Treatment

In the early stages of the disease, treatment is conservative. Medications may be prescribed to reduce your pain. Bracing may also be used to relieve pressure on the joint surface. Your physician may also put you on an exercise program to increase the strength of the muscles in your thighs and have you reduce activities to help reduce knee pain.

If more than half of the bone surface is affected, you may need surgical treatment. Several different procedures may be used to treat osteonecrosis of the knee. Some of the options available to the surgeon include arthroscopic cleansing (debridement) of the joint and drilling to reduce pressure on the bone surface. Your surgeon may also perform certain procedures to shift weight-bearing away from the affected area or replace one or both joint surfaces.