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The best joint replacement is the one you never need. Treating joint pain early — with precision, ultrasound and an overall plan — is the smartest way to keep your own knee or ankle.
It's the branch of orthopaedics that aims to keep your own joint for as long as possible: treating cartilage and meniscus injuries while they are still treatable, relieving early arthritis pain, and correcting the factors that accelerate wear — reserving joint replacement for when it is genuinely indicated.
Every injection I perform is ultrasound-guided: watching the needle and the target structure in real time, the treatment is delivered exactly where it needs to go. More precision and more safety than blind injections.
Lubricates and cushions a worn joint. It can help reduce pain and improve function for months in mild to moderate osteoarthritis; the protocol (1 to 3 doses) depends on the preparation and your case.
Prepared from your own blood, PRP concentrates factors involved in modulating inflammation and tissue repair. It is used in early-to-moderate osteoarthritis, cartilage injuries and tendinopathies. Let's be honest: PRP does not regenerate established arthritis and no outcome can be guaranteed — the aim is to relieve pain and improve function in well-selected cases, and the evidence is still evolving. I will tell you frankly whether it makes sense in your case or not.
When the cause is mechanical, the answer may be surgical yet still conserving your joint: arthroscopy for specific meniscus or cartilage problems, meniscus repair, or realignment surgery (osteotomy) in selected patients whose limb alignment overloads one compartment. Each option is assessed individually.
History, examination and in-clinic ultrasound; review of your imaging or referral for what's needed.
An individual plan: exercise and load management always; injections or surgery only if they add value in your case.
Ultrasound-guided injections in clinic; surgical procedures at IMED Elche or IMED Alicante.
Response review and protocol adjustment against objective criteria.
No. Nothing reverses established osteoarthritis. The aim is pain relief and better function in selected cases, within an overall plan of exercise and load management. Response varies and the evidence is still evolving.
Ultrasound shows in real time where the treatment is delivered, ensuring it reaches the target structure — more precise and safer than blind injections.
Hyaluronic acid: usually 1-3 doses depending on the preparation. PRP: typically 1-3 sessions spaced weeks apart. Your protocol is set at consultation and adjusted to your progress.
Usually a brief, well-tolerated discomfort, reduced by ultrasound guidance. Local soreness may last a day or two, with clear aftercare instructions.
Assessing it early multiplies the options for treating it without major surgery. First visit with examination and in-clinic ultrasound.
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