OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE

ABOUT OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is a condition that can affect any joint in the body, however, it most often affects the knees, hips and the small joints in the hands. A soft tissue called cartilage protects the ends of bones where they move against each other in a joint. When the cartilage is worn down, either through everyday use or as a result of an injury, the action of the bones rubbing against each other is the cause of osteoarthritis. We can treat knee osteoarthritis in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Worksop.

Osteoarthritis can develop with age, as your joints become more worn. If you’ve previously had an injury or surgery on a joint, you may be more likely to develop osteoarthritis in that joint. You may also have a family history of osteoarthritis which increases the chance of you developing it yourself.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the UK and affects nearly 9 million people. Around 4 million of these people have osteoarthritis of the knee. There is no cure for osteoarthritis, however, there are ways of managing and treating the condition.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS?

Osteoarthritis of the knee causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joint. You may also be able to feel the bones grinding or creaking against each other when you walk. Sometimes, the stiffness is worst in the mornings when you wake up and may ease as you begin to move about.

Climbing stairs, getting up from sitting or getting out of a car may be difficult when you have osteoarthritis in your knees. Symptoms may come and go or you might experience them continuously which affects your ability to do everyday activities.

Mild cases of osteoarthritis of the knee can be managed through regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, which eases the pressure on the hip and leg joints. More severe cases may need painkillers and additional support or treatment.

WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS?

Lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and losing weight may help prevent or manage mild cases of hip osteoarthritis. And you can use painkillers, such as paracetamol, to treat any pain flare-ups.

There are several other non-surgical treatment options for osteoarthritis of the knee:

• Physiotherapy – improving posture or walking gait, exercise plan and manipulation of the joint or TENS device pain relief.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – different painkillers that can be prescribed by your GP.

• Steroid injections – short-term pain relief for arthritis sufferers that can last several weeks.

• Supportive aids – these aids help support the joint and include braces, walking sticks and zimmer frames.

If your knee osteoarthritis is particularly severe, surgery may be the best option for you. Surgical procedures range from repairing the knee cartilage, resetting the bone or a total knee replacement. Book your treatment for knee osteoarthritis in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Worksop today. You can also follow us on social media.