Osteoarthritis (OA), colloquially referred to as ‘wear and tear’ in a joint is a wide spread issue in the community today and it often results in total knee replacement surgery.
Signs and symptoms of knee OA often include:
- Recurring pain or tenderness in the knee joint
- Knee joint stiffness (especially first thing in the morning)
- Swelling, redness and heat around the knee joint
- Decreased ability to move the knee
What a lot of people don’t realise is that there is strong evidence available that demonstrates that physiotherapy can provide an effective, non-invasive treatment option for the management of knee OA.
Physiotherapists can utilise multiple modalities to create an individualised treatment management plan to improve the symptoms of knee OA and prevent future ‘wear and tear’.
Physiotherapy intervention for knee OA can include:
- Manual therapy to settle pain levels, reduce swelling and improve knee joint mobility
- Education regarding knee OA and home management strategies
- Taping/bracing
- Exercise prescription to improve muscle strength and endurance around the knee joint – there are many exercise options available, some of which include a home exercise program, a hydrotherapy program, a clinical Pilates program or a gym-based exercise program
At Ellenbrook Physiotherapy we endeavour to provide a thorough assessment of someone’s presenting complaint and to propose a treatment management plan that is realistic and suited to someone’s individual needs. It is important to note that for an exercise program to be effective and provide long term benefits, adherence is imperative and as well as addressing your knee OA, it can provide you with many general health benefits.
For any further questions or advice, please feel free to contact us at the clinic.
Erin McLoughlin
Physiotherapist
