Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
More than 14 million Americans have knee osteoarthritis. It is the most common cause of musculoskeletal disability in the United States. About 13% of women and 10% of men age 60 and older have symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
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Knee osteoarthritis develops gradually over a period of time and typically goes unnoticed until it becomes symptomatic, most often causing:
As knee osteoarthritis progresses, symptoms generally become more severe.Pain may become constant, rather than occur only when you’re standing, walking, or physically active.
With advanced OA,crepitus(a grinding sensation) may become noticeable. There also may be visible joint deformity or a feeling that the knee is going to “give out.”
Usually one knee is affected more than the other, but both may be affected, often at different times. The patellofemoral joint (at the front of the knee) and medial tibiofemoral joint (inner side of knee) are most often involved. The lateral tibiofemoral joint (outer side of the knee) is less commonly so.
As is the case when any type ofarthritis is suspected, the initial consultation with your healthcare provider begins with a discussion of your symptoms. The location of the pain and when it occurs will assist in the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis:
A review of your medical history and a physical examination follow. Your healthcare provider will:
You should also expect blood tests to rule out other types of arthritis and imaging studies to look for evidence of structural changes consistent with osteoarthritis and for the purposes of differential diagnosis.
X-rays are ordered first and if more detailed imaging is needed, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a computed tomography (CT) scan may be ordered. The condition of the knee might also be viewed duringarthroscopic knee surgery.
The examination and imaging studies will reveal which component of the knee is affected.
How Osteoarthritis Is Diagnosed
Knee OA cannot be cured, but there are treatments to help manage the symptoms. In 2019, the American College of Rheumatology and the Arthritis Foundation updated their guidelines for treating and managing knee osteoarthritis.Treatments that are “strongly recommended” have more evidence of benefit than those that are “conditionally recommended.”
Knee replacement surgeryis used as last resort after conservative treatments have failed to produce an adequate response.
Note there are several treatments the ACR/AF strongly recommendsagainstfor knee osteoarthritis: glucosamine, chondroitin, bisphosphonates, hydroxychloroquine, biologic medications, stem cell injections, hyaluronic acid injections, platelet-rich plasma, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS).
The guidelines also conditionally recommend against a number of other treatments. Ultimately, you and your healthcare provider will consider the pros and cons of all options to determine which may be safe and effective for you.
A Word From Verywell
What You Need to Know Before Taking Osteo Bi-Flex for Osteoarthritis
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Wallace IJ, Worthington S, Felson DT, et al.Knee osteoarthritis has doubled in prevalence since the mid-20th century.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2017;114(35):9332-9336. doi:10.1073/pnas.1703856114
Lespasio MJ, Piuzzi NS, Husni ME, Muschler GF, Guarino A, Mont MA.Knee osteoarthritis: A primer.Perm J. 2017;21:16-183. doi:10.7812/TPP/16-183
Mora JC, Przkora R, Cruz-Almeida Y.Knee osteoarthritis: pathophysiology and current treatment modalities.J Pain Res.2018;11:2189-2196. doi:10.2147/JPR.S154002
Vuolteenaho K, Koskinen A, Moilanen E.Leptin - a link between obesity and osteoarthritis. applications for prevention and treatment.Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol.2014;114(1):103-8. doi:10.1111/bcpt.12160
Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al.2019 American college of rheumatology/arthritis foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee.Arthritis Care & Research. Feb 2020;72(2):149-162. doi:10.10002/acr.24131
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the knee. Updated June 2014.Doherty M, Abhishek A.Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of osteoarthritis. UpToDate. Updated December 2, 2019.Jones BQ, Covey CJ, Sineath MH Jr.Nonsurgical management of knee pain in adults.American Family Physician.2015;92(10):875-83.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the knee. Updated June 2014.
Doherty M, Abhishek A.Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of osteoarthritis. UpToDate. Updated December 2, 2019.
Jones BQ, Covey CJ, Sineath MH Jr.Nonsurgical management of knee pain in adults.American Family Physician.2015;92(10):875-83.
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