Knee Arthritis
What is knee arthritis?
There are different types of arthritis which can effect the knee. The most common type is called knee osteoarthritis, this is were the smooth articular cartilage is damaged or worn. The other arthritis which can effect the knee is an inflammatory arthritis, for example rheumatoid arthritis.
What does articular cartilage do?
Articular cartilage performs an important function of allowing smooth frictionless movement when the knee is in motion.
How do you get knee osteoarthritis?
There can be many differnet causes of osteoarthritis. It could be as a result of a previous injury in the knee, such as a meniscal tear or ligament tear. However, most often there is not identifiable cause, some factors maybe due to biomechanics and genetics, with a hereditary component.
Mr Deepu Sethi is an expert orthopaedic knee surgeon specialising in the treatment of knee arthritis in London. He uses cutting-edge techniques to knee arthritis, including non-surgical methods, such as PRP injections and joint preservation surgery to relieve pain and restore function.
How do I know if I have knee arthritis?
Knee arthritis causes symptoms of pain, stiffness and swelling. Symptoms normally start gradually and progressively get worse over a months and years. In addition, you can experience symptoms of locking and instability.
What should I think I have knee arthritis?
It is important to get a clear diagnosis. This would involve an initial consultation with Mr Sethi who would examine your knee. Often from a history and examination, the diagnosis can be made. An x-ray or MRI scan can be useful to assess the severity of the knee arthritis.
Do I need surgery if I have a knee arthritis?
The majority of people with knee arthritis can be helped without the need for surgery. For those who still struggle with pain and disability, surgery such as a knee replacement or an osteotomy can be very helpful.
What is the treatment for a knee osteoarthritis?
Non-operative measures such as weight loss, physiotherapy and an injection can often give long lasting pain relief, therefore avoiding surgery. If these measures fail, surgery in the form of an osteotomy or knee replacement can be helpful.
Can articular cartilage be repaired?
For many years there has been a lot of research done on techniques to repair articular cartilage. Whilst some established techniques are available, the results of cartilage repair surgery can be unpredicatble, with mixed results.
