Knee-pain: Knee pain and osteoarthritis— treatment solutions for knee joint pain, tendonitis, and knee sprains from Senior Health Stores can help you bring pain to its Knees! (click here to shop now)

The knee is a joint that has three compartments:

1. The thigh bone (femur) meets the large shin bone (tibia) forming the main knee joint. This joint has an inner (medial) compartment;
2. The other is an outer (lateral) compartment;
3. The kneecap (patella) joins the femur to form a third compartment, called the patellofemoral joint.

The knee joint is surrounded by a joint capsule with ligaments strapping the inside and outside of the joint (collateral ligaments) as well as crossing within the joint (cruciate ligaments). These ligaments provide stability and strength to the knee joint.

The meniscus is a thickened cartilage pad between the two joints formed by the femur and tibia. The meniscus acts as a smooth surface for motion and absorbs the load of the body above the knee when standing.

Anatomy of the Knee ( Click to Enlarge)

The knee joint is surrounded by fluid-filled sacs called bursae, which serve as gliding surfaces that reduce friction of the tendons. Below the kneecap, there is a large tendon (patellar tendon) which attaches to the front of the tibia bone. There are large blood vessels passing through the area behind the knee (referred to as the popliteal space).

The large muscles of the thigh move the knee. In the front of the thigh, the quadriceps muscles extend the knee joint. In the back of the thigh, the hamstring muscles flex the knee. The knee also rotates slightly under guidance of specific muscles of the thigh.

The knee functions to allow movement of the leg and is critical to normal walking. The knee flexes normally to a maximum of 135 degrees and extends to 0 degrees. The bursae, or fluid-filled sacs, serve as gliding surfaces for the tendons to reduce the force of friction as these tendons move. The knee is a weight-bearing joint. Each meniscus serves to evenly load the surface during weight-bearing and also aids in disbursing joint fluid for joint lubrication.

Injury can affect any of the ligaments, bursae, or any of the surrounding tendons causing knee joint pain or tendonitis. Injury can also affect the ligaments, cartilage, menisci (plural for meniscus), and bones forming the joint and may lead to osteoarthritis. The complexity of the design of the knee joint and the fact that it is an active weight-bearing joint are factors in making the knee one of the most commonly injured joints.

• Causes of knee pain include injury, degeneration, arthritis, infrequently infection, and rarely bone tumors.
• Ligaments within the knee (cruciate ligaments) and on the inner and outer sides of the knee (collateral ligaments) stabilize the joint.
• Surgical repair of ligament injury can involve suturing, grafting, and synthetic graft repair.
• Routine X-rays do not reveal meniscus tears but can be used to exclude other problems of the bones and other tissues.
• The knee joint is the most commonly involved joint in rheumatic diseases, which are immune diseases that affect various tissues of the body, including the joints, to cause osteoarthritis.

Our educational information pages and health aide stores will be focused on your foot-pain, hand-pain, Joint-pain, back-pain, hair-skin-nails, fitness, and mobility-aids just to name a few.

Knee Pain — Osteoarthritis

What is osteoarthritis of the Knee?

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is one of the five leading causes of disability among elderly men and women. The risk for knee-pain disability from osteoarthritis of the knee is as great as that from cardiovascular disease.

Osteoarthritis of the knees is often associated with excess upper body weight, with obesity, or a history of repeated injury and/or joint surgery. Progressive cartilage degeneration of the knee joints can lead to deformity and outward or inward curvature of the knees referred to as "bowlegged" Patients with osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints (like the knees) can develop a limp. The limping can worsen as more cartilage degenerates. In some patients, the pain, limping, and joint dysfunction may not respond to medications or other conservative measures.

What are some of the causes for developing osteoarthritis of the knee?

Several factors may increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

• Heredity: There is some evidence that genetic mutations may make an individual more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee;
• Weight: Weight increases pressure on joints such as the knee;
• Age: The ability of cartilage to heal itself decreases as people age;
• Gender: Women who are older than 50 years of age are more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee than men;
• Trauma: Previous injury to the knee, including sports injuries, can lead to osteoarthritis of the knee;
• Repetitive stress injuries: These are usually associated with certain occupations, particularly those that involve kneeling or squatting, walking more than two miles a day, or lifting at least 55 pounds regularly;
• High impact sports: Elite players in soccer, long-distance running and tennis have an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee; and
• Other illnesses: Repeated episodes of gout or septic arthritis, metabolic disorders and some congenital conditions can also increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

What SHS treatments are available for osteoarthritis?

8 & 9" Knee Support	Knee Support with Spiral Stay	8 & 12" Elastic Knee Brace
HP-3060 & 61	HP-3062	HP-3075 & 75L
$16.25 & 16.88	$22.00	$10.00 & 22.00
Length 8" KP-3060 $16.25 USD 9" KP-3061 $16.88 USD Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large	Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large	Length 8" KP-3075 $10.00 USD 12" KP-3075L $16.25 USD Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large
Elastic wrap provides support with limited mobility Opening insures correct positioning of knee cap Hook & loop closure for easy application	Elastic wrap with two lateral spiral stays on the sides Provides support with limited mobility	Soft beige knitted elastic Slips on easily Provides compression For sizing measure around the knee (circumference)
Measure around the Knee Size Inches Centimeters Small 12 - 15 30 - 38 Medium 15 - 18 38 - 46 Large 18 - 21 46 - 53 Extra Large 21 - 24 53 - 61 Measure area in red to get circumference.
Elastic Open Patella Knee Brace	Deluxe Compression Knee Support	Deluxe Compression Knee Support With Hinge
HP-3375	HP-3633	HP-3636
$16.25	$37.50	$49.88
Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large	Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large	Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large
Soft beige knitted elastic with open patella Slips on easily Provides compression For sizing measure around the knee (circumference)	Tubular knitted elastic 2 lateral spiral stays Gel buttress pad Seamless construction Open patella Slips on easily	Tubular knitted elastic 2 hyper-extension hinges with built in stop Tension straps Gel buttress pad Seamless construction Open patella Slips on easily
Neoprene Knee Sleeve	Neoprene Knee Brace	Neoprene Hinged Knee Brace
HP-9030	HP-9033	HP-9036
$17.13	$38.75	$53.75
Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large	Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large	Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large
Soft beige knitted elastic with open patella Slips on easily Provides compression For sizing measure around the knee (circumference)	Tubular knitted elastic 2 lateral spiral stays Gel buttress pad Seamless construction Open patella Slips on easily	Tubular knitted elastic 2 hyper-extension hinges with built in stop Tension straps Gel buttress pad Seamless construction Open patella Slips on easily
Neoprene Knee Wrap	Adjustable Hinge Knee Support	R.O.M. Post Op Knee Support
HP-9037	HP-9040	HP-9041
$40.75	$80.00	$147.37
Sizes Universal	Sizes S-M L-XL	Sizes Universal
Wraps easily to fit around knee Adjusts to desired compression Retains body heat aiding in faster healing Hook & loop closure Condylar knee pad Available with spiral stays or hinges	Lightweight neoprene with opening at the knee 2 lateral hinges with 5 stop positions Hook and loop closure	Incremental flexion/extension Use during rehabilitation following surgery
Hinged Knee Brace	Patella Strap W/Gel Pad	Patella Support
HP-9238	HP-9239	HP-9250
$80.75	$19.75	$33.75
Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large	Sizes Universal	Sizes Small Medium Large X-Large
Pull on sleeve with 2 lateral hinges Hinges have stops at 0 deg, 15 deg, 30 deg, 45 deg and 75 deg for selecting extension range 21" straps above and below patella 2 hook and loop closure straps	Neoprene strap Loop-lock closure Gel pad for compression	Provides warmth and support around joint Inferior patella pad applies compression on the tendon without restricting or binding Increases stability Improve patella tracking Alleviates pain and pressure Adjustable hook & loop straps for easy application Enhanced compression control Wraps around for quick, easy application Fits right or left knee Measure around center of knee

Chattanooga Deluxe Exerciser™ Use for upper or lower body exercises at home, the office, or while traveling; Automatic, multi-functional electronic monitor with LED display; Quick dial with variable resistance; Shipping dimensions: 18” x 9.5” x 12.5”, and Includes a One-year warranty.

KP-18010

$202.95

The goal of treatment in osteoarthritis is to reduce joint pain and inflammation while improving and maintaining joint function with one or more od the following aides:

• Exercise usually does not aggravate osteoarthritis when performed at levels that do not cause joint pain and our Senior Health Stores light weight training kit is a great tool for your exercise program;
• We also provide support devices, such as splints, canes, walkers, and braces. These devices can be helpful in reducing stress on the joints; and
• Our paraffin wax dips can also be a great source of soothing comfort.

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