What Is Osteoarthritis of the Knee?
Osteoarthritis of the knee often results from an age-related degenerative process that occurs gradually over time. Through ongoing wear and tear, the smooth cartilage that lines the knee joint can begin to break down and wear away, leading to bone-on-bone contact. In response, the body may produce smooth bony deposits (bone spurs) to help protect the exposed bone surfaces. All of this can lead to knee pain, stiffness and impaired mobility.
What does osteoarthritis of the knee feel like?
Because knee arthritis typically progresses very slowly, its symptoms often worsen in frequency and severity over a number of years. The primary symptom of knee osteoarthritis is pain, which may follow any of the following patterns:
- Mild-to-moderate discomfort that comes and goes
- A persistent, dull ache punctuated by periodic, intense flare-ups
- Pain that occurs or intensifies during activities that strain the damaged knee joint, such as walking, climbing stairs, squatting, kneeling and bending
- Pain and stiffness that worsen with prolonged rest or inactivity
How is osteoarthritis of the knee treated?
In general, regular exercise and weight maintenance are key components of an effective treatment plan for osteoarthritis of the knee. A physician or physical therapist can recommend an individualized workout program designed to strengthen the muscles that support the knee joint, enhance range of motion and reduce pain. Walking and swimming are excellent options.
While the degenerative process that leads to knee osteoarthritis cannot be reversed or halted, many people are able to effectively manage their discomfort. In addition to regular exercise and weight maintenance, this can often be accomplished with lifestyle changes, physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or, in severe cases, surgery.
At Advanced Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine of Houston, TX, you can explore a variety of osteoarthritis treatment options with our team of experienced knee specialists. We offer the latest approaches to physical therapy, custom bracing and surgery, including minimally invasive and traditional techniques. Our goal is to help each patient find the most conservative treatment plan that will be effective. To learn more, contact us today.
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1Professional Building II At North Cypress Medical Center
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2North Cypress Professional Building At Lakewood Crossing
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3North Cypress Professional Building At Towne Lake
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4Advanced Orthopaedics Memorial
What Our Patients Are Saying
This Hospital/clinic is the best that will take care of your pain and ailments. I will never trust any one else but Dr. Alain Elbaz to heal my body. The staff is awesome, polite, respectful and as professional as the team that works with Dr. Elbaz. I recommend him and all the doctors in the clinic because of their experience and honesty.
I have been fighting chronic knee pain for ten years following a knee replacement, a bone infection, and subsequent knee revision surgery. After a number of failed solutions to pain relief, Dr. Patel introduced me to RF nerve ablation procedure which has been very effective in improving my quality of life. Dr. Patel’s professionalism and proficiency are sincerely appreciated.
Dr. Mohr and his staff are very friendly people. They treated my father very well and made him feel comfortable in his uncomfortable situation.
Yes, I would certainly recommend Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine to family & friends. My wife and I both have been going to see Dr. Mills for the past year, and both of us have had hand surgery performed by same. He is always very polite, and will discuss all options with you, and will not cut you short of time. He listens, he’s very professional, and bottom line is he is a great doctor. Plus all the staff that we have had contact with are very polite, and professional. Dr. Mills assistant Ms. Alexia Wilburn gets an AA ++
She has been very professional & helpful getting us through our surgeries. Thanks goes out to everyone at Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for taking care of both of us
Dr mills is exceptional. I would recommend him to anyone
All the staff performed in a professional manner.All of my questions and concerned where explained to me so i could understand them. Great job all around. Thanks
Always treated promptly and kindly at AOSM. Thanks to Dr Mack and his team.
Dr. Bacon is hands-down the best doctor I have ever had (skills, knowledge, bedside manner, and more,) Garrett is an intelligent P. A. who is very approachable and answers any and all questions promptly, and Jose is warm, incredibly compassionate and genuinely shows great concern for the patients. He represents the practice very well. There are so many more positives to say about them, but not enough room! I highly recommend Team Bacon!
Doctor Brooks is the best. His advice to get lubricant injected into my knees has made my life so much better. Kudos!
They are very professional and attentive. I was having shoulder pain. The wait was short and staff very kind.Dr. Fehsenfeld examined gave me a shot in shoulder, and it is much improved.