Osteoarthritis in both Knees
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Osteoarthritis in both Knees
Both myself and my husband have osteoarthritis in both knees - his partly due to an accident and mine largely due to an ill-advised foray into high impact aerobics back in the late 80s. Have you any tips to avoid having to have surgery for as long as possible please?
- Arthritis Action
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:27 pm
Re: Osteoarthritis in both Knees
Exercise doesn't cause osteoarthritis, unless like your husband you have had an injury, so you must not blame yourself. Surgery is definitely not inevitable and the fact that you have osteoarthritis definitely does not mean that you will have progressive pain and disability. The most important things to do to help yourself if you have knee osteoarthritis are to keep or get to a healthy weight as losing just 10% of body weight can reduce pain by 1/3 or more. Exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and to improve balance are vital and can also reduce pain by 1/3. Learning pain management techniques can also help you manage the symptoms better.
Dr Wendy Holden FRCP
Consultant Rheumatologist
Medical Advisor to Arthritis Action
Arthritis Action
56 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AE
T: 020 3781 7120 W: www.arthritisACTION.org.uk
Dr Wendy Holden FRCP
Consultant Rheumatologist
Medical Advisor to Arthritis Action
Arthritis Action
56 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AE
T: 020 3781 7120 W: www.arthritisACTION.org.uk
Arthritis Action
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- Tracy Corbett
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 12:19 pm
Re: Osteoarthritis in both Knees
Hello Saetana
I would like to echo Dr Holden's reply, that exercise doesn't cause osteoarthritis and can, in fact, be helpful for moderating pain and for protecting joints. If you haven't already seen a physiotherapist, it would be worth asking your GP for a referral to physiotherapy. Your physio can do a detailed assessment of your knees and help with appropriate exercises to help strengthen your knees and hips. Your physio can also do a biomechanical assessment of your movement patterns and relative muscle strengths, and can advise you on a number of other ways to help with your knee pain.
I would like to echo Dr Holden's reply, that exercise doesn't cause osteoarthritis and can, in fact, be helpful for moderating pain and for protecting joints. If you haven't already seen a physiotherapist, it would be worth asking your GP for a referral to physiotherapy. Your physio can do a detailed assessment of your knees and help with appropriate exercises to help strengthen your knees and hips. Your physio can also do a biomechanical assessment of your movement patterns and relative muscle strengths, and can advise you on a number of other ways to help with your knee pain.
Re: Osteoarthritis in both Knees
Thank you very much for your advice all, my husband did notice a lot of difference when he lost 30 pounds a few months ago.