Steroid injections for Knee pain- Katie’s Story
Knee joint arthritis is a common cause of pain and disability. It can prevent you from being active and lead the life that you want. Katie shares her experience of living with knee arthritis for 20 years and how she manages the condition.
Why a steroid injection?
In this video, Katie tells us how she is able to continue to live independently, negotiating many stairs and still lead an active lifestyle by having steroid injections to ease her arthritis symptoms. Steroid injections, or Cortisone shots as they are commonly referred to, are often prescribed to alleviate the pain and inflammation in a joint. Katie uses rehabilitation exercises such as Pilates alongside her steroid injection to manage the condition and knows that while there is no cure, she has a plan that works for her.
Research:
In 2021 Samuels et al published a critical appraisal of current literature regarding intra-articular (meaning injecting into the joint) steroid injections in the knee. They surmise that steroid injections appear to be a safe and effective treatment for knee joint arthritis. They also conclude that, there are few contra-indications to this intervention and when performed with proper technique, there are few injection related complications.
Whilst debate still continues with regard to the potential deterioration to the joint surfaces with repeated steroid injections, the National Institute of Care and Excellence in the UK (NICE) continue to reccommend, no mare than 3-4 injections of steroid into any 1 joint per year to avoid any potential complications.
It is also important to remember that there are other options instead of steroid injections or that can be used alongside steroid injections for long term management of knee osteoarthritis. Hyaluronic acid injections for example, in some cases have been shown to give better long term outcomes than steroid injections alone (Donovan et al, 2022).
How do you know if a cortisone injection in the knee will help?
It is not always necessary to have an x-ray or an MRI followed by a consultant review to be diagnosed with knee arthritis. The diagnosis is important however if we are planning on injecting your knee. During your assessment with the us, we will perform a series of tests and a diagnostic ultrasound scan to formulate a diagnosis. If we are confident that we are able to conclude that arthritis is the main cause of your symptoms, then we may offer a steroid injection as a treatment option. There is no way to guaruntee symptomatic relief with a steroid injection as everyone responds differently to medication.
Have a look at a live demo of a knee steroid injection or you can read more about steroid injections here.
Summary
In conclusion, this video provides you with some background on what to expect if you are thinking of getting a steroid injection for knee arthritis. Katie’s story allows you to understand what living with knee arthritis can look like and that a good management plan will keep you active for as long as you can possibly be.
If you’re someone who is experiencing knee arthritis and would like to find out if this or other treatments like Hyaluronic acid injections are right for you then please get in touch.
If you would like more information or would like to book an appointment, please contact us at Steroid injections London on 0207 636 5774 or email reception@oxfordcircusphysio.co.uk
References:
J. Samuels, M.H. Pillinger, D. Jevsevar, D. Felson, L.S. Simon,
Critical appraisal of intra-articular glucocorticoid injections for symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee,
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, Volume 29, Issue 1, 2021, Pages 8-16,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2020.09.001.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458420311237)
R.L. Donovan, T.A. Edwards, A. Judge, A.W. Blom, S.K. Kunutsor, M.R. Whitehouse,
Effects of recurrent intra-articular corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis at 3 months and beyond: a systematic review and meta-analysis in comparison to other injectables,
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, Volume 30, Issue 12, 2022, Pages 1658-1669.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2022.07.011.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S106345842200838X)