialized cells on tendons inside your knee. By targeting the inflammation, steroids allow it to go down and in turn reduce your pain.

While you can’t make decisions about treating knee pain in a vacuum, you are ultimately the one who must choose how to deal with it. Sound advice from an orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, can help you choose the best pain relief and treatment options.

Seven Questions to Ask Your Orthopedic Knee Doctor

What of Your Medical History Does the Doctor Need?

It’s important for your orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, to know as much about your medical history as is relevant to your knee pain. Past injuries, recent injuries, how long the pain has been going on and what your pain level is on a scale of one to 10 are all questions your doctor may ask.

What Does This Pain Suggest?

Different kinds of pain result from different knee conditions. You may have torn a ligament or cartilage, sprained your knee, have a repetitive motion injury or developed arthritis. Your orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, may be able to diagnose your knee pain and come up with a treatment plan quickly.

How Can You Prevent Future Orthopedic Issues?

Plan ahead for other orthopedic issues by discussing their likelihood with your orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA. Your doctor may prescribe an exercise regimen to strengthen your leg muscles to help prevent further orthopedic issues in your knees.

What Foods, Drinks or Activities Do You Need to Avoid During Your Treatment?

Once your Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania doctor has decided on a course of treatment, he may have a list of foods, drinks and activities you should avoid during your treatment. These may include alcohol, caffeinated beverages, too much sugar or high-impact exercise.

Why Does the Doctor Recommend This Treatment?

Your doctor should be able to explain to you why he believes this treatment will be the most effective for your knees. Make sure you ask about all the benefits and risks to the treatment. The more you know about your treatment, the better you’ll be able to manage your condition.

How Much Improvement Can You Expect?

Discuss your course of treatment with your orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, before the treatment begins. You’ll definitely want to know how much better your knee is going to get. Will you have 100% recovery of function? If not, what’s the most realistic outcome?

Are There Alternatives to Joint Replacement Surgery?

There are many ways beside joint replacement surgery your knee pain may be treated at Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania. These methods include:

Physical therapy
Knee injections
Minimally-invasive procedures such as arthroscopy

Your doctor should be able to answer all your questions about each treatment method and why he recommends one course of treatment over the others. You may be able to get away with physical therapy and knee injections for several years before you need any surgical procedures.

What Is Causing My Knee Pain?

A Pottstown, PA orthopedic knee doctor understands that chronic knee pain can have a significant impact on a patient’s life. It can interfere with a patient’s ability to participate in sports or other extracurricular activities they may enjoy, interfere with their ability to perform their work duties, and even interfere with their day-to-day life.

Knee pain can be a symptom that occurs suddenly because of an injury, or it can be a symptom that occurs gradually over time, caused by some medical condition. Some of the more common causes of knee pain that we see here at our clinic include the following:

Arthritis: Arthritis is one of the most common reasons why patients seek out the help of an orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, especially for those patients over the age of 50. Our knees have cartilage that provides cushioning and protection. Over time, as we age, wear and tear of the cartilage cause it to lose its effectiveness, leaving the patient with bone to bone contact and painful arthritis. Knee arthritis can also cause swelling, limited mobility, and weakness. Treatment can include gentle exercises, acupuncture, medication, changes in diet, and knee braces.

Bursitis: The human knee has approximately 15 bursae. A bursa is a small sac that is filled with fluid, placed between muscles and bones in order to prevent irritation. In some situations, especially with excessive physical activity, the bursae can swell and become inflamed around the knee. When this happens, the patient can suffer pain, especially burning pain. Treatment can include avoiding activities that trigger symptoms, as well as stretching and strengthening exercises.

Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS): When a patient comes to our clinic suffering from pain that runs along the outside of their knee, the diagnosis is often ITBS. The iliotibial band runs down the outer side of the thigh, attaching to the knee. If there is excessive friction on the band – such as from running – the patient can develop ITBS. The pain can become even worse, the more the patient engages in activities. Symptoms can also include swelling and snapping of the band when the patient does any kind of bending. Treatment can include stretching and strengthening exercises and the use of orthotics.

Runner’s knee: Anyone, not just patients who run, can suffer from runner’s knee. There are many issues that can trigger painful runner’s knee symptoms, including the angle of the patient’s hip, if they have flat feet, muscle tightness, and weakness. Treatment can include stretching and strengthening exercises, ice therapy, and knee braces.

Why Do My Knees Crack and Pop?

Knees that make sounds like popping, clicking, or crackling may be telling you something important. Research indicates that middle-aged and older adults who said their knees popped and crackled frequently were more likely to develop arthritis symptoms the following year.

It’s typical for the knees to make a little noise now and again, and hearing a loud “crack” during your spin class is probably not something to worry about. But, a new study found that aging knees that “pop,” “click,” or “crackle” may be on the way to having arthritis in the not too distant future.

Of people who complained their knees were “always” noisy, 11 percent developed arthritis symptoms within a year. That’s compared with 4.5 percent of people who said their knees “never” popped or cracked. Of people who said their knees made noise “sometimes” or “often,” roughly 8 percent developed similar knee symptoms in the following year.

An orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA patients turn to for help, as well as other knee doctors, have a medical term for those joint noises: crepitus. The term usually refers to the joints but is also used to describe lung sounds. And although it’s a common patient complaint, it hadn’t been clear until recently that crepitus was a precursor to symptomatic knee arthritis. Radiographs back up these findings, as X-rays reveal new cartilage breakdown in crepitus patients. Also, patients identify numerous symptoms, including frequent pain and stiffness.

Anatomy and Function of the Knee

The knee acts as a hinge. It joins the thigh bone (the femur) to the long bone of the lower leg (the tibia). The other bone in the lower leg (the fibula) connects to the knee joint as well. The kneecap (the patella) is the small, cap-shaped bone that sits at the front of the knee, shielding the knee joint.

There are two thick pads of cartilage (the menisci) that cushion the tibia and femur and reduce friction where they come together. A fluid-filled capsule (the synovium) encloses and lubricates the knee joint. Additionally, four tough, flexible bands of tissue (ligaments) stretch across the surface of the knee joint, connecting the bones.

As time goes by, gas can build up in the areas surrounding the knee joint, forming tiny bubbles in the synovial fluid capsule. When the knee is bent, some of these bubbles burst and ligaments may pop or snap. This is a normal bodily process that happens to everyone from time to time.

Crepitus and Arthritis

Crepitus in the knee joint is typically painless. There’s no need to be too concerned about it. However, when pain accompanies the crackling and popping sounds it could signal a problem. Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that actually damages cartilage and bone. Once damaged by arthritis, the knee joint may crackle and crunch as it moves. Crepitus also results from different types of knee trauma and injuries. An orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA patients trust can evaluate your symptoms and help you to understand your treatment options.

Find the Help You Need From Our Pottstown Orthopedic Knee Doctor!

When you are dealing with knee arthritis, you know it is probably time to call an orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA residents recommend. Dealing with knee pain can be so debilitating that you no longer enjoy your usual activities. In fact, you may have been suffering from knee pain for so long you don’t remember what it is like to not have knee pain. If you have arthritis in your knee, it can cause swelling, stiffness, and pain which makes every step or every knee bend uncomfortable and painful. As your cartilage wears away between your bones, your knees can begin grinding together which causes serious inflammation. If you are suffering from arthritis in your knee and would like to speak with our Pottstown, PA orthopedic knee doctor, please set up an appointment with us now.

Different Types of Knee Arthritis

Our Pennsylvania orthopedic knee doctor has seen many clients come into the office with different types of knee problems. Below, you will learn more about some of the most common.

Post-traumatic arthritis – This is one that many people have not heard of but it can happen when someone develops arthritis after they have sustained a knee injury. Even though you may believe that an old injury healed already, it is possible that it never finished healing or that there was still damage after it healed. When you develop arthritis after an injury like this, it can lead to serious damage to your knee.

Osteoarthritis – Many people have heard of osteoarthritis, a problem that happens when the cartilage begins to wear away around your knee bones. You may feel like your knee bones are rubbing together and that is exactly what is happening.

Rheumatoid arthritis – This happens because it is an autoimmune disorder, not necessarily for age, weight, or injury reasons. When you have an autoimmune disorder, your body attacks its own healthy cells because they think they are in danger. Thus, it may attack the cartilage in your knee.

Get the Right Care

You may be thinking that surgery or medication is the only way to help, however, our Pottstown, PA orthopedic knee doctor believes that natural, holistic care should be one of the first options you choose. We believe that many problems in a person’s body stem from misalignment which can cause nerve damage, inflammation, and swelling. If you are interested in seeing how we can help you, call our orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA know.

Joint-Friendly Exercises for Arthritis

Arthritis Stretches: Improve Flexibility

Gently stretching is a great way to ease the pain and stiffness of rheumatoid arthritis. It also helps increase your range of motion. Start each stretching session with a light three- to five-minute aerobic warm-up.

Hold stretches for 30 seconds without bouncing or jerking. It should feel good. Remember: keep it gentle, not intense.

In the next several slides, we’ll review some useful stretches that can help relieve your rheumatoid arthritis pain and stiffness.

Arthritis Stretches: Stretch Your Fingers

Since rheumatoid arthritis targets small joints such as the ones in your hands, this stretch can really bring some relief. To pull off the finger stretch successfully, follow these steps:

Make a fist.
Open and extend your fingers as straight as possible.
Repeat this exercise, gradually increasing up to 20 times, twice a day.
To add more challenge to this stretch, squeeze a foam or sponge ball about the size of a tennis ball, then release and extend your fingers.

Arthritis Stretches: Keep Wrists Flexible

Another series of joints often hampered by rheumatoid arthritis are the ones found inside your wrists. To keep your wrists flexible, follow these steps:

Sit at a table or desk.
With your left forearm on the table, let your left hand hang over the edge.
Use your right hand to grab the fingers of your left hand and bend your left hand at the wrist, slowly moving it up and then down as far as possible without pain.
Repeat with the opposite hand.
Increase up to 20 repetitions, twice a day.

Arthritis Stretches: Try an Elbow Stretch

Keeping your elbows from getting stiff and sore is useful in all kinds of ways. To improve elbow flexibility, follow these steps:

With your arm extended parallel to the floor, position your palm face-up.
Use your opposite hand to grab hold of the fingers, and pull the palm of the extended hand toward the floor.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Now, do the same exercise, except this time turn your palm face down.
Use the opposite hand to push the top of your extended fingers and hand down toward the floor.
Hold for 30 seconds.

Arthritis Stretches: Hip Rotation

Keep your hips flexible with this simple stretch:

Sit or lie on your back on the floor or on a bed, feet slightly apart.
With your legs and knees straight, turn your knees in toward each other and touch the toes of your feet together.
Hold for five seconds.
Turn your legs and knees out, and hold for five seconds.
Repeat this twice a day, gradually increasing up to five, 10, and then 20 repetitions.

Common Myths About Knee Pain Caused By Arthritis

Knee pain is frequently the result of arthritis. If you have been dealing with chronic knee pain lately, you may have arthritis. Here are some common myths about knee pain that you shouldn’t believe.

Knee arthritis just affects the elderly. It may be true that knee arthritis is a common ailment among the elderly. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect younger people. In fact, more and more middle-aged adults are developing knee arthritis due to inactivity, obesity and joint injuries.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can effectively treat knee arthritis. Many people turn to acetaminophen and other over-the-counter pain relievers to alleviate their knee pain. While these medications can relieve your discomfort, the effects are only temporary. After the medication wears off, you’ll have pain again. That’s why it’s essential to get to the root cause of the pain.

If you have knee arthritis, you shouldn’t exercise. When you suffer from knee pain, you might think that exercising will just make your condition worse. However, the opposite is actually true. An orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA will actually encourage you to exercise regularly for your knee arthritis. Physical activity will help restore flexibility and strength in your knee joint, ultimately reducing your pain. Stick to low-impact activities, like walking and swimming.

You must lose a lot of weight to improve knee arthritis. Excess weight can make knee arthritis weight by putting more pressure on the joint. However, that doesn’t mean you have to lose tons of weight to get relief. Even if you lose just 10 pounds, you may notice a difference in your knee pain.

Surgery is the only option for knee arthritis. Some people who suffer from knee pain may assume that they must have surgery to get relief. However, this isn’t necessarily true. Surgery is only used as a last resort. Your doctor will first want you to try more conservative treatments, like heat and ice, physical therapy or exercise.

What I eat won’t affect my knee arthritis. A certain diet might not be able to cure arthritis, but it may be able to improve the symptoms associated with it. Foods that are packed with omega-3-fatty acids, for example, can help reduce inflammation in your knee joint, reducing your pain. Consider adding salmon, olive oil and salmon to your diet.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Persistent Knee Pain

People of any age can experience knee pain. Sometimes it is due to injury, or it may be due to underlying conditions. If you are living with chronic knee pain, especially if it severely limits your mobility, ask yourself these five questions. If you can answer “yes” to even one of them, make an appointment with an orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA.

1. Does my knee feel unsteady?

Your knee might need attention if you feel as if it will buckle or give way when you step onto or off a curb or pivot quickly. Check with your knowledgeable knee specialist. This type of condition may not improve without treatment, so it is best to be proactive rather than to wait wait and do nothing.

2. Is your sleep disturbed?

If one or both of your knees is painful enough to wake you up at night, you should check with your orthopedic knee specialist. Likewise, if you cannot fall asleep due to pain in your knee, seek treatment and advice from a doctor.

3. Have you had to alter your lifestyle?

Arranging your life around knee pain signals a need to see an orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA. Whether you have cut down on your physical exercise or begun limiting social outings, you should make an appointment. Perhaps you have trouble getting out of and into a vehicle or sitting or standing from a chair. If so, do not let your knee pain rule your life. Different people have different pain thresholds, but this level of discomfort is not likely to improve on its own without some type of intervening treatment.

4. Are you experiencing certain symptoms?

Knee discomfort can be debilitating at certain levels. However, if you develop other symptoms in addition to pain, you should seek medical attention. Making an appointment to see your orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, is advisable if you experience any of these symptoms:

Your knee becomes warm
You develop a fever and your knee hurts and stays swollen
Symptoms have persisted for longer than two weeks

Certain symptoms can indicate specific problems, so it is best to see an orthopedic professional for a diagnosis.

5. Have you tried to treat yourself but found no relief?

Perhaps you have tried to manage knee pain yourself with braces, stretches, or over-the-counter treatments. If nothing gave you relief from the discomfort, you may need to see a knowledgeable orthopedic specialist for help in diagnosing and treating your knee pain.

Schedule an Appointment with an Orthopedic Knee Doctor in Pottstown, PA

If you have frequent crepitus or arthritis, we encourage you to schedule an exam at our clinic. It may not be likely that immediate intervention is needed, but knowing where you stand gives you options. Your knee professional can keep an eye on your progress and, if the time comes, guide you on treatment options, procedures, and surgical interventions that can restore function and eliminate stiffness and pain. Call Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania today for more information about what our orthopedic knee doctor Pottstown, PA patients trust can do for you.

There are many reasons why people go see an orthopedic knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, but one of the most common symptoms that send them there in the first place is knee pain. The job of the knee doctor is to determine what is causing that pain and what the best course of treatment is. At Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania, we understand how frustrating and overwhelming dealing with chronic pain can be. Our goal is to provide all of our patients with the utmost care, offering noninvasive treatment options to alleviate that pain.

What are the different types of injuries an orthopedic knee doctor can help with?

No matter how much we try to avoid and protect them, the bottom line is that knee injuries are a frequent occurrence for many people who play sports. There are some injuries that bring patients seeking treatment more than others. These include:

Ligament injuries: One of the most common ligament injuries that cause knee pain is an ACL tear, however, all ligaments are at risk for tearing when a knee is turned the wrong way.
Tendon tears: Tears in the tendons can happen to anyone, but they do tend to occur more for patients who are middle-aged.
Meniscus (cartilage) tears: An unexpected movement or turn can cause the cartilage that protects the knee joint to tear.
Dislocation: The knee has three bones, and it is not uncommon for one of those bones to pop out of place.

Are there medical conditions that can cause knee pain?

In addition to injuries, a Pottstown, PA orthopedic knee doctor knows there are also diseases or conditions that can cause chronic knee pain in patients. The most common of these conditions include:

Arthritis: There are several forms of arthritis that can develop in the knee. These are gout osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid. Some patients can even develop arthritis as a result of a bacterial infection, referred to as septic arthritis.
Baker’s cyst: There are a variety of conditions that can cause swelling to develop behind the knee. This swelling is referred to as a baker’s cyst. Your sports medicine doctor can determine what the condition is that is causing the swelling.
Bursitis: Bursitis is caused when the sacs of fluid that protect the knee become irritated. This is usually caused by overuse.
Effusion: When fluid fills up your knee, it is referred to as effusion. This can be caused by arthritis or some type of inflammation.

We all suffer aches and pains, especially as we age, however, you should never allow too much time to go by without having that pain checked out. If you should develop knee pain, the first thing you should do is to stop activity and rest. Raising your knee and keeping it iced can help with the swelling. If the pain and/or swelling persists, it is important to have your knee checked out by a doctor to determine what is wrong.

Contact Our Office Today

If you have been suffering from chronic knee pain, it is time to find the relief you deserve. Call Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania to schedule an appointment with a dedicated Pottstown, PA orthopedic knee doctor.

Client Review

“Excellent, professional and caring staff. Always seen in a timely manner, never a long waiting room time. Dr. Paris is the greatest, extremely professional and personal, very nice guy.”
Charles H.