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Knee osteoarthritis (OA) can happen to anyone; in fact more than 10 million Americans are estimated to suffer from this painful condition.
One of those 10 million is baseball legend, Hank Aaron. Hank is in the record books for breaking Babe Ruth’s legendary home run record, eventually retiring
from the game with 755 home runs.
During his baseball career, he was in excellent physical shape. However, after retirement, Hank started to experience knee pain.
The pain got bad enough that he had trouble with everyday activities like walking short distances, playing golf, and even driving. “It was really
embarrassing, especially as an athlete, to not be able to do these simple things,” Hank said.
After his primary care doctor recommended that he see an orthopedic surgeon, Hank was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee and began discussing
treatment options with his doctor.
He tried steroid shots and physical therapy. “They helped a little, but I still had pain,” Hank said. “I talked to my doctor and asked is there anything
else that we can do – anything besides surgery? That’s when my doctor recommended a viscosupplement injection.”
“Hank’s experience is very similar to many of my patients. They want to relieve their knee pain, but they’re reluctant to have surgery or take a lot of
pills,” said Dr. Nicholas DiNubile, orthopedic surgeon and best selling author of “FrameWork – Your 7 Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones and Joints.”
“That’s where an option like a viscosupplement injection can be very helpful. It’s simple for the patient because it’s just one injection, but more
importantly it can give them pain relief for up to six months. That’s time for people to get back to exercising, maybe lose a few pounds – both of which
are really important for your knees.”
Now that Hank’s knee pain is gone he feels like himself again. “I’m able to go out and play with my grandkids,” Hank said. “I’m able to ride my bicycle. I
can finally play golf again without riding around in a cart. I don’t think about my knee anymore.”
After seeing firsthand how much knee pain can affect his life, Hank’s now stepping up to raise awareness about osteoarthritis of the knee. Learn more about
Hank’s experience and help him raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation at www.teamhank.com.
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