It is one of the most discouraging things a doctor can tell you: "Your X-rays show bone-on-bone arthritis. It’s time to start thinking about a knee replacement."
When the cartilage that cushions your knee wears away, the bones rub together, causing pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Because cartilage doesn't easily grow back, many patients assume surgery is their only way out.
But an X-ray only shows half the story. It shows your bones, but it ignores your shock absorbers.
Muscles are Your First Line of Defense
Your knee joint isn't meant to bear the full weight of your body on its own. Your leg muscles—specifically the quadriceps and glutes—are designed to absorb the impact of walking and running before it reaches the joint space.
If you have "bone-on-bone" arthritis, but you build massive, functional strength in your quadriceps, those muscles will physically lift and suspend the joint, taking the pressure off the grinding bones. You may still technically have arthritis on an X-ray, but your pain can be dramatically reduced or eliminated.
The Catch-22 of Traditional Rehab
The problem is that building muscle requires lifting heavy weights. But if you have bone-on-bone arthritis, doing heavy squats or lunges causes agonizing pain. You can't build the muscle because the joint hurts too much.
This is where Emsculpt Neo changes the game.
At Phelts Chiropractic PC, Dr. Phelts uses Emsculpt Neo to break this cycle. The HIFEM (High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic) technology forces your quadriceps to contract at 100% capacity, building up to 25% more muscle volume.
The best part? You don't have to bend or load the knee at all. You simply lie back while the device builds a thick, powerful muscular brace around your knee, effectively offloading the damaged joint without triggering your arthritis pain.
Surgery should always be the last resort. Build the muscle first.
Learn how we systematically rebuild knee stability in our full guide:
Knee Pain? Stop Treating the Knee and Start Strengthening the Quads
References
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Quadriceps Weakness and Osteoarthritis: Landmark rheumatology studies show that quadriceps weakness is a primary risk factor for the progression of knee osteoarthritis, and strengthening the muscle directly offloads the joint.
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Source: PubMed - Quadriceps weakness and osteoarthritis of the knee
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Building the Muscular Brace (HIFEM): Clinical trials confirm that High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology significantly increases the cross-sectional area and strength of the quadriceps without requiring weight-bearing joint stress.
