Forty or fifty isn’t too young to have osteoarthritis in the knees.

"Just to step off of a curb – it hurts," said an Alegent Health Heart and Vascular Institute patient about the intense pain in her knee.

Find out more about Dr. Samuel Phillips

That’s because the arthritis caused cartilage to wear away. The solution? An osteotomy. It’s a good option for people in their forties and fifties who are fairly active, but living with unbearable pain.

According to Dr. Sam Phillips, orthopaedic surgeon with the Alegent Health Orthopaedic Institute, it’s an option with some advantages. "…being able to continue on with that job until retirement, or getting back walking through a grocery store without discomfort. Also, ultimately buying that patient time before they do come to a knee replacement."

Using x-ray to make precise measurements, surgeons actually make a cut in the bone and gently wedge the bone open. The idea is to take the weight off the cartilage and realign the knee by shifting the center of gravity. That can give the knee another ten years.

The plate and the screws actually hold the bone graft in place while it heals. After about three months, patients are ready to give up the crutches and get back to a normal life.

The wedge in the leg is now filled with bone graft. The x-ray confirms perfect placement.

Recovering from the surgery takes three months, but it will heal just like a fracture, and for many patients, the relief is well worth the inconvenience.

As for the patient, she says "I am very glad I did it."

Find out how to get help for your joint pain at the Alegent Health Orthopaedic Insitute.