Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease that affects millions of American adults. Osteoarthritis of the knee, an often painful condition, involves a loss of articular cartilage that typically covers the ends of the bones within the knee-joint. Typically there is about 5 mm of cartilage covering the ends of the two bones within the knee-joint.
If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, the articular cartilage that normally covers the ends of these bones and provides cushioning breaks down. Once there is widespread loss of articular cartilage within the knee-joint it cannot be replaced with new cartilage. This leads to symptoms including pain, loss of motion, swelling and stiffness. Further, bone spurs also start to develop in the knee-joint.
As reported by the CDC, people with past knee injuries and people who are severely overweight or obese are at an increased risk of osteoarthritis in the knee.
Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis in the Knee
There are a variety of treatments for osteoarthritis. Some people opt for a surgical option like total knee replacement. In addition, there are also many ways to treat the condition that do not involve surgery. Knee replacements give some patients significant pain relief and in other patients total knee replacement can actually cause more pain. In addition, knee replacement surgery comes with risks that include blood clots and infections. Other medical complications sometimes associated with a total knee replacements are heart attacks, stroke and blood loss requiring transfusion.
It's also important to recognize that joint replacement does not last forever. There are scientific studies that show that replaced joints may need more work after a period as short as 10 years. Delaying a total knee replacement or better yet, preventing it from ever occurring, is ideal. Non-surgical options for osteoarthritis in the knee can help to cut pain, decrease stiffness, improve muscle strength and increase the knee's range of motion.
Treatment for Knee Arthritis that does not Involve Surgery
The non-surgical treatment of knee arthritis focuses on pain reduction, strength improvement and increasing range of motion while reducing stiffness. Nonsurgical treatment options for osteoarthritis in the knee include:
1) hyaluronic acid injections,
2) unloader knee braces,
3) PRP (platelet rich plasma) and
4) physical therapy.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring fluid in the knee. With osteoarthritis, the composition of the hyaluronic acid in the knee changes. Typically it is a thick fluid that lubricates the knee joint. With the advancement of osteoarthritis, HA loses its normal properties and becomes thin and watery.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) injections only cause minor discomfort. The injection is performed in the doctor's office and takes less than 20 seconds to do. There are several different brands of hyaluronic acid on the market. Some brands require a series of three injections and others are just one shot. HA injections can give pain relief for up to a year or more in patients with osteoarthritis. If you are allergic to egg products, you are not eligible for the injections.
Unloader knee braces are another nonsurgical option for treating osteoarthritis in the knee and reducing pain. Most patients with knee osteoarthritis will have one side of the knee where the osteoarthritis is less advanced. The outer half of the knee joint is often less affected by osteoarthritis while the inner half of the knee is more commonly affected. The brace, called an "unloader," unloads the half of the knee that has more osteoarthritis and forces the person to place more weight on the "good" side of the knee.
The unloader knee brace is good to use during activity including going shopping, walking to work, or engaging in a sporting activity. It's important to note that the leg must accommodate a brace.
Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP is now one of the hottest topics being researched in orthopedic medicine. Platelet rich plasma is used to treat a range of orthopaedic conditions including plantar fasciitis. The process involves drawing blood peripherally from the patient and then separating out the blood that is rich in plasma. The platelet rich plasma used for treatment has important components of the blood that have the potential to heal. This process is easily performed in the doctor's office.
Physical therapy is another way to help reduce the symptoms of knee arthritis. There are three types of exercises for patients with knee arthritis: flexibility, resistance and cardiovascular.
Flexibility exercises are very good for easing stiff joints which will help people with activities of daily living. You should try to do the stretches in the morning. They are easier to do in warm bath water.
Resistance exercises build muscles around the arthritic joints and building muscle helps to absorb shock and protect the knee joint from further injury. There are two types of resistance exercises: isometric and isotonic. Isometric are typically the easiest for people with osteoarthritis to perform. Strengthening occurs with the contraction of different leg muscles without moving the joint.
Cardiovascular exercises use big groups of muscles. The best recommendation for cardiovascular fitness if you have arthritis in your knee is water aerobics or cycling. The National Arthritis Foundation is a great resource for exercise DVDs. A referral to a local physical therapist can also be helpful.
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a painful condition. If you think that you might be suffering from arthritis in your knee, you might want to consult an orthopaedic doctor like Orthopaedic Specialists for an assessment, and to explore your treatment options. Orthopaedic physicians specialize in bone disorders, musculoskeletal conditions and joint disabilities including osteoarthritis.
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