Osteoarthritis is known as the “wear and tear” arthritis and is the most common chronic condition of the joints. This condition is a disease of the entire joint involving the bone, cartilage, joint lining and ligaments. Osteoarthritis can occur in any joints, but osteoarthritis of the knee is extremely common. OPTIMAL Pain & Regenerative Medicine® shares information on this condition for patients in the Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas area.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Even though this condition is very common cause of disability in older individuals, many people still wonder, “What is osteoarthritis?” Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage, the cushion, between the joints breaks down by normal wear and tear leading to pain, stiffness and swelling of the joint.
Osteoarthritis is most common in people 65 years and older. Besides age, risk factors include previous joint injury, overuse of the joints, obesity and genetics. The lifetime risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee is almost 50%. The lifetime risk of hip osteoarthritis is approximately 25%. 1 in 12 people over the age of 60 experience hand osteoarthritis.
What is Osteoarthritis of the Knee?
Osteoarthritis of the knee is the most common form of knee arthritis. The knee joint is affected by this disease more often because of the extreme pressure and abuse this joint experiences daily. With continued pressure and abuse, the cartilage in the knee joint gradually wears away. As it wears away, it becomes rough and frayed and the protective space between the bones decreases. This can lead to painful bone spurs within the knee joint.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee include:
- Painful and inflamed knee joint
- Stiff and swollen joint
- “Locking” of the knee joint
- Grinding, clicking or snapping of the joint
- Vigorous activity or rainy weather may cause the symptoms to flare up
There is no cure for osteoarthritis of the knee, but numerous pain management treatment solutions are available such as weight loss, physical therapy, lower impact activities, corticosteroid injections and viscosupplement injections.
OPTIMAL Pain & Regenerative Medicine® is here for all patients in the Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas area suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. Schedule an appointment with one of our physicians to discuss this condition and have them answer any questions you may have such as, “What is osteoarthritis?”