Knee Arthritis

Contents:

1. What Is Knee Arthritis?
2. Symptoms and Causes of Knee Arthritis
3. How Is Knee Arthritis Diagnosed?
4. Management and Treatment of Knee Arthritis
5. How Can I Reduce the Risk of Developing Knee Arthritis?
6. Outlook/Prognosis
7. Conclusion

Knee arthritis is a serious, painful condition that worsens with age. The most common type is osteoarthritis, which can occur in one or both knees. The primary symptoms include pain, swelling, and stiffness in the knee joint. Fortunately, there are many treatment options that can help alleviate these symptoms.

What Is Knee Arthritis?

Arthritis is a condition that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. It can affect the largest and strongest joints in your body, including the knees. Knee arthritis can be a severe, debilitating condition.

Although there is no cure for knee arthritis, there are steps you can take to relieve your symptoms and potentially slow the progression of the disease.

What Is the Knee Joint?

The knee joint is formed by three bones that come together:

• Femur (thigh bone)
• Tibia (shinbone)
• Patella (kneecap)

The ends of each bone are covered with a smooth material called cartilage. This cartilage acts as a cushion between the bones, preventing them from rubbing against each other. The synovial membrane, a type of tissue that surrounds the joint, lubricates the cartilage.

Knee arthritis causes pain and swelling in the joint.

What Are the Types of Knee Arthritis?

There are about 100 types of arthritis. The most common types that can affect your knees include:

• Osteoarthritis: The most common type of arthritis. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage, the cushioning layer between the three bones of the knee joint, wears down. Without this protection, the bones rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Bone spurs may also develop. Osteoarthritis worsens over time.
• Post-Traumatic Arthritis: A type of osteoarthritis that occurs when cartilage begins to wear down after a knee injury (such as from a car accident or contact sport). The bones rub against each other, leading to symptoms similar to osteoarthritis: pain, stiffness, and limited movement. Symptoms may not appear until years after the injury.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: An autoimmune disease. A healthy immune system causes inflammation when protecting you from infection, injury, toxins, or other foreign invaders. In rheumatoid arthritis, an unhealthy immune system causes inflammation in the joints, even when there's no foreign invader. The inflammation causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in the synovial membrane, which can also wear down your cartilage.

Who Is Affected by Knee Arthritis?

People of all ages can develop arthritis, including knee arthritis. If you’re 50 years or older, your risk of developing knee arthritis is higher. Women are more likely than men to develop knee arthritis.

How Common Is Knee Arthritis?

More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have arthritis. The exact number of people with knee arthritis is unclear.

What Are the Stages of Knee Arthritis?

There are five stages of osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis affecting the knees:

• Stage 0 (Normal): Your knees are healthy, with no knee arthritis.
• Stage 1 (Minor): There is some wear and tear in the knee joint, but you may not feel pain.
• Stage 2 (Mild): You may start to feel pain and stiffness, but there’s still enough cartilage to prevent the bones from touching.
• Stage 3 (Moderate): You’ll feel more pain, especially when running, walking, squatting, or kneeling. You might notice it after long periods of rest, like first thing in the morning. You likely have significant pain because the cartilage has thinned, and there are many bone spurs.
• Stage 4 (Severe): Severe osteoarthritis means there’s almost no cartilage left. Your knee is stiff, painful, and likely immobile. You may need surgery.

Symptoms and Causes of Knee Arthritis

What Causes Knee Osteoarthritis?

Experts have identified certain genes that may cause arthritis, including knee osteoarthritis. They believe there are more genes yet to be discovered. You could have a gene associated with arthritis without knowing it, and knee arthritis could be triggered by a virus or injury.

While the exact cause is unknown, some risk factors increase the likelihood of developing knee arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis:

• Age: Osteoarthritis is more common in older adults than in younger adults and children.
• Bone Anomalies: If your bones or joints are naturally misshapen, you’re at higher risk for osteoarthritis.
• Gout: Gout, another type of inflammatory arthritis, can lead to osteoarthritis.
• Injuries: Knee injuries can cause knee arthritis.
• Stress: Heavy knee use from running, sports, or active work can lead to knee osteoarthritis.
• Weight: Excess weight puts more pressure on your knees.

What Are the Symptoms and Signs of Knee Osteoarthritis?

Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis include:

• Popping, clicking, grinding, or cracking (crepitus)
• Difficulty walking
• Joint pain that changes with the weather
• Joint stiffness
• Knee buckling
• Gradual or sudden knee joint pain
• Skin redness
• Swelling
• Locking or catching of the knee during movement
• Warm skin

Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms of knee arthritis. Some treatments can reduce the severity of your symptoms or even stop the progression. If you have symptoms of knee arthritis, see your healthcare provider.

Does Knee Arthritis Cause Swelling?

Swelling is one of the symptoms of knee arthritis, making your knee appear larger.

How Is Knee Arthritis Diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will likely order an X-ray of your knee to check for arthritis. X-rays can reveal:

• The type of arthritis
• Any changes in your bones
• Bone spurs
• How narrow the space between the bones is (less cartilage means less space and more pain)

Sometimes, healthcare providers order an MRI or CT scan.

What Questions Might a Healthcare Provider Ask to Diagnose Knee Arthritis?

Your healthcare provider will listen to you describe your symptoms. Some questions may include:

• Does anyone in your family have knee arthritis?
• Does your knee swell?
• Is your skin often red?
• Is your skin often warm?
• Do you have symptoms in one or both knees?
• How long have you had these symptoms?
• What medications are you taking?
• How severe is your pain?
• Do you have difficulty walking?
• Do your symptoms interfere with daily activities?

Management and Treatment of Knee Arthritis

Is Knee Arthritis Permanent?

Knee arthritis will likely always affect you. However, some treatments can help reduce the severity of your symptoms and may prevent the condition from worsening.

How Is Knee Arthritis Treated?

Healthcare providers can’t cure knee arthritis, but they have several tips that might reduce the severity of your symptoms and possibly stop arthritis from worsening, including:

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise using low-impact activities (swimming, cycling) instead of high-impact ones (running, tennis). Aim for about 150 minutes of exercise a week.
• Wear shock-absorbing shoe inserts.
• Apply heat or ice to the area.
• Wear a knee sleeve or brace.
• Physical therapy exercises to improve flexibility, strength, and movement.
• Use a cane.
• Try acupuncture.
• Consider platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

Ask your healthcare provider if you can try over-the-counter medications and supplements for knee arthritis.

Non-surgical options don’t always work for everyone with knee arthritis. You may need to undergo surgery, including:

• Arthroplasty
• Arthroscopy
• Osteotomy

Most people with stage 4 arthritis require surgery.

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Knee Arthritis?

Complete recovery from knee arthritis is not possible. However, you may experience less pain, swelling, and stiffness through medications, physical therapy, and other treatments.

How Can I Reduce the Risk of Developing Knee Arthritis?

Most known causes of knee arthritis are unavoidable, including:

• Genes
• Bone anomalies
• Aging
• Injuries

Try to maintain a healthy weight and avoid activities that heavily strain your knees. If you have symptoms of knee arthritis, seek treatment.

Outlook/Prognosis

Is There a Cure for Knee Arthritis?

There is no cure for knee arthritis. It’s a lifelong condition. The good news is that treatment can relieve some symptoms. Treatment may even slow or stop the progression of the disease.

Can Knee Arthritis Get Worse?

Knee arthritis can worsen over time and with joint stress. Try treatments like medications and physical therapy to alleviate symptoms and possibly slow disease progression.

Conclusion

Knee arthritis can affect people of all ages. It causes pain, limits movement, and leads to joint swelling. Some people are so affected that they can no longer work, while others may be able to work only after surgery. For some, the pain may not be as severe, but it still hinders daily activities like cleaning, gardening, and running after children.

Knee arthritis can reduce your quality of life. The good news is that treatment can reduce the severity of your symptoms. Pain and swelling may no longer be as intense. If you have symptoms, visit your healthcare provider for an evaluation and treatment.