A Patient with Childhood Polio Develops Knee Arthritis in Opposite Unequal Leg
Knee Arthritis and Opposite Leg Problems
A patient consulted Dr. Lox for knee stem cell for knee arthritis that developed after childhood polio. He developed a leg length discrepancy (unequal leg length) as the result of the polio. His opposite leg developed knee arthritis as a result of walking unevenly over time. Dr. Lox is an expert in Sports and Regenerative Medicine with a special expertise in degenerative arthritis. You don’t see Polio much anymore. Many years ago it was a dreaded disease. Thankfully, the polio vaccine almost eradicated it worldwide. This was an unusual case, however the basic knee problem was not. Knee arthritis is a common reason patients request Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell treatment.
Leg Length Discrepancies and Knee Arthritis
Leg length discrepancy or leg length inequality can occur for many reasons. It may be idiopathic or some are born this way. Usually this is minor. Genetic or bone diseases may result in significant differences in leg length. The most common reason is trauma. Fractures of the leg that result in multiple fractures and require extensive surgery may often lead to this. A severe motorcycle accident is an example. Knee or hip replacement surgery may lead to this as well. Over time if not corrected for, an uneven wear pattern often develops in the opposite leg. This can affect commonly the knee or hip. Leading to degenerative knee and hip arthritis. The spine may also develop arthritis as well.
Knee Arthritis is not Static: It Gets Worse
Degenerative knee arthritis does not stay the same over time. It is not static. It progresses. If you look at knee arthritis x-rays over a 5 year period, it will shown changes of arthritis progression. How much may be determined by many factors. That is where an expert like Dr. Lox comes in. He understands the science and has the experience to know all the things that make up these differences. The good news is Dr. Lox also knows how to alter the modify these progressive knee arthritis problems in addition to knee Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Therapy. It is not uncommon to see the progression halt or actually reverse with Regenerative Medicine.
Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Options For Knee Arthritis
The truly exciting part of stem cells and Regenerative Medicine is the ability to modify knee arthritis progression, halt it or in some cases reveres it. No two patients are alike, so there are many factors which may affect outcome. Again, this is why having an expert like Dr. Lox is so important to fully help each patient achieve their goals.
Dennis M. Lox is a Sports and Regenerative Medicine expert with offices in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, and in Beverly Hills, California. Dr. Lox treats all types of sports, orthopedic and arthritis problems from professional athletes to older patients who just want to enjoy the quality of their life.