Osteoarthritis of the Knee (Knee Arthritis): "Degenerative Joint Disease" can cause pain, stiffness, and cartilage breakdown.
Edited By: Seth S. Leopold, M.D.
Last updated Monday, January 14, 2008
Prognosis and impactsHow serious is knee arthritis? Is knee arthritis chronic?
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a serious condition.
Osteoarthritis is the most common of the more than 100 kinds of arthritis, and
the knee joint is the most commonly affected large joint in the body.
Osteoarthritis of the knee results in pain, stiffness, and
joint deformity (See Fig 5), which can affect one’s
ability to walk, work, and enjoy life.
It
is a chronic disease, meaning that it takes months to years to appear; while it
is not “curable,” it most certainly is treatable, using activity modifications,
medications, injections, and if those interventions don’t work, knee
replacement surgery. New minimally invasive approaches appear to decrease the
recovery time from this operation.Is knee arthritis deadly? Osteoarthritis of the knee is not deadly.Will knee arthritis cause pain? Osteoarthritis of the knee indeed can, and usually
does, cause pain. Other symptoms include swelling, stiffness, sometimes warmth,
and joint deformity.Will knee arthritis be debilitating? Osteoarthritis of the knee is progressive, and when it
becomes severe, it indeed can severely affect one’s ability to walk, climb
stairs, enter or exit a vehicle, and enjoy one’s day-to-day activities.Will knee arthritis cause discomfort? Osteoarthritis of the knee indeed can, and usually
does, cause pain and discomfort. Other symptoms include swelling, stiffness,
sometimes warmth, and joint deformity.Is knee arthritis curable? Osteoarthritis of the knee is not curable.
However, while it is not “curable,” it most certainly is
treatable, using activity modifications, medications, injections, and if those
interventions don’t work, knee replacement surgery. New minimally invasive
approaches appear to decrease the recovery time from this operation. Will knee arthritis change the patient?s ability to have children or get pregnant? Osteoarthritis of the knee will not affect a patient’s
ability to get pregnant or have children. However, some medications used to
treat arthritis need to be used with care (or not at all) during a pregnancy.
It is important to inform one’s obstetrician and family physician about all
medications and nutritional supplements that one takes.Will knee arthritis change the patient's independence? Osteoarthritis of the knee indeed can affect one’s
ability to walk, climb stairs, enter or exit a vehicle, and enjoy one’s day-to-day
activities. These things do affect one’s ability to remain independent,
particularly as the disease reaches its more severe stages.Will knee arthritis change the patient's ability to move about? When osteoarthritis of the knee becomes severe, it
indeed can severely affect one’s ability to walk, climb stairs, enter or exit a
vehicle.Will knee arthritis alter activities of daily living (e.g. work, sports, housework, etc.)? Osteoarthritis of the knee can affect one’s ability to
walk, climb stairs, enter or exit a vehicle, perform housework and enjoy one’s
day-to-day activities.
Even mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee can
adversely impact athletic performance and enjoyment of sports, particularly
impact sports and sports that involve running.
Although
there is little “hard science” on this point, most knee surgeons and
rheumatologists (doctors who treat arthritic conditions non-operatively)
believe that patients with osteoarthritis of the knee should consider avoiding
impact sports such as running in order to avoid increasing the rate at which
the disease progresses.Will knee arthritis cause fatigue or changes in metabolism? Many patients indeed find that the chronic pain associated
with osteoarthritis of the knee does contribute to fatigue.
Osteoarthritis of the knee does not affect metabolism, but
some patients attribute weight gain to the inactivity that results from the
knee pain caused by osteoarthritis of the knee.
It
is important that patients with osteoarthritis of the knee avoid decreasing
their activity level, and it is important that they remain fit. However, this
often does require some modification of exercise programs – running and walking
programs are usually poorly tolerated by (and not recommended for) patients
with osteoarthritis of the knee. Stationary bike, swimming, and water aerobics
usually are well-tolerated and they are recommended.Will knee arthritis require a change in diet? Diets do not cure or treat osteoarthritis so far as we
know. However, it is important to try to avoid weight gain when one has
osteoarthritis of the knee, as increased body weight is associated with
worsening of symptoms.Will knee arthritis have implications for relationships, social support, and interactions with family? Osteoarthritis of the knee can affect relationships
and social interactions to the extent that it makes getting around more difficult.What other impacts might knee arthritis have on the patient's life? Is it contagious, disfiguring, etc.? Osteoarthritis of the knee is not contagious, and doesn’t
predispose one to other diseases or conditions.
Osteoarthritis of the knee is associated with joint
deformity (such as bowing of the legs, “knock-knees”, and loss of the ability
to fully straighten or fully bend the affected knee; See Fig 5). These joint deformities are not readily managed by interventions
other than surgery, but can be corrected at the time of knee replacement for
patients who elect to have that surgery. New minimally invasive approaches
appear to decrease the recovery time from this operation. Surgery for Knee Arthritis at the University of Washington If you are interested in making an appointment to discuss this procedure, you can request an appointment using our online referrals website. To request a referral online, please click here. You can also call the Bone & Joint Surgery Center at 206-598-3354 or Eastside Specialty Clinic at 425-646-7777 to make an appointment.
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