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Treatments

How We can Help

Pioneering, Life-Changing Treatment For Knee Osteoarthritis

With over 20 years of experience working with high profile clients in a variety of sporting and non-sporting environments, Dr. Mark Gillett can use his clinical expertise in getting to the root of your problems. With a combination of clinical judgement and additional investigations, such as diagnostic ultrasounds, we can identify the cause of your pain and arrange a treatment plan in your best interest through optimising rehab with joint injections.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is the most common form of arthritis and it’s incidence is rising. The impact of this condition can lead to an experience of pain and often a reduction in function and mobility. Surgical treatment for the pain caused by osteoarthritis is a joint replacement. This is major invasive surgery associated with a prolonged recovery period.

Dr. Gillett can offer a range of non-surgical options that are being widely used for joint pain. With various injection options, we can help choose the best options for you. Options range from common steroid injections to newer forms of therapy like Arthrosamid® (A new class of injectable therapy. A single-dose injection that delivers long lasting pain relief, improving the quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis.).

Treatments

Arthrosamid®

Arthrosamid® introduces a groundbreaking injectable solution for treating knee osteoarthritis in adults. This innovative therapy, which requires only a single injection, offers enduring pain alleviation and enhances life quality for individuals suffering from this condition. Designed as a novel option beyond existing treatments, Arthrosamid® utilizes cutting-edge, non-biodegradable hydrogel technology.

Comprising 2.5% cross-linked polyacrylamide and 97.5% water, Arthrosamid® acts by cushioning the knee joint upon injection, thereby diminishing pain and facilitating ongoing comfort with just a single dose.

As an intra-articular polyacrylamide hydrogel injection (iPAAG), Arthrosamid® specifically targets the symptomatic management of knee osteoarthritis. It rejuvenates the synovial fluid’s viscosity, enhancing joint lubrication and cushioning. Furthermore, Arthrosamid® melds with the synovium in the knee’s inner joint capsule, offering a protective cushioning effect.

“There has been little successful innovation in treating osteoarthritis over the past twenty years, and apart from surgery, there are few treatment options that can offer long-term benefits to patients.”

“I am thrilled to be able to offer this highly promising new product to change the landscape for treating debilitating knee arthritis. My Philosophy is to treat conservatively the conditions of the joints to allow my patients to return to an active lifestyle. Therefore, having this unique product available is making a real difference for those patients I see in my clinics.” – Dr Mark Gillett

Read more about Arthrosamid® here; arthrosamid.com

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that progressively deteriorates, leading to pain and loss of function. This form of arthritis primarily affects the knee, eroding the cartilage that cushions the bones and causing them to grind against one another. This friction results in stiffness, swelling, and discomfort in the joint.

The exact cause of knee osteoarthritis remains unclear, and there has been no definitive cure for the condition. Up until now, the traditional treatment strategies that have aimed at symptom management have included:

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Regular physical activity
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Reducing weight
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Taking medications for pain relief
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Receiving viscosupplement injections
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Using braces
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Undergoing physical therapy

When these measures prove ineffective, knee replacement surgery is often considered the last resort. However, with Arthrosamid®, the landscape of treatment options is evolving.

Platelet Rich Plasma Injections (PRP)

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections utilize a patient’s own blood components to accelerate healing. The process involves extracting blood, separating the platelets through centrifugation, known for releasing growth factors that aid in healing, and then injecting these platelets into the affected area. Guided by ultrasound for accuracy, this method promotes the repair and regeneration of tissue, leading to pain relief and faster healing. This cutting-edge therapy has significantly captured the attention of healthcare professionals, especially those specializing in physical medicine and sports injuries. The ease of producing PRP has positioned it as a highly regarded natural biological treatment, earning the trust of numerous sports physicians and being widely adopted by athletes around the globe.

PRP injections are effective for a variety of conditions affecting the hips, knees, arms, shoulders, legs, and feet. Conditions treatable with PRP include acute muscle injuries, chronic tendon issues (such as tennis elbow and Achilles tendonitis), ligament injuries, and osteoarthritis.

The mechanism behind PRP injections involves the release of growth factors at the injury site, initiating an inflammatory response that starts the healing process. These platelets help in the restoration of tendons, ligaments, and cartilage, making them stronger and more durable.

PRP injections offer a non-surgical alternative for those seeking less invasive treatments or those who cannot undergo surgery. They provide the benefits of a significantly shorter recovery time and less discomfort compared to surgical options.

Steroid Injections

Steroid injections, also known as cortisone shots, serve as a powerful anti-inflammatory treatment targeting areas of inflammation, such as the knee joint, and are effective in managing a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions. These injections, which work over a period of 8 to 12 weeks, are capable of rapidly diminishing pain and inflammation, and are commonly utilized as a primary treatment option for conditions like arthritis in the knee and hip, tendon issues including Frozen Shoulder, and Bursitis.

Corticosteroids, the active agents in these injections, are synthetic drugs designed to mimic cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, reducing the activity of the immune system to alleviate inflammation.

Healthcare providers employ cortisone shots to address inflammation in various joints such as the shoulders, spine, hands, hips, knees, and feet, as well as in tendons or bursae, the fluid-filled sacs that alleviate friction around joints.

These injections are indicated for a broad spectrum of conditions characterized by pain and inflammation, including;

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Arthritis
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Autoimmune diseases
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Tendonitis
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Tendinopathies
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Carpal tunnel syndrome
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Bursitis
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Trigger finger/thumb
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Tennis elbow
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Autoimmune diseases
While typically combined with a local anaesthetic for quick relief, steroid injections can lead to certain side effects. These include an initial increase in pain and inflammation, skin lightening at the injection site, and a temporary spike in blood sugar levels, particularly affecting those with diabetes. Patients are recommended to practice limited physical activity for the first few days post-injection and remain vigilant for any signs of infection, such as redness, warmth, swelling, and fever, which may appear within the first few days following the procedure. Despite these considerations, steroid injections remain a trusted and widely used method for effectively managing inflammation and pain.

Hyaluronic Acid Injections (HA)

Hyaluronic acid injections are also often referred to as lubricant injections. They are effective treatments for osteoarthritis in major joints like the knees and hips. These injections serve to lubricate the joint, enabling smoother movement, while also alleviating inflammation. Mimicking the function of natural synovial fluid, they assist in the lubrication and movement of healthy knee or hip joints and play a role in shock absorption in weight-bearing joints. Various types of HA injections are available.

Primarily administered for knee and hip arthritis, these injections can significantly enhance pain management and joint function, typically lasting between 3 to 6 months, though some patients may experience longer-lasting effects.

In general, hyaluronic acid injections are well-received, presenting fewer side effects compared to steroid injections, making them a preferred choice for many seeking relief from arthritis symptoms.

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy injections aim to encourage the body’s production of new collagen fibres, which fortify and thicken the ligaments. This method involves the injection of a dextrose (sugar) solution, which triggers an inflammatory response that draws cells responsible for collagen production, leading to the development of stronger and healthier collagen fibres within the ligaments. As a result, the ligaments are reinforced, preventing them from becoming excessively loose and stabilizing the injected spine or joints.

This approach is particularly beneficial for treating ligaments that are stretched or weakened from overuse, injury, or due to specific conditions like Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which can cause joints to be unstable and painful. Prolotherapy is effective for addressing lower back pain and is applicable to several other body joints, such as the knees, shoulders, and ankles.

High Volume Injection

High-volume injections are highly beneficial for treating frozen shoulder, as well as other joint conditions like achilles tendinopathy and patellar tendinopathy. This technique involves injecting a large volume of fluid to stretch the tight joint capsule that limits movement in those with joint issues like frozen shoulder, offering a significant improvement in mobility for patients experiencing severe restrictions.

The mixture typically used for this injection includes a steroid, a local anaesthetic, and saline or sterile water. Initially, a local anaesthetic is administered to the soft tissues from the skin leading to the joint. Following this, under ultrasound guidance for precise delivery, the mixture is injected into the shoulder joint using a specialised technique to ensure the capsule expands effectively.

This quick procedure only takes a matter of minutes. Patients may experience an initial temporary pain or numbness, but this is often followed by an immediate noticeable new improvement to their range of motion.