Knee arthritis: symptoms and solutions



knee arthritis symptoms

Does your knee hurt? Knee arthritis is a painful and irreversible condition. It is also referred to as knee osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis. Knee pain, cracking, swelling, stiffness… Learn more about the symptoms of arthritis in the knee.

EPITACT®, an innovative orthopaedic care laboratory, has developed a knee support brace for relieving the symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee.

 

Knee pain: the main symptom of arthritis in the knee

Gonalgia, or knee pain, is the main symptom of knee arthritis like many other knee conditions. For example, patellar tendinopathy, patellofemoral syndrome, chondromalacia patellae and rhumatoid arthritis also cause knee pain. You must see your general practitioner to have the right diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common joint diseases that causes wear and tear of the cartilage. This condition is mainly characterised by knee pain, especially during flexion and extension movements. Initially, pain tends to be localised and intermittent. This symptom particularly manifests when descending or climbing stairs.

Another revealing feature is called the ‘movie sign’ or ‘theatre sign’. A prolonged sitting position with knees bent leads to the appearance of localised discomfort on the lateral edge of the kneecap. This pain reflects the involvement of the patellofemoral joint. Over time, it becomes diffuse and constant even during resting periods or at night.

Arthritic knee can take several forms due to the complexity of the joint: click HERE for more information.

 

Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis

What are the other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis?

Knee osteoarthritis is a complicated disease that affects the knee joint, especially the cartilage recovering the bones. Since the cartilage is worn or cracked, it does not play its role properly anymore. So in addition to knee pain, knee arthritis can cause other symptoms:

  • Swelling and redness: In the case of intense stress, the knee may swell and the joint becomes red. These symptoms of arthritis in the knee can be the result of an inflammation of the synovial membrane.
  • Stiffness of the knee joint: as the cartilage wears away, the bones rub against each other, causing increasing pain, joint stiffness and limited range of motion. The discomfort caused by these pains may lead to a loss of movement coordination.
  • Joint cracking: Another symptom of knee osteoarthritis is the need to ‘crack’ the knee or the impression that it cracks during flexion or extension movements.

 

How to be sure that your symptoms are those of knee arthritis?

Knee joint pain can take several forms and be a symptom of another condition. Discover our article dedicated to the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis.

After examining your knee, your doctor (sport physician, general practitioner or orthopaedist) will probably prescribe you an X-ray to make the diagnosis. In this way, he will be able to clearly identify if you’re suffering from a tibiofemoral or patellofemoral osteoarthritis. After that, he will probably suggest you a treatment combined with the wearing of a knee brace.

 

Osteoarthritis in the knee: symptoms and pain relief with EPITACT®

To relieve the symptoms of knee arthritis, you can wear the PHYSIOstrap™ MEDICAL brace* developed by EPITACT®.

This knee brace is specifically conceived for the patellofemoral osteoarthritis and is made up of two silicone elastic strips. Placed along the thigh, these strips hold the brace in place throughout the day. Thanks to this medical device, your kneecap is surrounded by a silicone tendon to guide it in the femoral trochlea.

The ultra-thin and flexible fabric avoids pressure against the patella and the popliteal fossa. Light and discreet, this brace weighs only 40 grams so that it can be worn under all your clothes.

You can now find out whether your symptoms are those of knee osteoarthritis. For more details about this condition, read our other articles:

 

*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. 03/2022