I have Bone-on-Bone arthritis in my knees, is surgery my only option?

"I can't squat or kneel, my knee is bone on bone" 

"My knee is bone on bone so getting a knee replacement is inevitable"

"I can feel grinding in my knee, it must be bone on bone"

Well what does "bone on bone" mean? 

Bone on bone means that the cartilage at the ends of the bones in a joint has worn away. It is incredibly common as we age (think of it like wrinkles on your skin, but for your joints). Believe it or not, many people with bone on bone have ZERO pain. Oftentimes they are living with bone on bone and never even know it. It doesn't mean your bones are grinding together like a mortar and pestle.

Common misconceptions of a joint that is "bone on bone":

• Your knee joint is fragile.

• Movement will make it worse.

• You are destined for a wheelchair.

• You should "take it easy."

• Surgery is inevitable and my only optionl

The TRUE culprits of your pain:

• Weak muscles surrounding your knee joint.

• Poor movement patterns, developed overtime.

• Nervous system sensitivity.

• Inflammation from lifestyle factors.

• Lack of load tolerance.

So what's the fix?

Stop being careful and start being intentional. Get stronger, move better and stop living in fear of your own body. Joint space narrowing is as normal as gray hair. It doesn't always correlate to pain. Movement doesn't make it worse, it makes you more resilient. Muscles can compensate beautifully when they're strong.

Your x-ray shows what your joints look like, not what they're capable of.

A diagnosis of knee arthritis is not a prison sentence. You have PLENTY of options. 

Training your glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves to SUPPORT your knee joint is the BEST answer. 

If you have not been able to fully extend your knee for some time and your muscles have forgotten how to contract, a few sessions of trigger point dry needling to RECRUIT more motor units within the muscle is super effective. 

Re-learn how to walk correctly so that you are not falling back into the same pattern. 

Stop being scared. Your body is amazing and your muscles will respond to strengthening. A knee replacement is not the only answer.