Arthritis (or osteoarthritis) of the knee is the result of wear and tear of the cartilage in the joint. Often, wear-and-tear, trauma, sports injuries or carrying excessive weight causes the cartilage surfaces of our knee joint to become worn down. As this progresses, the joint becomes inflamed, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness, limping and impaired movement. Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis, but different treatment options are available to manage your symptoms, improve function and delay (or prevent) a joint replacement.

Many people ask me, “what can you do to help with my arthritic knees?” When a patient comes into my office with diagnosed knee arthritis, pain and the symptoms mentioned above, the first course of action is to stop the pain and inflammatory cycle. Often, a 3-4 week course of medical acupuncture, soft tissue therapy and chiropractic care will break the pain-inflammation-pain cycle and initiate a healing response in the knee. As patients begin to feel the effects of treatment, exercise is quickly added into the treatment plan. Exercise focuses on improving walking patterns, reducing limping, and strengthening the muscles supporting and surrounding the knee.

The long term benefits of any kind of treatment are locked in with a well-developed exercise program. By strengthening the muscles around the knee, you reduce unnecessary forces on the knee, resulting in less wear-and-tear.

Often, I will encourage my patients to begin taking an Omega-3 supplement to promote joint health and reduce inflammation. In addition, turmeric, glucosamine and chondroitin are research-proven options to help preserve the remaining cartilage and keep inflammation levels low.

Good Question! In my experience – and in keeping in line with the evidence by arthritis specialists – applying ice 6-8 times per day for 15 minutes for the first four days after an episode of pain can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Day 5 and onward, I recommend applying moist heat 6-8 times per day until symptoms are resolved. Moist heat can help to improve circulation and stimulate a healing response in the knee.

Often times, patients with arthritis will experience flare-ups as their condition progresses, or as a result of routine daily activities. I will often recommend patients patients be fitted into a compressive knee sleeve / brace when going for longer walks, playing sports or performing more extraneous activities. In addition, routine check-ins at the office will ensure that the supporting muscles are functioning optimally, walking has improved, and any foot, ankle, hip or low back issues are addressed as well.