A common presentation in our clinic is Osteoarthritis of the knee.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones breaks down over a typical life cycle. Osteoarthritis can develop in any joint, but it most often affects joints in your knees and hips. Osteoarthritis of the knee is prevalent among older adults.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis vary from person to person. They range from mild to severe and can include pain, stiffness, and swelling as the body wears tears and repairs.
Osteoarthritis can make it difficult to perform everyday activities such as walking or climbing stairs. In some cases, osteoarthritis may lead to disability. There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but there are treatments that can help relieve pain and improve joint function.
Physical therapy, such as Physiotherapy and Osteopathy, is one treatment option that can be particularly beneficial for people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Physical therapists can help alleviate your symptoms with treatment such as massage, acupuncture and shockwave therapy. For the more stubborn cases, we at Sussex Physiotherapy & Osteopathy can offer a higher level of intervention not commonly found in your regular Physio or Osteopathy clinic; namely hydrocortisone injections and joint lubricant injections, such as Ostenil. These options will need to be discussed in length with your Clinician.
Once your pain has subsided, they can design an exercise program that will help to strengthen the muscles around the knee and improve flexibility. Most patients; will see a significant reduction in pain and a substantial increase in activity.
Occasionally, however, when it has shown to be severe on X-ray, and when things do not settle down sufficiently to enjoy life and the pain is not subsiding, we may have to refer to our specialist Orthopaedic Knee Surgeons we work closely with to consider a total knee replacement. Research in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) by Cook in 2019 found that more than 80% of knee replacements will last 25 years.
If you would like more information on our treatment of knee osteoarthritis, don’t hesitate to contact the clinic and arrange for a clinician to call back to discuss your needs.
RESEARCH PAPER:
https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l5681
