Viscosupplementation Therapy

Viscosupplementation is a procedure that involves injecting a thick fluid (hyaluronate) into a knee diagnosed with osteoarthritis.  Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease affecting approximately 21 million Americans.

Osteoarthritis mostly affects the cartilage in your joint. Cartilage is the tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint and provides as a shock absorber.  The knee joint also contains synovial fluid which cushions the joint and provides lubrication to reduce friction.  In osteoarthritis, cartilage breaks down and wears away and also the synovial fluid in your knee loses its ability to lubricate the joint.  The combination of the deterioration of the cartilage along with the loss of lubrication from changes in the synovial fluid can contribute to pain and stiffness, limitation of joint motion, and some inflammation such as redness and swelling in your knee.

Does this cure my osteoarthritis?
No, the injections are not a cure.  There are no cures for osteoarthritis but it is the belief that viscosupplementation will:

• Improve lubrication of the synovial fluid
• Reduce or stop the pain from osteoarthritis in the knee
• Improve mobility and provide a better and more comfortable level of activity.

How Many Injections Will I Need?
Depending on what medication is injected, you will receive an injection once a week directly into the intraarticular knee space for 3-5 weeks and the injection usually takes about 15 seconds.

What Should I Expect After Injection?

• You will not have immediate pain relief.

• You may notice a local reaction, such as pain, warmth, and slight swelling immediately after the shot.  These symptoms generally do not last. You may want to apply an ice pack to help ease the symptoms.

• For the first 48 hours after the injection, you should avoid excessive weighbearing on the leg, such as, standing for long periods of time, jogging, and heavy lifting. 

• Over the course of injections, you may notice that you have less pain in your knee but full effect may take up to 12 weeks.

• Effects may last for several months to a year.

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