What to Expect With Knee Injections

I recently got cortisone injections in my knees. I had no idea what to expect. Googling let me down a lot of paths that honestly scared me more than anything. That’s par for the course when using the internet to give you any guidance on healthcare. I thought since I’ve now been through it and had similar injections in my hip that I’d let you know what to be prepared for. That way you don’t have to follow the same Google deep dive I did. 

• Pain

I would say that these shots were similar to my hip injections. Both types of injections are semi painful. By no means is it a pleasant experience. That being said, the pain is extremely tolerable. I was able to breathe through the injections. The toughest part of my knees was feeling the “pop” when they pushed through something in my joint. I couldn’t feel anything besides the pressure of the medication going into my joint. That alone is difficult, it’s a small place to put fluid but it’s not something that lasts long. Rest assured, you don’t need to premedicate.

• Experience

My injections were done through Mayo Clinic. Most of my healthcare is completely down at Mayo. I was able to watch the entire injection take place. They have ultrasound monitors on the wall. I could see exactly what they were doing every step of the way. I had them explain to me what they were looking for and why. It deflects from the fact that they’re about to shove a four inch needle into my knee. They warned me before they stuck me with the needle. The whole procedure was about thirty minutes and they were able to do both knees during that time. They started off by visualizing my knee joints. They then marked the ideal spot/image so the injection could go directly where it was intended. Before they did the shot, they cleaned my knees and created a semi sterile environment. 

• Afterwards

The after is what I didn’t expect or anticipate. I felt amazing walking out of that office. To the point where I felt like I could go for a run. That feeling lasted for most of the day. What followed was a lot of aching and soreness. My right knee started to feel achy like that of fever aches later that same day. My left knee didn’t start bothering me till the following day. That pain was more similar to that of an injury. Neither were pleasant but by day two or three post injection I was doing alright.

I am really glad I got the injections. I was super hesitant at first. I hate medicating my body to push past it’s natural limits but I knew this was the right next step for me. Without the shots, I think I’d be really impeding my ability to rehabilitate my hip properly. All in all, I’d say it was a success and would recommend it to anyone as something to try. Especially if you feel you’re out of options.

I hope you’re having a great day. I hope that your day is filled with joy, positivity, and laughter. I hope you find peace, love, and happiness.