How To Diagnose Arthritis In Knee

Impaired Quality Of Life

People with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis may have problems performing their daily activities. This is often a direct consequence of intense knee pain and limited range of motion.

The daily life of a knee OA patient can get extremely difficult, sometimes to the point where no treatments can relieve pain.

This can trigger or exacerbate feelings of anxiety and depression in patients with this chronic disease, making their daily lives even more difficult.

What Causes Knee Osteoarthritis

The most common cause of osteoarthritis of the knee is age. Almost everyone will eventually develop some degree of osteoarthritis. However, several factors increase the risk of developing significant arthritis at an earlier age.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee may include:

• pain that increases when you are active, but gets a little better with rest
• feeling of warmth in the joint
• stiffness in the knee, especially in the morning or when you have been sitting for a while
• creaking, crackly sound that is heard when the knee moves

How Do I Know If My Knee Pain Is Arthritis

If you have knee pain that doesn’t go away with time, you might have arthritis. This condition occurs when the protective cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in a joint starts to wear away. The result is bone grinding against bone, which is very painful. Arthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain, especially in people over 50 years old.

Also Check: What Foods Cause Inflammation And Arthritis

What Kinds Of Arthritis Can Occur In The Knee

In the case of knee pain, one of the most common culprits is arthritis. There are three types of arthritis that can occur in the knee, and it is not unheard for patients to have multiple arthritic conditions present at the same time. The three kinds of arthritis that often develop in the knees include:

• Osteoarthritis : A slow-acting, progressive wear-and-tear process that deteriorates joint cartilage. Middle-aged and older patients are the most likely group to develop OA.

• Rheumatoid arthritis : RA can occur at any age. This inflammatory process can be marked by painful swelling in the joints.

• Post-traumatic arthritis: Patients who have a significant knee injury, such as a fracture, torn ligament, or torn meniscus, may develop post-traumatic arthritis. This can occur many years after the injury itself.

How To Help Arthritis In Knees: The Basics

Your knees are the largest, strongest joint in the body. Knowing a bit about the anatomy can help to appreciate not only their strength but also their unique vulnerabilities.

Knee joints consist of three bones. The femur connects to the tibia and the patella . Cartilage wraps around the end of each bone to protect and smooth movement where the three bones meet.

Two wedges of cartilage called the meniscus act as shock absorbers as the femur presses down into the tibia. Synovial fluid lubricates all of the cartilage in the joint and helps with smooth movement.

In addition, stabilizing ligaments and tendons include:

• Lateral and medial collateral ligaments: Stabilize side-to-side movement
• Posterior and anterior cruciate ligament: Frames movement forward and backwards

Knees absorb the impact of your upper body coming down on the lower leg: every day, all day. This means that everything you dowalking, running, hiking up a mountain, or simply standing up from a seatrelies on healthy knees.

When our knees are not healthy, the resulting knee pain can make it challenging to go about our normal daily activities or even get to sleep at night.

You May Like: What Can Be Done For Arthritis

Things To Consider Before Exercising With Knee Arthritis

It is always advisable to discuss a new exercise program with your physician. A doctor or physical therapist can help you choose a program that is safe, helps you gain strength, and wont increase inflammation and joint pain. If youve had knee surgery, get guidance from your doctor or physical therapist on what knee exercises are safe for you.

You May Like: Is Keto Good For Arthritis

Radiographic Findings Of Oa

• Joint space narrowing

• Advice on weight loss

• The first-line treatment for all patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis includes patient education and physiotherapy. A combination of supervised exercises and a home exercise program have been shown to have the best results. These benefits are lost after 6 months if the exercises are stopped.
• Weight loss is valuable in all stages of knee OA. It is indicated in patients with symptomatic OA with a body mass index greater than 25. The best recommendation to achieve weight loss is with diet control and low-impact aerobic exercise.
• Knee bracing in OA can be used. Offloading-type braces which shift the load away from the involved knee compartment. This can be effective when there is a valgus or varus deformity.

Other non-physiotherapy based interventions include pharmacological management:

Recommended Reading: Does Smoking Affect Rheumatoid Arthritis

Reducing The Strain On Your Knees

Apart from keeping an eye on your weight, there are a number of other ways you can reduce the strain on your knees.

• Pace your activities dont tackle all your physical jobs at once. Break the harder jobs up into chunks and do something gentler in between. Keep using your knee even if its slightly uncomfortable, but rest it before it becomes too painful.
• Wear shoes with thick soles and enough room for your toes. Wearing the right shoes can reduce the shock through your knees as you walk and prevent any changes to your feet.
• If you need extra support for your feet or knees when you walk, speak to your physiotherapist, occupational therapist or doctor about getting insoles made for your shoes.
• Use a walking stick if needed to reduce the weight and stress on a painful knee. An occupational therapist can advise on the correct length and the best way to use the stick.
• Use a handrail for support when going up or down stairs. Go upstairs one at a time with your good leg first.
• Think about making changes to your home, car or workplace to reduce unnecessary strain. An occupational therapist can advise you on special equipment that will make things you do every day easier.

Using a heat pack or something similar on a painful knee might help to relieve the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis. An ice pack can also help but be careful not to put ice or heat packs or hot water bottles directly on your skin wrap them with a tea towel or cover.

Top 11 Treatments That Actually Cause More Pain In Lower Back Arthritis

Lower back arthritis treatments often only provide short term back pain relief, while allowing the root problem to get worse over time. This often leads to worse back pain and more problems like disc herniations, lumbar stenosis, and other chronic degenerative back problems. Healthcare professionals are usually focused on treating back arthritis with things like medications, injections, procedures, and surgery.

Even most physical therapists who dont do surgery medications or injections are used to treating people that have had a back surgery and arent always up to date on what to do for somebody whos trying to avoid having a back surgery. My goal in this video is to help guide you through getting your back arthritis better.

But in this video, Im going to tell you the top 11 treatments that actually worsen low back arthritis over time, the first treatment thats very often done in physiotherapy clinics, is back extension exercises and stretches especially aggressive back extension, exercises and stretches.

Now, Im not saying that back extension altogether 100% is wrong, I think its okay to do it at times to improve mobility, especially if you cant move in that direction. But once you have full range of motion in leaning backwards, and you feel like its not painful anymore, its not causing any problems, then stretching and exercising in that direction is usually not the best thing to be doing.

Read Also: How To Control Rheumatoid Arthritis Through Diet

Risk Factors For Knee Arthritis

• Age. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative, wear and tear condition. The older you are, the more likely you are to have worn-down knee joint cartilage.
• Heredity. Slight joint defects or double-jointedness and genetic defects may contribute to osteoarthritis in the knee.
• Excess weight. Being overweight or obese puts additional stress on the knees over time.
• 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.
• Gender. Postmenopausal women are more likely to have osteoarthritis than men.
• Autoimmune triggers. While the cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains unknown, triggers of autoimmune diseases are still an area of active investigation.
• Developmental abnormalities. Deformities such as knock knee and bowleg place higher than normal stress on certain parts of the knee joint and can wear away cartilage in those areas.
• Other health conditions. People with diabetes, high cholesterol, hemochromatosis and vitamin D deficiency are more likely to have osteoarthritis.

Pain On Inside Of Knee No Swelling

NoSwelling on Inside Of My Ankle: If there is no swelling on the inside of my ankle, I am most likely only suffering from a minor injury such as a small cartilage tear or a grade 1 of the sprains. Running: Inner knee pain caused by a cartilage tear or Runners knee is usually caused by knee pain after running.

Malignant knee pain, which refers to knee pain located within the knee, is one of the conditions. Acute knee pain, usually caused by a strain or sprains, is an unpleasant sensation that lasts only a few minutes. Chronic knee injuries are common in the United States and are usually caused by repetitive strain injuries. A torn knee joint is caused by a torn knee joint and is distinguished by the semi-circular cartilage involved. Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of knee pain among young athletes. The sciatic nerve is compressed or pinched, resulting in pain that radiates down the leg. A variety of injuries or conditions elsewhere in the body can lead to discomfort on the inside of the knee.

Recommended Reading: Which Is Better For Arthritis Heat Or Ice

Special Devices And Footwear

Walking sticks can help to reduce the load on your knees and reduce pain when moving about. Other ways to improve symptoms of osteoarthritis include taping the joint, wearing braces, or using shoe insoles that improve your body alignment when standing and walking. Check with your physiotherapist for advice about using aids or supports.

What Is The Anatomy Of The Knee

The knee is the most strong & large joint in the body. It is made up of the lower end of the femur, the upper end of the tibia , & the patella . The ends of the three bones that form the knee joint are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth, slippery substance that protects & cushions the bones as you bend and straighten the knee.

2 wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage called meniscus act as shock absorbers between the thighbone & the shinbone. They are tough & rubbery to help cushion the joint & keep it stable.

The knee joint is surrounded by a thin lining known as the synovial membrane. This membrane releases a fluid that lubricates the cartilage & decreases friction.

Three bones get combined to make the knee joint. They include the

A smooth substance called cartilage covers the ends of every bone. Its a cushion between the bones that keeps them from rubbing each other. The synovial membrane is a type of tissue that surrounds the joint and lubricates the cartilage.

You May Like: Does Arthritis Cause Weight Loss

What Tests Are Done To Diagnose Post

After a physical exam, you might need at least one of a few imaging tests:

• X-rays: An X-ray will confirm show how damaged the bones in your joint are.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging : Your provider might use an MRI to get a complete picture of the damage to your joint and the area around it. This will show them your bones and the tissue around them.
• CT scan: If you need surgery, your provider or surgeon needs to know exactly how damaged your joint is. A CT scan will give them a more detailed picture of your bones and the surrounding tissue than an X-ray.

What Medications/treatments Are Used

Over-the-counter NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen can lead to bleeding and other complications after surgery. Your surgeon will talk to you about the medications you can take to reduce pain after your surgery.

Complications/side effects of the treatment

Side effects of NSAIDs include:

• Bowel complications.

Read Also: Can You Get Arthritis In Your Lungs

Symptoms Of Knee Arthritis

The most common symptoms of knee arthritis is pain. Joint pain is medically known as arthralgia. Arthritis pain can vary in nature, intensity and may be constant, only occur with movement or be periodic. Other symptoms that may also be present includes :

• Abnormal sounds from the joint with movement
• Redness of the skin over the joint
• Nodules in the joint

Dmards For Rheumatoid Arthritis

People with RA, an auto-immune disease, may need drugs that affect the whole system, and not only the knee joint.

A doctor may recommend one of a new class of drugs, known as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs .

These include:

Doctors can also use corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation in the knee joint. However, these usually offer only short-term pain relief, and long-term use can have adverse effects.

Don’t Miss: What Can Be Done For Arthritis In The Back

Coping With Low Mood And Sleep Problems

You might find that osteoarthritis of the knee makes you feel depressed or anxious. Speak to your doctor if youre feeling low as they may be able to recommend psychological therapies to help you, such as cognitive behavioural therapy and stress-relieving techniques.

If your sleep is disturbed because of osteoarthritis of the knee, this could make your pain feel worse. However, there are things you can do for yourself that might help, such as:

• Keep a sleep diary to work out if there are any patterns to your sleep problems
• Sleep at regular times to get your body into a routine
• Avoid phones and other screens in the bedroom to help you wind down before bed.

If youre still having problems, speak to your doctor or an occupational therapist who can give you other tips and techniques to try, known as sleep hygiene.

Is Surgery Used To Treat Knee Osteoarthritis

If your doctor wants to treat the osteoarthritis in the knee with surgery, the options are arthroscopy, osteotomy, and arthroplasty.

• Arthroscopy uses a small telescope and other small instruments. The surgery is performed through small incisions. The surgeon uses the arthroscope to see into the joint space. Once there, the surgeon can remove damaged cartilage or loose particles, clean the bone surface, and repair other types of tissue if those damages are discovered. The procedure is often used on younger patients in order to delay more serious surgery.
• An osteotomy is a procedure that aims to make the knee alignment better by changing the shape of the bones. This type of surgery may be recommended if you have damage primarily in one area of the knee. It might also be recommended if you have broken your knee and it has not healed well. An osteotomy is not permanent, and further surgery may be necessary later on.
• Joint replacement surgery, or arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure in which joints are replaced with artificial parts made from metals or plastic. The replacement could involve one side of the knee or the entire knee. Joint replacement surgery is usually reserved for people over age 50 with severe osteoarthritis. The surgery may need to be repeated later if the prosthetic joint wears out after several years. But with today’s modern advancements, most new joints will last over 20 years. The surgery has risks, but the results are generally very good.

Don’t Miss: How Long Do You Live With Rheumatoid Arthritis

What Are The Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis

The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

• joint pain and stiffness
• grating sensations when moving a joint
• less joint flexibility than before

You may only notice symptoms in your joints after doing an activity such as walking, climbing stairs or opening a jar. Some people have mild symptoms, while others may experience more severe, ongoing symptoms.

Can You Have Knee Osteoarthritis Without Symptoms

Yes!

In fact, research suggests that around 40-50% of people with knee osteoarthritis will have symptoms, while the other half wont. The percentage of symptomatic patients increases for people with a previous knee injury or a high BMI.

In a real-world scenario, this means that your X-rays or MRI might have shown damaged cartilage. But if you arent experiencing any of the symptoms, the only thing to do is manage any risk factors to delay its progression.

You May Like: Does Lidocaine Work For Arthritis

Joint Stiffness For Less Than 30 Minutes

This is a feeling of tightness on your knee that often limits your range of motion. Some people may have mild swelling as well.

For people with osteoarthritis of the knee, this stiffness tends to be present after periods of inactivity, like after sleeping. It goes away in half an hour or less, though.

However, if youve had +30 minutes of morning stiffness for a few days in a row, it might not be knee osteoarthritis. Please visit your doctor to find out whats going on.