Knee Osteoarthritis – A Summary Of The Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

July 3, 2009 - PRLog -- Painful knee joints are often caused by knee osteoarthritis, a chronic degenerative condition afflicting the articular cartilage coating the bones located in the knee joint. This is the most common type of arthritis and usually affects people over 45 years of age, although incidence at earlier ages is not uncommon.

Symptoms & Causes of Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is characterized by a gradual deterioration of the articular cartilage. The articular cartilage loses elasticity, hardens and develops cracks, becoming more prone to aggravated damage through continued use or injury.

The bones in the knee joints will rub against each other and will not move smoothly once osteoarthritis sets in.  This results in painful knee joints caused by the rubbing of bones over roughened cartilage. This aggravation also results in further irritation of the bone.

Continued deterioration can lead to the thickening of the end of the bones and development of bone spurs.  Under more serious conditions, small bits of cartilage may chip off and float around inside the knee.  The lubricating and cushioning property of the joint fluid can also be impaired.

The degree of severity ranges from mild cases without symptoms or with mild symptoms, to advanced cases where the cartilage is totally damaged. In very severe cases the bone rubs on bone, damaging the articulating bones even more, resulting in excruciatingly painful knee joints.

Knee osteoarthritis was previously thought to be caused as the result of normal 'wear and tear' and was attributable to old age.  Recent studies however, have shown that normal activity is not the precursor of knee osteoarthritis.  In fact the cause of cartilage deterioration is not definitively known. Interestingly enough, many studies have stated that the deterioration of the articular cartilage may in fact be related to certain enzymes.

The typical symptoms include stiffness in the knee joint, limitation in range of motion, generalized lethargy of the knee and painful knee joints, especially when climbing up and down stairs. Moreover, the knee can also lose proper alignment.  Sometimes, the knee joint can be swollen, but it will not necessarily get red or hot.  The more advanced cases would result in the deformity of the joint, causing it to separate from proper alignment of the joint.

Middle aged individuals with a mild case of knee osteoarthritis tend to reduce their level of activity for fear that it can aggravate the condition as the disease progresses, and also because they fear it may worsen the painful knee joints.  Unfortunately this results in the weakening of the muscles that support the knee and can add even more stress on the knee joint.

Knee Braces as Treatment Option

Knee braces can be a very effective treatment option for managing painful knee joints.  It could also be used as a complimentary regimen to a primary treatment procedure. One of the best features of a knee brace is its ability to provide functionality, additional support and pain relief for patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis.

Usually, the knee brace is most appropriate for patients who are have cartilage loss in one component of the knee (aka unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis)

Unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis means that the symptoms are primarily located on the medial or lateral aspect of the knee. - Unloader braces do exactly what the name would suggest -- it can help unload stress from the affected side of your knee joint.

There are many types of supports that can fit the needs of someone with painful knee joints.  OA "unloader" knee supports are used to help relieve pain in your knee joint by helping to maintain a more proper alignment after osteoarthritis has set in.  These knee braces should not be looked over.  Many people praise their use, and use them for pain reduction on a daily basis.

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If you would like to find an affordable yet effective knee brace for your painful knee joints then visit us online at http://www.drbraceco.com.  Don't look back wondering what you could have done to help reduce your knee pain, visit us online today.

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Dr. Brace Company educates people about various injuries, and helps them to make a decision on what kind of brace to get to help provide them with the support they need.