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- Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
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- Infrapatella Fat Pad Impingement
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease
- Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)
- Patella Fracture
- Who can help me?
- Our Experts
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© 2018 OA Knee Pain. All Rights Reserved.
About Us
Our focus is knee osteoarthritis
Due to an increasing number of people suffering with knee pain and being diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a network of expert organisations has teamed up to establish OA Knee Pain. Our aim is to provide help and guidance along with all the information you may need about the condition to help you understand diagnosis, treatment options and management.
Associations include:
- Arthritis Solutions
- Osteotomy Expert Group
- Welsh Bone (Orthopaedic Surgeons in Wales)
- KNEEguru
- TALKhealth
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease causing joints to wear down
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease also commonly referred to as arthrosis, osteoarthrosis or OA. The condition is caused by the protective fluid in the joint losing its shock absorbing abilities resulting in the bones rubbing against each other and the cartilage that protects the ends of the bones wearing down. Sufferers often experience pain, swelling and problems with mobility.
- Stage 1: (Doubtful) Minimum disruption but sufferers experience a 10% loss of cartilage.
- Stage 2 (Mild): Narrowing of the joint space with the cartilage beginning to breakdown and the occurrence of osteophytes (a bony projection associated with the degeneration of cartilage at joints).
- Stage 3 (Moderate): Moderate joint-space reduction where the gaps in the cartilage can expand until they reach the bone.
- Stage 4 (Severe): The joint-space is greatly reduced with around 60% loss of cartilage and large osteophytes.
Any joint in the body can be affected by OA but the most common damage is found in the knees, hips, lower back, neck, fingers and toes.
What can be done?
Treatment will be determined by the joint affected and its severity
Supporting Charities
There are a range of organisations offering easy access to information about your condition
Arthritis Care is a UK registered charity that offers a range of support and services to help
people manage arthritis and connect with other people who share a similar
experience. The charity can offer support in person, online or on the phone and can put those living with arthritis in contact with other sufferers.
Arthritis Research UK invests in breakthrough treatments, provides information and vital support for everyone affected by arthritis. Its work has already uncovered breakthrough treatments, and it is dedicated to uncovering new ideas to help people push back the ways arthritis limits their lives.
OA Knee Pain Social Board
Bringing you the latest news, research and treatment breakthroughs from the world of osteoarthritis
Visit our blog
Interview with our expert Professor Paul Lee
Winner of the most downloaded paper award, Professor Paul Lee talks about his new paper.
Can bracing be used instead of surgery following an ACL injury?
For anyone interested in the sports or activities which help us to keep fit and healthy the potential for injury is always present. Injuries will very often involve the knee joint. This is because the knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in our body.
The top 10 foods experts say can help manage osteoarthritis
New foods are also appearing all the time, and not all of these have been thoroughly tested for beneficial properties, so it is also quite possible to find a food that may help you personally. Whether you do or do not believe that specific foodstuffs can alleviate osteoarthritis, it certainly appears that a healthy balanced diet and the maintenance of a reasonable body weight can help those with arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammatory condition, so it makes sense to focus on those foods that can fight inflammation.
What are the health benefits of spices?
There are many foods that can benefit your health, but we don’t often think of the herb and spice cupboard as holding anything particularly special. It turns out, however, that there are many excellent ingredients in spices that can not only benefit our health but also improve ailments and reduce symptoms of other health problems. Read on to discover more about the health benefits of spices. There are many spices that we can use in cooking and they all have their own special properties. From ginger to turmeric and paprika to cinnamon, every spice has its own distinct aroma, taste and health-giving properties.
What are the top low impact sports for people with bad joints?
Bad joints can get in the way of achieving a good exercise routine, due to the pain and discomfort of weight bearing exercise. When we exercise by playing sports or running, there is a large amount of stress placed on the joints, especially the knees. This leads to pain and can actually cause long-term damage to the joints. However, there are a few excellent low impact sports which are ideal for people with bad joints. Read on to discover which exercises can provide a great workout for people experiencing problems with their joints.
5 most important questions to ask your doctor about OA
We all experience aches and pains from time to time. Normally this isn’t a problem. However, when pains become regular they become a cause of concern. Recurring pain or discomfort in the joints may be indications of the onset of osteoarthritis – a condition which, as we age, gradually damages the surfaces of the joints so the joint doesn’t move as smoothly.
What are the best sources of vitamin C?
We all require vitamin C to maintain good health, and luckily, it's one of the easier vitamins for us to take in through our diets. Vitamin C is found in a huge variety of fruits and vegetables, meaning even the fussiest eaters should be able to find something to their taste. Vitamin C is beneficial to us in all kinds of ways, including helping to maintain our cartilage and blood vessels. It also helps our bodies create dopamine, ATP, tyrosine and peptide hormones. One of the things vitamin C is perhaps best known for is its antioxidant properties. It actually helps reduce oxidative stress to your body, and is even thought to help lower your risk of cancer. This is a pretty impressive list of benefits for a vitamin often given less attention than many others, in the media and health articles.
What to expect following knee replacement surgery
There are broadly two different types of knee replacement surgery. These are known as partial (sometimes called unilateral) knee replacement, and total or full knee replacement. You may also hear knee replacement being referred to as arthroplasty. Your surgeon will decide which option is best for you depending upon the state of your knee. Partial knee replacement is less invasive and involves less downtime, so if this is a possibility for you, your surgeon will always prefer to choose this option. However, partial knee replacements run a greater risk of the need for revision surgery, so your surgeon will carefully weigh this risk against the short-term benefits.
Treatments for Osteoarthtitis
It has been estimated that the number of people in the UK with osteoarthritis is around 8.75 million with almost half that figure suffering from knee OA. This means that a third of the population aged 45 and older have sought treatment for their condition.
Why is it important to manage knee injuries early and effectively?
Knee injuries are one of the most commonly sustained injuries. Every year millions of people visit their doctors due to sprains, fractures, ligament tears and dislocations.