Search for any health
topic on HealthMash:
 | ||
What is knee osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is characterized by chronic and often disabling pain and stiffness of one or more joints, particularly those of the fingers, spine, hips, knees, and feet. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and was once called degenerative joint disease. Most people who are affected by osteoarthritis are middle-aged or older.
Read more on www.pdrhealth.com
Also known as Knee Osteoarthritides
Explore and Discover
Tests and Treatments
Drugs and Substances
» aspirin
knee osteoarthritis information from trusted sources:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, sometimes called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis, is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in your joints wears down over time. Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is not a single disease but rather the end result of a variety of disorders leading to the structural or functional failure of 1 or more of your joints. Osteoarthritis involves the entire joint including the nearby muscles, underlying bone, ligaments, joint lining (synovium), and the joint cover (capsule). Osteoarthritis also involves an advancing loss of cartilage. The cartilage tries to repair itself, the bone remodels, the underlying (subchondral) bone hardens, and bone cyst form. This process has several phases. The stationary phase of disease progression in osteoarthritis involves the formation of osteophytes or joint space narrowing. Osteoarthritis progresses further with obliteration of the joint space. The appearance of subchondral cysts (cysts in the bone underneath the cartilage) indicates the erosive phase of disease progression in osteoarthritis. The last phase in the disease progression involves bone repair and remodeling. Definitions Joint cartilage is a layer of tissue present at the joint surfaces that sustains joint loading and allows motion. It is gel-like, porous, and elastic. Normal cartilage provides a durable, low-friction, load-bearing surface for joints. Articular surface is the area of the joint where the ends of the bones meet, or articulate, and function like a ball bearing. Bone remodeling is a process in which damaged bone attempts to repair itself. The damage may occur from either an acute injury or as the result of chronic irritation such as that found in osteoarthritis. Collagen is the main supportive protein found in bone tendon, cartilage, skin, and connective tissue. Osteophytes are bony outgrowths or lumps, especially at the joint margins. They are thought to develop in order to offload the pressure on the joint by increasing the surface area on which your weight is distributed. Synovium is a membrane found within the joints that secretes a fluid that lubricates tissues where friction would otherwise occur. Subchondral bone is the part of bone under the cartilage. Read more on
www.emedicinehealth.com
Osteoarthritis
It is not possible to prevent osteoarthritis altogether. However, you may be able to minimise your risk of developing osteoarthritis by avoiding factors that can make developing it more likely. Read more on
www.nhs.uk
Osteoarthritis of the Knee, February 26, 2003, Parmet et al. 289 ...
by S Parmet - 2003 - Cited by 6 - Related articles Read more on
scholar.google.com
Knee osteoarthritis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the knee joint. It is more common in people older than 40 years. Women have greater chance to be affected. ... Read more on
en.wikipedia.org
Osteoarthritis of the Knee -- familydoctor.org
Learn about the causes, diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Read more on
familydoctor.org
Treating Knee Osteoarthritis With Hyaluronan Injections
Aug 14, 2009 ... Learn about hyaluronan injections for knee osteoarthritis, including who could be a candidate to receive them. Read more on
www.webmd.com
CDC Features - Lifetime Risk of Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis
Feb 16, 2009 ... A newly published CDC study reports that the lifetime risk of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) may be nearly one in two, or 46%. Read more on
www.cdc.gov
Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Guide for Adults - Consumer Guide ...
Apr 8, 2009 ... Treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee can help reduce pain. ... Medicines can help relieve the pain of knee osteoarthritis. ... Read more on
www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov
Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis of the Knee Study Results [NCCAM ...
Nov 17, 2009 ... Study results of the Acupuncture and Osteoarthritis Study show that acupuncture provides pain relief and improves function for people with ... Read more on
nccam.nih.gov
Contents
Osteoarthritis
Knee Injury
The knee has a simple purpose. It needs to flex (bend) or extend (straighten) to allow the body to perform many activities like running, walking, kicking, and sitting. Imagine standing up from a chair if your knees couldn't bend.
Read more on
www.emedicinehealth.com
Knee pain
Patella
Your knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have knee problems. Knee problems can cause pain and difficulty walking. Arthritis is the most common disease that affects bones in your knees. The cartilage in the knee gradually wears away, causing pain and swelling. Injuries to ligaments and tendons also cause knee problems. A common injury is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). You usually injure your ACL by a sudden twisting motion. ACL and other knee injuries are common sports injuries.
Read more on
www.nlm.nih.gov
Knee bursitis
Bursitis (ber-SEYE-tis) is swelling and pain of a bursa. A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion or shock absorber between a tendon and a bone. A tendon is a cord of tough tissue that connects muscles to bones. Normally a bursa has a small amount of fluid in it. When injured, the bursa becomes inflamed (red and sore) and may fill with too much fluid. When you have an inflamed bursa in your patellar (pah-TEL-er) or kneecap area, you have knee bursitis. You may have inflammation (in-flah-MAY-shun) in front of or behind the kneecap. You may also have it on the inner sides of your knees (where they may knock together).
Read more on
www.pdrhealth.com
Knee braces
Discuss your interest in knee braces with your doctor. Together you can weigh the benefits and risks of knee braces to decide whether they are right for you.
Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Knee Sprain
A knee sprain occurs when one or more ligaments in your knee are suddenly stretched or torn. Ligaments are tissues that hold bones together. Ligaments support the knee and keep the joint and bones lined up. They help you to be able to walk, twist and turn. There are four ligaments that help support the knee. Ask your caregiver which of these ligaments was sprained in your knee. Ligaments are often sprained because of an exercise or sports-related injury. Treatment and recovery time depend on the type and cause of the knee sprain.
Read more on
www.pdrhealth.com
Knee MRI scan
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the knee is a noninvasive way to take pictures of the knee joint and surrounding muscles and other tissues. Unlike x-rays and computed tomographic (CT) scans, which use radiation, MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves. The MRI scanner contains the magnet. The magnetic field produced by an MRI is about 10 thousand times greater than the earth's. The magnetic field forces hydrogen atoms in the body to line up in a certain way (similar to how the needle on a compass moves when you hold it near a magnet). When radio waves are sent toward the lined-up hydrogen atoms, they bounce back, and a computer records the signal. Different types of tissues send back different signals. Single MRI images are called slices. The images can be stored on a computer or printed on film. One exam produces dozens or sometimes hundreds of images.
Read more on
www.nlm.nih.gov
Knee Osteoarthritis - Knee OA - Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Knee osteoarthritis is the most common type of osteoarthritis. Knee osteoarthritis is also the most common cause of disability in the United States.
Read more on
osteoarthritis.about.com
Frequently Asked Questions about Osteoarthritis of the Knee - Your ...
Osteoarthritis of the knee usually occurs in knees that have experienced trauma, infection, or injury. A smooth, slippery, fibrous connective tissue, ...
Read more on
orthoinfo.aaos.org
Knee Osteoarthritis - Causes - Diagnosis - Symptoms - Treatment ...
Osteoarthritis (OA) in the knees can cause pain, stiffness, and other symptoms. Learn about knee osteoarthritis causes, diagnosis, symptoms, pain relief, ...
Read more on
osteoarthritis.about.com