Hyaluronic acid can be injected into the Knee, which helps boost the cartilage's health and functioning. This is most commonly required in conditions like Osteoarthritis of the Knee, where the cartilage begins to thin, and the synovial fluid begins to disappear.
Stem Cell Injection
Stem cells are unique in that they can develop into any type of cell—for example, cells that help repair damaged tissue. When injected into an arthritic knee, stem cells may encourage the damaged cartilage to regrow and heal. Injections of stem cells can also reduce inflammation.
Hyaluronic acid injections may stimulate an increase in the growth of cartilage producing cells or chondrocytes. These injections also protect existing chondrocytes, thereby increasing the overall cartilage formation.
Cartilage Regeneration Options
MACI is a surgical procedure that uses cartilage-forming cells from your body to restore damaged cartilage in the knees. It involves a biopsy to harvest chondrocytes (cartilage-forming cells), which are allowed to multiply in a lab, and surgery to implant them into the damaged area.
While the pain relief from knee injections can provide enhanced mobility for several months and let people enjoy life like they used to, there is no evidence that the use of knee injections will provide a long term benefit. That is, once the injection wears off within 6 to 8 months, the pain may return.
How Does Medicare Cover Knee Injection Treatment? Medicare will cover knee injections once every six months if they are medically necessary. The injections are covered under Medicare Part B and subject to the annual Part B deductible.
On MDsave, the cost of a Gel One Injection ranges from $1436 to $3159. Those on high deductible health plans or without insurance can shop, compare prices and save.
NYU Langone doctors often recommend nonsurgical options as a first-line treatment for a knee cartilage injury. These include anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, and injections into the joint, including steroids; hyaluronic acid, also known as synthetic joint fluid; and platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
Severe knee cartilage loss makes walking, sitting, standing, squatting, and going up and down stairs extremely painful. People with a total loss of knee cartilage can benefit from joint injections. In many cases, surgery including a total knee replacement is needed to treat no cartilage in the knee.
The average cost for knee replacement is around $4,500 to $8,400, while the average cost of cartilage repair procedures is around $18,000, depending on the country where the procedure is being performed.
Hyaluronic acid injection is used to treat knee pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA) in patients who have already been treated with pain relievers (e.g., acetaminophen) and other treatments that did not work well.
The gel injections tend to be effective for about 50% of patients, but for those that it works well for those patients tend to see improvement in VAS scores for at least 4-6 months.
Implantable shock absorber provides superior pain relief and functional improvement compared with high tibial osteotomy in patients with mild-to-moderate medial knee osteoarthritis: A 2-year report. Cartilage. Published online February 23, 2023.
Microfracture surgery – This arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation procedure involves creating small holes in the base of the cartilage lesion to promote a healing response and create cartilage repair tissue.
Do knee injections hurt? Receiving knee injections is similar to receiving any other kind of shot. There may be a slight pinch followed by mild discomfort, but overall the injection takes very little time and isn't very painful.
The idea behind these injections is that they will temporarily restore the natural function of the knee by injecting a substance which will provide cushioning and reduce bone-on-bone contact. Individual responses vary, but many patients experience months, if not potentially a year or more of relief.
Genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for knee pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee, and can significantly reduce pain, especially for adults who are 50 and older.
stiffness or swelling around your knee – the swelling may not start for a few hours or days. difficulty bending, straightening or moving your knee. your knee giving way when you try to stand. a crunching or clicking feeling when you move your knee.
Non-Invasive Treatments
Ice and over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help. Sometimes physical therapy or a guided exercise program can provide bone-on-bone knee pain relief by strengthening the muscles that support the knee, particularly the quadriceps.
The lesser impact at the knee joint means a lower chance of knee injury, so this is why most research suggests that cycling and swimming are the best exercises for patients with knee problems. Therefore, cycling is a very great exercise for patients with knee osteoarthritis condition.
It is also commonly known as a meniscal tear or a torn cartilage. Physiotherapy is an excellent treatment for a knee cartilage injury.
Hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation) injections tend to work more slowly than cortisone—the full effects may not be felt for about 2 weeks—but the effects may last longer. The primary goal of a hyaluronic acid injection is to lubricate the knee joint.
Prolozone Injections
Prolozone Therapy is a natural injection that helps to provide this supply of oxygen and nutrients with the aim of promoting cartilage regeneration. It has been shown in studies to stimulate the production of chondrocytes, which are the cells the body uses to repair and regenerate cartilage.
Repeated steroid injections over a long time period can also weaken the joint cartilage. But it's not clear whether this really affects the health of your knee. Other possible side effects include pain and swelling at the injection site.