Special Cartilage In The Knee
Each knee has two moon-shaped sections of cartilage, each called a meniscus. The lateral meniscus is located in the outer knee near your hands when you are standing up with your arms at your sides and the medial meniscus is in the inner knee. When someone has a torn ACL in the knee, they are also likely to have a torn meniscus.
The more wear-and-tear and injury that is caused to this cartilage, the more likely you are to develop arthritis in the knee. This is because the menisci cannot fully perform their job as a cushion between the knee bones.
Do I Have Arthritis In My Knee
Dr. Ekaterina Urch, orthopedic surgeon and knee specialist, covers the symptoms, causes, and best treatment options for knee arthritis.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is the result of inflammation in one or more of your joints. This inflammation can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in various joints within the body and can even lead people to replacing their joints because the arthritis has interfered with their every-day activity level. This can be particularly true with arthritis felt in the knee, one of the more common areas where arthritis can occur. Depending on how bad the pain is, it can interfere with the activities people enjoy and can keep them from pursuing an active life.
What are the different types of arthritis?
Not all types of arthritis are created equal. In fact, there are more than 100 different forms of arthritis. However, the two more common types of arthritis include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, which is known as a degenerative wear-and-tear type of arthritis, is commonly found in the knee. It is rare for osteoarthritis to be found in younger people. It is more commonly found in people 50 years of age and older.
Why is osteoarthritis causing you so much pain?
Rheumatoid arthritis
Posttraumatic arthritis
Symptoms of knee arthritis:
Other symptoms of knee arthritis:
Nonsurgical treatment for knee arthritis:
Other nonsurgical options to help ease arthritis pain:
Men May Avoid Activity Because Of Their Knee Pain But Movement Is Exactly What They Need
It is perhaps the ultimate exercise catch-22: it’s hard to move with knee osteoarthritis, but moving helps relieve osteoarthritis knee pain.
More than 30 million Americans have osteoarthritis, the most common kind of arthritis. While osteoarthritis can affect the hips, lower back, neck, and fingers, it occurs most often in the knees. In fact, an estimated 10% of men ages 60 and older have symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
“The condition slowly wears away joint cartilage so the surfaces of the shin bone, thighbone, and kneecap rub together, which can lead to pain, swelling, and inflammation and make movement difficult,” says Dr. Adam Tenforde, sports medicine physician and an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School.
Osteoarthritis is more common as you age, but a family history of the disease or a previous injury can further increase your risk. Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, can temporarily soothe arthritis pain and inflammation. Steroid injections also may offer short-term relief. But an easier and safer way to manage symptoms is to simply get moving.
In knee osteoarthritis, cartilage wears down until the shin, thigh, and kneecap rub together, causing pain and inflammation.
Is It Better To Use Heat Or Ice On A Knee With Arthritis
Both heating and cooling can relieve certain types of knee pain from arthritis, but for different reasons. Warming a joint can help to relieve stiffness in the muscles, while cold can help to reduce inflammation and swelling related to arthritis. Warming up your knees can help to get you moving first thing in the morning, while a cold treatment might help provide relief after exercise or a long walk.
It Is Ok To Run With Arthritis In Your Knees
Yes, absolutely. Its a common misconception that running is bad for your knees. A recent study that followed participants with arthritis in their knees over a 4 year period found that running did not make their arthritis symptoms worse and it also didnt increase the signs of arthritis seen on x-ray. In fact, the participants in the study found that running helped their knee pain.
Another study that followed runners and non runners over an 18 year period also found that the runners did not show more signs of arthritis in their knees compared to the control group of non runners.
This does not mean that everyone with arthritis will be able to run. All of us are built differently and our bodies react to exercise and running in very different ways, but take a look at the 8 tips below before you hang up your running shoes.
How To Get Moving Every Day
In addition to physical therapy, its critical to incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine.
Joints are built to move, says Dr. Day. The evidence shows that people who are least active have more arthritis pain than people who do some form of exercise. Choose lower-impact activities, such as bicycling, swimming or exercising in a pool.
What Are Common Arthritis Treatments
There are many things that help reduce pain, relieve stiffness and keep you moving. Your care may involve more than one kind of treatment. Your doctor may recommend medications but there are many things you can do on your own to help manage pain and fatigue and move easier.
Finding the right treatment takes time. It can involve trial and error until you and your healthcare team or therapist find what works best. Be sure to let your doctor know if a treatment is not working. Your treatment may also change as your arthritis changes.
Treatments for arthritis can be divided into several categories: medication, exercise, heat/cold, pacing, joint protection, surgery and self-help skills. You can do things in each of these areas to help yourself feel better and move easier.
Supplements For Those With Mild Pain
For people with milder pain, Dr. Day suggests trying supplements, such as the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin or the spice turmeric.
The evidence for glucosamine and chondroitin is mixed, but they are safe. So it might be worth trying. However, people with a shellfish allergy may not be able to tolerate them. Any effect wont kick in right away. Dr. Day recommends trying it for six to eight weeks. If you notice improvement, great; if not, then stop it, she says.
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, and there is some evidence for its usefulness for painful knee arthritis. You can add turmeric to your food or take it as a supplement. It can thin blood, so people who take a blood thinning medication should not use turmeric.
Find Chronic Knee Pain Treatment Near You
Knee pain from arthritis may feel several different ways depending on what type of arthritis you have.
If you are experiencing knee pain that wont go away or continues to get worse and youre afraid it could be arthritis, you should see a doctor right away.
After an accurate diagnosis is made, they will discuss your treatment options.
Quick treatment can prevent short-term knee issues from becoming long-term, chronic pain.
No one should suffer from chronic knee pain, especially when the Ethos Health Group is here to help.
Ethos Health Group has developed a proprietary HyalRegen-CT method as a comprehensive solution for people experiencing symptoms of knee arthritis and pain.;
Lubricating injections can be performed under precision imaging guidance, so we know were targeting the right area precisely.;
This advanced medical process serves to add cushioning fluid back into the knee, like oil for a squeaky hinge.;
These FDA-cleared injections can help your knees stimulate more of their natural fluid, giving you long-term benefits and relief.;
This procedure is often combined with our regenerative injections that contain Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes.;
Most people with knee pain have heard of stem cell therapy, and they wonder if it could be an option to help them avoid surgery and get out of pain.;
If you would like to learn more about knee pain treatment at Ethos Health Group, click the button below to schedule your appointment.
Metabolic Health And Knee Arthritis
The burden of osteoarthritis has been increasing across the globe.; This is similar to the increase in chronic diseases such as dementia, high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes, and heart disease. All of the tissues in our body, including our cartilage, are sensitive to our dietary intake.; Metabolic issues are felt to have a causative role in the development of osteoarthritis and other chronic disease states.; The earlier in our life that we realize this, the better off we will be.;
This post goes into more detail about the effect of our diet on our joint health and overall health.; What might cause those genes in our DNA to become active? Good question It may be coded in your DNA. So if your parents have osteoarthritis your risk for getting it is higher. Like other chronic diseases you have heard me talk about, OA is similar in that it may be caused by poor metabolic health. It may also have been caused by an injury that occurred 20 years ago. One bleeding episode in the knee can initiate the process. Surgery can start an arthritic process too. Having a meniscus tear, and certainly having that tear removed compounds the problem. That adds a mechanical issue to the inflammatory biological issues- the perfect storm for OA and a good reason to avoid meniscus surgery if you can.
Talk With Others Who Understand
On myRAteam, youll meet other people living with rheumatoid arthritis. More than 142,000 myRAteam members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with RA.
Have you been diagnosed with RA of the knee? Have you found effective ways to treat this condition? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.
Your Knees Creak Or Grind
You go to do a down dog in yoga and your knee creaks so loudly that the person on the next mat can hear it. Awkwardand painful. Grinding sounds may be the result of exposed bones rubbing against each other; popping sounds are more likely caused by fluid moving around in the joint, says Alexis Colvin, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at The Mount Sinai Hospital. If youre familiar with those sounds but dont have any pain or other signs of arthritis, you should still listen up and take these easy steps to protect your knee joints, because having noisy knee joints might be a major predictor of arthritis down the road, according to researchers from Baylor College of Medicine.
Arthritis In The Knee: Smart Facts You Should Know
With advanced age, come some of the most common lifestyle diseases. These diseases are often due to lack of proper exercises, low body immunity, and sometimes lack of proper diet. Nonetheless, the diseases that come in advanced age are usually because the body is no longer functioning as it used to. Some of these diseases include, back pains, cardio health complications, and arthritis among others. However, the most rampant one is the arthritis in the knee.
In this post, I want to focus on arthritis. I will talk about types, symptoms, causes, and treatments of knee arthritis. My aim is to ensure that as a reader, you get the clearest picture on arthritis and how to manage it.
Its Not Surprising That You Can Feel Arthritis In Your Feet: The Disease Predominantly Affects Your Joints And Your Foot Contains More Than 30 Of Them
If you live with arthritis, chances are you feel the painful effects in your feet. Feet are tremendously affected by arthritis, says Vinicius Domingues, MD, a rheumatologist in Daytona Beach, Florida, and medical advisor for CreakyJoints.
Indeed, osteoarthritis , the most common type of arthritis, affects the feet of one in six people over the age of 50. With rheumatoid arthritis , the most common type of inflammatory autoimmune arthritis, more than 90 percent of patients develop symptoms in the foot and ankle over the course of the disease. In about 20 percent of RA cases, foot and ankle symptoms are even among the first signs of the disease.
Its not surprising that you can feel arthritis in your feet: The disease predominantly affects your joints, and your foot contains more than 30 joints.
Location In The Hands
The hands are a common site for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but the conditions tend to target different joints within the hands. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis look a little different, says Dr. Shadick. In the hands, for instance, RA tends to affect the knuckles, whereas OA tends to affect the end joints.
Who Gets Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. While it can occur even in young people, the chance of developing osteoarthritis rises after age 45. According to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 27 million people in the U.S. have osteoarthritis, with the knee being one of the most commonly affected areas. Women are more likely to have osteoarthritis than men.
What Does The Procedure Involve
You can usually receive a knee injection in your doctors office. The procedure only takes a few minutes.
Youll be seated during the procedure, and your doctor will position your knee. They may use ultrasound to help guide the needle to the best location.
Your doctor will:
- clean the skin on your knee and treat it with a local anesthetic
- insert the needle into your joint, which might cause some discomfort
- inject the medication into your joint
Though you may feel some discomfort, the procedure is rarely painful if your doctor has experience administering this type of injection.
In some cases, your healthcare provider may remove a small amount of joint fluid to reduce pressure.
Theyll insert a needle attached to a syringe into the knee joint. Then, theyll draw out the fluid into the syringe and remove the needle.
After removing the fluid, the doctor can use the same puncture site to inject the medication into the joint.
Finally, theyll place a small dressing over the injection site.
The Pain Gets Worse Over Time
Unlike immediate knee soreness you might get if you injure the joint, arthritis pain typically comes on gradually, says Dr. Colvin. At first, you might only feel it first thing in the morning, or after you get up from sitting at your desk for a few hours. Over time, the ache may become more frequent. You might notice it when youre climbing stairs or if you kneel for too long. Some people even find the pain wakes them up at night, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
How Do You Know If You Have Arthritis
The best way to know if you have arthritis is to go for a medical check-up. You can ask your doctor to carry out some examinations that will determine that. However, if you have a busy schedule, you can always focus more on the symptoms that we have highlighted here. Some of the most common ones include:
- Pain around the knee
- Lack of full-range in motion
You can always keep a keen eye on the loss of appetite too.
Things That Reduce Knee Pain From Arthritis
How Can You Get Rid Of Arthritis In The Knee By Doing This:
- cold compresses after any intense activity, helps to reduce inflammation,
Thus they usually works as an instant knee pain reliever.
- Applying hot compresses or a hot shower, can also sooth the pain as it relax the muscles of the body.
- Avoid any type of exhausting or intense activities.
- Maintaining a healthy weight to avoid overloading on the knee joint.
Can You Get Rid Of Arthritis In The Knee With Surgeries
- If none of the previous treatment has helped to make you feel better, your doctor might suggest a surgery .
- There are 3 common types of knee surgeries to treat knee arthritis
Pseudogout: Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition
Pseudogout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that results from the buildup of calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joints of the body. While less common than gout, pseudogout is more likely to affect the knee.
Like gout, pseudogout is caused by a build-up of microscopic crystals in a joint and can lead to sudden, severe knee pain, swelling, warmth, and redness. Pseudogout is less common than gout but more likely to affect the knee joint.
The microscopic crystals that cause pseudogout are called calcium pyrophosphate crystals. Doctors often refer to pseudogout as calcium pyrophosphate deposition .
Reactive arthritis can result in inflammatory joint pain, most commonly in the knee, fingers, or low back. Other possible symptoms include problems involving the urinary tract, eyes, and skin.
Reactive arthritis commonly affects the knee, though it can affect any joint. Arthritis inflammation can make a knee achy, swollen, and/or red.
See Reactive Arthritis Symptoms
Reactive arthritis develops as a reaction to an infection, such as a stomach bug or a sexually transmitted disease . Days, weeks, or even months after the infection has resolved, a person may develop pain in one or more joints, inflamed eyes, and/or other symptoms.
How Does Arthritis Feel
Arthritis usually causes stiffness pain and fatigue. The severity varies from person to person and even from day to day. In some people only a few joints are affected and the impact may be small. In other people the entire body system may be affected.
The joints of the body are the site of much of the action in arthritis. Many types of arthritis show signs of joint inflammation: swelling, stiffness, tenderness, redness or warmth. These joint symptoms may be accompanied by weight loss, fever or weakness.
When these symptoms last for more than two weeks, inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis may be the cause. Joint inflammation may also be caused by infection which can lead to septic arthritis. Degenerative joint disease is the most common type of arthritis; joint inflammation is not a prominent feature of this condition. While normal joints can support a vast amount of use, mechanical abnormalities of a joint make it susceptible to degeneration.
It is healthy for you to keep active and move your joints. If you do not move a joint regularly, the muscles around it weaken and/or become tight. The joint can stiffen or even freeze. When you do try to move the joint and muscles hurt because they have been still for so long.
Arthritis can make it hard to do the movements you rely on every day for work or taking care of your family.