Overview
Osteoarthritis is a slow breakdown of cartilage in the joints and is also referred as degenerative arthritis. Knees bear the weight of the whole body so osteoarthritis in the knees is common. But, it isn’t simple to live a comfortable life for someone who has knee osteoarthritis as it impacts the lifestyle.
1. Causes and Risk Factors
What are the underlying reasons behind osteoarthritis?
- It results from the wear and tear due to aging.
- Quite often its observed that it’s a result of traumatic injury to the joint.
- Amongst the older people osteoarthritis of the knee is common. Especially among women and people whose work demand them to lay stress on the knees.
- Also, people with certain diseases, genetic disposition, bone deformities are at higher risk.
- Obesity could put you at risk for osteoarthritis of the knee since your knees take the weight of your body. So, if you are obese, it increases stress on the knee joints.
The bone ends are covered by a layer which is called cartilage. This is present in a healthy knee. Healthy cartilage permits the bones to glide comfortably and smoothly against each other.
But in case of osteoarthritis, this cartilage begins to wear and it deteriorates. As the motion or injury becomes repetitive it speeds this deterioration. Eventually, a time may come when the bones start to rub directly against each other.
Bone Spur Formation
The rubbing of bones to each other slowly leads to the growth of bony bumps along the edges of the joint. These lumps are bone spurs or osteophytes and they can cause joint pain.
2. Symptoms
Osteoporosis of the knee include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Stiffness of the joint.
- The knee may become weak. Infact it might lock or buckle while walking.
- There is a trouble while bending and straightening the knee. Also, if one stands for long periods of time; it might worsen the pain.
3. Osteoarthritis treatment
What is the best treatment for osteoarthritis?
The choice of treatment depends on the severity of the arthritis. If its in early stages, the knee can be treated with medications that are non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory, corticosteroid injections, injections of medicines that lubricate the joints.
Physicians often recommend:
- Physical therapy
- Knee brace
- Weight loss so that the stress on the joints get relieved.
When these methods don’t provide relief to the patient and the knee deteriorates further, surgery is the best treatment to repair the joint. Surgery done by an experienced doctor is the osteoarthritis best treatment.
What is the new treatment for osteoarthritis 2021?
One of the top treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee when no other treatment works is the MAKO Robotic Knee Replacement surgery which is conducted at AIOR.
Visit the website of Anup Institute of Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation https://www.aior.co.in/ and connect with its team https://www.drashishsingh.com/bookappointment/appointment.php to get assistance and guidance about osteoarthritis knee treatment as we have the best doctors for osteoarthritis treatment in Bihar, India.
