Knee
The knee is a hinge joint that is formed by the meeting of the thigh bone (femur) and the larger bone (tibia) of the lower leg. The knee is the largest jopint in the body and has to sustain the greatest stresses.
Osteoarthritis is the gradual "wear and tear" type of joint destruction that is manifest by pain, swelling and loss of function. Usually it occurs in older persons, but can also occur in the middle age group.
Initially conservative treatment is used, consisting of rest, non weight bearing activities, and the use of anti-inflammatory medications and analgesia. With severe symptoms injections of cortisone into the joint is advised and can be quite helpful.
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Normal
Knee
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Diseased
Knee
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Replaced Knee In extreme cases surgery is recommeneded. For the older person, knee replacement is advised but for the younger person there are other treatments like Arthroscopy, or Mosaic-Plasty, where normal cylindrical segments of tissue can replace the affected areas. |
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