Knowing some of the most common diseases can help us in their treatment. Today in the blog of people who live with pain we talk about osteoarthritis of the knee.
What is osteoarthritis of the knee?
A knee osteoarthritis is also known as arthritis "by use and wear" as it is a common disease in people of middle age. It is the most common degenerative disease of the knee. It appears as the bones age. It is one of the types of arthritis with the highest incidence. The development of the disease occurs slowly and the pain worsens with the passage of time.
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A healthy knee can flex without difficulty. This occurs thanks to a soft and slippery tissue called articular cartilage that protects and cushions the ends of the bones of the knee. Osteoarthritis eats these cartilages.
Also, given the similarities between them, we recommend that you check the differences between arthritis or osteoarthritis .
What are the causes of knee osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis of the knee, as we have told you, is among the most frequent knee pain causes .
Osteoarthritis occurs with the passage of time and wear. The cartilage deteriorates and gets rough when you feel pain in the area that is not protected by the cartilage.
When the cartilage wears out completely to compensate for the loss of cartilage, damaged bones can grow and form painful spurs.
Several factors increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis:
- Age The ability of the cartilage to repair itself can decrease with age.
- Heritage Some hereditary features, such as bowed legs, knees together or joint laxity, may increase your risk of having this disease.
- Weight The weight that the knees must support is key to their early development.
- Injuries A knee injury can cause osteoarthritis in the future.
- Overexertion People who must kneel or bend over, lift heavy objects and walk as part of their work are more vulnerable to injuries and the subsequent development of osteoarthritis.
Main symptoms of knee osteoarthritis
Pain and stiffness are the most frequent symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. As with other similar conditions, symptoms get worse in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
The symptoms of knee osteoarthritis are common to any type of arthritis : loss of mobility and pain.
- The loss of mobility. Patients see their physical movements limited: walking, going down stairs, sewing, writing, painting, etc.
- The pain Increases when moving the affected joint. Otherwise, it decreases when we rest and it appears when we make certain types of movements. It also tends to be more intense at the last minute of the day or when we make an effort, etc.
What are the most common treatments for knee osteoarthritis?
There is no cure for this disease, although there are many treatment options available. These are intended to relieve pain, maintain normal activity and improve the quality of life. These are the main treatments:
- Exercise. You can perform gentle exercises such as walking, cycling and swimming as excellent options.
- Weightloss. Losing some weight can decrease the level of tension that supports the articulation of your knee.
- Physiotherapy. Some assistive devices also help decrease joint tension.
- Medicines. Your doctor can incorporate some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory to your treatment. Also drugs like Ibuprofen reduce pain and swelling.
- Surgery. It is possible that due to the condition of the disease it is advisable to perform surgery if the pain also worsens and causes disability.
- Arthroscopy It may be necessary to remove pieces of cartilage to smooth the surface of worn cartilage.
- Replacement of the joint . It may be necessary to remove the entire knee joint or some of the damaged parts and replace it with a prosthesis.