New Concepts in Treating Knee Arthritis After Sports Injury

Newswise — Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Scott Dye may be talking himself out of a job. Dr. Dye is advising many patients with certain sports-related knee injuries that surgery may not be the best way to treat the problem, and that simply modifying activities to decrease stress on the knee may be enough to prevent the development of arthritis.

Dr. Dye, a physician at California Pacific Medical Center, and on clinical faculty at the University of California San Francisco, will be presenting his theory at a conference called "Knee Arthritis Following Sports Injury: Current Concepts" . The conference is being held at the Cathedral Hill Hotel September 29-30 from 8am to 5pm.

"One of the most important under-reported stories in sports medicine is the alarming rate of early arthritis occurring in many knees that have undergone ligament reconstruction or cartilage surgery" said Dr. Dye. "There is, for example, published data to indicate that as many as 70% of knees that have had ACL reconstructive surgery are developing early arthritis."

According to Dr. Dye, knees that are at risk of developing early arthritis following sports injury can now be identified by use of a metabolic imaging study called a Technetium bone scan, years before the arthritis would show up on an X-ray or MRI. Such knees can avoid developing arthritis if the bone scan eventually comes back to normal following treatment whether surgical or not. In many cases this can be achieved by simply decreasing the loads placed across the injured joint to levels it can biologically tolerate. Pursuing, for example bicycling and swimming instead of high demand pivoting sports such as racquetball and soccer can allow individuals to remain active while substantially lowering their potential risk of arthritis.

According to the Orthopedic Research Center in Cleveland, knee injuries result in more than 10 million visits to doctors' offices every year. The cost of treating these injuries is enormous. The CDC estimates the cost of ACL reconstruction alone is just under $1 billion a year, and that does not take into account the cost of the initial evaluation or post-surgery rehabilitation. Those numbers and costs are only likely to increase. Americans are living longer, and leading more active lives, increasing the need for effective treatments for injuries and chronic conditions such as knee arthritis.

The conference, co-sponsored by California Pacific Medical Center and the Bay Area Knee Society is expected to attract general orthopedic surgeons, orthopaedic knee specialists, and allied health care professionals to hear the latest findings on the treatment of knee injuries. Dr. David Lowenberg, chief of Orthopaedics at CPMC, and Dr. Dye are co-directors of the conference. Several local knee experts from UCSF, Stanford University, St. Francis and St. Mary's hospitals as well as national and international speakers are scheduled to be on the faculty. In addition to presentations on the development and prevention of knee degeneration, the goal of the meeting is to provide clinically proven information on a wide range of treatment options for knee arthritis. Those include cartilage replacement techniques, as well as partial and total joint replacement.

California Pacific Medical Center. Beyond MedicineAt San Francisco's California Pacific Medical Center, we believe in the power of medicine. We research the most up-to-date treatments, hire the most qualified individuals, and practice the most modern, innovative medicine available. We deliver the highest quality expert care with kindness and compassion in acute, post-acute and outpatient services, as well as preventive and complementary medicine. But we also believe that medicine alone is only part of the solution. That's why we look intently at each individual case and treat the whole person, not just the illness. It's why we go beyond medical care and provide our patients with things like disease counseling, family support, and wellness treatments. As one of California's largest private, community based, not-for-profit, teaching medical centers, and a Sutter Health affiliate, we are able to reach deep into our community to provide education, screening, and financial support in some of the city's most underserved neighborhoods. Because medicine can transform a body. But going beyond medicine.