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What is Joint Fluid Therapy?

What is Joint Fluid Therapy?
Very simply, Joint Fluid Therapy is the replacement of the natural lubricants that are found in healthy joints. It's purpose is to increase joint lubrication and cushioning and to reduce the symptoms of OA.
Since the knee works like a hinge, it makes sense that lubricating the joint might help people with knee osteoarthritis.

The main problem in knee OA is degeneration of the articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is the smooth lining that covers the ends of the leg bones where they meet to form the knee joint. The cartilage gives the joint freedom of movement by decreasing friction and serves as a "shock absorber". When the cartilage deteriorates, it causes pain and decreases function.

The articular cartilage is kept slippery by joint fluid made by the joint lining (the synovial membrane). The fluid, called synovial fluid, is contained in a soft-tissue enclosure around the knee joint called the joint capsule. An important substance present in articular cartilage and synovial fluid is called Hyaluronic Acid.

Hyaluronic Acid helps joints collect and hold water, improving lubrication and reducing friction. It also acts by allowing cells to move and work within the joint. The result of OA is a decrease in Hyaluronic Acid in the synovial fluid. As a result, the joint surfaces of the knee don't get lubricated and are more likely to get injured from daily stresses and strain on the joint. When the articular cartilage degenerates, or wears away, the bone underneath is uncovered and rubs against bone. Small outgrowths called bone spurs, or osteophytes, may form in the joint.

Joint Fluid Therapy replaces the depleted Hyaluronic Acid in your knee.

Joint Fluid Therapy Treatments
Joint Fluid Therapy, also known as viscosupplementation, is a series of hyaluronic acid injections directly into the synovial area of the knee. At The Center for Joint Therapy, we always perform this procedure using a fluoroscope (live motion x-ray) to insure that the fluid is injected directly into the synovial membrane.

The injections are given once a week for five weeks. If the injections are successful - pain goes away - the process is repeated every six months, for as many years as the treatment is effective.

When the day comes that Joint Fluid Therapy doesn't relieve the pain enough for you to enjoy your normal activities, we'll recommend joint replacement surgery. Links to Rooster Juice page Links to Fluoroscope page