Discover the effects of knee osteoarthritis around the world Osteoarthritis is generally believed to be the biggest cause of disability in older adults. As such, it affects millions of people and costs governments billions of pounds in treatments. Worldwide, an estimated 10%-15% of all adults aged 60 and over have some degree of osteoarthritis (often abbreviated to OA). In Britain, more than 8 million people - 33% of people aged over 45 years, plus 49% of women and 42% of men aged 75 and over - have been treated for OA. An estimated 4.7 million of those affected have arthritis of the knee. Let’s take a look at the facts Osteoarthritis is a very common condition which causes joints to become stiff and painful. It can affect all the joints in the body but is most likely to develop in the knees, hips and in the hands. Symptoms include swelling, redness, pain and stiffness in the affected joint, which usually lead to reduced movement and, in the worst cases, the inability to carry out everyday tasks. In the case of OA of the knee and hip, for instance, it can lead to difficulty in walking. It is not known what causes OA, but certain factors, such as being overweight, overuse and injury and just plain old getting older, are known to increase your likelihood of developing it. Genetic factors also play a part - a family history of OA increases your chance of getting it yourself. Diagnosis of OA usually includes an examination of the affected joints, plus questioning about symptoms and other factors. Your doctor will probably be able to diagnose the condition without any invasive tests, depending on your answers to certain questions. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for OA, but it can be treated and may improve over time. Most treatments concentrate on easing the symptoms.

Joint pain – do’s & don’ts If the knee, the hip or other joints are troubling you then here are a few “Do’s and don’ts” you should consider which can influence the progression of your osteoarthritis. Do: Visit the doctor if you have joint pain. Don’t: Keep suffering silently. Do: Work out on a regular basis. Don’t: Slacken off and avoid activity. Do: Lead a health-conscious lifestyle Don’t: Smoke and excessively consume alcohol Do: Calorie conscious and joint-friendly nutrition (little meat and animal fat, a lot of fruit, vegetables, vegetable oil and salt-water fish), reduce overweight Don’t: Overeat on sweats and animal fat, gain weight Do: Wear well-fitting shoes with low heels, cushioning soles and insoles if needed Don’t: High heels, too tight or pointed shoes with thin soles or slanting heels Do: Use ergonomic tools and household aids, trolleys and a walking aid Don’t: Be too proud to use medical devices

Surgical options to manage osteoarthritis of the knee Surgery is often used in the most severe cases of osteoarthritis, though there are a number of surgical options available depending on the severity of the condition and the level of invasiveness a patient may wish to consider. Total Knee Replacement: The ends of the shin bone and the femur are 'capped' with either metal or plastic prostheses, which allows them to move against each other smoothly, to restore function to the knee. In the UK, there are over 70,000 knee replacement surgeries every year, a figure which is increasing steadily. Around four-fifths of the numbers are women, with the majority of patients over the age of 70. Partial Knee Replacement: Only replaces a section of the damaged joint, either the medial compartment (inner knee), the lateral compartment (outer knee) or the patellofemoral compartment at the front of the knee, where it joins the thigh bone. Knee Osteotomy: Introducing a small 'wedge' of bone, or artificial bone, to encourage weight to be forced onto the less damaged side of the joint. Done appropriately, the procedure is thought to postpone total knee replacement surgery for as long as another ten years. Knee Arthroscopy: Least invasive form of surgery to the knee. Also known as keyhole surgery, tiny incisions allow access to a flexible camera and surgical tools, with which the surgeon removes small, loose pieces of bone and cartilage that have been irritating the joint. Risks of knee surgery All surgery carries a degree of risk, and knee surgery is no exception. The best thing you can do is to read up on all options before making a decision to help find the best solution for you.

Taking medication to ease your pain can be a part and parcel of living with OA of the knee. But did you know that Tumeric is an alternative to standard anti-inflammatories? Sick of Synthetic Drugs? Turmeric Extract May Be Your Best Bet For Healing Knee Osteoarthritis

Discover the background of osteoarthritis treatment Osteoarthritis is one of the biggest causes of pain and misery in adults worldwide, affecting millions of mainly older people across the globe and costing governments and health providers billions of pounds. Overall, the condition - which is often abbreviated to OA - is estimated to affect more than 630 million people globally. More women than men are affected, and it is more likely to be seen in people over the age of 60 (though conditions can begin to materialise from 40 onwards). In the UK, around eight million adults have OA - nearly five million of whom have arthritis of the knee. What do the history books tell us? The word osteoarthritis was first used in the late 19th century, when modern medicine was beginning to be developed as a more advanced science; however, we know that the various forms of arthritis have been around for much, much longer. Evidence from literature, historical accounts, visual representations in books and paintings, analysis of skeletal remains of various ages and new understandings of the causes of arthritis mean we know that people have been suffering from the condition for as long as humans have been around.

Bracing and taping are both popular options following an injury, but which one is better and what is the difference between them? A complete review on taping versus bracing (post injury) / Össur Webshop Blog - http://bit.ly/2mTwWcY

Knee replacement surgery gets mentioned a lot, but what does it actually involve? Watch this video to find out what a knee replacement surgery entails

Starting a swimming programme Swimming is a great activity for fun and keeping fit. In addition to burning calories, it has proven benefits for the heart and generally improves muscle tone. If you are swimming because you aim to lose weight, it is important to combine the sport with the right diet too. It is important to build up your exercise routine gradually to avoid sustaining any injuries. Begin with swimming one to three times a week, for between ten and thirty minutes. You can increase your swimming time by five minutes for each swim each week, and add in different strokes as you wish. At first, it is important to rest whenever you feel you need to, possibly between each lap. Doing a stroke such as breaststroke may mean you can swim for longer than you could if you were doing a stroke such as front crawl. You can gradually increase the distance you swim until you reach whatever goal you have set yourself, but do this in a way that is not going to cause any overuse injuries. For example, if you have decided to swim twenty laps, you should not swim them all as soon as you get in the pool. Start with four easy laps and then do two laps at a faster pace, repeating this eight times with a twenty second rest between each set to make up your twenty laps.