Recurring knee pain?…with degenerative arthritis, early management is key
Page information
St. Peter's Hospital 26-07-01 23:07Main content
[Medical News · Ilgan Bosa] If knee pain, swelling and stiffness keep recurring, they should not be dismissed as simple aging or temporary fatigue. They may be a sign of osteoarthritis, commonly known as degenerative arthritis, which is common in older adults. Degenerative arthritis of the knee in particular directly affects walking and daily activities and can greatly reduce quality of life, so early diagnosis and proactive management are important.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and mainly occurs in heavily used or weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hips, spine and hands. Repeated use of a joint or accumulated strain causes degenerative changes in the cartilage and surrounding tissue, and as inflammation and joint deformity progress, pain and loss of function appear.
According to World Health Organization data, osteoarthritis is a common joint disease affecting about 600 million people worldwide, 73% of whom are aged 55 and over. In Korea, Korea Health Statistics show an average prevalence of 30.2% among those aged 65 and over between 2017 and 2021, meaning that one in three older adults has osteoarthritis.
Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data also show that about 3.28 million people were treated for osteoarthritis in 2024. Among people in their 60s and 70s it was the second most common cause of hospital admission after cataracts, and it ranked fifth in outpatient visit frequency for those in their 60s and fourth for those in their 70s.
A considerable proportion of patients aged 60 and over who come to the hospital with knee or back problems are diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Understanding osteoarthritis properly and managing the joints consistently can determine the quality of life in old age.
A typical misconception about osteoarthritis is that it is a natural part of aging that everyone goes through. However, osteoarthritis is not simply a matter of joints wearing out over time. It is understood as a disease in which several factors act together, including changes in the joint cartilage, inflammation and structural changes in the bone beneath the cartilage.
The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain, swelling, joint stiffness and a limited range of motion. In the early stages the knee may only hurt when walking for a long time or going up and down stairs, but as it progresses the pain worsens when standing up from a seated position, the knee may not straighten properly, and the joint may make noises when walking. If it worsens further, pain appears even at rest and the way a person walks may change.
Knee pain is more than a simple inconvenience. If the pain persists, activity levels fall and muscle use declines, which can lead to frailty and sarcopenia. This raises the risk of falls and hip fractures, and reduced physical activity can also affect overall health, contributing to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression.
Degenerative arthritis may begin with intermittent pain, but over time degenerative changes such as joint space narrowing, sclerosis and deformity can progress. Once joint changes have occurred they are difficult to reverse, so it is important to be diagnosed early when warning signs appear and to preserve joint function for as long as possible.
Diagnosis is made through a physical examination that checks the site and pattern of pain and the range of joint motion, together with X-ray imaging. When the pain is more severe than the plain X-ray would suggest, or when other damage such as a meniscus tear or a microfracture is suspected, an additional MRI can be performed to confirm the exact condition.
Treatment varies with the stage of the disease and the patient's condition. In the early stages, exercise and lifestyle improvement come first, followed by conservative treatment such as drug therapy, physiotherapy and exercise therapy. If pain and inflammation persist, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be used, or joint function is maintained through heat packs, electrical nerve stimulation and rehabilitative therapy. Injection therapy may also be considered if necessary.
If conservative treatment brings no improvement or the pain is severe enough to interfere with daily life, surgical treatment is considered. When the area of cartilage damage is relatively small and joint deformity is not severe, arthroscopic debridement, microfracture surgery or stem cell transplantation may be considered. In end-stage arthritis with severe cartilage damage and joint deformity, artificial joint replacement surgery is considered.
Everyday management is also essential for protecting knee joint health. Five rules should be followed: △maintaining an appropriate weight and a balanced diet △exercising regularly △avoiding postures that strain the joints △giving up smoking and limiting alcohol △managing pain early and applying heat packs.
As weight increases, so does the load on the knees. It is best to avoid postures that bend the knee excessively or put pressure on one area, such as squatting, sitting cross-legged on the floor or crossing the legs. Using a chair or sofa rather than sitting on the floor reduces knee flexion, and avoiding excessive caffeine and salt intake also helps.
Exercise is also important. Avoiding exercise because of pain can actually weaken the muscles and increase the load on the joint. About 30 minutes a day of walking on level ground, stretching, swimming or indoor cycling helps strengthen the muscles around the joint and reduce stiffness. However, exercise strenuous enough to cause pain or swelling should be avoided.
Knee joint health goes beyond the question of pain and is directly linked to healthy life expectancy in old age. Women aged 65 and over in particular should watch carefully for warning signs such as knee pain, swelling or difficulty walking, and receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment early in order to maintain healthy joint function for as long as possible.
Source: Medical Newspaper (https://www.bosa.co.kr)
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and mainly occurs in heavily used or weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hips, spine and hands. Repeated use of a joint or accumulated strain causes degenerative changes in the cartilage and surrounding tissue, and as inflammation and joint deformity progress, pain and loss of function appear.
According to World Health Organization data, osteoarthritis is a common joint disease affecting about 600 million people worldwide, 73% of whom are aged 55 and over. In Korea, Korea Health Statistics show an average prevalence of 30.2% among those aged 65 and over between 2017 and 2021, meaning that one in three older adults has osteoarthritis.
Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data also show that about 3.28 million people were treated for osteoarthritis in 2024. Among people in their 60s and 70s it was the second most common cause of hospital admission after cataracts, and it ranked fifth in outpatient visit frequency for those in their 60s and fourth for those in their 70s.
A considerable proportion of patients aged 60 and over who come to the hospital with knee or back problems are diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Understanding osteoarthritis properly and managing the joints consistently can determine the quality of life in old age.
A typical misconception about osteoarthritis is that it is a natural part of aging that everyone goes through. However, osteoarthritis is not simply a matter of joints wearing out over time. It is understood as a disease in which several factors act together, including changes in the joint cartilage, inflammation and structural changes in the bone beneath the cartilage.
The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain, swelling, joint stiffness and a limited range of motion. In the early stages the knee may only hurt when walking for a long time or going up and down stairs, but as it progresses the pain worsens when standing up from a seated position, the knee may not straighten properly, and the joint may make noises when walking. If it worsens further, pain appears even at rest and the way a person walks may change.
Knee pain is more than a simple inconvenience. If the pain persists, activity levels fall and muscle use declines, which can lead to frailty and sarcopenia. This raises the risk of falls and hip fractures, and reduced physical activity can also affect overall health, contributing to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression.
Degenerative arthritis may begin with intermittent pain, but over time degenerative changes such as joint space narrowing, sclerosis and deformity can progress. Once joint changes have occurred they are difficult to reverse, so it is important to be diagnosed early when warning signs appear and to preserve joint function for as long as possible.
Diagnosis is made through a physical examination that checks the site and pattern of pain and the range of joint motion, together with X-ray imaging. When the pain is more severe than the plain X-ray would suggest, or when other damage such as a meniscus tear or a microfracture is suspected, an additional MRI can be performed to confirm the exact condition.
Treatment varies with the stage of the disease and the patient's condition. In the early stages, exercise and lifestyle improvement come first, followed by conservative treatment such as drug therapy, physiotherapy and exercise therapy. If pain and inflammation persist, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be used, or joint function is maintained through heat packs, electrical nerve stimulation and rehabilitative therapy. Injection therapy may also be considered if necessary.
If conservative treatment brings no improvement or the pain is severe enough to interfere with daily life, surgical treatment is considered. When the area of cartilage damage is relatively small and joint deformity is not severe, arthroscopic debridement, microfracture surgery or stem cell transplantation may be considered. In end-stage arthritis with severe cartilage damage and joint deformity, artificial joint replacement surgery is considered.
Everyday management is also essential for protecting knee joint health. Five rules should be followed: △maintaining an appropriate weight and a balanced diet △exercising regularly △avoiding postures that strain the joints △giving up smoking and limiting alcohol △managing pain early and applying heat packs.
As weight increases, so does the load on the knees. It is best to avoid postures that bend the knee excessively or put pressure on one area, such as squatting, sitting cross-legged on the floor or crossing the legs. Using a chair or sofa rather than sitting on the floor reduces knee flexion, and avoiding excessive caffeine and salt intake also helps.
Exercise is also important. Avoiding exercise because of pain can actually weaken the muscles and increase the load on the joint. About 30 minutes a day of walking on level ground, stretching, swimming or indoor cycling helps strengthen the muscles around the joint and reduce stiffness. However, exercise strenuous enough to cause pain or swelling should be avoided.
Knee joint health goes beyond the question of pain and is directly linked to healthy life expectancy in old age. Women aged 65 and over in particular should watch carefully for warning signs such as knee pain, swelling or difficulty walking, and receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment early in order to maintain healthy joint function for as long as possible.
Source: Medical Newspaper (https://www.bosa.co.kr)