KNEE PAIN

Arthritis of the knee, most commonly Osteoarthritis, is also called wear-and-tear arthritis or degenerative joint disease. Knee pain from osteoarthritis is characterized by progressive wearing away of the cartilage of the joint. As the protective cartilage is worn away by knee arthritis, bare bone is exposed within the joint causing pain, restricted motion, and possibly clicking in the knee.

Who develops knee arthritis?

Knee arthritis typically affects patients over 50 years of age. It is more common in patients who are overweight, and weight loss tends to reduce the symptoms associated with knee arthritis. There is also a genetic predisposition to this condition, meaning knee arthritis tends to run in families. Other factors that can contribute to developing knee arthritis include trauma to the knee, meniscus tears or ligament damage, and fractures to the bone around the joint. Some of the risk factors that can cause arthritis include and can cause an increase in knee pain:

Genetics

Exactly how much heredity or genetics contributes to the cause of arthritis is not well understood. However, there are likely genetic variations that can contribute to the cause of arthritis.

Age

Cartilage becomes more brittle with age and has less of a capacity to repair itself. As people grow older they are more likely to develop arthritis.

Weight

Because joint damage is partly dependent on the load the joint has to support, excess body weight can lead to arthritis. This is especially true of the hips and knees that can be worn quickly in heavier patients.

Previous Injury

Joint damage can cause irregularities in the normal smooth joint surface. Previous major injuries can be part of the cause of arthritis.

Occupational Hazards

Workers in some specific occupations seem to have a higher risk of developing arthritis than other jobs. These are primarily high demand jobs such as assembly line workers and heavy construction.

Some High-Level Sports

It is difficult to determine how much sports participation contributes to development of arthritis. Certainly, sports participation can lead to joint injury and subsequent arthritis. However, the benefits of activity likely outweigh any risk of arthritis.

Illness or Infection

People who experience a joint infection (septic joint), multiple episodes of gout, or other medical conditions, can develop arthritis of the joint.

Symptoms of Knee Arthritis?

Knee arthritis symptoms tend to progress as the condition worsens. What is interesting about knee arthritis is that symptoms do not always progress steadily with time. Often patients report good months and bad months, or symptoms that fluctuate with the weather. This is important to understand because comparing the symptoms of arthritis on one particular day may not accurately represent the overall progression of the condition.

To accurately diagnose your arthritis and knee pain, the physicians specializing in knee pain treatment will do a detailed examination and any tests necessary to give you an accurate diagnosis.

The most common symptoms of knee arthritis are:

• Pain with activities
• Limited range of motion
• Stiffness of the knee
• Swelling of the joint
• Tenderness along the joint
• A feeling the joint may "give out"

There has been a breakthrough treatment for patients suffering from arthritic knee pain. Our non-surgical knee treatment program helps the body replace the much needed fluid in the joint and protect the remaining cartilage. Patients not wanting surgery for knee pain or arthritis can benefit from the procedure.

The knee-pain treatment program includes:

• Diagnosis of stage of arthritis
• Injection of Hyaluronic Fluid into the joint under fluoroscopic guidance or moving x-ray to insure proper results
• Specific rehabilitation program to maximize results from injection
• Outline home rehab program to continue progress after procedure.

Patients wanting to avoid knee replacement and get relief from knee pain are getting great results and fast relief for knee pain. Our physicians specialize in the non-surgical treatment of pain in the knees and are helping our patients get back to pain free living and mobility.