Knee Osteoarthritis or Knee Degeneration
... also known as a degenerative joint disease of the knee, is typically the result of wear and tear and progressive loss of articular cartilage.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA), also known as a degenerative joint disease of the knee, is most common in the elderly. It can be divided into two types, primary and secondary.
Primary osteoarthritis is articular degeneration without any apparent underlying reason. Secondary osteoarthritis is the consequence of either an abnormal concentration of force across the joint as with post-traumatic causes or abnormal articular cartilage, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Osteoarthritis is typically a progressive disease that may eventually lead to disability.
Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis or Knee Degeneration
Pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis in the knee. Your knee might hurt when you move it, or even when you are just sitting still.
Other symptoms may be:
- stiff knee, particularly when you first get up or when you’ve been sitting for a long time
- swollen or puffy knee
- cracking or grinding noise when you move your knee
- feels wobbly as if it could buckle or give out
- might lock up, or feel as if it is stuck
What Can I Expect After the Treatment?
- Reduction or elimination of pain
- Increased joint mobility
- Increased joint function
- Enhanced cartilage repair
Most patients see positive results within the first few treatments. For some, relief and improvement may not happen for a few weeks. There is a small percentage of patients that won’t have a noticeable reduction in symptoms until the end of treatment. Our primary objective is to get to the cause of the problem and not chase the symptoms. The age of the condition as well as the severity of the damage also plays a part in the timing of recovery.
Your treatment will often be combined with other therapies designed to produce the fastest and most complete recovery possible for your individual condition. The total number of treatments recommended will depend on the severity of your condition, along with your personal treatment goals.
Remember, the tissue in the knee can take three to six, to nine months to fully heal, therefore, the doctor may give you some advice as to how to best support the healing process once you are finished with the initial program.
Your doctor may recommend a Cold Laser be used on a regular basis to continue the healing process at home.