Arthritis

Normal Knee

Knee Arthritis

Arthritis is caused by injury or damage to the articular cartilage.   Articular cartilage is found on the end of every bone, and between vertebrae in the spine. Many people also call this type of cartilage joint surface cartilage.
When you cut yourself, you take it for granted that your cut will heal in a few days or weeks. When the joint surface of a bone is damaged, it does not heal. If injured due to trauma, wear and tear, or due to the natural aging process, the surface does not have the ability to heal itself. Progressive damage to articular or surface cartilage results in arthritis. It is a very frustrating problem for patients and doctors alike because there is no cure or treatment that can reverse arthritis.
The most common joints that are affected are the hip and knee, but any joint in the body when damaged can become arthritic. When that happens, most people complain of an achy sensation in the joint. Pain and stiffness are usually worse in the morning. Some people also notice swelling and warmth.

Your primary care physician is usually the first medical provider you see, and can usually calm the symptoms with medication and physical therapy. When x-rays are done, narrowing of the spaces between the bones is usually visible. The photos above demonstrate a normal smooth knee and an arthritic knee with less space between the bones.

When the pain and disability persist, patients are referred to my office. As an orthopedic surgeon there are a few more tools that I use to calm arthritis pain.

Orthopedic Treatment Options for Arthritis

• Medications: anti-inflammatory medications like motrin and alleve. Pain pills.
• Over the counter supplements like Glucosamine (1500mg per day).
• Non-impacting exercises or physical therapy.
• Cortisone Injections.
• A series of "joint lubricant" injections – the main ingredient is hyaluronic acid (synvisc, supartz, hylagan, euflexxa are a few brand names).
• Shoe inserts can cushion the impact when walking and improve alignment.
• Use of a cane or walker.
• Weight management.
• Use of an elastic support to help decrease swelling.
• For damage localized to a small area, healthy cartilage can be surgically transplanted to the damaged area.
• For arthritis involving all of the surfaces, joint replacement surgery can relieve pain and improve function of the damaged joint.

Arthritis cannot be cured but the pain and disability from arthritis can be managed. Check with me or your local orthopedic specialist to discuss the treatment options that are best for you.