So Jane's pain was not that bad
BUT.. it was NOT getting better.
On examination the inside of her knee was tender
And pushing her kneecap caused her pain.
She had a good range of motion.
Her ligaments were stable..
And moving the hip above was not painful.
(pain coming from the hip can often refer down to the knee)
Plain x-ray films => reduced joint space
On the inside, and under her kneecap.
Consistent with mild osteoarthritis.
So, what to do?
Jump straight to knee replacement?
Well, Jane tentatively asked about that.
I’m very much on the side of ‘let’s try to avoid it’
So, we compared her pain score to others..
For other people recovering from knee replacement.
(Blue line)