Joint Injections

A joint injection is an injection into a joint, such as a shoulder or knee. The injections help to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. The pain may be from the joint or from around one of the structures around the joint, such as:

• space between the bones
• bursa around the bones 
• tendon in the joint

Relief from Arthritis

Joint injections are commonly used to provide relief pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. While arthritis cannot be treated with injections, it is an effective way to manage the symptoms of arthritis. The ultimate solution for arthritis is typically joint replacement surgery, but joint injections help patients manage pain and delay surgery. Some patients find they get enough relief from joint injections that they do not ultimately choose to go forward with a joint replacement surgery. For most though, the injections provide them enough relief to have improved quality of life leading up to surgery. 

Frequency of Pain Injections

While there is no maximum number of injections, injections are typically spaced out at least three to four months. The time between injections depends on the patient’s goals and the amount of relief and duration of relief they get from injections. 

Types of Joint Injections

The two most common types of joint injections offered at Grand Itasca are: 

• Steroids (cortisone) which is an anti-inflammatory 
• Viscosupplementation which is a thick gel-like substance that provides lubrication to the joint and allows bones to move past each other more fluidly 

Joint injections are offered to younger athletic patients, but typically only after they have tried to improve pain through therapies with an athletic trainer or physical therapist.  

Hear more from Dr. Arie DeGrio, Sports Medicine Physician