Exercise Just as Beneficial as Knee Surgery for the Treatment of Runner’s Knee

A team of researchers from the ORTON Research Institute in Helsinki, Finland conducted a randomized controlled study to determine if arthroscopic knee surgery was more effective than exercise for the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome.  Patellofemoral pain syndrome or Runner’s Knee is a common diagnosis given to patients who suffer from knee pain around the front of the knee.  It is most often diagnosed in runners, jumpers, cyclists or in patients who heavily stress their knee joints. Patients usually experience dull, achy pain in the front of the knee and under the knee cap when they climb stairs, squat, or kneel.   Patellofemoral knee pain includes conditions such as chondromalacia patella, anterior knee pain syndrome, and patellofemoral misalignment.

In the study researchers randomly separated 56 individuals into two groups suffering from chronic patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).  The first group underwent an eight week exercise program: while the other group underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, and then an eight week home exercise program.  Nine months later the team assessed the outcomes of both groups by using the Kujala score for knee pain and mobility.  They also determined the cost of care associated with each patient. Interestingly, both groups experienced a decrease in pain and improvement in knee mobility and there was no significant difference in the average Kujala scores between both groups.  Other tests were also conducted but even those didn’t reveal a significant difference in outcomes between the two groups. The only significant difference between the groups was the healthcare costs.  Obviously the group that underwent knee surgery and exercise had higher healthcare costs then the group that only exercised.

Researchers also conducted a two year follow up, and still found that there were no differences in outcomes between the two groups.

The study concluded that exercise was just as effective as arthroscopic knee surgery but less costly for the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome, and that arthroscopic knee surgery should not be routinely used to treat knee pain.

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If you are still suffering from knee pain around your knee cap and you’ve already tried strengthening the knee by exercising then call Dr. Alexandra Schnee, D.C. at the DFW Spine & Joint Center.  Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program may be able to finally help relieve your knee pain.  Dr. Schnee’s program combines cold laser therapy, non-weight bearing exercises, and other modalities to help chronic knee pain sufferers get their life back.

If you live in the Dallas, Fort Worth or surrounding areas call our office at 214-96-1051 to find out if you’re a candidate for Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program.

Or if you would like more information about Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program fill out the form on the right side of this screen to get your FREE report mailed to you entitled, Amazing Cold Laser Therapy the Missing Link to Knee Pain Relief!

Dr. Alexandra K. Schnee, B.S.,D.C.,-Your Cold Laser Doctor for the Non-Surgical Treatment of Knee Pain in the Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas Area-“ Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program Has Been Helping People with Knee Pain and Joint Pain in the Dallas, Fort Worth and surrounding areas since 2001.”

Source: Jyrki A Kettunen et al “Knee arthroscopy and exercise versus exercise only for chronic patellofemoral pain syndrome. A randomized controlled trial” BMC Medicine December 13, 2007, 5:38

Exercise Can Help Strengthen Knee, And Be Just as Beneficial as Knee Surgery | Dallas-Fort Worth

Dr. Schnee, D.C. Irving Texas Cold Laser and Knee Pain Expert, explains how  exercise is just as beneficial as getting knee surgery for Runner’s knee pain.