Keep Your Knees & Lose The Pain

For 10 years, Karen Dunlap served as a pediatric dietitian in Florida for the federally funded Women, Infants and Children nutrition program. Known as WIC, it provides food and other services at no cost to low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 5.

Before that, Karen dished out nutrition to workers on her family’s sprawling cattle ranch in New Mexico.

“We lived 130 miles from the nearest town, so I fed the ranch hands at noon, and during roundup and branding,” Karen details. “I also fed the truckers that brought in the yearling calves and feed. I was a ranch wife for 24 years before I went to college, earned my degree in biology and nutrition, and then moved to Florida.”

Now 80 and retired, Karen struggles with moderate to severe arthritis throughout her body, especially in her knees.

“I was experiencing pain so bad that it woke me up in the middle of the night with tears rolling down my face,” she laments. “It was horrible.

“ My knees were so bad that my orthopedist wanted me to replace my knees, but I had a hip replacement years ago, and I just didn’t want another surgery. Then my neurologist sent me to Dr. Brown for therapy.”

Physical Therapy

Lora L. Brown, MD, is a fellowship-trained interventional pain specialist at TruWell Health in St. Petersburg. She evaluated Karen’s condition and recommended the practice’s comprehensive knee program.

“We have a very specific treatment program that takes all of the evidence-based aspects of knee arthritis treatment and puts them into one comprehensive package,” says Dr. Brown.

“Initially, we perform an arthrogram, which is a special x-ray that uses contrast dye to determine if the synovial capsule, the bubble-like structure that surrounds the joint, is intact. The capsules in Ms. Dunlap’s knees were intact, which made her a good candidate for the program.”

The next step in the treatment process is a series of viscosupplement injections. For Karen, Dr. Brown used a very high grade of hyaluronic acid called GenVisc® 850. Karen received a series of five injections in as many weeks. She then began a rigorous physical therapy regimen to strengthen the structures supporting her knees.

“We provide one-on-one therapy; each patient is treated individually,” Dr. Brown maintains. “Patients are evaluated, and treatment plans are created for them that are specific to their needs.”

The physical therapists at TruWell Health use multiple modalities, including laser treatments, to decrease inflammation and pain in the joints. Another option is a robotic laser that uses a specific light wavelength to treat muscle aches, cramps and pain. Various exercises are selected for each patient based on individual needs.

“The goal of physical therapy is to strengthen all the muscles that off-load the weight the knee must bear,” Dr. Brown explains. “That takes some of the pressure off the knee joint, which results in pain relief and improved mobility.”

Karen says she’ is “absolutely thrilled” with the results of TruWell Health’s comprehensive knee program.

“The whole situation amazes me,” she enthuses. “I walked into Dr. Brown’s office with stunning, teeth-chattering pain, and I left with no pain anywhere. I can’t recommend their knee program enough.

“And everybody there is wonderful. The office is beautiful, very sunshiny, and the folks are all kind and compassionate. It’s absolutely amazing.”