What is knee osteoarthritis?
Knee OA (osteoarthritis) is a ‘wear and tear’ within the knee joint. Over a long period of time the knee joint starts a degenerative process in which the cushioning in the knee joint is reduced. It impacts the cartilage at the end of either bones causing increase friction within the joint.
OA is common in a variety of joints most typically knees and hips due to the high weight bearing loads of these joints. Osteoarthritis varies in types, pain levels and disability levels between people but typically effects people over the age of 45.
Common clinical symptoms include:
- Pain on the inside of the knee joint (but can effect the outer or front of the knee).
- Pain with weight bearing exercises: Walking, running, jumping or hiking.
- Night pain after exercise or activity.
- Tenderness on palpation.
- Crepitus or cracking within the joint.
- Knee swelling or effusion post/during activity.
- Restricted knee joint movement: Difficulty straightening or bending the knee.
What is the best conservative treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis ?
- Exercise, exercise, exercise.
- Activity modification: OA Knees love bike riding & swimming due to the non weight bearing nature.
- Keeping your knee range of motion and flexibility.
- Skip the walking everyday and push it to every few days to give your knee joint greater recovery.
- Increase your quadricep muscle strength. If you have more muscle bulk around the joint you will have better support for the knee joint.
- Manage flare ups with a good medication routine organised through your GP.
- Regular ice over the knee can help alleviate symptoms.
- Weight loss: The more weight you carry, the more weight on the joint and the quicker it will degenerate.
What happens if physio fails?
- Total Knee Replacement Surgery: If you’re eating anti-inflammatories like lollies, have major difficulty sleeping, limping constantly and activities of daily life are becoming effected then a surgical opinion is warranted.
- Knee arthroscopy: A more basic “clean-out” of the knee joint, generally used if there is issues with the meniscal tissue with minimal osteoarthritis.
- Knee bracing is sometime used to prolong knee joint function when surgery cannot be performed.
Having Osteoarthritic knees is not a death sentence and there is a plethora of opportunities to improve your pain, function and quality of life through the help of your local Physio.
