Knee arthritis is an umbrella term that spans several different types of arthritis – osteo, rheumatoid, psoriatic and reactive arthritis as well as gout and pseudo gout. We will discuss the separate causes of each of these as well as their respective symptoms. Although there are no fundamental treatments for knee arthritis, there are several things you can do to relieve its pain and discomfort. We will briefly mention some of these below. This done, we will also briefly describe the most common surgical approaches to address the disease.
This type of arthritis in the knee occurs when the cartilage in the joint – a protein based lining that prevents the bones coming into direct contact with each other – starts to wear away. The result of the bones rubbing against each other can be significant pain, stiffness of the joint and a decrease in its range of motion. This is probably the best known type of knee arthritis and it mainly affects those who are middled aged or older. We provide a thorough discussion of it on a separate page.
This is an auto immune form of arthritis in which your body’s immune system attacks the lining of your knee joint and causes it to become inflamed and painful. Another difference between this type of arthritis and knee osteoarthritis (which is not an auto immune condition) is the fact that, when it occurs, it attacks both the left and right knee or other joints. Besides the knee, this condition can also appear in the hands and wrists, for example.
Psoriatic arthritis is another auto immune form of knee arthritis. As with the other forms of knee arthritis, your knee will feel painful, swollen, stiff and tender. As with rheumatoid arthritis, this disease may also affect areas such as your fingers and toes. Studies have indicated a connection between this type of arthritis and psoriasis, an auto immune skin disease that causes discoloration and raising of areas of the skin.
This type of knee arthritis commonly appears as a reaction to an infection such as a stomach bug or even a sexually transmitted disease. Although it is a reaction to the infection, reactive arthritis may not appear until well after the underlying infection has been cured. It can affect any joint in the body, and not just the knee. Symptoms are swelling of the knee (as with the other forms of knee arthritis) but may also include aching and redness of the knee.
This disease is also known as the “rich man’s disease” and is due to the build up of uric acid crystals in the knee joint. Although we discuss it here as a knee condition, it actually most commonly appears in the joints of the foot and most usually the big toe joint. It causes severe pain that may worsen at night, as well as swelling, warmth and redness of the joint.
This condition is similar to gout in that it is also a result of the accumulation of crystals in the knee (or other) joint. However, in this case, the crystals are actually those of calcium pyrophosphate instead of uric acid. Although this type of knee arthritis is less common overall than gout, it is more likely to attack the knee joint.
We have listed above the most common types of knee arthritis. However, in reality, there are actually about 100 different types of this condition.
We now briefly discuss the treatment for knee arthritis in its various forms. We will start with conservative (non surgical) and then move on to surgical approaches. It must be reiterated that there are no fundamental cures for knee (or other forms of) arthritis. Instead, the focus should be on reducing your pain and discomfort and slowing the rate of arthritic progression.
These can include:
If your knee arthritis does not respond to the conservative treatments above, your healthcare advisors may ask you to consider surgery to address it.
The most common types of surgery to correct arthritis in the knee are:
If you agree to undergo surgery to correct your knee arthritis, expect to spend as much as six months or more in recovery. In addition, you will likely need to invest significant effort in rehabilitation under the supervision of a physiotherapist. Patience will be an essential ingredient during this period. The good news is that most knee arthritis surgery is ultimately successful in reducing your pain and restoring a significant part of your quality of life.
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The McDavid Active Comfort Compression Knee Sleeve provides additional knee compression, stability and support despite an ultra lightweight construction.
The Mueller Sports Medicine Green Adjustable Knee Brace offers optimal support for weak, injured and arthritic knees. One size. Fits either knee.
The McDavid Hyperblend Knee Sleeve w/Buttress & Stays pairs the supportive qualities of neoprene and the compression and comfort of knit material to produce a lightweight design with superior compression to neoprene.
The McDavid Knee Sleeve / Elastic compresses and supports weak or injured soft tissues. It uses an elastic construction that allows your knee to breathe and is ideal for those with sensitive skin or neoprene allergies. The pull on design facilitates application and removal.
The comfort oriented McDavid Knee Support With Open Patella uses an open knee design for added comfort around the patella and McDavid’s exclusive 5-needle stitch for all round wearing comfort.
The Kneed-It Knee Strap helps to ease minor knee pain commonly associated with arthritis, tendonitis and chondromalacia.
The LP Standard Knee Support with Closed Patella uses an oval pad to retain your body heat and therapeutically warm your knee joint. This helps to improve blood circulation. The Standard Knee Support can also help to treat postoperative knee problems, arthritis, strains and protection from abrasion injuries. It will fit comfortably under your clothing…
The LP Standard Knee Support with Open Patella uses an oval pad for additional padding and protection to your knee. A reinforced stabilizer surrounds the kneecap and helps to prevent kneecap displacement. The Standard Knee Support is helpful for dealing with postoperative knee problems, arthritis, strains and for protecting you from abrasions. The brace uses…
