The knee pain gets bad enough that you finally go to the doctor. They confirm the arthritis and recommend a cortisone injection. It works. The pain settles. You feel better.

And then it comes back.

So you get another injection. The relief lasts a little less time than the first one did. Then a third. And by now you are wondering — is this actually fixing anything? Or am I just on a treadmill that is slowly speeding up?

In Episode 13 of The Decompression Authority Podcast, Dr. Chris Cameron explains exactly what is happening — why cortisone injections work in the short term, why they fall short in the long term, and what a structural alternative looks like that addresses the cause rather than turning down the volume on the symptom.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

→ Why cortisone injections are not a bad treatment — and when they genuinely have a role
→ What cortisone actually does inside the knee — suppressing cytokines, reducing synovial inflammation, and reducing pain
→ The fire alarm analogy — why cortisone turns down the noise without putting out the fire
→ The landmark 2017 JAMA randomised controlled trial: the cortisone group had significantly greater cartilage loss on MRI than the placebo group — with no better pain outcomes — over two years of regular injections
→ The 2020 British Journal of Sports Medicine systematic review: beyond six to eight weeks the benefit diminishes and there is evidence of accelerated structural deterioration with repeated injections
→ How cortisone suppresses chondrocytes — the very cells responsible for producing and maintaining cartilage
→ How cortisone reduces hyaluronic acid — the joint's natural lubricant — in the synovial fluid
→ The critical difference between a single cortisone injection in context and repeated injections as an ongoing management strategy
→ How the Walk Strong Non-Surgical Knee Pain Relief Program addresses the structural cause that cortisone cannot
→ How knee decompression, Class IV laser therapy, shockwave therapy, and targeted rehabilitation each work through a different mechanism to interrupt the degenerative cycle
→ The 2014 Lasers in Medical Science study: low-level laser therapy significantly reduced pain and improved function through a mechanism that supports — rather than undermines — joint tissue
→ Why building quadricep and gluteal strength is fundamental — not optional — in a comprehensive knee program

Conditions Discussed in This Episode:
Knee osteoarthritis | Articular cartilage loss | Chondrocyte suppression | Synovial inflammation | Cytokine activity | Knee joint degeneration | Hyaluronic acid deficiency

Treatments Discussed in This Episode:
Cortisone injections | Corticosteroid injections | Knee decompression therapy | Class IV laser therapy | Shockwave therapy | Quadricep and gluteal rehabilitation | Walk Strong Non-Surgical Knee Pain Relief Program

Clinical References Cited:
McAlindon, T.E. et al. (2017). Effect of intra-articular triamcinolone vs saline on knee cartilage volume and pain. JAMA, 317(19), 1967–1975.
Derry, S. et al. (2020). Corticosteroid injections for knee osteoarthritis: systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(9), 506–512.
Huang, Z. et al. (2014). The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy for knee osteoarthritis. Lasers in Medical Science, 30(4), 1247–1253.
Segal, N.A. et al. (2010). Effect of quadriceps strength on knee joint loading. Arthritis Care and Research, 62(12), 1706–1714.

Missed Episodes 11 or 12?
Episode 11 introduces knee decompression therapy and who it is for. Episode 12 explains the biology of knee osteoarthritis and the cytokine inflammatory cycle. Both lay the foundation for everything discussed today.

About Dr. Chris Cameron:
Dr. Chris Cameron is a chiropractor and non-surgical decompression specialist at Cameron Family Chiropractic in Lucan, Ontario. He specializes in spinal decompression therapy, knee decompression therapy, and conservative care for patients with disc injuries, sciatica, knee osteoarthritis, and chronic back and joint pain.

Book a Consultation:
Cameron Family Chiropractic — Lucan, Ontario
cameronchiro.com
Serving Lucan, London, and surrounding Ontario communities.

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If you have been managing knee pain with cortisone injections and felt that cycle of relief and return — please share this episode. Someone in your life needs to hear this before their next injection.

Educate. Empower. Relieve. Restore.