Pain that buildsKnee topic
Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis. In the knee, it comes from inflammation and wear and tear of the cartilage between the bones of the joint.
What it is
Osteoarthritis affects joints, often the hands, knees, hips, neck and lower back. Pain tends to come with movement and often eases with rest.
Day to day
Here is what can help day to day, and when surgery comes into the conversation.
What can help
- Strengthening the muscles around the knee is a central part of a plan.
- Exercises for strength, flexibility and balance can help too.
- Weight loss, if needed, is another option.
When surgery comes into the conversation
- Surgery may be an option if other treatments do not help enough.
- In some cases, surgery to repair or remove parts of the cartilage may be needed.
- Read more on total knee replacement.
How it is described
Pain around the knee is the main symptom, along with:
- Stiffness.
- Swelling.
- Grinding or popping when the knee moves.
What affects how quickly symptoms worsen
How quickly symptoms worsen can depend on:
- Age.
- Body mass index, a measure of weight for height.
- Sex and ethnicity.
- Strength and activity level.
What Physical Therapy may involve
Treatment may include:
- Strengthening.
- Manual therapy, which is hands-on care.
- Bracing.
Some people use Physical Therapy to manage knee osteoarthritis and to put off or avoid surgery.
What an evaluation may look at
An evaluation may measure:
- How far the knee moves.
- Strength.
- Mobility.
- Flexibility.
How Physical Therapy may fit
A Shanti physical therapist begins with an evaluation. If Physical Therapy looks like a good fit, the plan is built around what the evaluation shows. Depending on the findings, a plan may use some, all or none of these approaches:
Safety note
When to seek medical care
Seek urgent medical care after a serious injury if you cannot put weight on the leg, or if the leg or joint looks deformed. Contact a medical professional for severe or worsening symptoms, fever, or concerns after an operation.
See the full safety checklist
When to get medical care first
Get emergency care right away if:
- you cannot put weight on the knee after an injury;
- your knee looks deformed;
- your calf or foot has numbness, tingling or a bluish color;
- your foot feels cool or looks blue after a knee injury. This can mean the knee has come out of joint, which is an emergency.
Contact a medical professional promptly if:
- your knee buckles, clicks or locks;
- your knee is still painful after 3 days of home treatment;
- the pain is severe;
- you have trouble bending or straightening the knee;
- you have a fever;
- your knee is red or warm;
- your knee is heavily swollen;
- your calf hurts or swells;
- an activity keeps bringing on knee pain. Get it checked before it gets worse.
Also see a doctor or physical therapist if:
- you have worsening knee pain that has lasted several months and does not improve with rest.
If you are unsure what is causing your symptoms, ask a medical professional. Information online is not a diagnosis.
Request an appointment
Send a request and we will contact you by the next business day. Submitting a request does not confirm an appointment; your appointment is confirmed only after the clinic responds.