Former Ballerina and Elephant Circus Rider sees Dr. Lox for Progressive Knee Pain
Athletes Often Develop Knee Pain as They Age
When a former ballerina, and elephant circus rider began having progressive knee pain issues, she contacted Dennis M. Lox M.D. for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Therapy options.
Dr. Lox is an expert in Sports and Regenerative Medicine, and maintains and active practice in Beverly Hills, California, and in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. Dr. Lox has treated a variety of athletes, including several ballerinas. However, this was his first former Elephant circus rider. Dr. Lox has treated every type of knee injury from teen athletes to 99-year-old’s.
Progressive Knee Pain Symptoms
Common knee pain symptoms include:
- knee swelling
- knee pain with activity or rest
- knee clicking or grinding, giveaway and buckling
- knee pain while sleeping
There are a variety of activities that patients report which increase their symptoms. These may be caused by various underlying problems and factors.
- knee pain with going up or down stairs
- pain with walking
- knee pain with bending or squatting
As an expert in treating knees and musculoskeletal orthopedic disorders, Dr. Lox will take a careful history of when the knee pain began, and investigate whether it was prompted by trauma, sports, or previous knee surgery. All are important, and when combined with a careful physical examination, and if needed x-rays or MRI’s, all provide better insight into what is causing the knee pain.
Knee Pain From Degenerative Arthritis
Progressive knee pain as we age is common. Knee degenerative arthritis is very common after age 50. Prior knee trauma or surgery increase the acceleration of degenerative knee arthritis.
This is commonly referred to as wear and tear arthritis, but is more complicated than that simple explanation. It can be genetic as well. It is both mechanical from excess stress on the knee, and inflammatory from chemical signal proteins known as cytokines.
Knee degenerative arthritis is progressive by nature, which means it gets worse as we age. It can result from prior trauma, sports injury or knee surgery.
Having knee surgery after the age of 50, rapidly accelerates the progression of knee degenerative arthritis. This makes knee replacement surgery more likely sooner. Often patients are not told this, and only understand this after their knee symptoms get worse. This is what happened to the former ballerina and Elephant circus rider.
Many patients seek Regenerative Medicine treatment and stem cell therapy options as alternatives to knee replacement surgery. Knee avascular necrosis (AVN) or osteonecrosis occurs when the blood supply to the bone is disrupted (avascular), this leads to bone cell death (necrosis). Thus the name avascular necrosis. AVN or osteonecrosis can lead to a rapid degenerative of the knee joint. Thus AVN can be viewed as an accelerated form of knee degenerative arthritis as the result of the bone cell death. These Knee AVN patients are often told a knee replacement surgery is the only option, so Regenerative Medicine treatment options are being more frequently researched, and requested.
Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Therapy Options
Dr. Lox incorporates Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Therapy treatment applications for knee pain, and degenerative knee arthritis. Often these patients are looking for alternatives to knee replacement surgery.
Decisions regarding the type of Regenerative Medicine treatment options is based on each patient. This is personalized medicine. There is no one size fits all, or cookie cutter template for each patient. This one size fits all approach is impossible to do, and do a thorough complete job for each patient. Every patient has a different story. A unique history, physical examination, diagnosis, goals, desires, and needs. Not approaching each patient as unique individuals, is a recipe for failure in many cases. The best outcomes occur when you make treatment recommendations, and courses of actions based upon that particular patient’s needs. Patients need close follow up to monitor progress, and trouble shoot potential factors which may be causing problems.
This personalized type of Sports and Regenerative Medicine approach is what Dr. Lox strives for. The goal is to try and have the best outcome possible for each patient.
Dennis M. Lox M.D. practices this type of personalized Sports and Regenerative Medicine in Beverly Hills, California, and in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.
