Knee arthritis – Symptoms, types, and treatments

Knee arthritis is a common medical condition that can significantly impact your daily life.

From joint stiffness to reduced range of motion, the symptoms of knee arthritis can make even the simplest tasks, like walking, a painful experience.

While most forms of arthritis are incurable, there are ways to effectively manage the symptoms.

In this article, we will learn about different forms of knee arthritis, their symptoms, and available treatment options. Keep reading if you are ready to say goodbye to your knee pains!

What is knee arthritis?

Knee arthritis is not one disease but rather a term encompassing different forms of arthritis. What these diseases have in common is that they all affect the knee joints.

Knee arthritis symptoms

While arthritis in the knee can have different forms, each with its own progression curve, the symptoms of these diseases are usually similar.

One might experience the following:

• Joint pain that increases with movement or after longer periods of standing or sitting
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Redness around the joint area
• Decreased range of motion
• Unexpected locking of the knee
• Cracking or clicking sound when moving the joint
• Weakness in the knee

Certain forms of arthritis might also have some additional symptoms, like fever or fatigue, which might indicate inflammation.

Types of knee arthritis

While symptoms might be similar across most forms of knee arthritis, the underlying cause, the progression of the disease, and treatment options may vary, depending on the type of arthritis.

For this reason, it’s crucial to get a proper diagnosis and determine the kind of knee arthritis we’re dealing with.

Below, we will look at the most common forms of arthritis that might affect the knee joints.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It’s a degenerative disease where the cartilage between bones starts to break down. The condition worsens over time, sever osteoarthritis might cause permanent damage to the bones as well.

It can affect any joint in the body, including the knees.

Old age, physical trauma, and genetic factors can all increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knee.

As with many other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis is incurable. The best course of action is to reduce the impact of symptoms through medications, lifestyle changes, and in some cases, surgery.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissues in the body. Most of the time, it affects the joints – including the knees – but may also cause damage to the skin, organs, and other areas of the body.

The symptoms are similar to other forms of arthritis: pain, stiffness, and tenderness in the joints. Additionally, people with rheumatoid arthritis might experience fevers, weight loss, fatigue, and general weakness. A common sign of rheumatoid arthritis is when the symptoms appear symmetrically on both sides of the body.

Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, and the causes of the disease are not yet known. It appears more commonly in women or those with a family history of the disease. Smoking might also increase your risk of developing it.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but it’s possible to lessen the effects of the symptoms with medications.

Post-traumatic knee arthritis

Post-traumatic knee arthritis is a form of osteoarthritis that develops after a trauma or an injury to the joint. It might appear shortly after the trauma, but even a previously healed injury can cause post-traumatic knee arthritis later. Usually, it has a faster progression than simple osteoarthritis.

Symptoms are similar to osteoarthritis. The only difference is the speed the disease develops, with post-traumatic arthritis being faster.

When treating post-traumatic knee arthritis, doctors usually focus on pain management and stabilizing the affected joint through low-impact exercise, physical therapy, or braces.

Gout

Gout is a kind of arthritis that might develop resulting from too much uric acid in the body. The urate buildup might form sharp little crystals in the joints, causing pain flare-ups, redness, tenderness, inflammation, and joint discomfort.

Gout most commonly develops in the big toe, but later stages of the disease can affect other joints too. While gout of the knee is rare, it’s not unheard of.

During treatment, doctors usually focus on managing the pain attacks and lowering uric acid levels. They may also check for underlying kidney problems, which could cause the urate buildup.

Diagnosing knee arthritis

Doctors can diagnose arthritis in the knee with a combination of physical examination, X-ray or MRI imaging, and blood or joint-fluid tests.

When diagnosing arthritis, it’s crucial to look for possible underlying causes and to find the exact form of arthritis, as treatment might be different for each.

Knee arthritis treatment

The course of treatment for knee arthritis depends on which type of arthritis you’re dealing with. Non-inflammatory arthritides like osteoarthritis might call for simple painkillers, while autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis might get treated using immunosuppressants.

In severe cases of knee arthritis, doctors might suggest surgery. Surgical options are usually a last resort, and they might include joint replacement, joint fusing, or realignment of the joint.

If you’d like to know more about your treatment options, make sure you read our article on arthritis remedies.

The Dos and Don’ts of living with knee arthritis

In addition to seeing a doctor and getting treatment for your knee arthritis, there are a few things you can do for yourself to lessen the impact of your condition. And some other things you should avoid when you have arthritis.

The Dos

These small lifestyle changes and techniques might help you ease the pain and slow down the progression of the disease.

Stay active

When dealing with knee pain, it’s easy to fall into a more sedentary lifestyle in hope of avoiding the pain. But that usually only makes arthritis worse. So make sure you get some exercise, even if it’s just a couple of minutes a day.

Choose low-impact activities that don’t put too much stress on the joints. Swimming, rowing, tai chi, and yoga are all good options.

Try to maintain a healthy weight

Putting too much weight on your knees can stress the joints and speed up the progression of arthritis. So it’s best to maintain a healthy weight as much as you can.

Following a balanced diet and doing low-impact cardio – like swimming – can help you achieve that.

Support your knees

You might want to use external support to reduce stress on your knees. Wrap bandages, braces, or even walking canes can help by stabilizing and supporting the joint.

The Don’ts

There are some other things that you might want to avoid if you are dealing with knee arthritis.

Don’t put further stress on your joints

Try to reduce unnecessary load and stress on your knees. Avoid high-impact sports such as running, soccer, kickboxing, or basketball.

Only carry as much weight as your knees can safely support. If your knee joints are weak as a result of arthritis, it’s best to avoid hauling heavy loads like furniture and so.

Always wear protective gear when doing activities with a risk of falling – like cycling. Knee protectors can reduce further joint damage.

Don’t eat too many unhealthy foods

Following a healthy and balanced diet comes with many benefits, and it can also reduce the impact of arthritis in some cases.

It’s best to avoid inflammatory foods like fried meals, red and processed meats, refined grains, and sodas. Doctors also advise cutting back on alcohol, as certain beverages amplify the inflammatory symptoms of arthritis. You might want to introduce some anti-inflammatory foods to your diet instead, like salmon, blueberries, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables, to name a few.