What is Knee Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that can affect many joints of the body and is the result of wear and tear on the joint itself. This wear and tear or degeneration occurs over many years and results in the progressive wearing away of the cushioning within the joint, known as cartilage. As this cartilage wears away, we are eventually left with a bone on bone situation that can result in a debilitating pain. This pain can rob individuals of the ability to do the activities and day to day things that they love to do.
Who Does Knee Osteoarthritis Affect?
Knee Osteoarthritis typically affects individuals over 40 years of age. It is most common in individuals who present with one or more of the following risk factors:
- Mal-Alignment-Bow legged
- Mal-Alignment-Knocked knee
- Overweight
- Previous trauma to the knee
- High activity levels – Overuse
How is Knee Osteoarthritis Diagnosed and Treated?
The good news is this is a gradual process and can be slowed with treatment. One of the more effective treatments for knee osteoarthritis is to address the risk factors causing the increased load on the cartilage. This can be achieved by using a custom made unloading knee brace by Applied Biomechanics to create joint separation within the knee thereby reducing the wear and tear on the cartilage.
These braces work by pulling or pushing the knee into a position that creates space within the joint, which in turn reduces pressure on affected arthritic side of the knee. A study published in the prestigious Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, showed that custom made osteoarthritis knee bracing can be a very effective tool in helping to address unicompartmental osteoarthritis.
If you are experiencing pain in discomfort in your knees, get in touch with the team at Applied Biomechanics and book an appointment to see a specialist!
