1. I have clicking and popping in my knee, should I be concerned?
Painless clicking and popping is very common as we get older, so as long as it doesn’t cause pain, there should be no problems or long term damage.
2.Are stem cells good for my knee?
The data is very mixed and investigational right now. Currently there are a few small studies suggesting some improvement in pain but it is not certain if new cartilage cells will actually regrow. So for now, I tell patients that there is no major risk for stem cell injections but the benefit may not outweigh the financial cost which is not covered by insurance.
3. Are amniotic fluid injections good for my knee?
The data is investigational but there are numerous studies showing that it does decrease inflammation. So for now, I tell patients that there is no major risk for the amniotic extract injections but the benefit may not outweigh the financial cost which is not covered by insurance.
Authorship bio:
Dr. Sunny Cheung is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder, hip and knee arthroscopy and joint replacement at NewportCare. After attending Harvard college, he earned his medical degree at University of Pittsburgh and did his orthopedic surgery residency training at University of California, Irvine. Afterwards, he completed an additional sports surgery fellowship at University of California, San Francisco where he gained expertise in the latest procedures in cartilage, tendon and ligament restoration and shoulder reconstruction. Dr. Cheung’s research has appeared in many national and international publications, and he has written for orthopedic textbooks both in the United States and internationally. He has also taken part in many research projects, and has presented his findings on rotator cuff pathology at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Dr. Cheung believes most orthopedic problems can be treated non-operatively and that surgery is the last resort. Nothing is more satisfying to him than seeing a patient recover from an orthopedic injury and feels fortunate to be in a field where we have the technology to restore patients back to their full potential.
