What is arthritis? Arthritis simply means loss of cartilage within a joint.
Cartilage is the joint's cushion. It covers the ends of bones and allows
free movement. If it becomes rough, frays, or wears away, bones grind
against each other. As a result, the joint becomes irritated, inflamed,
stiff and swollen. Sometimes the irritation causes abnormal bone growths,
called spurs, which increase swelling. Most partial knee replacements
are done on the inside of the knee or the medial compartment. A small
minority of patients have arthritis isolated to the outside of the knee
or the lateral compartment.
What is Knee Arthritis?
Arthritis simply means loss of cartilage within a joint. Cartilage is the
joint's cushion. It covers the ends of bones and allows free movement.
If it becomes rough, frays, or wears away, bones grind against each other.
As a result, the joint becomes irritated, inflamed, stiff and swollen.
Sometimes the irritation causes abnormal bone growths, called spurs, which
increase swelling.
Most partial knee replacements are done on the inside of the knee or the
medial compartment. A small minority of patients have arthritis isolated
to the outside of the knee or the lateral compartment.
The following two types of arthritis can be treated with a partial knee
replacement:
Osteoarthritis, or degenerative arthritis, is the most common type of arthritis. The
exact cause of osteoarthritis is not known, but excessive wear on joints
is known to be an important factor. Obesity, bad posture, old injuries,
and overuse can all cause extra wear on joints. Heredity also appears
to play a role.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks multiple joints throughout
the body, including the knee joint. It usually affects the both knee joints.
The synovial membrane that covers the knee joint begins to swell resulting
in knee pain and stiffness.
Post-traumatic arthritis can follow a serious trauma or fracture injury involving the knee joint.
When a prior trauma, such as a fall or car accident may cause damage to
the cartilage over time, causing knee pain and limiting range of motion
and function of the knee.
Symptoms of Knee Arthritis
A knee joint affected by arthritis may be painful and inflamed. Typically,
the knee pain caused by arthritis is gradual over time which eventually
leads to a loss of motion and function. Below is a list of the most common
symptoms associated with knee arthritis:
Gradual increase in knee pain
Swelling or tenderness of the knee joint
Buckling or locking of the knee
Cracking or popping of the knee
Poor range of motion
Loss of joint space
Deformities of the knee
Knee Arthritis Treatments
While there is no cure for knee arthritis, there are several treatments
that can help relieve the pain associated to it and restore motion and
function of the knee joint.
Nonsurgical Treatments
Lifestyle modifications can slow the progression of knee arthritis and
protect your knee joint from further damage. These adjustments include
the following:
Modifications to your diet to help lose weight can help reduce the amount
of stress put on the knee joint, resulting in less knee pain and improved function.
Minimize activities that aggravate your knee, such as climbing stairs.
Avoiding high-impact sports like tennis or jogging and switching to low-impact
sports like swimming or cycling which put less stress on your knee.
Other nonsurgical treatments for knee arthritis include:
Physical therapy
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs – ibuprofen or naproxen)
Injections
Image-guided steroid injections
Corticosteroids or cortisone shots
Biologic treatments
Hydraulic Acid / Viscosupplementation Injection ¹
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections ²
¹
Check with your insurance provider prior to treatment as some insurance
companies have deemed Viscosupplementation as not being a “medically
necessary” procedure. ²
PRP Injections are not yet approved by the FDA and therefore are considered
an experimental medical procedure and are not covered by insurance.
Surgical Treatments
Your knee surgeon at Newport Orthopedic Institute will recommend knee surgery
if conservative treatment options have been exhausted and you still have
persistent knee pain or if your range of motion issues are preventing
you from being able to perform daily activities.
Partial Knee Replacement is a surgical option for patients with arthritis in one part of the knee.
It involves removal of the damaged cartilage and bone, and then inserting
new metal or plastic implants to restore the function of your knee.
Total knee replacement, also referred to as total knee arthroplasty (TKA), is a minimally invasive
procedure where the damaged cartilage or arthritic bone surfaces are removed
and replaced with an artificial joint (prosthesis) to restore the knee
joint function and relieve knee pain.
Get Relief from Knee Pain Today!
Schedule an appointment with a Newport Orthopedic Institute Knee Surgeon
in Orange County by calling
(949) 722-7038.
*Please note that all physicians are listed in random order and search results are refreshed every hour to comply with Stark Law.
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