Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee and hip affects some 25 million adults across the U.S. and can be particularly debilitating. But now, an innovative treatment option called MAKOplasty may be the answer for restoring hip and knee mobility and returning you to
an active lifestyle.
What is Osteoarthritis (OA)?
OA is a form of arthritis and a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of joint cartilage. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a cushion between the bones of a joint. With OA, the top layer of cartilage
breaks down and wears away, allowing bones under the cartilage to rub together.
What causes OA of the hip & knee?
Although the root cause of OA is unknown, the risk of developing symptomatic OA is influenced by multiple factors such as age, gender and inherited traits that can affect the shape and stability of your joints. Other factors can include:
- Previous injury
- Repetitive strain on the knee or hip
- Improper joint alignment
- Being overweight
- Exercise or sports-generated stress placed on the knee joint
The Symptoms of OA of the knee can include:
- Pain while standing or walking short distances, climbing up or down stairs, or getting in and out of chairs
- Pain with activity
- Start up pain or stiffness when activities are initiated from a sitting position
- Joint stiffness after getting out of bed
- Swelling in one or more areas of the knee
- A grating sensation or crunching feeling in the knee during use
The Symptoms of OA of the hip can include:
- Pain while standing or walking short distances, climbing up or down stairs, or getting in and out of chairs
- Pain in the groin, thigh, or buttock area
- The affected hip feeling stiff or tight due to a loss in its range of motion
- Joint stiffness after getting out of bed
- Any signs of limping and/or favoring the opposite leg as to not put any weight on the affected hip joint
How is OA diagnosed?
Your physician will begin by reviewing your medical history and symptoms. He or she will observe the natural movement of your hip or knee, evaluate your hip, knee and ankle joint alignment, and check your reflexes, muscle strength, range of motion and
ligament stability in the affected hip or knee. Your physician may order x-rays to determine how much joint or bone damage has been done, how much cartilage has been lost and if there are bone spurs present. Additional medical imaging tests such as
computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be ordered to determine exactly where the damage is and its extent. Your physician may also order blood tests to rule out other causes of symptoms, or order a joint aspiration which
involves drawing fluid from the joint through a needle and examining the fluid under a microscope.
How is OA treated?
Whether your OA is mild or severe, your physician will most likely recommend certain lifestyle changes to reduce stress on your hip or knee joints. Additional disease and pain management strategies may include: physical therapy, steroid injections, over-the-counter
pain medications such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or topical pain relieving creams.
Please speak with your physician if your symptoms aren’t responding to non-surgical solutions, or your pain can no longer be controlled by medication. You could be a candidate for surgery.
The most common surgical hip and knee intervention performed for OA is a total hip or knee replacement. During this procedure, the natural joint is removed and replaced with an artificial implant. This treatment option is usually offered to patients with
advanced osteoarthritis.
Total knee replacement is not always optimal for patients with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis in just one or two compartments of the knee. For patients with partial OA of the knee, MAKOplasty Partial Knee Resurfacing may be the more appropriate solution.
