Deciding on Surgery
Injections are one of the most common treatments for knee arthritis, and one of the most common questions before surgery. This guide explains what steroid shots, gel injections and PRP can and can’t do, what the evidence says, and why the timing of your last injection matters if you are planning a knee replacement.
Key takeaways
Injections can make a painful knee more comfortable for a while. They are a reasonable step for many people. But they don’t change what the X-ray shows, and when they stop helping, it is a signal to review your options rather than keep repeating them.
A steroid injection reduces inflammation inside the joint. The AAOS guideline says it could give short-term pain relief. Because repeated injections can have downsides, they are usually limited to about three or four a year in the same joint.
Gel injections, sometimes called viscosupplementation, add a lubricating substance to the joint. The AAOS guideline does not recommend them for routine use, based on moderate evidence. Some people still report relief, and coverage by insurers varies, so it is worth asking your doctor what to expect in your case.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may reduce pain for some people, but the evidence is limited. Stem cell injections are described by the AAOS as unproven for knee arthritis. Be cautious about any clinic that promises to regrow cartilage or avoid surgery.
They can make the time before surgery more comfortable, and for some people that is enough for years. They don’t repair the joint. If each injection helps less, or for a shorter time, it is a good moment to have the knee reviewed. Knee replacement alternatives →
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found that a steroid injection given within three months before knee replacement was associated with a higher risk of infection around the new joint. That is why surgeons ask when you had your last injection.
Your past treatments are part of the picture. Dr. Kalender reviews how your knee has responded to injections and other care, together with your symptoms and imaging, and tells you honestly whether more non-surgical treatment makes sense or whether surgery is the better step now.
If injections no longer help, the next question is what recovery from surgery would look like. If surgery is right for you, his own pain-free approach is designed to keep pain low from the first hours, get you walking the day after surgery and, for most patients, mean one night in the hospital. He developed it himself over about ten years.
Usually no more than about three or four a year in the same joint. Your doctor will advise you based on your situation.
The AAOS guideline supports steroid injections for short-term relief and does not recommend gel injections for routine use. Some people respond differently, so ask your doctor.
Tell your surgeon first. A steroid injection in the three months before surgery has been linked to a higher risk of infection.
No injection has been proven to restore worn cartilage. Be cautious about any claim that one can.
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He reviews your X-rays or MRI and your treatment history, and tells you honestly whether surgery makes sense now. Free, with no obligation.
Pain-free knee replacement in Istanbul for patients traveling from the USA. Orthopedic & trauma surgeon at Dora Hospital.
Dora Hospital · Fulya Mah. Yavuz Sk. No:7, 34394 Şişli / Istanbul, Türkiye
The information on this website is for general guidance and does not replace a medical consultation. © Dr. Mahmut Kalender