Dr. Joshua John-Ram SchacterDr. Joshua Schacter, DO FAAOS, is America’s Holistic Orthopedic Surgeon, with nearly two decades of surgical expertise.

Steroid Injections: Relief or Long-Term Damage?

7 Apr 2025 · 0 min

Watch on YouTube

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Short YouTube video segment by Dr. Joshua John-Ram Schacter warning that intra-articular steroid injections can relieve pain via a strong anti-inflammatory effect but may also damage the joint over time. The speaker asserts steroids deposit crystals and alter cartilage mechanics, potentially removing the cushioning in the knee and leading to bone-on-bone arthritis.

Did you know that steroid injections can actually damage your joint over time?
So steroid injections, when we inject them into your joint, cause a pretty massive anti inflammatory response, which lessens your pain. But actually they're damaging your joint by depositing crystals, altering the way that the cartilage works. And that can mean that the cushion in your knee completely goes away, causing bone on bone arthritis.