Early Signs of Knee Arthritis and How To Treat Them

The common types of knee arthritis are as follows:

Osteoarthritis usually develops with age, where the cartilage in the knee joint wears down over time.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can develop at any age. The disorder results in your immune system attacking healthy cartilage tissue. 

Post-traumatic arthritis occurs due to trauma. The cartilage starts thinning and causes pain, stiffness, and restriction of movement.

Although arthritis can develop at any age, people over 50 are at a higher risk. Additionally, women tend to experience symptoms and get diagnosed more often than men. Unfortunately, arthritis has no cure. But there are many different ways to ease the symptoms.

Early Signs and Symptoms of Arthritis

It's important to start managing arthritis as early as possible to slow the condition's progression. When arthritis is developing, you may feel pain in your knees when standing up from a seated position, walking, and climbing up or down stairs. 

The other symptoms of arthritis may include:

• Joint pain and Stiffness
• Difficulty with movement
• Knee clicking or snapping noises
• Knee locking
• Skin redness
• Swelling 

Some may notice that symptoms are worse with cold weather, stress, and strenuous activity. In earlier stages, they will typically be mild.

When To Get Checked By a Medical Professional

There are many treatments available for the different types of Arthritis. You should seek medical advice early to manage symptoms effectively.

You should see your doctor if you notice early signs or have symptoms such as pain and inflammation that are becoming difficult to manage. If your knee is affecting your daily life, then it is best to get checked as soon as possible.

Knee Arthritis Diagnosis

Your doctor will likely order scans to check your knee for arthritis. This will help determine the type of arthritis, changes and space in your bones, and rule out other conditions, such as bone spurs. Doctors will check the cartilage to pinpoint where the pain is coming from.

Treating and Managing Arthritis

There are many methods to manage and reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Tips from healthcare providers on how to manage arthritis symptoms include:

• Maintaining a healthy weight to help reduce the load on the joints
• Low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling and yoga
• Applying heat or ice in the area
• Wear a quality knee brace
• Walking on a treadmill/flat surface instead of a sidewalk 
• Use shock absorbing insoles in your shoes
• Physical therapy
• Drink vitamins and supplements
• Other treatments such as acupuncture

Bauerfeind Knee Braces for Early Knee Arthritis

GenuTrain A3 Knee Brace

SHOP NOW

The use of knee braces on the knees provides compression to the surrounding muscles, stimulating them to help relieve the stiffness of the joint. Braces help with pain management by stimulating the surrounding muscles, as well as specialised supports around the patella, creating a soothing massaging effect to ultimately improve function, reduce pain, and increase confidence in walking and moving more freely.

Depending on the condition, there are several knee braces available to suit your needs. But in the earlier stages, the GenuTrain A3's compression knit and padding system make it ideal. The knit reduces inflammation and activates the muscles to support the joint, while the pad massages and relieves pain.