Canadian with Degenerative Knee Arthritis Consults Dr. Lox

Dennis M. Lox M.D., treats a lot of patients with knee pain and degenerative knee arthritis.

Many of these patients live in other countries, so with Canada being one of our border countries, it is no surprise Dr. Lox is consulted by many Canadians with knee arthritis.

Knee pain and the development of knee degenerative arthritis is a frequent malady of young and old.

Why?

Most people think arthritis only occurs as the get old. Wrong.
Remember when the 30’s was the new new 20’s? Then the 40’s was new 30’s?

It meant people were taking better care of themselves, physically and mentally. The result was decades of exercise enthusiasts.

Jim Fixx was credited with starting the running craze in the 70’s. Jane Fonda took aerobics for women’s to a new level. Health clubs and gyms flourished as new found, and ex-athletes turned to lifting weights, cross fit, Zumba, cycling classes, and a slew of other exercises involving many joints, mostly knee included.

Don’t forget running evolved to longer distances. Marathoners and even Ironman become a staple of Dr. Lox’s patient population. All this places greater stress or mileage on knees at a younger age. Translation: earlier degenerative knee arthritis. This is scientifically an easily understood process.

Dr. Dennis Lox frequently lectures at the National and International level on topics including knee degenerative arthritis, sports medicine and it’s non-surgical management.

Trauma, Surgery, Genetics, and Degenerative Knee Arthritis

Dr. Lox treats many ex-athletes, and non-athletes alike.

Non-athletes may still develop knee arthritis at an early age from a variety of factors.

One is genetic.

A family history of knee or other arthritis, often is associated with the development of arthritis as well. Being overweight is a huge risk factor for developing early knee and hip degenerative arthritis.

This is as simple to understand as carrying a 100 pound backpack all day. It has a heavy toll on early wear of your joints. Yet the toll is magnified. For every extra 20 pounds of weight gain, it is equivalent to a 100 pound force or as mentioned, or a 100 pound backpack.

Since most Americans gain 10 pounds per decade, a 20 pound weight gain is not uncommon by age 40-50. Unfortunately, from a knee health standpoint some gain much more.

Knee trauma accelerates the development of knee degenerative arthritis. The worse the trauma, typically the faster the onset of degenerative arthritis.

An ACL is a violent injury. It often tears the meniscus as well. Many scientists who study knee osteoarthritis have likened this injury to instant knee arthritis. Meaning the injury is so disruptive to the integrity of the knee cartilage it will have to develop knee arthritis. This occurs irrespective of knee ACL repair and meniscal debridement.

Most patients are not told this.

Often they assume the surgery “fixes” the problem. It structurally may allow stability with sports, but on the cellular level the damage occurred, and clock of degenerative arthritis progression is ticking. Dr. Lox knows this first hand from a downhill skiing race injury.

Follow many professional athletes over time with this injury, and the pattern is evident. Less severe knee injury may take much longer to develop knee arthritis.

Knee surgery as mentioned is often thought of as a cure for knee problems.
This is not the case. It may return an athlete to sport, yet not all professional football players or athletes make it back to their formal level with this surgery.

Surgery is getting better but is still another form of trauma which may further propel the progression of knee arthritis. Studies have shown knee meniscal surgery after the age of 50, actually accelerates the knee faster towards a knee replacement surgery. Unfortunately, many patients are not told this.

Look at an arthroscopic knee meniscal debridement video. It looks like an instrument with sharp teeth is pulling tufts of cotton candy out of your knee. That is pieces of your valuable meniscal being pulled out.

Unfortunately, patients in their 70’s are told they need knee meniscal debridement, or often just told they need their knees cleaned out, not knowing fully what this means. Degenerative knee arthritis is progressive by definition. Having knee surgery at age 70 or over 50, translates to sooner rather than later a knee replacement surgery. Sad but statistically true.

Patients deserve to know the truth. An informed patient is better capable of making good medical decisions.

Talk to Dr. Lox About Knee Arthritis Alternatives to Knee Surgery Options

Dr. Lox is all about teaching patients about their situation, so they can make good decisions about their medical treatment.

However, no two patients are alike, so generic statements are fine to understand basic science, yet do not relate to the complexity of each unique human being. This is called personalized medicine. An approach Dr. Lox rigidly adheres to.

Dr. Lox does not promote himself in seminars, as so many are doing now. You cannot properly discuss any single person in a group with generic statements. This is just a marketing ploy, as many patients who have attended one have attested.

Alternatives to knee surgery have been around for years. Most temporarily relieve pain. This includes prescription anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, Hyaluronic acid injections, and even nerve blocks.

None stop the progression of knee degenerative arthritis. Translation: your knee gets worse with time. Their can be real danger, thinking your knee is doing better, when in fact only the pain is gone.

Think of it as running a marathon, or doing squats in a gym with an arthritic knee. More damage can occur. Proper exercise for your knee arthritis is another aspect of treating with an experienced expert in knee degenerative arthritis.

There are many interesting ways to stay in shape with bad knees, and there are many good options for the treatment of knee arthritis.