Osteoarthritis
Impact of Osteoarthritis
The pain and other symptoms from knee OA can come and go over time. Certain conditions may trigger painful ‘flare-ups’, such as cold weather, small traumas to the joint, being inactive for a prolonged period of time, or biochemical changes in the body or joint.
The pain and other symptoms from knee OA can come and go over time. Certain conditions may trigger painful ‘flare-ups’, such as cold weather, small traumas to the joint, being inactive for a prolonged period of time, or biochemical changes in the body or joint.
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Maintaining or reducing body weight, which in turn decreases stress on your joint.
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Improving synovial fluid flow, sustaining the protective and lubricative aspects of knee cartilage.
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Maintaining muscle strength and tone around your joint, and hence reducing the risk of injury.
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Improving mental state and your ability to cope.
What is Osteoarthritis?
The most common cause of chronic knee pain is arthritis, with osteoarthritis (OA) being the most common form. Arthritis generally refers to damage to the joints, while osteoarthritis particularly describes damaged caused by degeneration of the knee’s protective cartilage or menisci. Degeneration is caused simply by stresses, damage, and general wear and tear on the joints over a person’s lifetime. Other parts of our body heal back to their original state after an injury, however cartilage does not. This means cartilage damage can accumulate over time.
The more stress and injury a person’s joints are subjected to, the more likely they are to develop OA. It makes sense then, that the joints most commonly affected by OA are those that carry the most bodyweight; your hips, knees, feet and lower spine.
Explore Some Resources
These videos provide detailed information on the Return to Sport Assessments, including, why it is important, a live demonstration, and instructions on how to complete the tasks.
References
Intensivekneeclinic.com.au. (2019). Sydney Intensive Knee Clinic | About Knee Osteoarthritis (OA). [online] Available at: https://intensivekneeclinic.com.au/about-knee-osteoarthritis-oa/ [Accessed 2 Aug. 2019].
Orthoinfo.aaos.org. (2019). Arthritis of the Knee - OrthoInfo - AAOS. [online] Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/arthritis-of-the-knee/ [Accessed 2 Aug. 2019].
