Knee Arthritis in Belleville: Symptoms, How To Treat?

Knee arthritis in Belleville can be characterized as the inflammation of joint structures. This pathology has different etiologies/causes.

The Main Types of Knee Arthritis Are:

There are several different types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis mainly affects people over 65 years of age. However, it is also present in younger people and is one of the most common causes of muscle and bone pain and incapacity for work in the country. It affects joints from cartilage insufficiency and is aggravated by muscle overload and genetic factors.

Posttraumatic arthritis

Posttraumatic arthritis is when the individual suffers some trauma caused by repetitive strain, physical or sports activities and accidents (which can cause fractures, ligament injuries or meniscal injuries). This intra-articular trauma may be responsible for the onset of early knee arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of autoimmune disease that affects all the body's joints causing deformities in its advanced stage, but it usually affects mainly both knees, feet and hands. Any age group can be affected by this disease. The deformity installed as a result of this pathology cannot be reversed, but it is possible to delay the speed of development of the deformities with guidance, positioning, stretching and muscle strengthening.

Knee Arthritis Symptoms

The patient with arthritis of the knee usually feels pain in the region that develops gradually in most cases, especially during activities such as walking, squatting, climbing and descending stairs and bending the knees a lot.

In addition to the characteristic pain, other symptoms may include:

• Joint stiffness and local swelling.
• Hampering knee flexion/extension movements.
• Feeling of weakness in the knees, heat and redness of the skin around the joint.

Main Risk Factors for Knee Arthritis in Belleville NJ

• Obesity: If the patient is overweight, the excess weight ends up increasing the pressure and overload on the knee joint.
• Gender: Women are the most affected by knee arthritis.
• Aging: As age advances, the risk of developing arthritis of the knee increases.
• Family history: Genetic tendency within the family.

Knee Arthritis Diagnosis

The disease can be identified through a complete physical examination, identifying the range of movement of the lower limbs, changes in heat, edema, redness, and pain points according to the patient's palpation and complaint. Blood tests and imaging tests such as X-ray and MRI are also used to define the pathology and the degree to it is found.

Knee Arthritis Treatment

The conservative treatment is due to relieve pain and promote the improvement of knee joint function, but the ducts depend on the cause of arthritis. Some medications, such as analgesics, can be administered by an orthopedist and rheumatologist.

Physical therapy is the main intervention within the conservative treatment. Specific exercises aimed at strengthening, gaining motor control, improving functionality help in the functional recovery of joints, improving flexibility and endurance, as well as helping to prevent the problem.

Surgery is only indicated as a last resort in more chronic cases that require reconstruction of the affected joint or even its replacement.