Any structural changes were conducted using the Whole Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS). The degenerative changes of the articular cartilage were quantified by a T2 mapping and cartilage thicknesses analysis. T2 mapping and 3D dual-echo images were acquired with a 3.0T MR scanner. Have questions? Make an online appointment request.The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of degenerative characteristics of medial, lateral regions, femoral, patellar, and tibia parts of the knee joint in the early stage of knee osteoarthritis (OA).Ī total of 66 patients with early-stage knee OA and 22 healthy volunteers who have no knee-related clinical symptoms were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. It is important that you are fully aware of the effects of osteoarthritis, and know all of the options that are available to you. We approach your diagnosis and education with open communication and shared decision-making. For patients with partial OA of the knee, MAKOplasty® Partial Knee Resurfacing may be the more appropriate solution. Total knee replacement is not always optimal for patients with early- to mid-stage osteoarthritis in just one or two compartments of the knee. This treatment option is usually offered to patients with advanced osteoarthritis of the knee. During this procedure, the diseased bone and cartilage is removed and the joint is resurfaced with an artificial implant. The most common surgical knee intervention performed for osteoarthritis is a total knee replacement. Please speak with your physician if your symptoms aren’t responding to non-surgical solutions, or your pain can no longer be controlled by medication. Additional disease and pain management strategies may include: physical therapy, steroid injections, over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or topical pain-relieving creams. Whether your osteoarthritis is mild or severe, your physician will most likely recommend certain lifestyle changes to reduce stress on your knee joints such as weight loss. Your physician may also order blood tests to rule out other causes of symptoms, or order a joint aspiration which involves drawing fluid from the joint through a needle and examining the fluid under a microscope. Additional medical imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be ordered to determine exactly where the damage is and its extent. Your physician may order X-rays to determine how much joint or bone damage has been done, how much cartilage has been lost and if there are bone spurs present. He or she will observe the natural movement of your knee, evaluate your knee and ankle joint alignment, and check your reflexes, muscle strength, range of motion and ligament stability in the affected knee. Your physician will begin by reviewing your medical history and symptoms.

How is osteoarthritis of the knee diagnosed? A grating sensation or crunching feeling in the knee during use.Swelling in one or more areas of the knee.Joint stiffness after getting out of bed.Start-up pain or stiffness when activities are initiated from a sitting position.Pain with standing or walking short distances, climbing stairs, getting in and out of chairs.Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee include: Exercise/sports-generated stress placed on the knee joint.With OA, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away, allowing bones under the cartilage to rub together.Īlthough the root cause of osteoarthritis is unknown, the risk of developing symptomatic Osteoarthritis is influenced by multiple factors such as age, gender and inherited traits that can affect the shape and stability of your joints. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a cushion between the bones of a joint. Osteoarthritis (often abbreviated to OA) is a form of arthritis and a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of joint cartilage. Osteoarthritis can affect one, two or all three compartments. Patellofermoral compartment (behind the knee cap).Lateral compartment (outer half of your knee).Medial compartment (inner half of your knee).Your knee consists of three “compartments” or sections:

Knee compartments