One of the most common injuries that we see in our clinic is Knee Osteoarthritis (OA). However, because this condition is so common, significant research has been put into helping those suffering return to a functioning and healthy lifestyle quickly. I’m going to break down what to expect if you have this condition and what you can do about it.
What Is Knee OA?
A degenerative condition where the normal joint surfaces of the knee are worn away and the space between the two bones of the knee are reduced to potentially touching. This can result in painful bone spurs or general damage to the joint surfaces. Symptoms are most commonly experienced on the inside or in front of the knee and increase with activities such as running or stairs.
What can be done about it?
Unfortunately, the damage to the joint surfaces will not go away. However, with so much research invested into the treatment of knee OA, the most successful practice has been the commencement of a graded exercise program with manual therapy to help restore joint space and function. This allows you to get back to doing the things you love- whether it’s long romantic walks on the beach, surfing, cycling or other sports.
How long can I expect treatment to take?
The exercise program is designed to be continually performed in order to maintain the newfound strength and function, but when you first are experiencing lots of pain, treatment is normally around 4-6 weeks.
What happens within our treatments?
The treatments will work on:
- Reducing the inflammation in the knee joint
- Restoring knee range of motion
- Correcting lower limb biomechanics (how you walk, run, jump, etc.)
- Increasing the strength of supporting musculature in order to take the load off of the knee.
Can anything else help me?
Some adjunct therapies/products that may help in your treatment of knee OA include; orthotics, knee braces, Theractive, and fisiocrem.
Too long, didn’t read?
Knee OA is all about load management. We will help you make changes to your routine to improve your strength and range so that the loads you like to do are within your capacity.
