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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Need a knee replacement, but have been told I'm too young

    Related Topic
    Orthopaedics
    My knee is bone on bone and I have been told very little cartilage left as a result of an active life, running, field hockey etc. I have been told to put up with it (use cream painkillers) as I am too young for this surgery. I am in constant pain and consider pain medication a short term solution. I want to continue with my current levels of activity and work. What am I supposed to do?
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    Jared Goddard

    Orthotist

    As Director of InMotion Orthotics, patient satisfaction is paramount. With this in mind, I have begun as a mobile service to ensure ease of access … View Profile

    Hi Catherine,

    If your arthritis is unicompartmental (one side of the knee either) as is majority of cases, an unloading knee brace may be of benefit to you.

    These knee braces are designed to apply a load to your knee to distribute your weight towards your less affected side in order to give you effective relief. Rather than mask the pain, they target the source of the problem and so you should feel some level of relief almost immediately with full relief acheived after 2 weeks (For existing debris to be absorbed and the sensation of the brace to diminish.

    To have one of these fitted, contact your nearest Orthotist which you can find on the following site searching by state for an Orthotic practice:

    http://www.aopa.org.au/findapractitioner

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    Helen Potter

    Physiotherapist

    As a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, with extensive experience and highly advanced qualifications, as well as excellent communication skills, I can help you to: Become informed … View Profile

    I agree with Jarad. Several of my physio clients have achieve good relief with a brace to offset the strain on one side of their knee.

    As a physiotherapist I also look at the patello-femoral joint to see if that is contributing to pain. Joint mobilisation and a specific exercise program for your hip, knee and foot can be very effective in relieving some knee pain. The knee needs extra strength tounload the painful structures where possible.

    There are also surgical options, such as an osteotomy, where a wedge of bone is removed to take stress off the worst side of you knee. Good luck with trying some of these. Helen Potter FACP

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