SPRINT PNS; Knee Pain
Joseph has spent nearly 50 years in professional kitchens, and all those years of twisting, turning, squatting and lifting have taken a toll on his body, especially his left knee. It’s the same one he injured as a teenager playing high-impact sports like football, handball, and basketball for which he had previously had surgery.
“Back then, they didn’t do minimally invasive surgeries,” explains Joseph. “They were very aggressive and then had you do exercises to build your strength back up.”
Despite his earlier injury, Joseph started playing tournament-level racquetball as a young adult. He would play hard for a few hours and then go to his job as a chef. “Working in a kitchen is very aggressive on your knees, and by age 28, I wasn’t doing too well,” says Joseph. Over the years, he’s had more surgeries, many steroid injections, and radiofrequency ablations (where nerve tissue is destroyed in an attempt to reduce pain signals), but none provided any real relief for his knee pain.
Life became limited
“When you have all these problems with your knee, you learn to walk a certain way and it negatively affects other parts of your body.” Because of this, Joseph says he had to give up Kenpo, a form of martial arts, that he loved. “At some point, the pain just isn’t worth the reward anymore.”
The pain also tended to dictate the cooking jobs he chose because he had developed a fear of having to walk long distances. “I would walk into a kitchen and see there were three sets of steps and I’d just think, ‘I can’t do this,’” recalls Joseph.
It got to the point where he had to take painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications just to function. But he was always on guard because any loss of focus could become a disaster in a crowded kitchen with sharp knives and hot pots and pans.
Surgery not an option
“My doctor (Marco Palmieri, D.O.) advised that knee surgery was an option, but I refused. I knew too many people who were just not happy after surgery. Plus, that would require a long rehab and I just couldn’t do it.”
In exploring other options to avoid surgery, Joseph and Dr. Palmieri discussed the SPRINT® PNS System. Joseph liked the idea of a minimally-invasive approach to his pain. “I’ve worked with Dr. Palmieri for years, and we trust each other. We decided to try the SPRINT System as a non-surgical option for my knee,” says Joseph.
After Joseph had the SPRINT PNS System implanted, he says it took about two weeks before he noticed a difference in his pain. “At first, I didn’t really believe it, but then I was like, ‘wow!’ At work, I could walk down the steps without holding onto the rails; it was pretty amazing.”
Today, Joseph says his pain, which used to be about “an eleven on a ten-point scale,” is now around a two or even a zero most days.
This is such a contrast to his life before SPRINT PNS. “I always wanted to do so many things, but I’d come home from work in pain and put my feet up” says Joseph. “Now, I’m playing outdoors with my grandkids and walking the dog. I’m still working long hours in the kitchen, but I feel so much better.”
The SPRINT PNS System is indicated for up to 60 days for: (i) Symptomatic relief of chronic, intractable pain, post-surgical and post-traumatic acute pain; (ii) Symptomatic relief of post-traumatic pain; and (iii) Symptomatic relief of post-operative pain. The SPRINT PNS System is not intended to be placed in the region innervated by the cranial and facial nerves.
Each patient’s testimonial is the result of each patient’s unique situation resulting in varying responses, experiences, risks, and outcomes to the SPRINT PNS System. The patient experiences shared on this page are not medical advice and should not be substituted for the independent medical judgment of a trained healthcare professional. Discuss your options and use of the SPRINT PNS System with your medical provider. Physicians should use their best judgment when deciding when to use the SPRINT PNS System. For more information see the SPRINT PNS System IFU.
Most common side effects are skin irritation and erythema. Results may vary. Rx only.
