[Last Edited: 08/10/20]
Knee arthritis is an age-related degenerative condition that can lead to pain, stiffness and difficulty moving and using knee joints freely. The smooth surfaces of the cartilage gradually become rougher and thinner and the bone underneath then takes more strain and becomes painful. It is more common as we age and the knees are generally affected worse as they are weight-bearing joints and thus take the most force overtime.
Many of us are familiar with the term arthritis and many of you may be living with it on a daily basis. Let's dig a little deeper into what this diagnosis means.
Arthritis is a general term that refers to the age-related and degenerative changes, primarily to joints but also changes to cartilage, soft tissue, muscles and tendons. The smooth surfaces of the cartilage gradually become rougher and thinner and the bone underneath then takes more strain, as it attempts to repair the damage this can often result in more bone growth, changing the knee's shape and appearance. It is more common as we age and affects weight-bearing joints and the joints that take the most force overtime.
There are several factors that can increase your risk of osteoarthritis:
This diagram is showing the stages of knee osteoarthritis, throughout all 4 stages it is possible to experience symptoms of pain and swelling as well as hearing clicking noises from the knee. It is also possible to NOT have any symptoms too. All these symptoms need to be looked at together and if you've had an x-ray this can help to 'stage' the OA.
Arthritis can be affected by lack of exercise and repeated injury but keeping the muscles strong and soft tissue flexible can do a lot to offload the joint pressure and alter the symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness. The great news is that you can ensure your joints stay mobile and have the right level of support, this can be started at any time and will benefit any level of arthritis.
Looking for some relief from your knee arthritis? Try our knee support here. Specifically designed to take those aches away.
Designed by our physiotherapists to be the very best knee supports for arthritic knees. We offer free delivery, or you can pay a little extra to get it faster. The padlock next to our web address shows you that our site, and your payment is 100% secure. Just so you know, it's low profile enough to be worn discreetly under your clothes.