Knee Pain

How does knee degeneration develop?

Degeneration of the knee can be caused by a knee injury earlier in life. It can also come from years of repeated strain on the knee. Fractures of the joint surfaces, ligament tears, and meniscal injuries can all cause abnormal movement and alignment, leading to wear and tear on the joint surfaces. Obesity is also a cause of knee degeneration.

Symptom of degenerated knee

Knee OA develops slowly over several years. The symptoms are mainly pain, swelling, and stiffening of the knee. Pain is usually worse after activity, such as walking. Early in the course of the disease, you may notice that your knee does fairly well while walking, then after sitting for several minutes your knee becomes stiff and painful. As the condition progresses, pain can interfere with simple daily activities. In the late stages, the pain can be continuous and even affect sleep patterns.

What are the risk factors to develop knee degeneration?

People who have prolonged walking, walking stairs, squatting, their knees would degenerate at faster pace.

Treatment

Our physiotherapist begins treatments and applies heat, shortwave and ultrasound to help our patient to ease pain and improve mobility, strength, and function. Our physiotherapist will also teach patients how to protect the degenerated knee joint. This starts with choosing activities that minimize impact and twisting forces on the knee. People who modify their activities can slow down the degeneration of knee. Sports that require jumping and quick starts and stops may need to be altered or discontinued to protect the knee joint.

Our physiotherapist may suggest that shock-absorbing insoles placed in your shoes to reduce impact and protect the joint. In advanced cases of knee degeneration, or when the knee is especially painful, we may recommend a cane or walker to ease joint pressure when walking. Our primary goals are to help you learn how to control symptoms, maximize the health of your knee and promote your knee to a pain free status.

Tips to prevent Knee pain :

Exercise 1: Calf Raises

1. Using a chair or wall for balance, stand with your feet about hip-width apart, toes straight ahead.
2. Slowly lift your heels off the floor, rising up onto your toes and then hold for 10 seconds.
3. Repeat this exercise 3 times per day