Osteoarthritis of Knee also referred to as degenerative joint disease is a condition which causes degradation of articular cartilage of the Knee joint preventing a smooth and pain free movement. At the later stages of this disease the cartilage becomes thinner and may finally wear out. Osteoarthritis of the knee usually affects people who are over fifty years of age however it can affect many people much younger.
Osteoarthritis in the knee is more prevalent in women as compared to men. Both knees may be affected or just one and this is called bilateral or unilateral respectively. The disease has been associated with people who engage in intense sporting activities for example footballers; also it can affect those people that have had a previous injury to the knee. The symptoms may not crop up immediately but develop slowly over a long period of time.
Causes of Osteoarthritis in the knee:
Genetic/hereditary factors: This disease may be in the family that is blood; therefore the generations of that particular family will have greater chances of developing this disease.
Obesity: People with Body Mass Index (BMI) that is greater than thirty are at a risk of developing this disease due to the pressure on the knee in support of the whole body weight.
People with previous fracture at the site of the knee may develop this disease.
Prolonged and excessive use of the knee joint especially jobs that need one to stand for long.
If there is history of any acute injury to the medial knee for example meniscal or ligament trauma.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis in the knee:
There is a deep aching pain experienced in the inner knee that usually becomes worse after exercises.
The knee swells.
During movement, there is clicking or cracking noises made by the knee.
One experiences stiffness in the knee in the morning but it decreases when one moves.
Diagnosis of Osteoarthritis in the knee:
Osteoarthritis of the knee can be diagnosed by doing the following: Assessing the severity of the pain, determining the amount of movement in the joint, taking an x-ray of the knee-if the joint space narrows then chances of developing the disease are high, MRI scan may be done and finally in some cases some blood samples may be taken to find out whether one has the disease or not.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee:
The treatments administered for this disease are basically to slow down its progression as no cure has yet been found.
They include:
Heat and cold treatments: Heat and cold is applied on the knee especially where the pain is immense after exercise as this will help in relieving the pain.
Knee support s/braces: They provide relief in medical compartment osteoarthritis by reducing the load on the compartment.
Weight loss: For obese people, weight loss is important as it helps to slow down the progression of the disease.
Exercise program: One should engage in particular exercises regime in order to maintain a healthy cartilage.
Muscle relaxants: These drugs are given usually in low doses in order to relieve pain that may arise due to strained muscles in an attempt to support osteoarthritis joints.
NSAID’s: These are Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs that provide temporal relief to the pain.
Knee Injections: Drugs such as cortisone are used and injected by a medical professional.
Whilst Osteoarthritis of Knee is a condition that is painful and at times debilitating it can be managed in the worst cases surgery has shown to be very effective.