Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the knee joint. Osteoarthritis develops slowly and the pain it causes worsens over time.
Causes of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is degenerative and is caused by “wear-and-tear”. Over time the cartilage in the knee joint gradually wears away. Eventually the space between the bones decreases as shown in the image.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
The main symptom if osteoarthritis is pain and swelling, this may be worse in the morning, or after sitting or resting. Vigorous activity may cause pain to flare up.
Other symptoms include:
- The knee may “lock” or “stick” during movement.
- It may creak, click, snap or make a grinding noise (crepitus).
- Pain may cause a feeling of weakness or buckling in the knee.
- Many people with arthritis note increased joint pain with rainy weather.
Treating Osteoarthritis of the knee
Management of osteoarthritis includes:
- Pain relief
- Daily activity adaptation
- Weight loss
- Knee bracing
- Steroid/ Hyaluronic acid injections
- Assess alignment
- Discuss surgery
If surgery is required then these are the surgical options:
- Arthroscopic exploration and proceed
- Meniscal repair/partial excision
- Ligament repair/reconstruction
- Removal of loose bodies
- Deformity correction
- Osteotomies around the knee
- Joint replacement