6 facts about knee and hip osteoarthritis

Many people often tend to ignore the pain they experience in the knees or even hip. This pain is due to Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis will majorly affect the people as they get older. Cartilage covering the joints acts as the lubricant and lets them glide smoothly. Over time, this cartilage wears out due to injury or inflammation of the joints especially in the knee and hip joints. This results in the bones of the joints rubbing against each other. This is called osteoarthritis.

Mentioned are 6 facts about the knee and Hip Osteoarthritis

1. Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis: The risk factors can be being overweight, old age, joint injury, a genetic defect in joint cartilage or stresses on the joints from certain jobs and playing sports.
2. Signs of Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis of hip presents as pain in your groin, thigh, or buttocks while exercising, especially worse in the mornings. Just like hip, an early sign of osteoarthritis of the knee is a pain in the knees, which is usually more in the morning. There may be locking of the knee or buckling while walking. Later stages it hurts while flexing the joint, especially while kneeling or going up and down stairs. There may be swelling and stiffness of the joint in severe cases.
3. Treatment: The process underlying osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, but symptoms can usually be effectively managed with lifestyle changes, physical and other therapies, medications, and surgery.
4. Weight loss: Being overweight puts extra stress on the knees and hips. Losing weight can lower arthritis pain.
5. Exercise: A variety of exercises, such as strength training, aerobics, the range of motion and tai chi, can help with both pain and physical function in knee OA. Strengthening can also help with hip OA pain. Water-based exercises may improve function in both knee and hip joints, but offer only minor benefits for pain. A physical therapist can help customize exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your knees or hips.
6. Surgical Treatment: When you do not get enough relief with conservative treatments, doctors may recommend Intraarticular steroid injection, lubricant injection, surgery for realigning bones or joint replacement.

Know more information about Knee Osteoarthritis treatment explained by Dr Pankaj walecha.