Knee Arthritis

Overview

Knee Arthritis is characterized as the inflammation of one or both joints in the knee. Some common symptoms of this condition include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Knee arthritis affects one’s ability to accomplish daily activities like climbing or walking up and down stairs. There are over 100 types of arthritis. Here are the most common types affecting knees:

• Osteoarthritis: This is the most common type of arthritis. It wears away the cartilage (the cushioning between three knee joint bones), protecting against rubbing the bones amongst each other. This condition may lead to pain, stiffness, and restricted movement. Knee arthritis can lead to the development of bone spurs. If left untreated, osteoarthritis can get worse over time.
• Post-Traumatic Arthritis: A type of osteoarthritis where the cartilage starts thinning due to a knee trauma such as a contact sport, car crash, etc. The bones can cause pain, restricted movement, and stiffness of the joints. The symptoms may not begin until many years after the trauma.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: This is an autoimmune illness resulting in inflammation (internal or external) while the body tries to offer protection from infection, toxins, or injury. Rheumatoid arthritis attacks individuals with a weak or unhealthy immune system that triggers inflammation of the joints. It leads to symptoms such as inflammation, pain, stiffness, and swelling of the synovial membrane that wears away your cartilage.

What are the different stages of arthritis of the knee?

• Stage 1 (Minor): Patients face some wear and tear in the knee joint. Pain is usually unnoticeable in this stage.
• Stage 2 (Mild): This stage may cause pain and stiffness in patients. However, it is easily treated without surgery as there is still enough cartilage to prevent the bones from touching each other.
• Stage 3 (Moderate): Patients may experience a lot of pain while doing physical activities such as kneeling, running, squatting, and walking. The pain becomes severe after long rest periods, such as waking up in the morning. This happens due to the narrowing of the cartilage.
• Stage 4 (Severe): This is the stage where the cartilage has disappeared from the bones. The knee becomes stiff, painful, and in most cases, immobile. Patients diagnosed with this stage of knee arthritis usually result in surgery.

Symptoms of Knee Arthritis

• Clicking, grinding, or cracking noises (crepitus)
• Knee buckling
• Trouble walking
• Joint pain that keeps getting better or worse depending on the weather
• Joint stiffness
• Redness of the skin
• Swelling
• Knee locks when you wish to move
• Warm skin

Causes of Knee Arthritis

Here are some of the common factors that increase one’s risk of developing arthritis of the knee:

Age: As one ages, the ability of cartilage to heal reduces, which increases the risk of knee arthritis.

Weight: Excess body weight adds pressure on all the joints, mainly the knees. It is essential to understand that each pound of weight gained tends to add 3-4 pounds of additional weight and stress on the knees.

Heredity: Genetic mutations and inherited abnormalities of the bone shape surrounding the knee joint are responsible for knee arthritis.

Gender: Women over 55 years old are at a higher risk of developing knee arthritis.

Injuries: Specific jobs demand a lot of activity, leading to repetitive stress on the joint (heavy lifting, kneeling, squatting, etc.) These jobs lead to repeated pressure on the joint while increasing one’s risk of knee osteoarthritis.

Involvement in Sports: Athletes playing certain sports such as tennis, soccer, or long-distance running are at higher risk for developing arthritis of the knee. Therefore, athletes must take additional precautions to prevent injury while playing or practicing sports. Additionally, regular moderate exercise is essential for strengthening joints. Weak muscles around the knee are mainly responsible for osteoarthritis. Therefore exercise will help reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.

Other Health Conditions: Individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (the second most common type of arthritis) are more prone to develop knee arthritis. Other conditions, such as excess iron in blood or excess growth hormone, are also responsible for increasing one’s risk of developing knee arthritis.

Risk Factors

Demographic Information

Over 654 million individuals over the age of 40 are suffering from knee arthritis across the globe (as of the year 2020).

Gender

Women over the age of 55 are at a higher risk of developing knee arthritis.

Age

Age is a major risk factor for knee arthritis. Patients over the age of 55 are more prone to developing this condition.

Race and Ethnicity

According to studies, the lifetime risk of developing knee OA ranged from 10% in white men to 17% in African-American women who were 40 years old and free of the condition. While the likelihood of developing symptomatic knee OA rises with age, the disease can manifest by age 65 in people as young as 40 years old in 11.3 percent of African-Americans, 10.5 percent of Hispanics, and 10% of white women disease-free.

Lifestyle

Smoking and red meat consumption can increase inflammation, while low alcohol consumption may decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Prevention

It is possible to prevent knee arthritis by maintaining healthy body weight. Other ways to prevent the onset of arthritis are to keep blood sugar levels in control, add a healthy exercise routine to daily activities, stretch, avoid injuries, and quit smoking. Fish is rich in Omega fatty acids, which help in bone health. Adding fish sources to your diet twice a week can be very helpful.

Natural and Home Remedies

You can temporarily ease pain and symptoms by following home remedies such as hot and cold compresses and Epsom salt baths. Herbal remedies such as green tea, ginger, and turmeric may help. However, these are not replacements for medical treatments.

Living with the Condition

Many people live with knee arthritis. Maintain an exercise routine, healthy body weight, and a diet that helps keep you fit. Managing pain can be controlled by taking medications and other treatments under the guidance of a physician.

Frequently Asked Questions