Gambling establishments issue warnings about potential hip and knee injuries due to risky activities

In the realm of healthcare, the IGeL Monitor has been evaluating services since 2012, with a focus on treatments for joint osteoarthritis. This extensive review has covered 60 IGeL services.

One of the top three specialties in the IGeL market is orthopedics, generating revenues of 397 million euros from knee and hip injections alone. However, the verdict on some treatments, such as shock wave therapy, remains uncertain, according to the Medical Service of the Health Funds.

The potential benefits of self-pay knee and hip joint osteoarthritis injections are numerous. They can provide significant pain relief, improve joint mobility, and offer a minimally invasive alternative to surgery. For instance, treatments like Arthrosamid® injections can reduce stiffness and pain, providing long-lasting relief and enhancing quality of life.

However, these treatments aren't without risks. Mild to moderate injection site pain, temporary joint swelling, and a small risk of infection or allergic reaction are common side effects. Steroid injections, while providing relief for about three months, might accelerate cartilage loss if used frequently and are not suitable before joint replacement surgery.

Stefan Gronemeyer, chairman of the Medical Service of the Health Funds, has expressed concerns about inadequate patient information in many practices. He demands that IGeL should not be provided on the same day they are offered, allowing time for consideration. Gronemeyer also calls for practices to offer independently created, science-based assessments and information regularly.

The survey conducted by the Medical Service of the Health Funds concludes that shock wave therapy, often offered as a self-pay service for conditions like frozen shoulder and tennis elbow, is not conclusively proven effective. This conclusion is based on numerous studies conducted over the past 50 years.

In a self-pay context, patients bear the full cost but often benefit from flexible payment options and potentially lower negotiated prices due to high volumes of procedures performed by some providers. The Medical Service of the Health Funds typically discusses both clinical effectiveness and safety, highlighting the importance of screening and patient eligibility evaluation before offering these therapies.

Approximately one in six individuals aged 60 to 80 in Germany is affected by knee joint osteoarthritis, and one in ten by hip joint osteoarthritis - with higher prevalence among those over 80. Despite the benefits many insured persons believe these services to be useful, they are no longer offered by the insurers, according to a survey.

In the evaluation, 31 services were negatively assessed, 3 had a tendency towards positive results, and 26 services had unclear results due to insufficient studies. Gronemeyer states that this is incorrect and demands two new regulations to contain IGeL.

The potential harm of these injections outweighs their benefits, according to the Medical Service of the Health Funds. However, treatments like Arthrosamid® injections, which involve administering hyaluronic acid, can cost between 220 and 300 euros per treatment cycle and up to 500 euros.

In summary, while self-pay knee and hip joint osteoarthritis injections offer benefits such as pain relief, improved joint mobility, and a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, they are not without risks. It is crucial for patients to be well-informed and for practices to provide accurate, science-based information.

Gambling establishments issue warnings about potential hip and knee injuries due to risky activities