Knee Arthritis: When You Can't Walk, it's Hard to do Anything

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of knee arthritis. It's wear and tear, or degeneration of the cartilage that protects the knee joint. The problem I see most often in practice is that arthritis in the knee (and the hips) cause the biggest problem with lifestyle activities. This is because of the logistics; after all if you can't walk there's really not much you can do. And if you end up using a cane or a walker you'll still get around, but you may not feel great about it.

The other interesting thing about knee arthritis is that the same patient may have horrible symptoms for a few months, and then get quite a bit of relief; with no rhyme or reason. The weather makes symptoms come and go too, with many patients saying they feel better in the spring and summer (unless you live where summer thunderstorms are common) and worse in fall and winter. Cold is a common reason I hear for flare ups of arthritis symptoms.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of arthritis in the knee are:

Pain with activities

Limited range of motion

Stiffness and/or swelling

Tenderness to the touch around the joint

The feeling that your knees will "give out"

"Knock knees" or "Bow legs"

Natural Treatment Options

If you are overweight the biggest thing you can do to help your knees is lose some weight. You've probably heard it before so I won't hammer the point, but the less weight your knees have to carry, the better they'll feel.

If you'd like information on how to lose weight and help your knee arthritis - while eating real food - click here.

Water exercises are very good for patients with arthritis of the knee. It lets you move around and get the fluids moving but without gravity putting pressure on your aching knees. If you have a hot tub, even just moving your knees around in the water may give a lot of temporary relief.

An aquatics exercise class will work more than just your knees, and may help with weight loss too.
Using walking aids like a cane or a walker can also help take pressure off the joint. If you use a cane, put it in the hand opposite the knee that's bothering you.

If you use a walker, make sure it's set to the right height. Walkers that are set low will make you hunch forward while you're walking. That's going to cause further problems down the road when your low back starts aching.

For a great guide on setting your walker height, see this document from the Red Cross