Prevention and Preservation

Knee pain is common among individuals of all ages. The two groups of people who most often undergo surgery for hip and knee conditions are elderly adults with end-stage arthritis that requires joint replacement, and young athletes with a ligament or cartilage injury. Even if an injury is minor, it can lead to a premature loss of cartilage in the joint as you age.

But for those looking for relief, a joint replacement should be the last option for joint pain, says Sanjeev Bhatia, MD, orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Hip and Knee Joint Preservation Center at Central DuPage Hospital. “There are many effective options available,” he says. “There are emerging treatments that can help adults and adolescents with pre-arthritic conditions regain full function. A knee replacement should only be explored after other options have been exhausted.”

Learn more ways to alleviate knee pain.