Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common type of arthritis that mainly affects the hands, hips, and knees. It occurs when the cartilage inside the joint begins to break down, and the underlying bone is affected. This condition develops slowly over time and can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling.
Causes
Multiple factors can lead to the development of an OA knee, including
Age
Genetics
Body weight
Sex
Race
Previous trauma
Smoking
Professional sports training
Does knee pain always indicate osteoarthritis?
It is essential to understand that not all knee pain is caused by osteoarthritis. Other conditions, such as ITB syndrome, meniscus injury, and PFPS, may also cause knee pain.
However, the most common characteristics of OA knee include
Pain
Swelling
Grinding
Popping sound
Reduced range of motion
Muscle weakness
Change in gait
Deformity formation
The American College of Rheumatology has established specific criteria for diagnosing knee OA, which includes pain in the knee and at least three of the following: age >50 years, stiffness <30 min, crepitus, bony tenderness, bony enlargement, and no palpable warmth.
Medical and Surgical Management
Corticosteroid injection, Hyaluronic Acid (HA), and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) are the most common types of intra-articular injections, however, they provide only short-term relief.
Surgical treatments for knee OA, such as arthroscopy, osteotomy, and knee arthroplasty, should only be considered after conservative treatment has failed. The surgical indication and treatment choice depends on the symptoms, the stage of the OA, and patient-related factors like age, physical activity level, and comorbidities.
Physiotherapy Management
The first-line approach for treating knee osteoarthritis is patient education, physical exercise, and weight maintenance. This slow and safe process can provide long-term benefits. The therapist may suggest tailor-made exercise programs for individual needs, including isometric exercises, active range of motion exercises, isokinetic exercises, and stretching exercises. To relieve pain, they may also suggest different modalities such as TENS, ultrasound, hydrotherapy, and cryotherapy to relieve pain.
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