Inferomedial or Inferolateral Intra-articular Injections of the Knee to Minimize Pain Intensity.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Pain Management
• Musculoskeletal Medicine

Background:

• Intra-articular corticosteroid injections are common for knee pain.
• Patient-reported pain during injections can vary.
• Identifying optimal injection sites may enhance patient experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate pain levels at different knee intra-articular corticosteroid injection sites.
• To determine if a specific injection site is associated with significantly lower pain.

Main Methods:

• Prospective assessment of pain using a visual analog scale (VAS).
• Comparison of three injection sites: lateral suprapatellar, medial infrapatellar, and lateral infrapatellar.
• Stratification of patients by demographics and disease characteristics.

Main Results:

• Mean VAS scores were 7 (lateral suprapatellar), 4 (medial infrapatellar), and 2 (lateral infrapatellar).
• No statistically significant difference in pain scores between the sites was found.
• Trend suggests lower pain with inferomedial and inferolateral approaches.

Conclusions:

• Inferomedial or inferolateral injection sites may be preferable for reducing pain intensity during knee corticosteroid injections.
• Further research may confirm statistically significant differences and optimal techniques.