What is knee osteoarthritis ,sign and sympotoms and Causes?

 Knee Osteoarthritis

Introduction

Knee osteoarthritis (OA), commonly known as degenerative joint disease, is primarily caused by wear and strain and gradual loss of articular cartilage. It is more frequent among the elderly and is classified into two categories: primary and secondary.

Primary Osteoarthritis

Primary osteoarthritis is articular deterioration that has no apparent underlying cause.

Secondary Osteoarthritis

Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by either an excessive concentration of force across the joint, as in post-traumatic reasons or aberrant articular cartilage, as in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). osteoarthritis is a painful, persistent joint ailment that typically affects the knee, but also the hand, hips, and spine. The severity of symptoms varies by individual and typically progresses slowly.

Osteoarthritis of the knee occurs when the cartilage in the knee joint deteriorates, allowing the bones to rub together. The friction causes your knees to ache, stiffen, and even bulge. While osteoarthritis in the knee cannot be cured, there are several therapies available to decrease its progression and alleviate symptoms. For more severe cases of osteoarthritis, surgery is a possibility.

How prevalent is Knee Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent joint condition globally, with the knee being the most usually afflicted joint. It primarily affects adults over the age of 45.

Osteoarthritis can cause discomfort and loss of function, although not everyone with radiographic indications of knee OA will be symptomatic: in one research, only 15% of individuals with radiographic signs of knee Osteoarthritis were symptomatic.

• Osteoarthritis affects about 6% of all individuals.
• Women are more typically affected than males.
• Around 13% of women and 10% of men aged 60 and up have symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
• The incidence jumps to 40% for persons over the age of 70.
• Prevalence will continue to climb as life expectancy and obesity increase.

What are the different causes of Knee Osteoarthritis?

Depending on the etiology, knee OA is classed as either primary or secondary.

Primary knee OA is caused by unidentified articular cartilage degradation. This is commonly thought of as age-related deterioration, as well as wear and tear.

Secondary knee OA is caused by articular cartilage degradation for unknown reasons. Secondary Knee OA Causes include:

• Obesity
• Hypermobility or instability of the joints
• Joint misalignment, such as valgus/vars posture
• Previous joint damage, such as a fracture along the articular surface (tibial plateau fracture)
• Congenital flaws
• Immobilization and mobility loss
• Genetic history
• Rickets and other immune disorders

Grades of Knee Osteoarthritis

The Kellgren and Lawrence categorization method has been utilized in several forms in research 3. The original descriptions 1-3 are as follows:

Grade 0 (none): unequivocal lack of osteoarthritic x-ray alterations

Grade 1 (doubtful): potential osteophytes lipping and joint space narrowing 

Grade 2 (minimal): definite osteophytes and possible joint space narrowing

Grade 3 (moderate): significant numerous osteophytes, evident restriction of joint space, some sclerosis, and potential bone end deformity

Grade 4 (severe). Large osteophytes, considerable restriction of joint space, severe sclerosis, and obvious deformity of bone ends at grade 4 (severe).

Osteoarthritis is diagnosed at Grade 2 but is of little severity.

What are the Signs and symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis?

The following are indications of knee OA:

• Movement-related pain
• Uncomfortableness, especially in the morning
• Movement flexibility loss
• Prolonged sitting or laying causes pain
• Feeling pain at the joint line
• Enlarging joints.

What tests are used to diagnose Knee Osteoarthritis?

The following are different tests used to diagnose knee osteoarthritis: 

These include:

• X rays 
• MRI 

Mostly X-rays are used for the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis 

Management of Knee Osteoarthritis

There are two types of therapy for knee OA: conservative and surgical.

Once all conservative therapy options have been used up, the initial course of treatment always switches to surgical intervention. For the treatment of knee OA, a variety of conservative techniques are available.

Promoting self-management, lowering pain, maximizing function, and altering the course of the illness and its consequences are the basic goals of OA management.

Conservative Treatment 

Conservative treatment includes 

• Education of the patient Exercise therapy
• altering activity
• Advice for losing weight
• Knee splinting

Exercises For Knee Osteoarthritis

Hamstring Stretch

• Lie on the floor in the outside corner of a structure or door frame.
• Elevate your left leg and place your left foot against the wall.
• Straighten your left leg slowly until you feel a stretch down the back of your left thigh.
• Hold for around 30 seconds.
• Repeat with different legs.

Calf Stretch

Keep one leg straight back with the heel flat on the floor while holding onto a chair. To feel a stretch in your leg, slowly bend your elbows, front knee, and hips forward. For 30 to 60 seconds, maintain this posture. Change the position of one leg, then repeat with the other.

Straight Leg Raise ( SLR )

Lie on your back with your pelvis in a neutral position. Extend your legs freely on the ground, bending your non-injured leg to 90 degrees. Place your foot on the floor and flex your knee. Your straight leg muscles should be relaxed. Lift your leg six inches off the ground while slowly inhaling. Repeat three times more. Relax and repeat five times more. 

Quadriceps Sets

Your injured leg should be extended straight in front of you while you sit on the floor in front of me. Pressing your back knee all the way to the floor can help you to tighten the muscles on top of your thighs. Hold for around 6 seconds before letting go for roughly 10 seconds. Try putting a small, flat object between your knee and the floor if you get knee discomfort.

Pillow Squeez

With your legs bent, lie on your back. Put a cushion in the space between your knees. Squeeze your knees together while pressing the pillow between them. Hold the position for 7 seconds and then release.

Heel Raises

Either take a chair or stand tall. As you stand up, lift your heels off the floor and plant both feet on their toes. Hold for three seconds, then gradually descend both heels to the floor. Perform two seven-repetition sets.

Side Leg Raises

To maintain equilibrium, stand and grip the back of the chair. Put your weight on your left leg. Stand tall and extend the right leg out to the side, keeping the outer leg straight and the outer muscle strained. Hold for 5 seconds, then drop the leg.

Sit to Stand 

Sit in a chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. Stand tall gently and gracefully by using your leg muscles. Then lower yourself to sit. Check that your bent knees are not moving ahead of your toes. Experiment with your arms crossed or at your sides.

One Leg Balance 

Without holding on, stand behind your kitchen counter or a chair back and carefully lift one foot off the floor. The objective is to remain balanced for 20 seconds without touching the counter. Repeat this motion twice more, then swap sides