Many of us have come across or personally have had some form of osteoarthritic pain.  Osteoarthritis can be quite a debilitating condition that can greatly impact one’s quality of life and activities of daily living. We often hear the saying “it’s just arthritis” or “it’s just part of getting old”, but why have we put up with it all these years when there are so many treatment options available!  

So what is osteoarthritis? 

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition that typically occurs from wear and tear, and progressive loss of cartilage. Our cartilage is there to act as our body’s shock absorber and to reduce friction when we use our joints.  As we age, naturally our joint spaces start to decrease in size, and this cartilage can start to wear away leading to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis can also occur secondary to things like previous trauma, surgery, rheumatoid arthritis/inflammatory arthritis, gout, occupational (prolonged standing or bending), muscle weakness or imbalances, and excessive weight (just to name a few).   

Knee Osteoarthritis   

So how does it present in knees? Arthritis in the knee can present as pain worse with excessive use, stiffness that generally improves after 30minutes of activity, crepitus (grinding), swelling and in advanced cases instability can occur resulting in deformities such as knocked knees (genu valgum) or bowed legs (genu varum). Symptoms vary across individuals, and our goals for treatment and management does depend on the severity of your symptoms and the degree of arthritis. All in all, our goals for treatments remain the same: to keep you mobile and strong.   

Over the years, the protocols and treatment options have evolved for the better, with strong research to support the effectiveness of it. Conservative measures are still our first point of call and often, especially during the early stages of knee arthritis, it can be managed very well without the need for a full joint replacement.   

Our team at the Canberra Biomechanics & Sports Rehab Clinic specialise in the diagnosis and management of foot and lower limb disorders, including:  

• Biomechanical Assessment – conducting a thorough assessment of your gait and foot mechanics. Abnormal foot biomechanics can exacerbate osteoarthritis symptoms and identifying these issues can allow us to formulate a tailored plan to improve your alignment and reduce stress on the knee joint  

• Exercise and Rehabilitation Programing – our team can guide you in developing exercise programs that focus on strengthening the muscles around the knee, hip and foot. These programs can help enhance stability and support knee function.  

• Custom Foot Orthotics – our prescription devices are specifically designed to support your foot and improve your alignment. Evidence shows that custom orthotics can effectively reduce pain and improve function in individuals with knee arthritis by redistributing weight and providing better shock absorption.