6 Memorial Medical Milestones • 2024 Issue 2 How knee pain happens “As we get older, our bones and joints can begin to feel their age,” says Alan Hinton, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at Lake Charles Memorial Health System. “It’s normal to feel aches and pains as we get older. However, if joint pain, especially knee pain, begins to take away from your everyday life, you don’t have to live with it—there’s something you can do about it.” The knee joint is covered with cartilage—a smooth, cushioned surface that allows it to move without pain. “Think of cartilage as the rubber sole of your shoes that cushions your feet from the hard surface you walk on,” Dr. Hinton explains. “As we get older, the cartilage can begin to wear out due to normal aging, genetics, microtrauma or knee injuries—in the same way the soles of an old pair of tennis shoes will eventually wear down.” This loss of cartilage can cause a lot of pain. As the knee wears out, patients can feel pain and swelling, accompanied by a feeling of the knee buckling, popping, catching or grinding. This is a symptom of a condition called knee arthritis, which happens when the cartilage between the knee joints begins to wear away. How to find relief Patients, along with their providers, can help alleviate knee pain with injections, medications, creams and rubs, and/or physical therapy. “These treatments essentially treat the symptoms of knee arthritis, but as of today, there is no way to regenerate the loss of knee cartilage that is ultimately responsible for knee pain,” says Dr. Hinton. “But there is a solution: knee replacement surgery.” Knee replacement surgery is a procedure in which the surface of the bone is removed, and a knee implant, made of a metal cap and plastic cushion, are added in its place. In fact, a great deal of the plastic used in the device that is implanted into the knee is created right here in southwest Louisiana by some local industrial plants, then sent to the medical device companies to manufacture the implant. “No two knees are the same, so choosing and fitting an implant can sometimes be a challenge that affects a patient’s recovery and pain levels,” says Dr. Hinton. “Roboticassisted technology creates a 3D model of your knee with its software, giving the surgeon more information than ever before.” The medical team at Memorial Orthopedic Specialists is passionate about helping patients return to a life without joint pain. The orthopedic experts at Memorial can help Knees feeling worn down? Ready to live pain-free? If you are interested in learning more, talk with your primary care provider or call our office. You can also visit lcmh.com/knee to take our joint pain assessment and learn more.
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