How to avoid surgery when suffering from knee pain

But six months later you’re still living with the discomfort – often even worse than it was when it came on in the first place. Does that sound like you?

Another scenario we see all the time is when people go to a doctor and are told to ‘rest’, take painkillers and ‘come back in six weeks if it’s no better’.

But then six weeks later, they end up going back because it hasn’t got any better, only to be given another prescription of even stronger pills, maybe a knee support – or worse, told the only thing left to do is to go down the route of knee replacement surgery.

I hear worrying stories each week from people who have said yes to knee surgery – to find six months down the line the pain comes back.

Knee pain after replacement surgery is a tricky topic. Most medical professionals will tell you that replacement surgery is a ‘solution’ for anyone with arthritis and painful knees that have lasted for months. But the reality is, once the procedure is done it doesn’t guarantee you won’t have pain afterwards.

I believe the body has the capacity to heal itself given the right conditions to do so. When I talk about the ’right conditions’ I’m talking about three things: physical health, diet, and mind-set.

When these three conditions are met, sometimes the blocks are removed preventing your body from healing your knees.

But when it comes to knee replacement surgery – I don’t believe the body has the capacity to heal itself.

Why? Well, it makes sense that your knees would still hurt months and even years after surgery. After all, you’re getting the bones in your leg replaced with plastic and metal. That can’t feel good.

If you’ve got painful knees, and you’ve been told that one of your best chances of getting rid of it is surgery, I’d recommend you consider other options. Ideally starting with a solid approach that starts on the premise that your body can heal your knees with the help of natural solutions! What most people don’t know is that hands-on physiotherapy can help get you back on the path to healing.

Here are five ways I believe physio is better than continuous medication (or surgery) …

1. There are no ‘nasty’ lasting side-effects.
2. It wins the ‘war’, not just the little battles – physio gets to the very root of your knee pain to ease it, not mask it with little victories that don’t last in the end.
3. You’re not reliant on physio for years.
4. It doesn’t lure you into a false sense of ‘I’m doing OK today …’ to be then ‘walloped’ by the pain when you didn’t expect it.
5. And you don’t have to wait in a queue to be seen.

I know it can be confusing knowing what to do about your knee pain when you’ve been told so many different things, by different people!

I just want you to know before you go down the surgery route – it’s worth finding out if there’s a way to put an end to it by avoiding surgery, injections and more painkillers.

l We have an upcoming educational workshop event live at my clinic this Saturday, March 9, and on Saturday, March 16. It’s a free ‘knee pain’” event hosted by one of my best physios for all past patients, their family and friends. It’ll last an hour.

To make sure you secure your seat in time, give us a call on 01429 866771 before Saturday and if you know anyone who is suffering at the moment and they could benefit from this, pass our number their way to help put an end to it quick.

l There is a free knee pain tips guide in the meantime while you wait for the workshop to begin at www.paulgoughphysio.com/knee-pain