What Are the Alternatives to Knee Replacement Surgery?

Pros and cons of surgery vs. exercise, massage, medicines and acupuncture

By Debbie L. Miller

[This article was originally published on https://www.NextAvenue.org on April 3, 2019 and was nominated for a 2020 Media Orthopaedic Reporting Excellence Award by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.]

Did you know that arthritis is the main cause of knee pain and disability? Depending on the type and severity of the condition, treatment options include “conservative” medical, lifestyle and non-surgical interventions (oral medications, injections, physical therapy, weight loss, exercise); Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) modalities (acupuncture, massage, tai chi); and knee replacement surgery.

“The best form of non-surgical treatment is exercise with or without formal physical therapy,” says Dr. Jeffrey Geller, chief of orthopedic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, N.Y. “Among the non-operative modalities evaluated, there is the most scientific evidence to support building up strength in the muscles around the knee to help improve the symptoms associated with knee arthritis.”

“Patients with knee arthritis are encouraged to stay fit and keep active,” says Dr. Darwin Chen, an orthopedic surgeon at The Mount…