Drs. Jason A. Jones and Tania A. Ferguson at Music City Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine specialize in management of arthritis of the knee, shoulder, and hip. There are many options available to you once arthritis starts to set in. Learn more below. Come in for an evaluation to see which option is right for you.
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PHYSICIANS: DR. JONES, DR. FERGUSON
JOINT REPLACEMENT
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a slowly progressive disease of the cartilage of your joints. Types of Arthritis include:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. OA is usually a slowly progressive degenerative disease in which the joint cartilage gradually wears away. It most often affects middle-aged and older people.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory type of arthritis that can destroy the joint cartilage. RA can occur at any age. RA generally affects all joints.
Post-traumatic Arthritis
Post-traumatic arthritis can develop after an injury to the knee or shoulder. This type of arthritis is similar to osteoarthritis and may develop years after a fracture, ligament injury, or meniscus tear. Sometimes, very severe fractures of the shoulder may need immediate replacement.
Rotator Cuff Tear Arthropathy
This type only occurs in the shoulder. A patient with a very large, long-standing rotator cuff tear may develop cuff tear arthropathy. In this condition, the changes in the shoulder joint due to the rotator cuff tear may lead to arthritis and destruction of the joint cartilage.
Symptoms
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Stiff swollen joint
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Gradual or acute onset of pain
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Pain worse in the morning or after a period of rest
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A feeling of “catching” or “locking”
Nonsurgical Treatments
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Lifestyle modifications- including avoidance of “high impact” activities
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Weight loss
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Supportive devices such as braces to aide your joint
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Injections:
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Corticosteroid Injections: This is a powerful anti-inflammatory that can decrease the pain and stiffness in your joint
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Viscosupplementation: Injection of substances to increase the quality and thickness of your natural joint fluid
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Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP): Using the cells from your own body, an injection is made to decrease pain and inflammation.
Surgical Treatment
If your body does not respond to non-surgical treatments surgery may be necessary. Depending on the extent of your arthritis a smaller arthroscopic surgery may be an option. However, for extensive arthritis, joint replacement is done to replace the damaged areas of cartilage with a new metal and plastic surface. Read about our options for joint replacement below.
