Knee arthritis can strike anyone at any age, but it is most common in people who are over 50 years of age. Other contributing factors, would include being overweight, and suffering through trauma to the knee and its ligaments or bone damage.
Symptoms of knee arthritis are often painful and debilitating, especially if the problem is left untreated. However, unlike most diseases, symptoms can fade or disappear altogether some days, and strike fiercely and unexpectedly other days.
There are many different kinds of arthritis, but when looked at in general, there are three main types. Osteoarthritis is the most common form, and generally strikes people who are middle-aged. This type of knee arthritis usually gets worse as time goes on. Gradually, the cartilage that surrounds the knee is worn away, causing your bones to rub together.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammation of the knee that can destroy the cartilage surrounding the knee. This type of knee arthritis can strike at any age, and it generally strikes both knees and not just one.
Post-traumatic arthritis is the final, main type of knee arthritis discussed in this article. As mentioned earlier in this article, this type of knee arthritis occurs subsequent to a knee injury. It may not show up for years after you have sustained an injury to the knee, but once it does, it can be painful.
It goes without saying that the symptoms of arthritis are different among individuals. You may experience "good days", or "bad days". In some cases, knee arthritis sufferers complain that the weather affects their symptoms. If it is damp or cold outside, your symptoms may increase in severity compared to when it is dry and more warm outside.
Knee arthritis symptoms can include:
A weakness in the knee
Joint swelling
Knee area feels stiff Range of motion is reduced
Knee can become deformed
The knee and surrounding area becomes sore to the touch.
Do not allow knee arthritis to ruin your mobility. If you notice any of the symptoms of knee arthritis listed above, see your doctor. The longer you leave it, the worse the symptoms can become.
While visiting with your physician is important there are a number of things you can do to alleviate the pain in your knees, if you are suffering from knee arthritis.
First and foremost, if you are overweight, you should strongly consider losing weight in order to take some of the pressure off your knees. Staying away from any exercise that may exert extra, unneeded pressure on your knee is also recommended. In extreme cases of knee arthritis, you may be required to undergo knee replacement surgery.
A knee brace can also be used to lend extra support to the knee. If you tend to have more pain when certain knee movements occur you should highly consider the support a knee brace can provide. A low profile knee brace can prevent excessive movements and as a result reduce your pain. This is extremely important when you forget about your arthritic symptoms and make a movement without thinking. This is when the knee brace can be your aid.
If you have osteoarthritis a knee brace can also be helpful. If you have malalignment due to arthritic anatomy changes at your knee joint. An "OA" (osteoarthritis) knee brace can help maintain proper alignment, thus reducing your pain.
Whether you fall awkwardly or jar your knee, spraining or straining the knee joint is a common occurrence.
A sprain is a stretching of the ligaments that join your bones together. This can be debilitating, and of course, very painful. If you suffer from a second or third degree sprain, which involves different degrees of tearing of the ligaments, you can lose your mobility altogether. Sprains can take weeks to heal, and in some cases, physical therapy is needed to gain back all of the movement you had before you suffered a sprained knee. If the knee sprain is severe enough, you may have to undergo surgery to correct the problem.
Strains on the other hand are different, although it sounds a lot like a sprain. Strains, are injuries that involve muscles or tendons; not ligaments. (In this case, we would be still reviewing how it relates to your knee.) Tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bones. Depending on the level of severity of the injury, a strain maybe a simple overstretch of the tendon or muscle involved, or you may be suffering from a partial or complete tear.
A grade 1,2, or 3 is associated to levels of strains, as is found with sprains. A grade 1 strain is more mild and involves the damage of some muscle fibers. As a result, healing can occur in two to three weeks, unless you reinjure your knee. Supporting your knee in this time period would be a good idea. In a grade 2 strain, there is moderate damage to the muscle or tendon, although it is not completely ruptured. This healing process is longer and can take up to 3-6 weeks. Lastly, in a grade 3 strain, there is a more severe injury and involves a complete rupture. The healing period might take up to three months and may include the need for surgery. Tendons usually do not heal as quickly because they have a more poor blood supply, compared to other tissues in the body. As mentioned earlier, if you have sprained or strained your knee, you should highly consider the use of a well designed knee brace for supportive reasons. More on this later,...
Some symptoms of a knee sprain or strain include:
Swelling Loss of mobility in the knee joint
A grating sound
Numbness Pain
A bulge that was not there before
If you are a sports enthusiast, there is no need to quit sports in order to prevent a knee sprain from occurring. Instead, you could simply try wearing a knee brace. Nothing is perfect, but a well designed knee brace can definately help!
People will often times think that there is a certain knee brace called a "football knee brace" or a "basketball knee brace", but these are just the sports that people can use knee braces for. The truth is that many different knee braces can be used when participating in these sports. For example, if you need a "sports knee brace", this brace should be used in conjunction with the injury that you have, or one you are trying to prevent. (In other words look to your knee pain, and then secondly to the sport you play) Knee braces can help to support the knee, and prevent injuries from occuring. They are fairly inexpensive, if you go to the right provider, and they can be found online. (One valuable piece of information is that you should look for online brace companies that can back up what they are talking about. Most do not have the credentials to speak upon knee braces at all! - Please, we would love it if you prove us wrong).)
Weight lifters also use knee braces quite a bit. It is only logical, since you weight lifters are usually asking their bodies to lift above usual work loads. With almost any exercise that weight has to be carried, a knee brace can be a logical conclusion.
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