Knee arthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain and can refer to any of three different types of arthritis in the knee joint. These are knee osteoarthritis (probably the most well known and common), rheumatoid arthritis and posttraumatic arthritis.
Knee Osteoarthritis is a result of progressive wearing down of the cartilage in the joint, exposing the bone. We provide an extensive discussion of all aspects of this form of knee arthritis here. In this post, we will focus on the other two types of arthritis in the knee.
Another common type of knee arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. Although it is common in the knee, it can actually occur in any of the joints of the body. When it does, it usually attack both left and right joints simultaneously. The cause of this form of arthritis is swelling of the synovial membrane that covers the knee joint. The result of this swelling is knee pain and stiffness of the joint.
This type of arthritis is a result of the body’s immune system attacking normal healthy tissues, including cartilage and ligaments. Over a period, this process leads to swelling of the tissues and softening of the bones in the joint. Another feature of this type of arthritis is that it usually cannot be linked to a specific discrete event, such as a traumatic injury or accident. This is in direct to the third type of knee arthritis that we discuss below.
This form of knee arthritis is a problem that can appear after the joint suffers a traumatic injury of some sort. In some cases, the arthritis appears several years after the traumatic injury that caused it. Nevertheless, unlike rheumatoid arthritis, posttraumatic arthritis is always traceable to an earlier traumatic injury.
Examples of the traumatic knee injuries that can lead to posttraumatic arthritis include knee fractures. Such injuries can damage the joint surfaces and result in arthritis years afterwards.
Meniscus and ligament tears can also lead to posttraumatic arthritis. In this case, the meniscus or ligament damage can lead to joint instability which in turn can lead to additional wearing of the joint. Over time, this can result in posttraumatc knee arthritis.
Contributory factors to knee arthritis are age and being overweight. In some cases, family history can lead to a predisposition to developing the disease.
The various forms of knee arthritis have similar symptoms:
It is important to realize first of all that there is no fundamental cure for arthritis in any of its many forms, and the knee is no exception. However, these days there are a number of things that doctors can recommend to ease the pain and discomfort of knee arthritis and slow its rate of progression:
If your knee arthritis is severe or advanced, it may not respond to the above treatments. In this case, your doctor may ask you to consider surgery as an option. A surgeon may operate to do one or more of the following:
If you opt for surgery to treat your knee arthritis, expect to spend a significant period in rehabilitation before you can return to using your knee normally. You will likely need to work with a physiotherapist during your rehabilitation, and you may also knee to wear a knee brace or use a walking cane or crutches for part of this time.
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The McDavid Active Comfort Compression Knee Sleeve is an ultra lightweight knee sleeve that uses tech print technology to deliver outstanding compression, support and stability in a single package.
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The Mueller Sports Medicine Green Adjustable Knee Brace offers maximum support for weak knees, injured knees, and arthritic knees. One size. Fits either knee.
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The McDavid Hyperblend Knee Sleeve w/Buttress & Stays uses McDavid’s Hyperblend technology together with bilateral aluminium stays and a foam buttress to produce a knee sleeve that is comfortable, low profile and provides pain relief from arthritis and tendonitis.
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The McDavid Knee Sleeve features their exclusive 5-needle stitch for a flatter, cleaner and stronger seam. It also has a seamless back of knee design for added comfort and outer heavy duty nylon fabric for added durability.
Level 1: Primary Protection – Minor support helping to relieve pain and promote healing of tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis and other non-specific knee conditions
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The McDavid Knee Sleeve/4-Way Elastic With Gel Buttress has a 4-way stretch elastic material that allows for increased compression and fit without heat retention.
Level 2: Advanced Protection – Moderate support and relief from pain associated with arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis
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The McDavid Knee Sleeve / 4-Way Elastic With Gel Buttresses & Stays has a 4-way stretch elastic material that provides increased compression and a closer fit without heat retention.
Level 2: Advanced Protection – Moderate support and relief from pain associated with arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis
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The McDavid Knee Sleeve / Elastic provides compression and soft tissue support. Its elastic construction allows it to breathe for cool knees and is ideal for those with neoprene allergies. Its pull on design facilitates application.
Level 1: Primary Protection – Minor support and pain relief from arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis
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The LP Support Knee Stabilizer has bilateral stays for optimum joint support and a hook and loop closure design that facilitates compression adjustment when needed. This neoprene based knee support will also keep the joint warm, thus reducing stiffness and maintaining supple ligaments to reduce the risk of sprains.
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The McDavid Knee Support With Open Patella has an open knee design for added comfort around the patella. This brace also features McDavid’s exclusive 5-needle stitch for a flatter, cleaner and stronger seam.
Level 1: Primary Protection – Minor support helping to relieve pain and promote healing of tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis and other non-specific knee conditions
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The Kneed-It Knee strap relieves minor knee pain commonly associated with arthritis, tendonitis and chondromalacia.
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The Open Patella Knee Support from LP has a comfort oriented design thanks to its Velcro hook & loop closure and open patella design that helps to avoid excess knee warmth. The combination of neoprene and stretch nylon ensures that the knee gets optimal support where it is most needed without compromising the overall comfort level of the brace. One Size. Available for both “Chronic ” and “”Prevention” levels of protection.
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This knee support features an oval pad to retain body heat, which reduces knee stiffness and improves ligament suppleness to reduce the risk of sprains. It is easy on/off and an excellent choice to reduce arthritic pain.