Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Center

09/04/2026

Can Knee Replacement Be Avoided or Delayed?

There is no single answer that applies to every patient.

Some individuals with advanced knee arthritis ultimately require joint replacement, particularly when pain and loss of function become severe.

Others may be able to manage their symptoms through conservative or non-surgical approaches.

Depending on the individual, these may include exercise and physical therapy, weight management when appropriate, activity modification, medications, bracing, injections and other non-surgical treatment options.

The goal should not simply be to “avoid surgery at all costs.”

Instead, patients should understand their options and determine which approach makes the most sense for their particular condition. If you would like to discover what your options are, we are here to help, 585-580-1815 :)

08/31/2026

Does the BASE of your thumb hurt when you grip, pinch or twist something? 👍😣

It might happen when you're:

🫙 Opening a jar
🔑 Turning a key
🚪 Twisting a doorknob
☕ Holding a coffee mug
📱 Using your phone

These seem like simple movements—until your thumb starts hurting.

One possible culprit is arthritis at the base of the thumb, sometimes called CMC joint arthritis.

This small joint does a LOT of work. It allows your thumb to grip, pinch, twist and grasp—and over time, arthritis can make those everyday movements increasingly uncomfortable.

You may notice:

👉 Pain or tenderness at the base of the thumb
👉 Pain when gripping or pinching
👉 Swelling or stiffness
👉 Weaker grip strength
👉 Difficulty opening containers
👉 Occasionally dropping things

And here's something people don't always realize:

Thumb arthritis doesn't automatically mean surgery.

Depending on what's causing the pain and how advanced it is, there may be conservative and non-surgical treatment options worth exploring.

At Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Centers, we help appropriate patients with chronic joint pain explore non-surgical treatment options, with the goal of reducing pain and improving function.

08/28/2026

Does your knee hurt MORE going DOWN the stairs than going up? 🦵🪜

It seems backward, doesn't it?

Going upstairs feels like it should be harder. But for many people with chronic knee pain or arthritis, coming DOWN is actually the painful part.

That's because your knee has to control your body as you lower yourself onto each step.

That can put significant stress through a bent knee—especially around the kneecap.

You might notice:

👉 Pain in the front of the knee
👉 Aching behind or around the kneecap
👉 Grinding or cracking
👉 Holding tightly onto the railing
👉 Turning sideways to come down
👉 Taking the stairs one step at a time

And here's something interesting...

You may have started changing HOW you use stairs without even realizing it.

Your body figures out ways to avoid movements that hurt.

Knee arthritis, kneecap irritation, inflammation, reduced mobility, and weakness around the knee can all contribute.

The good news?

Pain on stairs doesn't automatically mean you need a knee replacement.

At Buffalo Arthritis & Joint Pain Centers, we help appropriate patients with chronic knee pain explore non-surgical treatment options, with the goal of reducing pain and improving mobility.

08/27/2026

Does your knee wait until BEDTIME to really start hurting? 🌙🦵

You make it through the day...

Walking. Working. Running errands.

Then you finally climb into bed and:

😣 Your knee starts aching
🔄 You can't find a comfortable position
🦵 You keep bending and straightening it
😴 The pain starts interfering with your sleep

Sound familiar?

Nighttime knee pain is common in people dealing with arthritis and other chronic knee problems.

Several things may contribute:

👉 Your knee has been working all day
👉 Arthritis and inflammation can cause aching
👉 Less movement can increase stiffness
👉 Certain sleeping positions may aggravate the knee
👉 With fewer distractions, you may notice the discomfort more

And there's another frustrating part:

Pain can disrupt sleep—and poor sleep can make pain harder to deal with the next day.

If knee pain is regularly waking you up or changing how you sleep, it may be worth finding out what's causing it.

At Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Centers, we help appropriate patients explore non-surgical treatment options with the goal of reducing chronic knee pain and improving mobility.

08/26/2026

Do your hands feel stiff and painful when you first wake up? ✋😣

You reach for your phone...

Try to make a fist...

And your fingers just don't want to cooperate.

Then after you've been moving for a while, they start to loosen up.

Sound familiar?

Morning hand stiffness can be common in people dealing with arthritis and other chronic joint problems.

You may also notice:

👉 Aching finger joints
👉 Swollen or enlarged knuckles
👉 Reduced grip strength
👉 Difficulty making a fist
👉 Pain opening jars or turning keys
👉 Soreness at the base of the thumb

Sometimes we don't realize how much we depend on our hands until everyday activities start becoming difficult.

And persistent hand pain doesn't always mean you simply have to learn to live with it.

At Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Centers, we help appropriate patients with chronic joint pain explore non-surgical treatment options with the goal of reducing pain and improving function.

08/24/2026

Has hip pain made putting on your shoes and socks a workout? 👟🧦

It's one of those everyday movements you never think about...

Until you can't do it comfortably anymore.

You may notice:

😣 Pain in the groin or hip
🦵 Stiffness when bending
👟 Difficulty reaching your foot
🚗 Trouble getting in and out of the car
🪑 Pain when standing after sitting

Over time, you might start working around it—wearing slip-on shoes, putting your foot on a chair, or moving your body differently just to get dressed.

👉 Those little workarounds can be a sign that your hip isn't moving the way it used to.

Arthritis, joint stiffness, and other hip problems can gradually reduce mobility and make simple activities surprisingly difficult.

And chronic hip pain doesn't automatically mean you're headed for a hip replacement.

At Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Centers, we help appropriate patients explore non-surgical treatment options with the goal of reducing pain and improving mobility.

08/20/2026

Can you have sciatica WITHOUT severe pain? ⚡🦵

Absolutely.

Sometimes the biggest symptom isn't pain at all.

Instead, you may notice:

🦶 Part of your foot feels numb
🐜 Pins and needles down your leg
🧦 A strange “sock-like” sensation
🦵 Numbness in your calf or thigh
⚡ Tingling that comes and goes

Why?

👉 Sciatica involves nerves—and nerves do much more than transmit pain.

When a nerve becomes irritated or compressed, it can affect sensation and sometimes even muscle function.

And here's something important:

If the pain goes away but the numbness remains, don't automatically assume the problem is gone.

Pay particular attention if numbness is accompanied by:

🚩 Increasing leg weakness
🚩 Your foot catching while walking
🚩 Difficulty lifting your foot
🚩 Your leg unexpectedly giving way

Persistent or worsening neurological symptoms deserve medical evaluation.

At Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Centers, we help appropriate patients with chronic back and sciatic symptoms explore non-surgical treatment options, with the goal of reducing symptoms and improving mobility.

08/19/2026

08/17/2026

Does your shoulder hurt when you reach across your body? 😣

Maybe you notice it when:

🚗 Reaching for your seatbelt
👕 Getting dressed
🚿 Washing the opposite shoulder
🛏️ Rolling over in bed
🤚 Reaching for something beside you

It seems like such a simple movement...

So why does it hurt?

Reaching across your body puts stress on several structures within and around the shoulder.

Pain with this movement may be associated with:

👉 Arthritis or joint irritation
👉 Rotator cuff problems
👉 Tendon irritation
👉 The AC joint at the top of the shoulder
👉 Reduced shoulder mobility

And here's something important:

Shoulder pain doesn't automatically mean you have a rotator cuff tear—or that surgery is your only option.

If you've started twisting your body, using your other arm, or avoiding certain movements because of shoulder pain, it may be worth understanding what's actually causing the problem.

At Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Center, we help patients with chronic shoulder pain explore non-surgical treatment options when appropriate, with the goal of reducing pain and improving mobility.

08/14/2026

Does your knee keep SWELLING... even though you didn't injure it? 🦵😣

You didn't fall.

You didn't twist it.

You didn't do anything unusual...

Yet your knee feels:

💧 Puffy or swollen
😣 Tight when you bend it
🦵 Difficult to fully straighten
🚶 Stiff when you start walking

Sound familiar?

Recurring knee swelling can happen when something inside the joint is irritated.

Common contributors may include:

👉 Arthritis
👉 Meniscus problems
👉 Inflammation
👉 Increased activity

Sometimes walking farther than usual, climbing stairs, doing yard work, or playing sports is enough to trigger another episode.

And sometimes...

There isn't an obvious trigger at all.

Here's the important question:

Instead of only asking...

❓ "How do I get the swelling down?"

It may be worth asking...

👉 "Why does it keep coming back?"

At Rochester Arthritis & Joint Pain Center, we help patients with chronic knee pain explore non-surgical treatment options when appropriate, with the goal of reducing pain and improving mobility.