Knee Osteoarthritis: Symptoms and Management
Osteoarthritis, also commonly known as arthrosis, is one of the leading causes of orthopedic consultation worldwide due to the deterioration of quality of life it causes in patients. It is a progressive degenerative disease; it does not appear suddenly; on the contrary, its consequences become evident over time, and its early detection is key for better management.
The articular cartilage that covers the end of the femur allows it to glide within permitted limits over the menisci, which in turn sit on the tibia. When Osteoarthritis appears, this cartilage in both the femur and the tibia deteriorates, which is usually associated with the menisci also being affected, finally producing pain when moving the knee.
The exact causes of this pathology are not known, but it is known that factors such as age (Over 45 years old), heredity (If Osteoarthritis exists in the family), obesity, traumatic sports injuries, alterations in the alignment of lower limbs, and autoimmune inflammatory diseases influence its appearance.
Symptoms:
The main symptoms are pain and stiffness. When the disease begins to develop, the patient may feel mild pain when performing certain movements; as it advances, the pain becomes more intense and persistent, and that is when movement limitations begin to appear, for simple activities in severe cases, or when having been sitting or lying down for a long period of time.
Management:
There are different palliative managements that can help improve the quality of life of patients, but it is important to highlight that there is no cure. These treatments are only applied to reduce pain and improve mobility for a while and as long as the development of the disease allows; eventually, the surgical option will be the best.
Pain can be treated with fast-acting analgesics and anti-inflammatories; one can also opt for viscosupplement injections that seek to preserve the lubrication of the joint for a longer period. The application of Platelet-Rich Plasma as an orthobiologic medium is pertinent to use jointly in some cases, and as a last option, there are corticosteroid injections in very selected cases.
Surgically, we can speak of an arthroscopy to stabilize lesions of the cartilage that has detached and remove debris from the surface of the worn cartilage. Likewise, an osteotomy, in which a controlled cut or fracture is made in the bones to realign the knee and eliminate pressure from the joint. These procedures are not effective if the disease is very advanced.
When Osteoarthritis has reached its most advanced point, a Total Knee Replacement is recommended, where the main components of it are changed for a joint prosthesis manufactured in a combination of metals like chrome, cobalt, titanium, or alumina or zirconia ceramics, and articulated with polyethylene.
