Persistent Knee Pain Could Be Arthritis
Persistent pain, swelling, and inflexibility of the knee may be more serious than you think. More than 11.2 million Americans have knee-related problems, most often involving arthritis of the knee, or osteoarthritis. However, a relatively easy surgical procedure is available to correct the problem.
“Osteoarthritis is a slowly progressive degenerative disease where the cartilage in the knee gradually wears away,” says Dr. Thomas Sehlinger, an orthopedic surgeon at Clark Memorial Hospital. “The joint may become stiff and swollen, usually worsening in the mornings and evenings, or after physical activities, such as walking, kneeling, or climbing stairs. The pain may also cause weakness in the knee, causing buckling or locking.”
Several treatment options for osteoarthritis are
available. Usually more conservative, nonsurgical procedures are explored
first. These could include:
If the symptoms persist after the nonoperative treatments, then a
surgical procedure may be needed. One of the easiest procedures for
osteoarthritis is an arthroscopy. “Using very small incisions, an arthroscopy allows us to diagnose and
treat the problem utilizing a small camera that transmits images of the
knee to a television monitor,” explains Sehlinger. “Small instruments can
then be inserted into the knee to remove or repair the damaged cartilage.”
Arthroscopy is one of the most common orthopedic procedures conducted
in the United States. More than 1.5 million Americans have had the
outpatient procedure done with little or no complications. Most arthroscopies are performed on people between 20 and 60 years of
age. However, children as young as 10 and adults as old as 80 have
benefited from the surgery. “Depending on the severity of the arthritis, some patients are still
limited in some activities even after the surgery,” continues Sehlinger.
“However, with the right exercise and at-home rehabilitation regime, most
patients are able to do many of their former physical activities within
six to eight weeks.” If you would like more information on osteoarthritis or on treatments
for knee pain, please call Clark Memorial Hospital at 283-5893. If you
have a specific question for our Coordinator of Orthopedic Services,
please visit www.clarkmemorial.org and select Ask A Nurse
from the main menu.
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