Arthritis Specialist

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Arthritis is joint inflammation that can cause pain, stiffness, and tenderness. The condition can affect one joint or several and can range from mild to severe. In advanced cases, arthritis can limit your range of motion and overall mobility. The earlier you seek treatment for arthritis, the more likely you are to retain function in your affected joints.

While there are several different types of arthritis, the two most common are:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type. It’s a degenerative condition that causes a breakdown of the cartilage that is vital to protecting the joints. As osteoarthritis progresses, the affected joints no longer have the flexible cartilage that cushions them. Eventually, your bones can begin rubbing against one another.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that causes chronic inflammation of certain joints. While RA can develop in many of your body’s joints, it commonly affects the joints in the hands, wrists, feet, and ankles.

In its early stages, arthritis may not cause noticeable symptoms. Over time, however, increased joint pain can prevent you from participating in the activities you love. Common symptoms of arthritis include:

• Sharp or dull pain
• Intermittent pain
• Swelling
• Redness 
• Tenderness
• Reduced range of motion
• Stiffness

As your joints become stiffer and more painful, arthritis can diminish your mobility and quality of life. Depending on the type you have, you may find it difficult to stand, walk, or grasp items without pain.

Diagnosing arthritis typically requires a comprehensive physical exam along with a medical history review. 

If Dr. Gifford at 417 Sports Medicine & Orthopedics suspects you have arthritis, he takes X-rays of your affected joints. An X-ray can show any narrowing of the joints and bone spurs that can develop from arthritis.

Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight can help improve the symptoms of arthritis. Dr. Gifford performs a number of safe, effective treatments for arthritis pain, including:

The degeneration of the joint cartilage causes joint inflammation.  We use injectable Corticosteroids, which are very strong anti-inflammatories, to reduce joint inflammation and pain.  Cortisone, steroid, and prednisone are all terms you will hear to describe Corticosteroid injections. We have several different types that we use depending on the patient, the joint, and the level of degeneration.

Hyaluronic acid injections also known as Viscosupplementation or commonly called "Rooster Comb" are especially effective at treating knee arthritis. Injecting this viscous substance into the knee lubricates the joint to help it move more smoothly while reducing pain.

We use various forms of regenerative treatment techniques. These typically work by creating a healing reaction of the damaged joint cartilage or tissue.  Utilizing growth factors such as VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor), PDGF ( Platelet Derived Growth Factor), IGF-1(Insulin Like Growth Factor), FGF(Fibroblast Growth Factor) we can signal the body's own healing power to help create a healing response to minimize degeneration and pain.

Sometimes we determine the patient isn't quite ready for injections and we recommend or prescribe medications such as NSAIDS ( Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Meloxicam, Celebrex ). We also sometimes recommend Supplements such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin or Vitamin D to help maintain bone and joint health.   

So many people unknowingly are trying to help but are actually causing more damage with their exercise, work, activity level.  We often recommend Low Impact exercise such as cycling, rowing, and water activity to help offload the joints to minimize pain and increase longevity.

Depending on the joint sometimes unloader style braces can be extremely helpful.  For knees in particular an unloader knee brace can help realign the knee to put less load on the worn out joint space.  This allows for more activity with less pain.  There are simple off the shelf braces you can buy on Amazon and there are also very expensive custom built unloaders. Depending on your individual scenario we will decide what may work best for you.

We have Physical Therapy in house with Apex Network Physical Therapy.  We love to use rehab to strengthen and stabilize a painful joint.  Movement, balance, and strength training are all very important to maintain joint health and reduce risk of other injuries. 

If nonsurgical treatments fail to improve your pain, replacing the damaged joint with an artificial alternative can provide the relief you need.  We have relationships with all the best surgeons in the region and when appropriate we will refer on to discuss surgical options.

Call 417 Sports Medicine & Orthopedics at 417-771-3147 or schedule an appointment online today! Hurt Today? Seen Today!