Doctors use the term arthritis to describe one of more than 100 different diseases that affect the joints, according to the Arthritis Foundation. The three types of arthritis that commonly affect the knee include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and post-traumatic arthritis. Arthritis of the knee causes not only pain but also swelling and stiffness that can interfere with the ability to bend or straighten the knee. Patients, therefore, seek therapy to reduce pain and increase knee function.
Lifestyle Modifications
Upon receiving a diagnosis of knee arthritis, patients should take an active role in maintaining their overall health as well as the health of their joints. Making some lifestyle changes can reduce the stress on the knee and, therefore, reduce the pain. Because many patients with knee arthritis are overweight, they can relieve stress on the knee by losing weight with a combination of eating healthy and exercise. Choose exercise and recreational activities that minimize aggravating the arthritis, such as swimming or cycling instead of jogging. Performing strength and flexibility exercises also can improve knee function.
Support Devices
Arthritis of the knee can make the knee joint feel weak and even cause locking or buckling of the knee, as described by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The use of support devices, such as a cane, energy-absorbing shoes or knee braces can provide stability to the knee joint and increase function.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
The inflammation of the knee joint and the resulting pain can cause debilitation. Medications classified as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, can reduce acute inflammation, and therefore, reduce pain and increase function, according to Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center. Medications known as COX-2 inhibitors, a specific type of prescription strength non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, effectively treat moderate to severe knee pain. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, also reduce the inflammation of arthritis but can induce unwanted side effects, especially if taken for extended periods of time.
Disease Modifying Medications
Rheumatoid arthritis of the knee may benefit from taking disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, such as methotrexate. These medications can slow the progression of the disease and help to maintain knee function for a longer period off time.
Alternative Therapy
Although not medically proven, knee arthritis might respond to certain types of alternative therapy. Acupuncture, the use of small needles to stimulate areas for pain relief, might ease pain and, therefore, increase function. Magnetic pulse therapy delivers a pulsed signal to the knee produced by an electromagnetic field. The supplements glucosamine and chondroitin might help relieve the pain of osteoarthritis, the most common form of knee arthritis, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Surgery
As the arthritis progresses, or when other non-surgical treatments fail to reduce pain and improve knee function, surgical intervention might become necessary. Arthroscopic surgery allows surgeons to utilize fiber optic technology to clean out debris from the knee joint. A knee arthroplasty replaces either all or part of the knee joint with a combination of metal and plastic. Doctors can also replace damaged cartilage in the knee through cartilage grafting.
