Non-operative treatment:

The artificial knee operation is one of the options that you have in trying to control the pain of a damaged knee. It is not a life saving operation and hence every patient should carefully consider the alternatives to the surgery in discussion with their GP and Specialist. Various means can be utilised to try and control the knee pain of bad arthritis. Your GP or Specialist may suggest:

• Losing some weight if your are overweight. This is because losing weight will reduce the stresses on your diseased knee and may reduce the pain.
• It is often helpful to use a walking stick as that can reduce the pain by lowering the forces on the bad knee.
• Taking pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications.
• Injections of cortisone into the knee.
• Injections of synovial fluid (natural joint fluid) substitutes into the knee.
• Use of alternative disease modifying drugs for those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis or other types of inflammatory conditions.