knee injections for Arthritis?

Anyone have an opinion/experience with Viscosupplementation for Arthritis in the knee?
I just got these 3 injections of this gel-like stuff. It is helping a little so far.

I am on my second set of injections. This time they do seem to help a little. As long as my insurance pays I will get them. I think I am
allowed 1 series a year. No palpitations or afib. I am due my third shot today in this series.

At age 80 I had knee problems when walking downstairs etc.

I had Synvisc injections by a sports medicine doctor and the major effects were depleting my bank balance a little.

I am a consistent exerciser so decided to try other approaches. I bought a foam roller and used it for the knees particularly the right one which was my main problem. You will find suitable exercises on YouTube. At the same time I saw a good myotherapist and had some semi-painful massages.

My knee problems are completely gone.

The main thing that is unusual about what I did is that so few people try the exercise alternatives for these kinds of problems.

Alex

Mobilizing movements are the best treatment for arthritis of the knee (or any other body part).

Ideally find a Physio who will do passive movements of the knee. Also do knee swinging a couple of times a day for about two minutes.

This movement even without the passive movements can really help.

Sit on a strong support, a bench or table high enough that both feet are off the ground and that allows you to swing your legs backward as well as forward. Now pretend you're five years old and sitting on a swing. Straighten your leg then take it back under the support a comfortable distance. Alternate legs and be as smooth and relaxed as possible. Use as little muscle power as possible.

Sam

Congratulations on your knee problems going away, Alex. And I will try the swinging leg exercises, Sam

Dee

You got 3 knees anti? I only got two injections one for each knee. The Suff was called monovisc and I believe it has helped. Fortunately for me it was paid for by insurance $250 cdn. I will do it again if the need arises.

I'm going to try that knee swinging along with the bike riding I'm doing. Can't hurt to allow more blood flow to the cartilage area if there is no swelling, inflamation

love and light

Anti-Afib - Responding late to this thread, but if and when you are no longer doing the injections but want to help ensure joint comfort and functionality, consider supplementing with the nutrient called Type II collagen... trademark BioCell (as one example). My FM MD has been recommending supplementing with BioCell collagen for a number of years. I have a report in a pdf file from a Spring 2012 report by ProThera, producer of professional grade supplements, on the topic of "Promoting Joint Health with BioCell Collagen" that I'd be happy to share with anyone interested. Send me a PM.

Several points make sense, just as in other nutritional replacement therapies; ie, . help replenish the degrading supply of collagen and add in hyaluronic acid plus other targeted nutrients -
Quote:
..."Hyaluronic acid plays dual roles
for the joint, one as an essential structural
component of the cartilage and second as a
major lubrication agent in the synovial fluid.
BioCell Collagen® thus offers a unique
profile of naturally occurring nutritional
elements which are important in maintaining
healthy cartilage and joint structures."

Highlights of the introduction:

...." Researchers are finding that another nutrient,
type II collagen, may provide more comprehensive
sustenance for joint health. Extracts
of type II collagen, the main form of
collagen in articular cartilage of joint
structures, contain the amino acids found
in human cartilage that are required for the
synthesis and repair of connective tissue
throughout the body. Current research
shows that supplementation with type II
collagen may help to reduce collagen
destruction, have an anti-inflammatory
effect, and improve joint stiffness, thereby
increasing mobility and flexibility. BioCell
Collagen® developed by BioCell Technologies
is a highly efficacious and absorbable form
of type II collagen produced through a
patented manufacturing process that
hydrolyzes cartilage components to form
more easily absorbed, low molecular weight
compounds. This all-natural ingredient
contains a physiologic matrix of hydrolyzed
collagen type II, hyaluronic acid, and
chondroitin sulfate, all of which are highly
bioavailable. BioCell Collagen® is a primary
ingredient in Klaire Labs® Joint ReVitalizer™
formulation provided together with MSM®
and vitamin C to protect connective tissues,
promote cartilage synthesis, and support
wound healing. "

Another quote:
..." The data obtained in this study suggests that
chicken type II collagen exhibits a protective
effect on osteoarthritic cartilage at least in
part by reducing the increased synthesis of
MMP-13, MMP-9, and cathepsin K, three
major proteases involved in the degradation
of articular cartilage during osteoarthritis. It
also confirmed the notion that MMP-13,
MMP-9 and cathepsin K are present in
increased amounts in osteoarthritic cartilage.
The exact mechanism remains unclear, but it
is interesting to note that oral administration
of chicken type II collagen could effectively
reduce cartilage damage."

..." Human Clinical Trials of BioCell Collagen®
Three human clinical trials have been
performed, showing that daily ingestion of
BioCell Collagen® led to the reduction of
chronic symptoms associated with various
joint conditions, primarily osteoarthritis.
One trial enrolled 89 subjects who were
experiencing pain caused by joint discomfort.
The subjects ingested 2 grams daily of
BioCell Collagen® for 45 days. Out of 89
subjects, 80 (89%) experienced a degree of
improved joint comfort. In contrast, only
one subject who took a placebo had
improved joint comfort. No adverse events
associated with BioCell Collagen® were
reported. A second, randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial enrolled 16
subjects who had joint discomfort. The
safety and efficacy of BioCell Collagen® in
managing joint discomfort was investigated
by using the WOMAC index. The subjects
ingested 2 grams daily of BioCell Collagen®
for 8 weeks. Compared to placebo, BioCell
Collagen® significantly reduced joint
discomfort as much as 40% at the end of the
study. No adverse events associated with
BioCell Collagen® were reported. The study
details were presented at the international
conference of Experimental Biology, 2004,
Washington, DC. Finally, a third randomized,
double-blind and placebo-controlled trial
enrolled 80 subjects who had joint
discomfort. The safety and efficacy of
BioCell Collagen® in managing joint
discomfort was investigated again by using
the WOMAC index. The subjects ingested 2
grams daily of BioCell Collagen® for 10 weeks.
Compared to placebo, BioCell Collagen®
significantly reduced joint discomfort,
confirming the earlier trial discussed above.
No adverse events associated with BioCell
Collagen® were reported. The study outcome
is submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal."
(Report by ProThera).

Also, there is a product called Arthroben from Designs for Health that also provides BioCell collagen.
You can read more at this link:
[drtrevorcates.com]
White Paper on Arthroben [todayspractitioner.com]

Jackie

Jackie:

Which supplement do you take, does it have to be prescribed by a doctor?

Liz

Liz - I don't have arthritis pain or knee problems but my FM MD suggests using BioCell collagen as "preventive maintenance insurance" for an aging body.

No prescription required.

I either use the capsules of the ProThera product (Joint Revitalizer) or Arthroben powder. She sells but you can find them on Amazon.com as well.

Jackie

Thanks Jackie, I had tried Hyaluronic Acid capsules a few years ago. But I don't remember the name and I possibly did not take them
long enough. Does iherb have anything that is good?

Dee

Hi Dee - You could check these iHerb products for the amounts of collagen provided. [www.iherb.com] but probably higher doses than typically provided are needed to optimize. I have no experience with iHerb's brands but the claims about absorbability are encouraging as that seems to be the challenge for some collagen products. Just be sure it's the BioCell registered trademark.

The Arthroben provides 7.5 grams collagen in one dose of powder. That's high compared to most encapsulated supplements.. .but keep in mind that Arthroben is a Functional Food, so while the price may seem high, the concentration of nutrients is also much higher.

This link gives the label details, [supplementfirst.com] but if I were ordering Arthroben, I'd get it from Rockwell Nutrition... [www.rockwellnutrition.com] as I know them to be a reliable resource.

Jackie

Adrian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You got 3 knees anti? I only got two injections
> one for each knee. The Suff was called
> monovisc and I believe it has helped. Fortunately
> for me it was paid for by insurance $250 cdn. I
> will do it again if the need arises.
>
> I'm going to try that knee swinging along with the
> bike riding I'm doing. Can't hurt to allow more
> blood flow to the cartilage area if there is no
> swelling, inflamation
>
> love and light

It was 3 injections, spaced a week apart in my left Knee. I got the stuff called Euflexxa. I got them from a SportsMedicine Orthopedic Dr. They said this Euflexxa gel was made from the serum taken off of rendered Rooster Heads. If so, why is it so expensive?
Anyway, alot of my pain was behind the knee-cap, (I had a Micro-chodrial defect) it is helping with that, but it still hurts deeper in the knee.

I almost got arthroscopic surgery on both knees for this knee issue. Mainly pain behind the knee-cap area. But my Doctor that I got a 2nd opinion from talked me out of it. I do not have severe Arthritis, just hurts when I bend my Knees, so I am limited of activity somewhat. At least I can still walk pain-free.

Jackie, if I tried iherb for a month, would that be a long enough period to see if it would work? If it did then I could consider ordering
the more expensive stuff. iherb's is Biocell. Or am I doing it backwards?

Thanks Dee

I agree with looking at the supplementation and medical approaches to arthritis but feel without knowing the exact proportions that very little attention is being paid to physical and exercise solutions.

I understand that physical and exercise solutions require much more effort than supplementation or injections but can certainly help and in some cases as in mine completely solve the problems. It has been over a year since my symptoms stopped..

I recently started Biocell Collagen C just in case so have nothing against the supplementation approach as an addition.

Alex

Here's an 'ad' for Suzy Cohen, Registered Pharmacist, who believes in holistic remedies and she's developed a form of joint relief in her product line. You can compare other joint relief formulas to her ingredients.

Note what she says about avoiding products with magnesium stearate, commonly added to many supplements for processing.

Also note if you have a sensitivity to sulfur, then this product has MSM so you'll want to focus on the other components that help with joint pain relief and the collagen to help regenerate new tissue while avoiding MSM.

[suzycohen.com]

Jackie

I had forgotten about this joint support formula by Natural Factors. I trust and rely on the research and careful manufacturing that goes into Natural Factors products. Michael T. Murray, N.D. is the Director of Product Science and Development of Natural Factors (for 16 years) and prior to that, he was Director of Product Development for Enzymatic Therapy for almost 15 years. His expertise in the field of Natural Medicine is well recognized, so I always feel comfortable using and recommending Natural Factors.

Jackie


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UPDATE:

I realize now that I got an Auto-immune reaction from the Injections. My GI tract has been upset since the Injections is slowly getting better at 4 months out. It's like when you eat something that doesn't agree with you, but has been going on for 4 months now.

I wish I wouldn't have done them. I also figured out on my own that I had Tendonitis where the Quadriceps Tendon attaches behind the Kneecap. My Quad muscles are knotted up above the Knee, and this was pulling on the Tendon creating the Tendonitis. I do have some Arthritis, but that wasn't causing my most severe pain. Thankyou everyone for your replies, they helped me to realize that my Arthritis was not bad enough to cause the severe pain I was having. I had 2 Ortho Dr's and 2 P.A's suggest Arthroscopic Surgery. I almost went through with the surgery, but I backed out of at the last minute when I realized what was going on. I am getting much better, simply by rubbing the sore muscles above my knees for 3-4 minutes before I do my daily exercise.

Anti-Fib.... that's very unfortunate. I've known several people who had similar adverse reactions...as you say, worse than just toughing it out with the initial pain... but found out the hard way the injections were awful. Glad you didn't proceed with the surgery.

You're probably 'gun shy' for trying much new, but there are some supplements that offer antiinflammatory properties as well as helping to restore mitochondrial function to aid muscle function that should be helpful.

The first would be to be sure you have alkaline tissue pH by using the Waller Water regularly. If you haven't tried one of the new versions of curcumin, that's also highly beneficial for your type of complaints. Check this google link for a variety of reports [www.google.com]

Also try applying Arnica Gel regularly on the muscle knots... along with the topical gel of magnesium... that relaxes in about 15 minutes.

There are other natural remedies that target arthritis and reducing inflammation as well such as the higher doses of quality Omega 3 fish oils.

Send me a PM if you'd like more specifics. You're not having any fun, so hopefully, you can get this turned around quickly.

Best,
Jackie