Less knee pain. More life.
Take a new path – put a stop to osteoarthritic pain
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, although the risk of developing osteoarthritis increases with age, young and active people can also be affected by the disease.
Osteoarthritis most often develops in the knee. The diagnosis can make those affected feel uncertain, with many fearing they will always have knee pain. They wonder how long they will still be able to pursue their hobbies or climb stairs. Is there a way to reduce pain besides medication, or a way to avoid or delay an operation?
Yes, there is! There are many options for living an active life with osteoarthritis. In many cases, an orthosis can help reduce the pain, and help you regain your quality of life. Thanks to the appropriate orthosis, surgery can often be avoided. This page will tell you what you need to know about osteoarthritis of the knee. You will also find tips and information that will help you live your life with this condition.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee
Osteoarthritis of the knee (knee OA) is a degenerative condition that leads to progressive changes in the knee. In the initial stage of osteoarthritis, you only sometimes experience pain or restrictions in movement, or even not at all. With advanced osteoarthritis of the knee, pain and discomfort can increase. Most people will develop osteoarthritis over their lives due to wearing of the knee joint. Risk factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, overloading and incorrect loading of the joints can create the conditions for osteoarthritis to develop.
Osteoarthritic changes the knee joint
Osteoarthritis of the knee typically starts with signs of wear and tear in the joint cartilage. As time passes, the cartilage surface becomes rough and uneven and the joint no longer moves smoothly. Increasing friction leads to painful inflammation in the knee. In the advanced stages of osteoarthritis, cartilage damage increases and all the tissue involved in the joint is affected. The bones form spurs (osteophytes) and causes stiffening, in the process. Knee pain occurs and becomes more severe over time.
Disease progression: stages of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee is classified into four degrees of severity:
The joint cartilage has invisible signs of degeneration. It’s less elastic than healthy cartilage and can’t recover well after being subjected to strain. Initial knee pain may occur under high strain.
The cartilage tissue becomes thinner as well as rough and uneven and the bones form initial spurs (osteophytes). The knee’s ability to bear weight is decreased, and at this stage of osteoarthritis, progression can be effectively slowed by exercises, weight loss and medical devices such as orthoses.
The cartilage has partly disappeared meaning the bones begin to rub against each other in some areas and X-rays show pronounced bone spurs and narrowing of the joint space. At this advanced stage, osteoarthritis causes considerable restrictions of movement and knee pain.
The joint space has narrowed considerably and the joint cartilage has almost completely disappeared, with the bones often damaged as well as the joint being deformed and often inflamed. In this final stage, joint replacement surgery may be the best solution.
The vicious circle of osteoarthritis
Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee frequently get caught in a vicious circle: In order to relieve the pain in their knee, the affected person exercises less and often adopts a certain posture to avoid discomfort. However, restricting their movement only provides short-term relief from pain. In the long run, a lack of exercise accelerates cartilage wear and increases pain in the knee. The affected person rests their knee even more often instead of exercising it, and the vicious circle closes. Furthermore, the unnatural posture they take to avoid discomfort also puts excessive strain on other joints such as the hips.
Initial symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee
The sooner osteoarthritis of the knee is diagnosed and actively addressed, the better the chances of getting knee pain under control. Maintaining joint mobility and slowing down the progressive changes in the knee joint will lead to a more positive outcome.
If you experience the following symptoms in your knee on a recurring basis, you should contact your doctor:
Knee pain after rest (start-up pain)
Knee pain after exertion
Knee pain during certain movements
Knee stiffness
Grinding and cracking in the knee joint
Swelling and inflammation in the knee
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Diagnosis and therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee
If you have knee pain or limited knee function, you should first contact your doctor who will put you in touch with an orthotist.
Diagnosing osteoarthritis of the knee
When talking to your doctor, you should give a detailed description of your knee problems and answer their questions precisely. In addition to the knee pain, other health information such as osteoarthritis in other joints, injuries, infections or chronic diseases may also be relevant. During the examination, the doctor will look at your knee and check its functions. They will then if necessary take an X-ray to see if any visible changes have already developed in the joint. In some cases, further examinations will be necessary to arrive at a diagnosis. Depending on the case, these include, for example, blood or joint fluid samples as well as other imaging procedures.
Therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee
There are three basic treatment methods for osteoarthritis of the knee: conservative (non-invasive) therapy, invasive joint-preserving therapy and invasive joint-replacing therapy.
Orthotic devices can relieve knee pain
Knee or lower-leg-foot-braces, such as the Agilium Freestep, are specifically designed to relieve painful areas in the knee joint and can provide sustained relief from knee pain. In many cases, orthotics can help those affected by osteoarthritis of the knee to stop using analgesics or decrease the dose of medication, reducing side effects from the medication. Knee or lower-leg-foot-orthoses enable patients with osteoarthritis of the knee to move around and engage in sports with almost no pain. In this way, they’re able to break the vicious circle of pain, lack of exercise and progressive deterioration of the osteoarthritis.
Taking a new path with orthoses from Ottobock
Find out about the experiences that patients with osteoarthritis of the knee have had and how they are taking new paths with orthoses from Ottobock.
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Active against osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee cannot be cured, but you can effectively alleviate pain and discomfort and significantly improve your quality of life if you actively counteract the osteoarthritis with conscious nutrition and appropriate exercise.
Nutrition
Nutrition can play an important role in slowing osteoarthritis. Foods such as fruits and vegetables as well as salads, plant oils, nuts and seeds should make up the base of your meals. Fish such as mackerel, salmon and herring are rich in nutrients and Omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce inflammation. So if possible, it is recommend to eat healthy fish twice a week. Some spices not only improve the taste of food, but they are also good for the joints: turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon and coriander have an anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect. While, chilli and ginger help to relieve pain. Meat can be eaten in moderation, but chicken and other poultry birds are preferable. Beef and pork should consumed only now and again. It’s best to avoid processed and 'fast' foods that contain high amounts of fat and sugar as well as alcohol and nicotine products. If you are overweight, losing weight will take the strain off your joints and help reduce knee pain whilst also making you feel lighter and fitter overall.
Exercise in everyday life
Regular exercise is essential to counteracting the progressive changes caused by osteoarthritis, maintaining knee function and relieving pain. You should therefore make time for exercise in your daily routine. This can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, running small errands on foot or by bike instead of using the car and relax with an walk during your lunchbreak or after work. Exercise isn't just good for your knee, it also helps your mind.
Christian Krone“Exercise is essential for osteoarthritis patients because muscle inactivity results in a joint that is unstable, weak and misaligned. And that’s why exercise, muscle training and compensating for misalignments have to be the key factors in counteracting osteoarthritis.”
Types of sports
In addition to everyday exercise, regularly engaging in certain sports is ideal for keeping osteoarthritis under control. Swimming, water aerobics, Nordic walking, biking or long walks, can maintain knee mobility and prevent pain. They also strengthen your leg muscles and promote your overall mobility and endurance. The most important rule is to keep moving, without overexerting yourself. This will have a positive effect on your knee joints, and you’ll feel better and more mobile in general.
It’s better to avoid sports that put a lot of strain on the knee joint due to abrupt stops, tight turns or high pressure at certain points. This includes most ball sports (football or rugby for example), martial arts or racket sports.
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Frequently asked questions about osteoarthritis of the knee
Back to everyday activities: three steps to an Ottobock orthosis
- Here you’ll find an overview of all the orthoses and supports that could potentially help you. Take the list with you to your next doctor’s appointment.
- Talk to your doctor about which orthosis is best suited to your symptoms and condition. Your doctor can then write you a prescription for the appropriate orthosis.
- Take your prescription to a medical supply company. They’ll give you your new orthosis and adjust it to fit your exact body measurements.