Can non-surgical treatment delay knee replacement?

What You Need to Know

For appropriately selected patients with moderate knee osteoarthritis, non-surgical care and regenerative treatments may delay the need for joint replacement, although they do not reverse cartilage loss.

Written and clinically reviewed by

Paul D. Tortland, DO, FAOASM, CAQSM, RMSK

Dr. Paul Tortland, DO is a non-surgical orthopedic & sports medicine physician specializing in regenerative orthopedics and surgical alternative treatment. He is dual board certified in Sports Medicine & Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) and Regenerative Medicine, Fellowship-trained in Sports Medicine. He became the first physician in the world to earn board certification in Regenerative Medicine in 2015. Diplomate, American Board of Regenerative Medicine (ABRM), 2015. Registered in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (RMSK).

Last clinically reviewed

November 2026

Can non-surgical treatment delay knee replacement?

The Full Answer

What the Current Evidence Shows

Who May Benefit

When Surgery May Be More Appropriate

Dr. Tortland's Perspective

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