Osteoarthritis of The Knee
What is knee osteoarthritis? What are its symptoms? And what treatment options is your knee consultant likely to recommend?
What is osteoarthritis?
Knee cartilage coats the ends of the bones in your knee joints. It is this material that enables your joint to glide smoothly when you bend the knee but when the cartilage begins to break down, it can no longer act as the ‘buffer’ between bones. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of pain in the knee.
What causes knee osteoarthritis?
We know that osteoarthritis can occur when a patient has suffered damage to the cartilage years earlier, or some other form of infection or injury around the knee. This is known as secondary osteoarthritis. Primary osteoarthritis, however, can occur without any history of damage. Some of the factors are inherited, and some problems can be caused by alignment (how we walk).
Which part of the knee is affected by osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis can affect three main parts of the knee:
- The inner compartment (known as the medial compartment)
- The outer compartment (known as the lateral compartment)
- The kneecap (known as the patella-femoral joint)
Osteoarthritis may be limited to just a single compartment, or it may affect two or three. The number of compartments affected can influence your treatment options.
What are the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis?
There’s a wide spectrum of symptoms which can range from mild discomfort after playing sport to severe and constant pain which can affect your daily activities and prevent you sleeping.
You may notice your knee joint swells. You may also feel a catching or locking sensation in the knee as parts of worn cartilage interfere with the mechanical operation of the joint.
If you are experiencing any of the above, the sooner you make an appointment with your knee specialist, the better.
How do you diagnose knee osteoarthritis?
A knee surgeon will consider your symptoms and make a physical examination. They will usually confirm their diagnosis with an X-ray.
Most people will talk to their GP as a first step. If you are seeking treatment via private medical insurance, you’ll usually need a referral from your GP to begin the diagnostic and treatment process.
If you wish to self-pay for your medical treatment, you may not need a referral.
How do you treat knee osteoarthritis?
By the time you see a knee consultant, it’s likely you will have been living with osteoarthritis for some time. If you haven’t already tried the following non-surgical courses of action, you will be encouraged to try the following:
- Over the counter painkillers and anti-inflammatories
- Modifying your activities (to place less stress on the knee joint and minimise further damage)
- Physiotherapy
- Weight loss
- Cortisone or similar injections
If you have exhausted non-surgical options and the pain persists, surgery may be your next option. This will usually take the form of a knee arthroplasty, commonly known as a knee replacement.
Find more about knee replacements in Cheltenham, Gloucester and the Cotswolds with Alex Dodds.
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To make an appointment please either fill in the contact form and you will be called back by our secretary to arrange a convenient appointment time or get in touch directly.
Call Chrissie Holmyard 01242 246549 at Nuffield Health, Cheltenham.
