Managing osteoarthritis of the knee. There's no cure for osteoarthritis, but there are things you can do for yourself that can make a difference to how the condition affects you. There are also some treatments available that could significantly reduce your pain.
Full recovery from arthritis of the knee is not possible. However, it is possible to feel less pain, swelling and stiffness because of medications, physical therapy and other treatments.
Walking as a form of exercise has enormous benefits, particularly for older adults. It's easy on the joints and helps boost heart health and improve circulation and balance. And new research now suggests that taking a walk can reduce and prevent knee pain related to osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.
To begin with, try things like swimming, cycling, and walking briskly. For strength in the knee joints, try wall squats, calf raises, hamstring curls, and leg raises.
Arthroscopic Surgery
The surgeon can then remove damaged cartilage -- the smooth covering that protects the bones in the joint. Your knee can be cleaned or flushed to remove loose bone or cartilage pieces that may be causing pain.
Injury. Severe injury or repeated injury to the knee can lead to osteoarthritis years later. Overuse. Jobs and sports that require physically repetitive motions that place stress on the knee can increase risk for developing osteoarthritis.
The most common cause of knee pain can hit you in your 30s as easily as it can in your 60s and 70s. Orthopaedic surgeon Robert Nickodem Jr., MD says osteoarthritis, or “wear-and-tear arthritis,” is the most common cause of knee pain – and the most common form of arthritis.
1. You sit for long periods of time. If your knee hurts, you might want to stay off of it. But resting too much makes your muscles weaken and often makes knee pain worse.
These minimally invasive injections can help ease pain, enhance knee function, and postpone or forgo surgery by adding lubricant and cushioning to the joint. Knee gel injections have been found to be successful for many people, albeit their duration of pain alleviation varies widely.
For knees with a limited amount of arthritis and good alignment of the bones, doctors may be able to offer newer treatments that replace cartilage instead of replacing the entire joint. There are several cartilage-regeneration techniques that you may consider and discuss with an orthopaedic surgeon.
Doctors do sometimes recommend that people under age 60 wait to undergo a knee replacement procedure, because these artificial joints typically last only about 15 to 20 years. If someone younger gets the procedure, it's likely that the joint will need to be replaced again down the line.
Walking is recommended for people with arthritis as it's low impact, helps to keep the joints flexible, helps bone health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. If you do experience pain or you're very stiff afterwards try doing a bit less, factor in more rest and check in with your GP, if you need to.
Genetics notwithstanding, Sheth said there are some factors that can potentially stave off a knee replacement. Keeping body weight down eases the impact on the knee. And when exercising, Sheth said avoiding activities that cause pounding or other possible trauma to the knee can better preserve cartilage.
Cartilage Regeneration Options
MACI is a surgical procedure that uses cartilage-forming cells from your body to restore damaged cartilage in the knees.
For one thing, movement is important for the metabolic processes in the joint cartilage. Also, exercise can strengthen muscles, improve joint stability, and increase range of motion. This not only protects the knee but also helps in everyday life – for example, when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair.
If found in the early stages, knee cartilage loss is treated with conservative measures such as weight loss, exercise, pain relieving medication, and physical therapy.
Animal studies have found that giving glucosamine can delay the breakdown of cartilage as well as rebuild it.
When quantifying how much pain there is after surgery, it is relative to the patient. The pain after a knee replacement is typically no worse than one of your worst days before you had surgery. However, you can feel this way for the first two to three weeks after the day of surgery.