Knee osteoarthritis manifests itself in many ways. Start-up pain and stiffness of the joint that occur in the morning or after a long period of rest are clear warning signs of knee osteoarthritis .

As the osteoarthritis increases, the coordination of the affected knee joint deteriorates: the patient no longer feels so sure-footed and stable.

Greater stresses on the knee joint in everyday life lead to pain and swelling of the knee joint. The patient can no longer crouch down orthopaedic singapore.

The joint can become overheated and swollen as a result of painful inflammation. With increasing cartilage loss, the joint loses its shape. Misalignments such as knock knees or bowlegs increase.

Start-up pain

The first and most important information for the doctor is the symptoms reported by the patient. Patients report morning stiffness and starting pain in the knee, especially after sleeping or after long periods of sitting. Initially, these complaints are temporary. They usually go away during the day.

Decrease in the maximum walking distance

As the osteoarthritis progresses, the pain-free resilience of the knee joint decreases more and more. The maximum walking distance is reduced.

Swelling and pain: activated osteoarthritis

After greater stress, osteoarthritis patients often observe overheating and painful swelling of the knee joint. One speaks here of activated knee osteoarthritis. The inflammatory activated osteoarthritis of the knee occurs in episodes: It is therapeutically very important to let these episodes occur as briefly and rarely as possible.

Localization of knee pain in knee osteoarthritis

The exact location at which the pain occurs is often an indication of the course of the knee osteoarthritis. Knee pain on the inside indicates medial (internal) osteoarthritis of the knee. External pain suggests a lateral (external) osteoarthritis of the knee, often in connection with an X-misalignment of the legs. Pain behind the kneecap indicates that femoropatellar osteoarthritis (joint wear between the thighbone and kneecap) or retropatellar osteoarthritis is developing in the patellar sliding bearing between the kneecap and the thighbone.

Patients also report stress-dependent knee pain in certain situations: Climbing stairs or crouching puts particularly heavy strain on the knee. The orthopedic surgeon asks about the patient’s pain-free walking distance. The range of motion is usually already significantly limited with knee osteoarthritis.

When the diagnosis is confirmed, the knee specialist must determine the important circumstances surrounding the knee osteoarthritis. Therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee is only meaningful if the patient’s previous history and living conditions are fully taken into account. The orthopedic surgeon will inquire about special occupational or sporting stresses. Taking medication, osteoarthritis of other joints, previous infectious diseases.