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Osteoarthritis
 
Arthritis Knee Pain SPMF<sup>®</sup> Therapy RFSPMF Cancer Total Knee Replacement Arthroscopy Physiotherapy Regenerate Cartilage Osteoarthritis AKTIS Dr VG Vasishta Osteoarthritis
Arthritis Knee Pain SPMF<sup>®</sup> Therapy RFSPMF Cancer Total Knee Replacement Arthroscopy Physiotherapy Regenerate Cartilage Osteoarthritis AKTIS Dr VG Vasishta Osteoarthritis Knee
Arthritis Knee Pain SPMF<sup>®</sup> Therapy RFSPMF Cancer Total Knee Replacement Arthroscopy Physiotherapy Regenerate Cartilage Osteoarthritis AKTIS Dr VG Vasishta Osteoarthritis Treatment
   
  Osteoarthritis Knee Introduction
  Knee osteoarthritis is the most common type of osteoarthritis. Early diagnosis and treatment help manage Knee osteoarthritis symptoms. An overview of Knee osteoarthritis will help you understand symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the knee joint. It is more common in people older than 40 years. Women have greater chance to be affected. The knee is one of the most commonly affected joints.
   
  How does a normal knee work?
  Your knee joint is where your thigh bone (femur) and your shin bone (tibia) meet. It allows the bones to move freely but within limits.

The knee joint is the largest joint in the body and also one of the most complicated. It needs to be strong enough to take our weight and must lock into position so we can stand upright. But it also has to act as a hinge so we can walk, and it must withstand extreme stresses, twists and turns, such as when we run or play sports.
   
  What is osteoarthritis?
  Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a "cushion" between the bones of the joints. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis.

Many people think that Osteoarthritis keeps on getting worse, causing increasing permanent pain and disability, but this often isn't the case. Instead, it's likely that your Osteoarthritis will settle down over time as your body repairs itself. However, sometimes the damage is too severe to repair and leads to stiffness and pain, especially in the knee.

Your doctor will perform a physical examination that focuses on your walk, the range of motion in the limb, and joint swelling or tenderness.

X-rays typically show a loss of joint space in the affected knee.

Blood and other special imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be needed to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis.
   
  Osteoarthritis of the Knee
 
Osteoarthritis of the knee is common in people over 50 years of age, in particular in women. It can affect either one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) sides of the knee joint however it occurs more commonly on the inner (medial) aspect of the knee.
Knee osteoarthritis is common in individuals who play intense physical sports, such as football. Previous injury to the knee is a strong indicator for development of Osteoarthritis in the future.
Symptoms are known to develop slowly over a number of years.
   
  What happens to a knee with osteoarthritis?
  When your knee has Osteoarthritis its surfaces become damaged and it doesn’t move as well as it should do. The following happens:
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The cartilage becomes rough and thin – this can happen over the main surface of your knee joint and in the cartilage underneath your kneecap.
The bone underneath the cartilage reacts by growing thicker and becoming broader.
All the tissues in your joint become more active than normal, as if your body is trying to repair the damage.
The bone at the edge of your joint grows outwards, forming bony spurs called osteophytes.
The synovium may swell and produce extra fluid, causing the joint to swell – this is called an effusion or sometimes water on the knee.
The capsule and ligaments slowly thicken and contract.
   
  What are the causes of Osteoarthritis Knee?
  Deterioration of articular cartilage is the main problem associated with Knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis of the knee usually occurs in knees that have experienced trauma, infection, or injury. A smooth, slippery, fibrous connective tissue, called articular cartilage, acts as a protective cushion between bones. Arthritis develops as the cartilage begins to deteriorate or is lost. As the articular cartilage is lost, the joint space between the bones narrows. This is an early symptom of Osteoarthritis of the knee and is easily seen on X-rays.

Primary Osteoarthritis is mostly related to aging. With aging, the water content of the cartilage increases, and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates.

Secondary Osteoarthritis is caused by another disease or condition. Conditions that can lead to secondary Osteoarthritis include obesity, repeated trauma or surgery to the joint structures, abnormal joints at birth (congenital abnormalities), gout, diabetes, and other hormone disorders.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is predominately considered a "wear and tear" process, where there is gradual degradation of the hyaline cartilage that covers the articulating surfaces of the bones in the knee joint. In most people, the disease is either post-traumatic or hereditary.

The exact causes of Osteoarthritis are unknown however there are a number of factors that are commonly associated with the onset of the disease.
 
Previous Injuries - Previous trauma to a particular joint increases the risk Osteoarthritis forming there.
Heredity - Some individuals have a defective gene responsible for cartilage production which increases their susceptibility to Osteoarthritis.
Weight - As Osteoarthritis commonly occurs in the weight bearing joints, like the knee, excessive loading on these joints may lead to faster progression of the disease.
Repetitive overuse - This may be as a result of excessive exercising or repeated strain on a joint over a number long period of time.
Crystal Deposits - Some crystal deposits such as uric acid crystals in gout may accumulate in joints and cause cartilage degeneration and wearing.
   
  How is osteoarthritis of the knee diagnosed?
  Osteoarthritis of the knee can be diagnosed in two ways: patient-reported symptoms, such as pain or disability, or actual physical signs, such as the changes in the joint seen on X-rays.

In most cases, both pathology and patient-reported symptoms are present. An evaluation of Osteoarthritis of the knee includes a complete history and physical examination.

Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms and an examination. During the examination, they’ll check for:
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Tenderness over your knee
Creaking and grating (crepitus)
Bony swelling
Excess fluid
Restricted movement
Instability of your knee
Thinning of the muscles that support your knee.
  During a physical examination of the knee joint, your doctor may be able to see that movement of the knee is restricted. Your doctor can diagnose Osteoarthritis of the knee by taking an x-ray. The x-ray will show that the space between the bones of the upper and lower leg is smaller than it should be.
   
  What are the signs and symptoms of Osteoarthritis Knee?
  Some of the signs and symptoms associated with Knee osteoarthritis include:
 
Pain
Stiffness
Decreasing range of motion
Muscle weakness and atrophy due to inactivity or stiffness
Crepitus
Effusion
Deformity
Baker's cyst (a harmless but sometimes painful collection of joint fluid behind the knee)
Arthritis knee pain is a deep aching pain in the inner knee that is worse after exercise.
Stiffness particularly in the morning however lessening with movement.
Swelling of the knee.
Clicking or cracking noises when moving the knee.
   
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