You might hear many people above the age of 50 complain about pain and stiffness in knees due to Osteoarthritis. What exactly is Knee Osteoarthritis? Knee osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage between the knee-joints wears away leading to the bones of the joints rubbing closely against each other, causing pain, stiffness etc. While this condition is more common among those above the age of 50, there are many young sufferers as well.

What are the symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis? : One symptom of knee osteoarthritis is that of a feeling of warmth in the joint. Swelling in the knee is another symptom. Yet another symptom is that of stiffness in the knee. Another indicator of knee osteoarthritis is pain that increases when one is active but decreases a little, while resting. Knee Osteoarthritis affects the mobility of the knee, making it difficult to climb stairs, get in and out of cars etc. If you are suffering from one or more of these symptoms, it is important to get yourself examined by an experienced professional.

Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: A doctor who is looking at treating osteoarthritis of the knee may use one of the following options: Arthroscopy, Osteotomy or Arthroplasty. Let us look at how each differs from one another:

Arthroscopy – Arthroscopy is more often done on young patients (ages 55 and younger) so as to delay more serious surgery. The advantage of arthroscopy over traditional open surgery is that the joint does not have to be opened up completely. In fact, only two small incisions are made.

Osteotomy: Osteotomy is a procedure aimed at making the knee alignment better by changing the shape of the bones. Osteotomy may not be a permanent solution as it may necessitate further surgery at a later stage.

Arthroplasty: Arthroplasty is a procedure used for replacing, remodelling or realigning a musculoskeletal joint’s articular surface, for relieving pain and restoring function.

Insist on the Best: Total Knee Replacement surgery (TKR surgery) may need to be repeated later if the joint wears out again after several years but with today’s modern advancements, most new joints last about 20 years. While the word ‘surgery’ might sound a little frightening, there really is nothing to be scared about, especially if the surgery is carried out by a reputed hospital like Shalby Hospitals in Ahmedabad – the most celebrated centre for knee replacement in India. In fact, a painless knee replacement surgery procedure called the “Zero Technique” has been invented by Dr.Vikram I. Shah, the founder of Shalby Hospitals. It is an 8-10 minute procedure requiring minimum of surgical time, exposure and hospital stay – with this procedure you will not have to be worried about pain or medication-related side effects as the medication required is very minimal.

So, if you are suffering from any of the symptoms related to Knee Osteoarthritis, do not delay treatment but approach experienced professionals of a reputed hospital, and go for the procedure that they recommend. This will help you to be back on your feet in no time, enjoying life fully, painlessly and independently.