By Steve Horvath
Photography (c) Steve Horvath for ISM Rehab

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What is Knee Osteoarthritis (Knee OA)?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints. It is often referred to as “wear and tear” of the joints over time, causing the cartilage between the joints to break down. This causes swelling, stiffness and pain.¹   OA can occur in any of the joints in our body but commonly happen as we age to more weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees and spine.

What are symptoms of Knee OA?

The most common symptoms of Knee OA are:
Pain - Your joint may hurt during or after movement.
Tenderness - Your joint may feel tender when you apply light pressure to it.
Stiffness  - Joint stiffness may be most noticeable when you wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
Loss of flexibility - You may not be able to move your joint through its full range of motion.
Grating sensation - You may hear or feel a grating sensation when you use the joint.
Bone spurs - These extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, may form around the affected joint.
(Mayo Clinic, 2018)

What kinds of treatments are available for my knee OA?

Depending on the level of OA and the severity of the symptoms there are various levels of treatment from physiotherapy, exercise programs, semi-rigid braces, compression sleeves, custom offloading knee braces, steroid injections, viscosupplementation, and/or a potential a knee replacement. It is recommended that you speak to a specialist in this area to determine what treatments would be most beneficial to you.

Summary

At ISM Rehab we have an excellent multidisciplinary healthcare team which includes physiotherapists and assistants, registered massage therapists, physician assistants, orthopaedic surgeons, and physiatrists. We also have industry leading orthopaedic braces, from “off-the-shelf” options to fully customized knee braces that can provide relief for your mild to severe knee osteoarthritis. Our award-winning physiotherapists can also provide exception service delivery in the area of knee OA. 

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References

¹https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/osteoarthritis/
²Mayo Clinic Osteoarthritis: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoarthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351925 (March 2018)

​Our Physiotherapists see and assess
Knee Osteoarthritis

If you are interested in being seen and assessed by our physiotherapists,
email [email protected] or call 905-333-5100 ext 4.