A large percentage of people are diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, especially women and the elderly, and it is one of the common forms of arthritis and is accompanied by pain that may come and go, and it usually gets worse over time. Severe knee osteoarthritis may lead to stiffness or affect the function of the joint itself, and although it is a common condition, a large percentage of patients still wonder: What is knee osteoarthritis? We will answer this question and explain its most important causes and accompanying symptoms through the article.
What is knee osteoarthritis?
A joint is a part of the body where two or more bones meet, for example the knee joint where the thigh and shin bones meet, and the ends of the bones are covered by a smooth and slippery cushion known as cartilage.
Cartilage allows bones to move without friction, and protects joints from stress. knee osteoarthritis occurs when these cartilages begin to erode, which may happen naturally with age or as a result of other reasons.
The joint surfaces become rougher as a result of cartilage erosion, so the knee does not move smoothly as it should, and friction between the bones causes pain and may lead to knee stiffness and the inability to move the joint normally.
Cartilage wear and tear may also be accompanied by changes in joint structure and the development of bony spurs (a sign that the bones have tried to replace the loss of cartilage with additional bone growth) which also affects movement and causes pain.
Osteoarthritis occurs to anyone of any age, but it is more common in women over the age of fifty.
Causes of knee osteoarthritis
Although osteoarthritis affects approximately 45% of people worldwide, which is a significant percentage, the exact cause is unknown. Studies indicate that there are some risk factors that increase the chances of developing knee osteoarthritis, including:
getting old
knee osteoarthritis may occur at any age, but the risk of developing it increases with age. Over time, the knee cartilage becomes weaker and less flexible, making it vulnerable to wear and tear. Statistics show that 2- 19% of people over the age of 45 and 37% of those over the age of 60 suffer from osteoarthritis.
Obesity
Excess weight puts great pressure on the knee joint, and studies show that people with a BMI of 30 or higher are seven times more likely than someone with a lower BMI. Fat cells also make proteins that may cause inflammation in and around joints.
joint injuries
Serious trauma or injury and surgery can damage and stiffen the knee joint, and symptoms may not appear until many years after the injury.
family history
Researchers estimate that 40%-65% of knee osteoarthritis cases are inherited, and that people who have parents or grandparents with knee osteoarthritis are more likely to develop it.
joint stress
The chances of knee osteoarthritis increase in people whose jobs require movement activities such as athletes, spending more time on their feet, or lifting heavy objects.
Lack of exercise
While excessive pressure on the knee joint may cause inflammation and stiffness, lack of regular physical activities may cause roughness and knee stiffness.
sex
Women are more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis than men, especially women who are 55 years of age or older. This may happen especially after menopause, as the chances of developing osteoporosis increase, which in turn may affect the knee joint.
Diseases or birth defects
Many diseases may increase the chances of knee osteoarthritis, including:
gout.
congenital anomalies
septic arthritis;
Metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hemochromatosis (too much iron in the blood), or excess growth hormone.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis
Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis develop slowly and worsen over time, and usually no symptoms of early knee osteoarthritis appear, but the symptoms become worse with time, and include the following:
Knee pain: the most common symptom of knee osteoarthritis. The degree of pain depends on the person's condition. The pain may come and go, and it may be dull or sharp. The pain usually increases with moving the knee or doing certain activities that put extra pressure on the joint, such as climbing stairs or carrying heavy objects. Sometimes the patient may feel pain even while sitting.
Swelling of the knee joint: When the knee cartilage wears away, the thigh and shin bones rub together, which leads to irritation. This irritation sometimes results in excess fluid production in the joint, which causes knee swelling.
Knee stiffness: Friction with the bones and swelling of the knee joint leads to stiffness. Knee stiffness also commonly occurs if you sit in the same position for a long time, or when you get up in the morning. Stiffness may be associated with swelling or decreased range of motion (not moving smoothly).
Redness and warmth: The skin above the knee may become red and warm. In this case, you should consult a doctor. The cause of the redness may be an infection, which requires immediate medical attention.
Reduced range of motion: As the cartilage wears down, the joint becomes less flexible and advanced osteoarthritis may make it difficult to fully bend or straighten the knee.
A crackling or crackling sound: Hearing a crackling or crackling sound when bending the knee is one of the signs of knee bone friction and roughness.
Degrees of knee osteoarthritis
knee osteoarthritis is described according to the progression of the condition in five degrees, namely:
Grade 0: This grade indicates a normal knee and a healthy joint. There are no symptoms of osteoarthritis, and the person in this condition does not experience any pain.
Grade 1: Also known as secondary osteoarthritis, a person has a slight growth of bone spurs that develop in the area where the bones meet each other in the joint, and usually the patient does not experience any pain or discomfort at this stage.
Grade 2: This grade indicates mild knee osteoarthritis, and the x-ray will show a larger bone spur while the cartilage appears intact, that is, the distance between the bones is normal and does not rub against each other, however, at this stage the person may start to feel pain after a long day of walking or After running, and when using the joint repeatedly, such as when kneeling or bending.
Grade 3: This stage can be referred to as mild knee osteoarthritis. Clear cartilage damage appears at this stage, and the distance between the bones begins to narrow, so the patient suffers from frequent pain when walking, running, bending or kneeling, and he may also suffer from knee stiffness after sitting for a long time or when waking up from sleep, and he may also suffer from knee stiffness after sitting for a long time or when waking up. The joint swells after a long time of movement.
Grade 4: It is the severe stage of knee osteoarthritis, and people in this stage suffer from severe pain and discomfort when walking or moving the joint, as a result of the significant reduction in the natural distance between the bones. At this point the cartilage is almost completely worn away, the joint becomes stiff and the patient may not be able to move it (joint dysfunction).
knee osteoarthritis x-ray
The symptoms that the patient complains about and the clinical examination help to initially diagnose knee osteoarthritis, and the doctor will recommend more imaging tests (radiology) to confirm the diagnosis, which include:
X ray
The doctor will order an x-ray of one or both knees. Although the cartilage does not show up on X-rays, wear and tear can be seen as the distance between the bones is significantly reduced. X-rays may show bony bumps at the edges of the joint.
It is worth noting that X-rays are not a very accurate diagnostic method for knee osteoarthritis, and should be used in conjunction with other examinations and a physical examination. X-rays may show minor signs of knee osteoarthritis while the patient has severe symptoms.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
MRI helps to obtain an image of the knee that includes: bones, soft tissues, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. If the X-ray is inconclusive and doesn't show whether or not roughness is the cause of the pain, the doctor will recommend an MRI.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed pictures of the structure in and around the bones.
During the examination, the patient lies on a table that passes through a scanner, which is a large circular machine with a hole in the middle, and the doctor communicates with the patient through a microphone and built-in headphones. The examination usually ends in a short period of no more than 15 minutes, or it may reach an hour in Maximum in some special cases, during which the scanner takes detailed pictures of the knee joint and around and sends them to the computer screen.
In the end, we explained through the article what is knee osteoarthritis? And the most important reasons for it, and maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and avoiding excessive use of the knee joint helps prevent knee osteoarthritis or prevent its aggravation in the event that it is already infected.
Read more about :
What are the causes of knee pain?
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