Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of joint damage. It is chronic, irreversible and its form ranges from mild to very severe. It is characterized by the gradual destruction and degeneration of the cartilage and then the bone of the joint leading to pain, stiffness, swelling and finally loss of mobility.
Normal joints contain articular cartilage, i.e. a thin elastic layer of connective tissue, which covers the surfaces of the bones. This layer protects the bones from friction and facilitates the movement of each joint. Over time, the cartilage gradually loses its elasticity and ability to absorb shocks produced during knee movements, which makes it more susceptible to minor injuries.
As a result of this degeneration, the function of the cartilage is now defective, since it can no longer reduce the friction between the articular surfaces and smooth the movement, which becomes painful and problematic with a reduced range of motion.
More specifically, the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee are:
- Pain in front of the patella, in the medial medial space, back in the popliteal fossa and sometimes in the calves.
- Stiffness in the joint.
- Difficulty walking and limited range of motion.
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a degenerative irreversible condition, which appears in the form of flare-ups and progressively worsens. This worsening results in the more frequent occurrence of flare-ups of longer duration and intensity, while the intervals of remissions occur less and less.
