Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease where the cartilage in the knee gradually wears away, leading to pain, stiffness, and decreased function. It is one of the most common forms of arthritis and typically affects older adults, though it can also occur in younger people, especially those with previous knee injuries, obesity, or a family history of OA. Physiotherapy plays a key role in managing knee OA, helping to reduce symptoms and improve overall knee function.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Knee Pain, especially with movement or after periods of inactivity
- Knee Swelling due to inflammation
- Stiffness, particularly in the morning or after resting
- Difficulty bending or straightening knee
- Crepitus (a grinding or cracking sound in the joint)
- Muscle weakness, often from disuse due to pain
- Bow leg or knock knee deformity
- X-Ray may show reduced joint space and present with bone spur formation
Physiotherapy Managements:
- Activity Modification: Avoiding activities that put excessive strain on the knees, using supportive footwear, and incorporating periods of rest can help reduce symptoms.
- Strengthening Exercises: Focus on muscle strengthening surrounding knee to improve joint stability.
- Range of Motion (ROM) Exercises: Gentle stretching and ROM exercises help maintain or improve flexibility, stimulate synovial joint secretion in the knee joint. Examples include knee bends, heel slides, and hamstring stretches.
- Manual Techniques: Techniques such as joint mobilization, massage to help ease stiffness and pain.
- Ultrasound Therapy: Helps to improve soft tissue recovery such as tendon and capsular adhesion surrounding knee joint.
Get to know how Physiotherapy can help you
Physiotherapy helps reduce pain, improve movement, and support recovery. Let us guide you to better health.
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