Types of knee arthritis
Three bones come together in the knee joint:

Thigh bone (femur)
Knee cap (patella)
Tibia (tibia)
Joint wear and tear always occurs between colliding bone surfaces, each covered by a smooth layer of cartilage. The joint between the femur and tibia consists of two articular parts: the inner (medial) and outer (lateral) parts. This is why doctors speak of different compartments in the knee.

Medial (inner) knee arthritis:
If the inside of the knee joint is affected by wear and tear, this is medial osteoarthritis.
Lateral (external) knee arthritis:
If the knee arthritis is located on the outside of the knee, this is lateral arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease in adults worldwide. In Germany, the knee joint is the most common, followed by the hip joint.1,2 Age is a strong risk factor for developing arthritis. More than half of 60-year-old women and a third of men are affected, and these figures are increasing.

Causes of knee arthritis
There is often no clear or concrete cause for arthrosis of the knee joint: In most cases, it is “primary calcification” caused by age-related deterioration of the cartilage. In addition, congenital misalignments (bowed leg or knock-knee) and certain diseases or injuries can cause joint wear and tear. These are called “secondary arthritis”.

Typical symptoms of arthritis of the knee joint are:
Knee pain when climbing stairs and walking on uneven ground.
The pain is particularly bad when starting to move after long periods of rest and then gradually subsides, only to recur after prolonged periods of stress.
Symptoms increase after carrying heavy loads.
There may be a noticeable swelling as it progresses.
In advanced stages, crunching and crackling sounds can be heard when the knee is moved.
The knee is particularly sensitive in damp and cold weather conditions.
The more advanced the arthritis, the more pronounced the symptoms become. Pain becomes more frequent and often occurs even at rest.

Depending on the degree of wear on the knee joint, there are four degrees of severity for arthritis:

Calcification degree 1:
The cartilage layer in the knee is undamaged but soft. The person is still largely asymptomatic and the function of the joint is not yet impaired.
Calcification degree 2:
Initial damage to the cartilage cell structure may have occurred and the cartilage surface becomes rough. In the early stages of knee arthritis, there are usually no symptoms or dysfunction of the knee joint.
Calcification degree 3: Cartilage surfaces are damaged. The first cracks appear. The cartilage layer wears away and the person experiences joint pain..
Calcification degree 4: Total loss of cartilage: The now exposed bone surfaces rub against each other. This is known by experts as Chondromalacia grade 4. Wear in the knee joint leads to stiffening and painful inflammation, swelling and joint effusion.
Risk factors for arthritis
Sports and accidents
Injuries to the menisci and ligaments in particular can cause natural wear to start earlier or accelerate the process of degeneration. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are one of the most common knee injuries. A consequence of this injury is often instability of the knee joint, which in the long term can lead to further wear of the cartilage (cartilage degeneration) and thus the development of Osteoarthritis.
Sedentary Life
Exercise is essential for cartilage nutrition: Since cartilage layers are not supplied with blood, metabolic products and nutrients can only be absorbed through movement.
Genetic Propensity
For example, those with bow legs, knock-knees, leg length discrepancies and cartilage weakness may be more prone to arthritis.
Overweight (Obesity)
Being overweight is one of the most important risk factors for the development of knee arthritis. It usually accelerates the degeneration process.
Occupational Factors
Wear symptoms may be more pronounced in occupations that physically overload the joints, such as tilers, miners or construction workers.
Challenging Sporting Activities
Competitive athletes are subjected to high levels of pressure, so the associated cartilage wear and tear is significantly increased.
Metabolic Diseases
Changes in cartilage metabolism also worsen the supply of nutrients to cartilage.

How to Prevent Knee Osteoarthritis?
Years of being overweight can damage one’s joints. This significantly increases the risk of developing arthritis. The reason for this The knee joints have to carry large loads, which means they wear out more quickly. Being overweight starts with a BMI (body mass index) of 25. A BMI above 30 is when someone is classified as overweight or obese. People with arthritis are therefore often advised to lose weight.
How can you improve your own quality of life?
With self-management, people with arthritis can do a lot to reduce pain and improve treatment outcomes: Be active in the fight against the disease. For example, eat a healthy diet, lose weight sustainably and engage in regular physical activity.

Nutrition for arthritis
Nutrition plays an important role in the development of arthrosis. Dietary changes cannot cure arthrosis, but they can have beneficial effects. The scientific focus is therefore on the link between arthrosis and nutrition.

Watch your diet and weight: Work on weight and arthritis
An Australian study examined the link between being overweight and the development of knee arthritis. Patients with a healthy weight developed arthritis only at an older age. Young, healthy but overweight patients showed cartilage deterioration at a younger age

Sports and exercise with osteoarthritis
What really helps? Does exercise help or is it better to rest? One thing is certain: Sport and exercise are invaluable for both those who already have gonarthrosis and those who want to prevent it! When in pain, people often prefer to rest and try to move the knee as little as possible. This is absolutely the wrong thing to do. Lack of exercise is one of the main risk factors for arthrosis.
Targeted training of joints with arthrosis strengthens muscles and improves coordination. Movement produces more joint fluid, which leads to less wear.

Which sports are suitable for people with arthritis?
Useful sports with gentle movements
Swimming
Water aerobics
Cycling
Golf
Cross-country skiing
Walking
Inappropriate “contact” sports
Football
Skiing
Tennis
Volleyball
Find your favorite sport activity. Avoid nervousness related to sports. If you are not sure whether you can do a particular sport, contact us for advice

TREATMENT OF LIMESCALE
Although arthritis is incurable, numerous treatment options can relieve pain and make everyday life easier.

Non-Surgical Treatments
Non-Drug Treatments
Orthopedic supports (such as insoles, supports, orthotics)
Physiotherapy or exercise therapy
Physical therapy (e.g. magnetic field therapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, shock wave)
Occupational therapy
Naturopathy (e.g. acupuncture, water aerobics)
Medication Treatments
Painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and intra-articular injections.
Home exercises for arthritis
Leg extension with resistance band
Leg straightening
Stretching of the back thigh muscles
Dynamic stretching of the calf muscle
Rolling a ball under the sole of your foot
Surgical measures

JOINT PROTECTION

1.Arthroscopy

One treatment used for osteoarthritis of the knee is arthroscopy, in which a small camera (endoscope) is inserted into the knee joint to get a clear picture of the inside of the joint and decide on appropriate treatment measures.

2.Osteotomy
In an osteotomy, a piece of bone is removed or inserted to correct misalignments or arthrotic damage on one side of the knee joint. By correcting the axis of the leg, the affected cartilage is relieved, thus preventing increased wear.

Joint Replacement (Prosthesis Surgeries)
1.Partial joint replacement

If only one side of the knee joint is affected by arthritis, surgery is a possibility. In partial joint replacement surgery, only the damaged or affected side of the knee joint is replaced with metallic or plastic components. This operation is also known as unicompartmental knee joint replacement. The healthy side is preserved.

2.Full joint replacement (full knee replacement)

This surgery is only considered if both sides of the knee surface have been significantly damaged and the patient is in pain that cannot be relieved by other treatments. During the operation, the damaged surface of the knee joint is replaced by metallic and plastic components. These are shaped to best fit the anatomy of the knee joint.