Arthritis of the Knee: Types, Triggers and Management

Knee pain can be triggered by different conditions that might not necessarily be arthritis. However, when you have knee pain, swellings, and mobility issues continuously, it could be more severe than you think.

First of all, let’s briefly understand how the knee works. Your knees constitute three major bones: the femur, tibia, and patella (also called the kneecap). There is also the articular cartilage that caps the ends of the bones and serves as a protective barrier when bones glide against each other. In a healthy knee, all these structures work together to enable your knees to bend and straighten smoothly.

Arthritis of the knee is inflammation of the knee joints. This condition develops gradually and, if not controlled, can degenerate into a chronic state where you might need knee replacement therapy. Knee arthritis can be triggered by age, obesity, previous injury, genetics, etc. The types of arthritis that can affect the knees are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis.

Osteoarthritis of the Knee

This occurs when the articular cartilage cushions the knee joints and deteriorates, making the bones rub against each other. This friction causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. It is more common in older adults. Knee osteoarthritis can either be primary or secondary. The former occurs due to the degradation of the articular cartilage without any known reason, and the latter results from different factors. These factors could be rheumatoid arthritis, infectious arthritis, gout, etc.

Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Knee

This is an autoimmune disease that happens when your immune system attacks the synovium lining your knee joints, resulting in inflammation. This inflammation triggers other symptoms associated with this condition, such as joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. It affects the joints on both sides of your body.

Post-traumatic Arthritis of the Knee

As the name implies, this type of arthritis can occur after the knee joints have experienced a trauma or injury. These can include accidents, falls, or exercise injuries. It is a type of osteoarthritis that is more common in young adults who develop injuries in the joints.

How Do You Know You Have Arthritis of the Knee?

If you think you have knee arthritis, there are some common signs you might experience. These include;

• Thick and wide kneecap
• Inability to strengthen and bend the legs
• Middle joint line tenderness
• Bowing of the legs
• Joint pain, swelling, and aching.

How to Improve Knee Arthritis

There is no cure for arthritis. However, some effective tips will help make a positive difference in how the condition affects you. These are;

• Weight loss: Weight loss can help reduce the pressure on the knee, improve joint mobility, and reduce the pressure on the knee.
• Physiotherapy and use of braces: it is very essential to keep moving if you have knee arthritis. Exercise can strengthen the muscles around your knee, improve your posture, and stabilize your joints. Additionally, consider spacing out your physical activities to avoid putting too much strain on your knee joints.
• Use of an arthritis-alleviating supplement: Supplementing with a product containing glucosamine or chondroitin can significantly improve knee arthritis. These compounds are components of cartilage and stimulate your body to make more cartilage. Therefore, as osteoarthritis occurs due to the degradation of the articular cartilage, these compounds help enhance cartilage production in people with osteoarthritis. NATURE’SFIELD JOINT RENEW ADVANCE contains these high-strength ingredients in addition to hyaluronic acid, which lubricates the joints and eases mobility.
• Dietary modification: Avoid inflammatory foods that can aggravate arthritis, which include alcohol, sugar, refined grains, and processed foods. Instead, increase the intake of anti-inflammatory foods such as green leafy vegetables, fruits, ginger and turmeric, fish, etc.

There are different stages of knee arthritis, from stage I to stage IV. Knee arthritis are characterized not necessarily by the triggers but by increasing levels of severity and pain as you progress from one stage to another. Therefore, preventing or managing arthritis of the knee requires a combination of lifestyle modification and a holistic approach, like the use of NATURE’SFIELD JOINT RENEW ADVANCE. Boost your joint, bone, and cartilage health and make going through your daily activities a lot easier for your joints.