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.
What Happens After Knee Arthroscopy
Most knee arthroscopies are outpatient procedures, meaning you go home the same day. They usually take about an hour. Sometimes, knee arthroscopy requires a hospital stay .
When youre ready to go home, youll need someone to drive you. After surgery, youll feel some pain. While recovering the first few days after your procedure, you should:
- Stay off of your feet: Avoid putting weight on your knee for a few days. You may need crutches or a walker to help you get around.
- Elevate your knee: To reduce swelling and relieve pain, rest with your leg elevated. Try to keep your knee above your heart.
- Take pain medication: Your healthcare provider may recommend over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or prescription pain medication. Be sure to follow your healthcare providers instructions when taking pain medication. You may also need drugs to reduce swelling or prevent blood clots.
- Keep your incisions covered. Make sure the bandage stays on your knee, and keep the area clean. Ask your healthcare provider when you can remove the dressing, take a shower or bathe after your procedure.
After youve had time to heal from the procedure, your healthcare provider may recommend physical therapy . A customized PT program can help you gain strength and mobility. Your physical therapist will show you special exercises to increase flexibility, strengthen the muscles that support your knee and avoid another injury.
Before And After Exercise
If you can, put a moist-heat pack on your arthritic knee for 20 minutes before you start exercising. Heat is soothing and it also brings the blood to the surface, decreases stiffness, and sometime relieves pain.
If you take pain medications, try taking them about 45 minutes before you exercise for increased pain control during your workout.
After exercising, put an ice pack on the sore knee for 10 to 15 minutes. This will help to bring down any swelling caused by exercise. It will also help to soothe and relieve pain.
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What Is Knee Arthroscopy
Healthcare providers use knee arthroscopy to diagnose and treat a wide range of knee injuries. During arthroscopic knee surgery, your healthcare provider inserts a tiny camera through an incision. The camera shows the inside of your knee. The images appear on a screen in the operating room. They help your healthcare provider diagnose problems inside of your knee.
Knee arthroscopy is a very common minimally invasive surgical procedure. Minimally invasive procedures require smaller incisions than traditional surgery. The incisions are about the size of a keyhole.
To treat injuries or structural problems, your healthcare provider inserts tiny tools through another incision. They use the tools to repair or remove damaged tissue.
How Is Osteoarthritis Diagnosed
There is no specific test for osteoarthritis. Your doctor will confirm or rule out osteoarthritis based on your symptoms and a physical examination. Some signs they may look for are:
- swelling around the joints in your body
- damage to joint cartilage cartilage is the smooth, cushion-like surface that covers the ends of your bones to allow them to move smoothly
- spurs extra bone growing around the edge of a joint
- weakness in the ligaments and tendons the connective tissue that holds your joints together or attaches muscles to bones
Your doctor may refer you for an x-ray to look for narrowing and changes in the shape of your joints. A blood test may help to rule out other types of arthritis .
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What Does Knee Pain Caused By Arthritis Feel Like
With the immense amount of pressure and strain put on our knees day after day and year after year, it is not surprising that knee pain is such a widespread complaint in men and women of all ages in Atlanta, GA. While there are certainly some more serious causes of knee pain, in a large number of people, knee pain is temporary and, relatively, harmless. However, if you think the pain in your knees may be caused by arthritis, here are a few telltale signs and symptoms to watch for:
What You Need To Know
- Knee arthritis occurs when the cushioning cartilage in the joint wears down, making the knee stiff and painful with certain movements.
- Osteoarthritis gradual, age-related degeneration of cartilage is the most common form of arthritis in the knee, but trauma and autoimmune conditions can also lead to cartilage damage.
- The cartilage damage associated with arthritis is irreversible, but there are nonsurgical and surgical treatments that can help reduce pain, increase joint flexibility and improve overall quality of life for people with knee arthritis.
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What To Expect After Prp Or Stem Cell Injections
Doctors recommend avoiding anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for four to six weeks after a therapeutic injection with stem cells or platelet-rich plasma while the injury heals. This is because injections of biologic material stimulate the bodys inflammatory response, an important part of healing. If the injection site is sore or swollen in the days after treatment, doctors recommend taking over-the-counter acetaminophen and applying an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time three times a day.
You should also avoid strenuous activities using the knee for four weeks after an injection to give the injured tissue time to heal. Your doctor may provide you with a boot to keep your foot and leg immobile. All weight should be kept off of the knee for two days, and your doctor can provide you with crutches to help you move around without putting weight on the joint. The boot should be worn for two to three weeks.
Your doctor schedules a follow-up appointment after three or four weeks to evaluate the healing process. He or she may recommend an additional platelet-rich plasma or stem cell injection depending on the extent of the injury.
What Symptoms Look And Feel Like And What To Do If You Cant Shake The Ache
by Michelle Crouch, AARP, February 18, 2020| 0
En español | Its not unusual to experience pain in your joints on occasion, especially if youre active and participate in high-impact activities such as running. That unwanted ouch can be caused by injured muscles, tendons and ligaments around the joint, by tendonitis or by a sprain or a strain.
But if you start experiencing aching, pain and stiffness on a routine basis and particularly if the pain is right at the joint you may be developing arthritis, says rheumatologist Uzma Haque, codirector of clinical operations at the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center in Baltimore.
The cardinal feature of arthritis is a swollen joint, Haque says. However, pain, discomfort and stiffness can be early signs.
Haque recommends paying attention to what triggers your symptoms: If you walk a block and consistently have aching in your right knee, but it improves when you sit down, thats when you should think, Do I need a medical evaluation?
And yes, you might need to book that appointment even if youre well under 50. Arthritis doesnt only affect older people. Although your risk increases as you age, more than half of arthritis patients are younger than 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Its a leading cause of disability in the U.S., affecting around 54 million people.
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If Surgery Is Required
The meniscus may be involved in some cases of knee OA. In the past, surgery to repair or remove parts or all of this cartilage was common. Current research, however, has shown that â in a group of patients who were deemed surgical candidates for knee OA with involvement of the meniscus â 60% to 70% of those who first participated in a physical therapy program did not go on to have surgery. One year later, those results were unchanged. This study suggests that physical therapy may be an effective alternative for people with knee OA, who would prefer to avoid surgery.
Sometimes, however, surgical intervention, such as arthroscopy or a total knee replacement, may be recommended. There are many factors to consider when determining the appropriate surgical treatment, including the nature of your condition, your age, activity level, and overall health. Your physical therapist will refer you to an orthopedic surgeon to discuss your surgical options.
Should you choose to have surgery, your physical therapist can assist you prior to and following your surgery. The treatment you require following surgery will depend on a variety of factors such as the type of surgery performed, your level of function, and fitness prior to surgery. Contrary to popular belief, surgery is not the easy choice you will still require treatment following your surgery to maximize your level of function.
How Is Osteoarthritis Managed
There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but most people with osteoarthritis can manage their symptoms, continue with daily activities and live healthy and enjoyable lives. Be careful of any products or treatments that claim to cure osteoarthritis completely your doctor will help to find the right treatment for you.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has developed a guide to help you discuss the main treatment options for osteoarthritis of the knee with your doctor.
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Risk Factors For Knee Pain
Anyone with knees can have knee pain, but there are some risk factors that increase your chances. Carrying extra weight is a primary risk factor, as is having a job that places lots of stress on the knees. Professional athletes and enthusiastic amateurs alike are all at risk of knee pain due to wear-and-tear and injury also.
Other risk factors include:
- Lack of flexibility or strength in supporting muscles
How To Stop The Progression Of Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Now that you know all about osteoarthritis of the knee and cycling exercises, it is also interesting to know how to stop the progression of this degenerative disease. For this reason, here are some very useful tips to prevent the deterioration of the joints. Take note:
1.Good nutrition
One of the pillars to prevent or stop the progression of osteoarthritis is to follow a healthy diet. For example, some essential nutrients are Omega-3, Cy A vitamins and collagen. How can you get them? Through fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, dairy products⦠and also with meat bone broths since they release their collagen.
2. Infusions
Some herbs have a great anti-inflammatory power, as well as antioxidant, so they can favor the state of your knee and prevent the deterioration of osteoarthritis. Some of the best infusions are the following:
3. Adequate weight
Having an adequate weight is essential to avoid worsening the condition of osteoarthritis of the knee, as it has been proven that overweight damages the joints and hinders movement.
3. Exercise
Another essential part of taking care of the joints and preventing osteoarthritis stiffness is to exercise, but taking precautions to avoid worsening the injury. As mentioned above, some sports such as swimming, cycling, yoga, or simply walking can improve the condition of your cartilage.
4. Footwear
5. Take collagen supplements
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What To Expect After Corticosteroid Or Hyaluronic Acid Injections
Most people can return home or to work immediately after the injection takes place. The site of the injection may be swollen or tender for one or two days. Doctors may recommend applying ice two or three times a day or taking an over-the-counter medication to relieve pain and reduce swelling.
It may take several weeks to see improvement after a hyaluronic acid injection. Our doctors recommend restricting high-impact activity, such as running, until symptoms improve.
A person may feel the pain relief effects of corticosteroid injections more quickly than hyaluronic acid, but the results may not last as long. However, each person may respond differently to either of these injections.
What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider About Arthritis Of The Knee
It might be helpful to arrive at your healthcare providers office with a list of questions you want or need to be answered. Consider:
- Do I have arthritis in one knee or both?
- What type of arthritis do I have?
- Whats a possible cause of my arthritis?
- What treatments do you recommend?
- What medications should I take?
- Do I need physical therapy?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Knee arthritis can affect people of all ages. Its painful, impairs movement and causes swelling of the joint. Some people are so disabled by it that they cant work anymore. Others can only work after surgery. Meanwhile, for others, the pain isnt necessarily as bad, but it still prevents them from regular activities like cleaning, gardening and running after their kids.
Arthritis of the knee can decrease your quality of life. The good news is that treatments can lessen the severity of your symptoms. The pain and swelling might not be as bad. See your healthcare provider for evaluation and treatment if you have symptoms.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 10/18/2021.
References
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What About Glucosamine And Chondroitin
Glucosamine and chondroitin are components of healthy cartilage. Both are produced naturally in the body. They are also available in supplement form.
Researchers have long studied the effects of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements on arthritis. Many studies have found mixed resultssome have shown pain relief and function improvements compared to a placebo, while others showed no benefit from using these supplements.
Because of the lack of confirmatory evidence on the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, the 2019 ACR/Arthritis guidelines recommend that people with knee OA not use these supplements.
There has been little or no research on the effects of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements in people with knee arthritis related to RA.
Most supplements are generally safe to use. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether it is safe for you to start a supplement with your current knee arthritis treatment plan.
While supplements have few severe side effects attached to them, it is still possible to experience these. Supplements can also interact with prescription drugs, can make other treatments less effective, and affect other health conditions you may have.
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.
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Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation uses a machine that sends electrical impulses through sticky patches, called electrodes, attached to the skin. This may help ease the pain caused by your osteoarthritis by numbing the nerve endings in your spinal cord which control pain.
Treatment with TENS is usually arranged by a physiotherapist or doctor, who can advise you on the strength of the pulses and how long your treatment should last.
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Physical Therapy Guide To Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Read Time:
Osteoarthritis of the knee is the inflammation and wearing away of the cartilage on the bones that form the knee joint . The diagnosis of knee OA is based on 2 primary findings: radiographic evidence of changes in bone health , and an individual’s symptoms . Approximately 14 million people in the United States have symptomatic knee OA. Although more common in older adults, 2 million of the 14 million people with symptomatic knee OA were younger than 45 when diagnosed, and more than half were younger than 65. Physical therapists treat knee OA to reduce pain and improve range of motion.
Physical therapists are movement experts. They improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. You can contact a physical therapist directly for an evaluation. To find a physical therapist in your area, visit Find a PT.
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