Seems the normal way these days.
Don't think there is full replacement with minimal invasive proceedures.
I had full knee replacement, and very painfull after surgery
Day after op. physio and walking with crutches, up stairs as well.
Day two home. Walked out to car pickup using sticks.
I do the physio and ice packs three times a day, and walking daily.
Doing about a third of a mile each session now after three weeks.
Still painfull.
I complain and bitch all day, wife says I am a joy to live with!!!:ohdear:

Simvisc - Varying Degrees of Relief
 

Those did not help me or my 89 year old mother. Neither provided much relief and we both suffer from "bone on bone." After years of knee pain the progression of medications from: Gabapentin, Cortisone injections, Simvisc to finally a knee replacement. None of them provided long term relief and was usually short term. The surgery (Dr Duke) still did not provide 100% relief and eventually that knee replacement was done a second time by a different orthopedic doctor.

Good luck. Worth trying simvisc injections everyone is different.

We moved here from Gainesville, Fl, and I used The Orthopedic Institute. The surgeon that I was referred to, did not agree with surgery, in fact, suggested an injection (this was for my elbow). I did not want cortizon..this was another type of shot that, at the time, wasn't covered by insurance, but only $60 a pop (pardon the pun), and it was expected that I would need a maximum of 3 shots. It only took one, and, in the end, insurance paid for it. My dr is still there, but no longer a surgeon, but I highly recommend that group. It's about 1:15 -1:30 drive, but well worth it, IMO. I am having a different issue now, and am still going to that facility. I was properly diagnosed down here, but incorrect treatment at two places here.

Wow. Had never heard of those. Thanks for info.

Wow. That's so unusual. Good for you, I often hear there's 1-2 years for full pain free recovery.

WOW. Never heard of Prolozone either.

Who did you go to?

Natural substance indeed! In my first encounter with hyaluronic acid in an experimental procedure in 1975, I was told that it was made from rooster combs and human umbilical cords. Who thinks of these things?...

It works for some people, but not all. The shots didn’t work for me, so I too had a knee replaced by Dr. Steve Nguyen (Dr. Winn). I was back playing golf in three weeks.

Knee Injection
 

I can highly recommend Dr John Williams at Advanced Orthopedics (352-751-2862) or Dr Amy Clunn, a physiatrist (352-732-3110).

I have not had injections in FL. but 6+ in WI, mostly in Right knee, 1 or 2 in Left, initially had cortisone, which did little and Ortho. Dr. discouraged cortisone, gave reasons why.
Now getting Synvisc which has been very successful, they have been lasting more that 9+ months. Just got another two weeks ago and expect it to last well past our seasonal stay in TV, which is mid May, it has done that for many years now. My Ortho. Dr. said at some point it may no longer help, but doesn't know when, so just keep doing it till it does stop working. Very easy to get and insurance pays for most of it. I think there are several Dr.'s
in TV that give the injection. Well worth a try before full replacement.

If you have tried steroids you know they will only last a few months at best and you cannot get over three injection without "blowing" out the joint. I had steroids injected in my knee and then after that when I still had pain, I had Synvisc injected in my knee. It is not at steroid. It is a synthetic viscous cushioning agent that has a long lasting effect. The other good thing about this is you are not limited to the number of injections like you are with a steroid. I had ONE Synvisc injection in my knee and it lasted 4 years. I had a few throughout the past 10 years and now I have very little pain in my knee and have not had an injection for 4 years. I like the idea of avoiding knee replacement surgery!

who was your surgeon?

I finally decided to go with Physician Rehab on Rt 44 at Freedom Plaza, a little east past the Villages Brownwood Hotel (PHY Reh have a few other locations ). I previously had a total right knee replacement by Dr Nguyen several years ago and it was very successful but didn't really want to go through another surgery if I could avoid it. Dr Berger at Phy Rehab recommended a 5 shot series of Synvisc >GenVisc850 which I completed on Tuesday. Each week I got 1/2 hr of pt for my knee, the shot then ice, all 100% covered by Medicare and my AARP Gap insurance. The PT was good and I think useful; unfortunately, I'm not a really PT person so the only time I did the exercises was at the office or 1 or 2 times at home. The shots were easy and for the most part painless. The Dr. used a Florascope machine (?) to determine where the shots would go and also used it to view where the shots/gell actually went (with a dye). The Dr. took his time explaining what he was doing at each step in the injection and used the Florascope machine extensively to first determine where to place the needle on my knee at the correct angle and where the needle actually went when he put it in. Dye was used also to help determine where the gel actually went. I don't think he couldn't have done anything more to inject the gell where he wanted it. He indicated 5 Shots were determined by my insurance and this was good since if one of the gel injections didn't quite go into the right spot there were 4 more shot to get it into the right area and like I mentioned before I'm sure he couldn't have done any more to insure the shots were placed where he wanted them.

Now for the actual results. After the 2nd shot, I didn't limp any longer and was able to go up and down the hills on the executive golf courses that were a real issue before the shots. After the 3rd shot, I tried Pickle Ball and that was a complete failure. We dance a lot and dancing was ok (probably because I can control what I do and in PB the movements are much faster and someone else is determining where I have to move to. After the 4th Shot, I could play a little PB at a beginner level and at least try to move after the ball at the adv beginner level. After the 5th shot, I was able to play PB at the advanced beginner level but really can't move after the ball the way I did before my knee injury.
So the bottom line is my knee isn't as good as I would like but is better than it was before the shot and of course, don't know how long the improvement will last for at this point. The Dr. claims there could be an improvement in the next few weeks but time will tell. So far I'm not sorry I tried them since the shots and PT helped and they were really easy and painless to have done. Time will tell if I go a surgery route later. I
Hope I've helped someone make a decision.

I just had knee replacement by Dr. Van de Leur at the Orthopedic Institute on 27/441. Highly pleased with surgery, and their PT center which is located next to doctors office.