Can I avoid surgery through prolotherapy?
A. Get a second opinion, and talk with your doctor about alternative therapies if you’re interested in those. Some ACL and meniscus injuries may not have to be treated with surgery, particularly if you are willing to transition to a less-active lifestyle (I’m not.) A friend at work tore his ACL – he is getting close to retirement, did not want to go through the hassle of surgery, and was willing (and ready) to transition to a less physical lifestyle, so he’ll just wear a brace and forego the surgery (there is an increased risk of osteoarthritis the longer it’s left untreated.) Some people on the forum suggested and have had good results with prolotherapy, an alternative medicine therapy. The theory behind prolotherapy is that ligaments and tendons have a poor blood supply, which limits the amount of oxygen and nutrients that the blood stream can carry to injured ligaments, leading to partial healing and chronic re-injury. Prolotherapy seeks to increase inflammation of the injured area
