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Knowing the causes and risk factors of knee osteoarthritis can help slow down its progression.
Knee osteoarthritis is a condition that can quickly become disabling. Understanding its causes and risk factors allow to limit its progression and help relieve pain. EPITACT®, care in motion specialist, sums up the origins of this condition.
What is knee osteoarthritis?
Knee osteoarthritis is a cartilage wear and tear that commonly causes laxity and flexibility during movements.
The knee is a complex joint, so knee osteoarthritis can affect one part of the joint (uni- or bicompartmental knee osteoarthritis) or the whole joint (tricompartmental knee osteoarthritis). Over time, osteoarthritis can extend until bony contact.
Causes of knee osteoarthritis
This irreversible deterioration of the knee cartilage can come from excessive pressure, microtraumas or overuse of the joint.
Certain occupational activities impose to wear heavy loads on a daily basis, which press the joint and damage the cartilage. Sports like weightlifting involve such stresses to the knee as well as overweight.
Microtraumas caused by repeated shocks on the joint also damage the cartilage creating small cracks for example. If your occupation requires frequent kneeling like plumbing or tile installation, be aware of the high risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.
Also, running is one of the many physical activities that demand high use of the knee. Eventually, this type of excess can lead to knee osteoarthritis.
Risk factors of knee osteoarthritis
Several studies reveal a lot of risk factors for knee osteoarthritis. Among them, let’s name age, although some young patients can also be affected. Indeed, cell regeneration decreases with time.
Also, in women, menopause entails decrease in oestrogen levels that modifies the pain signal transmission. As a consequence, sensitivity is higher.
Weight is also a risk factor of knee osteoarthritis. Stoutness presses the joint and irremediably damages the cartilage. In some cases, readjustment of diet can also avoid the condition worsening.
Anatomy, and more precisely anatomical misalignment can favour knee osteoarthritis. This is the case of genu valgum (knock knees), genu varum (bow legs) or coxa vara and coxa valga (deformities of the upper extremity of the femur). Also, postural misalignment aids the development of knee osteoarthritis (foot pronation or supination).
Significant muscle imbalances can also accentuate the condition. In addition, knee osteoarthritis is favoured by past traumas like fractures (meniscus lesion) or rupture of the cruciate ligaments (anterior cruciate ligament). Lastly, certain diseases contribute to the condition worsening, such as metabolic diseases (gout), inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis) or infectious diseases (infectious arthritis).
Relieving knee osteoarthritis
Determining the cause(s) of knee osteoarthritis allows to limit its progression. By changing some behaviours, you could reduce the risk factors and relieve your pain. These changes won’t be enough but they will improve comfort.
Several treatments aim to soothe knee osteoarthritis. Wearing an appropriate knee brace is one of them. EPITACT® has developed the PHYSIOstrap™ MEDICAL*, a knee brace created for people with patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Ultra-light and comfortable, it can be worn under any clothes like a strapping to hold and stabilise the kneecap. With two silicone strips, the knee brace remains in place and can be daily worn for prevention or pain relief.
Choosing the proper brace is essential and requires advice of specialists to adapt to the symptoms and stage of development of the condition.
*This product is a class I medical device that bears the CE marking under this regulation. Carefully read the instructions before use. Manufacturer: Millet Innovation. 02/2022.