For many people, the degeneration processes causes no problems, but for others it can result in the knee joint becoming painful and stiff.
Symptoms
If you have osteoarthritis of the knee you may experience:
- Pain in your knee joint
- Swelling around your knee
- Difficulty walking and moving around
- Stiffness that is often worse in the morning
- The feeling of grinding when bending or kneeling
- Muscle weakness around the knee
Causes
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the UK and can affect any joint in the body.
Factors that may increase your chances of experiencing osteoarthritis in the knee include:
- Age – if you are over 40
- Being overweight or obese – find out more about maintaining a healthy weight
- Family history of osteoarthritis
- Previous injury to the knee joint
- Repetitive impact on your knee joint – such as running
- Biomechanics – how your body functions as a whole and distributes weight
Treatment with us
Step by step we can help you to feel better.
Your physiotherapist will discuss a treatment plan with you, which is likely to include:
- Wearing a knee support
- Exercise therapy
- Resting and avoiding irritation to the knee
- Heat and ice to relieve pain and swelling
- Biomechanics and orthotics
- Lifestyle advice
- In some cases referral for Ostenil injections
