Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition of the joint, which involves some changes to the cartilage, ligaments, underlying bone and muscles. Osteoarthritis can lead to people experiencing pain, stiffness in the joint and sometimes loss of range of movement.
Osteoarthritis was once thought to be an inevitable part of aging but we now know that this is not the case. Importantly, there is good evidence that activity is good for the joints. The key is finding the right balance between too much and too little activity – your physiotherapist can help you work out what is right for you.
Symptoms of Painful Osteoarthritis
The most common symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain, swelling and joint stiffness. Less commonly, people may experience clicking or grinding in their knee or feel their knee might give way.
Management Options for Knee Osteoarthritis
There are a number of things you can do to manage knee osteoarthritis.
- Stay active – movement, exercise and just generally keeping active is the best thing you can do for your knee. Exercise can help reduce pain, increase strength and improve your balance not to mention all of the other benefits of exercise for your general health. Sometimes working out what, and how much, to do can be tricky – this is where a physiotherapist can help. They will help you develop a plan that suits you and your lifestyle.
- Consider making small changes to your lifestyle – changing habits is difficult but small tweaks to your lifestyle can make big differences. For example, parking a little further away from your destination to increase your daily step count; planning your week so you don’t do all of your really heavy or physical chores on one day; trying a new hobby such as swimming or aqua aerobics.
- Changing positions or taking small breaks regularly or moving can reduce the chance of your knee becoming stiff.
- Sometimes other management strategies such as a knee brace, specific footwear or orthotics, or walking aides might be useful
Physiotherapy Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis
Physiotherapists are experts at assessing and managing musculoskeletal and chronic joint conditions. A physiotherapist will ask a series of questions to gain a better understanding of you and how your knee is impacting your life and ability to perform your regular activities. They will perform a comprehensive assessment to make sure they understand all of the potential factors that are contributing to your presentation. Together, you and your physiotherapist will discuss what management plan suits you best. It is likely to involve some exercises! But they will be tailored to you, your knee and designed to ensure you are working towards your goals.
FAQs
Does Osteoarthritis always get worse?
Despite popular belief, osteoarthritis does not always progress or worsen. Nor does having a diagnosis of osteoarthritis mean that you will need interventions such as injections or surgery. In fact, most people with knee osteoarthritis do very well with physiotherapy and appropriate exercises such as walking or lower limb strengthening exercises.