Milwaukee Foot& Ankle MARCH 2018

WHAT PATIENTS NEED TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING KNEE SURGERY

IT’S NOT YOUR ONLY OPTION

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent causes of disability in the world, affecting more than an estimated 250 million people across the globe and over 10 percent of Americans at some point in their lives. If you expand this number to include tears of the meniscus, it increases to one in four people over 50 years of age. Pain from knee osteoarthritis or meniscal tears can differ in important ways, but the fact remains that both problems can result in a debilitating condition that will diminish the sufferers’ quality of life.

osteoarthritis or meniscal tears. Instead, they suggest noninvasive treatment methods like watchful waiting, weight loss if overweight, and physical therapy.

Over the last few years, a number of studies have come out questioning the efficacy of surgery for this condition. While it’s true that arthroscopic surgery generally does result in positive outcomes for patients, they’re virtually identical to the outcomes of noninvasive exercises and treatments in the long run. Essentially, this means that expensive, painful, and potentially dangerous surgeries, which forces patients off their feet for weeks, may be easily avoided. Issues as widespread as knee osteoarthritis or tears of the meniscus can be corrected in other ways. Still, a substantial number of doctors rush to surgery as the only option for their patients, perhaps because they’re unaware of or disagree with these 2017 recommendations. Of course, it’s important to trust your physician and listen carefully to the advice they give, but you should consider every possible alternative. Taking a few months to see if conservative treatment will solve your knee problem can save you thousands of dollars and a lot of pain and struggle.

It’s no surprise, then, that so many patients turn to their doctors for advice on treating osteoarthritis or a tear in their meniscus. It often seems that surgery is the only option for a substantial recovery. But an array of new research indicates that surgery is rarely the best course of action for these particular conditions. Just last year, the respected British Medical Journal released new recommendations strongly steering physicians away from advising their patients to undergo arthroscopic surgery for either knee

MEMES Have a laugh!

COLCANNON When you think of St. Patrick’s Day cuisine, corned beef and green beer are probably the first things that come to mind. This year, consider adding colcannon to your March 17 menu. It’s basically mashed potatoes on steroids, and it’s utterly delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds potatoes • 2 sticks butter • 1 1/4 cups hot milk • 1 head cabbage, cored and shredded

• 1 pound cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces • 4 scallions, finely chopped • Parsley, for garnish • Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

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Steam potatoes for 30 minutes. Peel skins and mash flesh thoroughly. Chop 1 stick of butter into small cubes and add to warm potatoes. Once melted, slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Boil cabbage in water. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to tenderize.

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Add cabbage, bacon, and scallions to mashed potatoes, gently stirring to combine. Serve garnished with parsley and a pat of butter.

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Inspired by foodnetwork.com

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