Arthritis of the Knee Overview
Arthritis of the knee occurs when the joint becomes inflamed and cartilage is worn away. There are three painful types of arthritis that can affect the knee.
Osteoarthritis is a slow yet progressive degenerative disease in which the joint cartilage gradually wears away. Post-traumatic arthritis usually develops after a patient has sustained an injury to the knee. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory type of arthritis that can destroy the joint cartilage.
Preventing Arthritis of the Knee
There are simple lifestyles changes that can incorporated into the daily life of a person to prevent the development of arthritis in the knees.
Exercise
Doing exercise regularly has three benefits to a person′s knees. One – it is known that exercise will help to keep body weight down, which puts less stress on the knee joints. Two – it can keep the muscles surrounding the knees strong so again less stress is put on the knee joint. Three – it helps with range of motion and flexibility.
Avoid Injury
Stretch and warming up before exercise or strenuous activity is important. Avoid repetitive stress on the knees by using good posture and not over exerting the joint and surrounding muscles.
Braces
If you are experiencing knee joint pain, use a knee brace when engaging in sporting activities to keep your knee joint in perfect alignment. This will help prevent further injury.
Listen to the Pain
If an individual is experiencing any sort of knee pain during an activity, then they should cease doing the activity. This is especially important if the pain is persistent. Listening to the body and stopping activity that would further aggravate the situation is important.
Rest
Taking a break and giving the body a rest is especially beneficial after exercise or a hard day′s work. Resting gives the body time to recuperate and heal. Placing an ice pack on sore knees for 10 minutes at a time will help with inflammation which could be causing the pain. Also, over-the-counter medications can help with any pain or discomfort.