Osteoarthritis is also known as a degenerative disease of the joint or the wear-and-tear type of arthritis. This commonly occurs in the knee, which always involves the slow tearing of the knee joint’s cartilage. When this happens, the bone is bared already. It is very painful when this happens because the cartilage serves as the shock absorber of every knee movement performed. This condition usually people above the age of 50 years who start to develop the degenerative arthritis of the knee. Those who are overweight or have inherited the disease suffer significantly. But if you have acquired trauma, fractures, or damage to the ligament, you may also have degenerative arthritis of the knee.

The degenerative arthritis of the knee tends to fluctuate when it comes to its progression. There are bad months, there are good months, mostly depending on the weather changes. When you encounter a very bad day, it doesn’t mean that your condition is getting worse. If you do have degenerative arthritis of the knee, you experience joint deformity, effusion, crepitus, baker’s cyst, tenderness of the joint, joint swelling, knee stiffness, pain, and a very limited motion range.  Baseline data on the condition of your knee could be diagnosed with an X-ray or a physical exam. Here are some of the available treatment options for the degenerative arthritis of the knee:

 

1. Lose weight

Degenerative arthritis of the knee can be aggravated by the massive weight of the patient. The knees bear your weight and it will be helpful if you lose that excess weight. It will remove a significant amount of pressure from your knees and may also slow down the deterioration of the existing cartilage.

 

 

 

 

2. Modify activity

Changing or limiting the amount of activities that you do could help treat your  degenerative arthritis of the knee. This could lessen the friction and pressure as well. Performing alternative forms of exercise could also help.

 

 

 

 

3. Aids for walking

You can make use of crutches or a cane in the hand that is opposite your knee that has osteoarthritis. This will lessen the pressure and friction on that part.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Therapy

Physical therapy helps you strengthen the surrounding muscles of the affected knee. This lessens the pressure on the knee and prevents atrophy because of non-use.  This benefits those who suffer from degenerative arthritis of the knee because it provides strengthening of the muscles, relief of spasms and pain, reduces stiffness, increases flexibility, training the gait, improves balance, increases functional activities, and increases the awareness of people about the degenerative arthritis of the knee.

 

 

5. Anti-inflammatory, Synvisc, and cortisone

Medications for the degenerative arthritis of the knee involve the anti-inflammatory  and cortisone ones. This lessens the pain and swelling brought about the friction of the bones. Anti-inflammatory medicines are taken orally while cortisone is injected to the area. Synvisc also deals with pain and may also delay your needed knee joint operation.

 

 

 

6. Supplements

Joint supplements like Glucosamine are said to strengthen and nourish your knee joints. You could dicsuss this with your doctor to make sure that it could benefit your degenerative arthritis of the knee and your overall health as well.

 

 

 

 

7. Osteotomy

This procedure is done for those with limited forms of degenerative arthritis of the knee wherein the bone is cut or severed to change the alignment, lengthen, or shorten. There is femoral osteotomy and there is tibial osteotomy.

 

 

 

 

8. PKRS (partial knee replacement surgery)

This is also known as unicompartmental knee replacement of a certain area of the affected knee. This is also done for those with limited degenerative arthritis of the knee.

 

 

 

 

 

9. TKRS (total knee replacement surgery)

In this surgery, the entire cartilage is removed. A plastic or a metal implant is then placed in the knee.

 

 

 

 

 

10. Arthrodesis

This is an effective surgery for the degenerative arthritis of the knee. This involves the fusion of the bones.

 

 

 

 

 

11. Hydrotherapy

This procedure uses water to relieve the patient of pain from the degenerative arthritis of the knee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The degenerative arthritis of the knee can be a very difficult disease to manage everyday. It could really impair the patient and affect the activities of daily living. Once you experience the slightest symptom of osteoarthritis, you should immediately go to your doctor so that necessary tests may be done. You should tell your doctor your other underlying diseases that may contribute to the worsening of your condition. Be sure that you practice the necessary modifications in your lifestyle to treat or even prevent this degenerative arthritis of the knee. A healthy diet fortified with antioxidants and calcium will also be maintained.