Viscosupplementation
Osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States.
It develops slowly and the pain it causes worsens over time.
Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are many treatment options available to help people manage pain and stay active.
Treatment
If you have tried all other nonsurgical treatment methods and your pain continues to limit your activities, viscosupplementation may be an option.
In this procedure, a gel-like fluid called hyaluronic acid is injected into the knee joint.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the synovial fluid surrounding joints.
It acts as a lubricant to enable bones to move smoothly over each other and as a shock absorber for joint loads.
People with osteoarthritis have a lower-than-normal concentration of hyaluronic acid in their joints.
The theory is that adding hyaluronic acid to the arthritic joint will facilitate movement and reduce pain.