Knee ‘wear and tear’ – you don’t have to put up with pain!

07 May Knee ‘wear and tear’ – you don’t have to put up with pain!

Many people entering their 40’s and 50’s believe that their knee pain is the result of ‘wear and tear’ – and often assume it must indicate the early stages of osteoarthritis. Sadly, many also believe that nothing can be done to alleviate their symptoms, and the only option is a knee replacement.

None of this is true! And our fabulous Physiotherapist, Leona, is here to set the record straight:

Leona, tell us about ‘wear and tear’

The body does accumulate ‘wear and tear’, though I prefer the term age- or life-related changes and adaptations. Particularly when you’ve had a job with plenty of manual labour (such as lifting and kneeling) or you’ve played sports and you’ve injured your knees when you were young, there is a chance that you will experience knee niggles later on.

Is ‘wear and tear’ the same as Osteoarthritis?

Not at all! ‘Wear and tear’ (as it is used colloquially) does not mean you have OA, and having osteoarthritic changes in in cartilage of the joint does not mean you will necessarily experience pain or symptoms. In fact, there is a very poor correlation between OA changes on scan and pain and function. 

What can be done about ‘wear and tear’? Can anything be done??

Of course something can be done! ‘Wear and tear’ does NOT mean it’s all over. In fact, you can still enjoy physical activity or even something as simple as being able to use the stairs without a thought. 

The primary path of impact or load absorption through the knee is via muscles and tendons. These muscles and tendons can get weaker after injury or repeated work-related tasks, and this can often cause more pain than the joint related changes themselves.  By treating these muscles and tendons, symptoms can often be improved (and in some cases, resolved).

There you have it! If you thought ‘wear and tear’ in your knees was something you just had to deal with – now might be a good time to reconsider! There is almost always something that you can do decrease your symptoms and improve your quality of life! Call our friendly team today to get help.

Image credit: Trainer Academy