Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is typically a slowly progressive degenerative disease in which the joint cartilage gradually wears away. It most often affects middle-aged and older people. It may also develop as a result of previous injury or previous knee fracture.

Symptoms of arthritis

Generally, the pain associated with knee OA develops gradually, although sudden onset pain is also possible. The joint may become stiff and swollen, making it difficult to walk, bend or straighten the knee. Knee pain may also be worse after activities such as stair climbing or kneeling. The pain may often cause a feeling of weakness in the knee, resulting in a "locking" sensation or giving way. Many people report that changes in the weather also affect the degree of pain from knee OA.

Establishing the diagnosis

Your surgeon will examine your walk, the range of movement in your knee and joint swelling or tenderness. X-rays typically show a loss of joint space in the affected knee.

Treatment options

In its early stages, arthritis of the knee is treated with non-operative means such as:

• Lifestyle modifications including trying to lose weight, minimising activities such as climbing stairs that aggravate the condition and keeping fit with exercises such as swimming or cycling.
• Exercises can help increase range of movement and may help strengthen knee muscles.
• Using aids such as a cane, wearing energy-absorbing shoes or inserts, or wearing a knee brace may occasionally be helpful.
• Other measures may include applications of heat or ice, or elastic bandages.
• Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can help reduce knee joint swelling.
• Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are oral supplements which may relieve the pain of osteoarthritis.
• Hyaluronate injections consists of a series of injections designed to change the character of the joint fluid.  

Surgical Options

If your arthritis does not respond to these non-operative treatments, you may need to have surgery.

• Arthroscopic surgery uses fibre optic technology to enable the surgeon to see inside the joint and clean it of debris or trim torn cartilage.
• A total or partial knee replacement replaces the arthritic knee joint with metal and plastic.
• Cartilage grafting or a technique known as 'microfracture' to stimulate the formation of new cartilage in the joint is possible for some knees with limited or contained cartilage loss from trauma or arthritis.