Knee injuries are not only painful but also debilitating and have long-term consequences. The best doctors for osteoarthritis treatment in Delhi tell us that one of such long-term consequences is the development of osteoarthritis. Since the knee is a complex joint, any kind of injury to even the surrounding tissues can lead to joint deformation and in turn osteoarthritis. 

If you have been through a knee injury or are experiencing pain in the knee, this article is for you. 

What Causes a Knee Injury? 

According to the arthritis treatment specialist, an injury to the knee can be due to a variety of causes including accidents, falls, sports activities, and so on. The most common knee injuries include ligament tears, cartilage damage, meniscus tear, and fractures. These injuries usually lead to excruciating pain, swelling, instability, and even hamper everyday activities.  

When you suspect a sudden knee pain or knee pain due to an injury, you must go for the best knee pain treatment in Delhi to avoid it from developing into osteoarthritis. 

What is the Role of Knee Injury in Osteoarthritis Development? 

Although a knee injury cannot cause osteoarthritis, it can, however, increase your chances of osteoarthritis development. To understand the link between knee injury and osteoarthritis, you need to first understand what happens when a knee is injured. 

When your knee is injured, the structure protecting the knee is also disrupted. Damage to the ligament, cartilage, or bone disrupts the stability of the knee and causes abnormal stress on the joint surface. If left untreated, this stress causes degenerative changes and leads to osteoarthritis. 

How Do You Detect if You Have Osteoarthritis? 

If you have osteoarthritis, you will probably feel pain and stiffness in your knee. At times, it can only affect one knee or it could affect both. The pain may feel worse by the end of the day or when you move your knee and it may improve as soon as you rest. Apart from this, you may also feel a little stiffness in the morning but this will only last for a few hours. 

In addition to pain, you can also notice swelling in your knee. It can be caused by 2 reasons: 

• Hard Swelling: When a bone at the edge of a joint grows outwards. 
• Soft Swelling: When your joint is inflamed, producing extra fluid. 

At times, an osteoarthritic development of the knee can also cause the muscles in the thigh to weaken and make your legs thinner. This weakness can make it difficult to even stand or perform your daily chores. 

If you notice any of such symptoms with your knee, consult doctors for osteoarthritis treatment in South Delhi. 

What are the Prevention and Management Strategies? 

Preventing a knee injury and reducing its long-term impact on joint health is crucial to reducing the risk of osteoarthritis. To prevent such injuries, perform proper warm-up and stretching before doing any physical activity, use appropriate protective gear such as knee braces, make sure that you maintain a healthy weight as excessive weight and put extra weight on your joints, and avoid any type of high-impact activities as it can suddenly jerk your knee. 

If you have already experienced a knee injury in the past, make sure that you seek professional treatment to reduce your chances of osteoarthritis. Visit an arthritis treatment specialist and make sure that you maintain your weight. 

To Sum It Up 

Knee injury is not the sole reason for osteoarthritis development. It can, however, be a predisposing factor for osteoarthritis. To avoid this from happening, make sure that you pay attention to your symptoms and consult a doctor at the earliest. 

You can consult our exceptional team of orthopaedics at Ayushmanam Moolchand Medicity, South Delhi. Our team has extensive experience in dealing with major orthopaedic problems and has successfully conducted more than 25000 orthopaedic surgeries. You can learn more about us here.