Patient Testimonials - Maurice

Clifton – Osteoarthritis

When Maurice’s knees started aching four years ago, one thought crossed the 53-year-old's mind – staying active, preferably without surgery. "I've always been very active and involved with sports," says Maurice, a senior vice president at George Mason University. "I like to jog and referee basketball and football,” he says. “When my knees started hurting, I was hoping against hope to avoid surgery."

He turned to Commonwealth Orthopaedics for help. Maurice’s range of motion in his limbs, the presence of joint swelling or tenderness and his gait were analyzed.  He was diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, a common condition caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage that cushions the bones of the joint.

To treat Maurice, Commonwealth physicians used hyaluronate therapy, which injects a series of lubricating acids into the knee to "oil" the joint. Next, a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was administered

Conservative, non-surgical methods such as exercise and lifestyle changes were emphasized to help Maurice stay active and forestall surgery later. Maurice now wears a brace on his knee and has changed his exercise habits to limit knee pain. He no longer takes an afternoon jog, but says the treatment has allowed him to resume many of his previous activities.

“The brace allows me to officiate,” Maurice says. “It takes the pressure off the knee and shifts the weight from the inside, where there is no cartilage, to the outside. I've had to stop running, which has been hard, but I am able to do swimming leg exercises. I'm also back on the court, which I love."