Before resorting to surgery, orthopedists typically recommend steroid shots to people with major, chronic knee pain.
While it may seem like a quick, easy fix…it’s NOT.
In fact, it can make the problem much worse—and ultimately lead to surgery!
Plus, according to a new study, one, natural, “hands-on” solution OUTPERFORMS steroid shots when it comes to long-term pain relief AND cost.
Let me explain…
A “hands on” solution for knee pain
For this new study, researchers divided 156 people with knee pain into two groups. The first group was assigned to get steroid injections. The second group got some “hands-on” physical therapy (PT).
It turns out, the patients given PT were more likely to experience long-lasting improvements in both mobility and pain than those who received steroid injections.
Furthermore, four participants in the steroid group eventually needed knee replacement surgery. But NONE of the participants in the PT group required it.
Those findings…as impressive as they are…don’t surprise me.
For one, steroids interfere with natural healing processes to rebuild healthy cartilage. They also have other more immediate dangers, such infection and nerve damage.
Whereas hands-on therapies like PT get to the root of the problem—to help reduce inflammation and strengthen the muscles around your knee.
According to lead researcher Daniel Rhon, “When you have an active intervention like exercise, it’s going to have longer-lasting effects because it strengthens your knee so then you have a little more function. The injection doesn’t change the strength of your knee, and once the pain goes away, your knee isn’t necessarily functioning any better because you haven’t strengthened it.”
I should also mention that the cost of steroid injections and PT was almost exactly the same.
So, when you opt for PT, you’ll pay about the same over the course of your treatment. Yet, you’re far more likely to actually IMPROVE your pain and mobility…and be less likely to need surgery. (Remember, avoiding surgery in and of itself is a MAJOR goal!)
Always explore other options before resorting to surgery
Other options to explore if you suffer from knee pain include gentle exercises like yoga, Tai Chi, or hands-on massage.
You should also add my ABCs for joint pain—which includes ashwagandha, boswellia, and curcumin—into your regimen. Several people in my personal circle have been able to cancel their knee surgeries after taking this trio.
The ABCs work together synergistically to decrease inflammation, allowing the body to rebuild damaged cartilage. (You can learn more about this powerful trio on my website, www.DrMicozzi.com, by typing “ABCs for joint pain” into the search bar.)
Plus, something as simple as losing a little weight can also help with knee pain.
In fact, as I explained last week, the former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop (who was also a friend and colleague; he passed away in 2013 at the age of 96) often complained of nagging knee problems. He considered getting knee surgery…until he lost some weight. Then, suddenly, he no longer had problems with knee pain.
Of course, there are dozens of additional, natural approaches for effectively combatting joint pain without resorting to dangerous injections, drugs, or surgeries, as I outline in my Arthritis Relief and Repair Protocol. To learn more about this innovative, online learning tool, or to enroll today, click here.
Sources:
“Rehab or Steroid Shots: What’s Best for Arthritic Knees?” U.S. News & World Report, 1/28/22. (usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-01-28/rehab-or-steroid-shots-whats-best-for-arthritic-knees)
“Cost-effectiveness of Physical Therapy vs Intra-articular Glucocorticoid Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Secondary Analysis From a Randomized Clinical Trial.” JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(1):e2142709. doi.org:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.42709