How Can I Slow the Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis — also known as “wear-and-tear arthritis” — is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 30 million Americans. 

This particular type of arthritis happens when the cartilage that protects your joints starts to wear away. Once you lose that protective layer, your bones begin to rub together, leading to telltale symptoms of osteoarthritis, such as inflammation, stiffness, and joint pain.

May is Arthritis Awareness Month, so pain management specialist Don Enty, MD, and the rest of our team at Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine in Colleyville, Texas, want to discuss ways to stop the progression of osteoarthritis, particularly in the knee, which is one of the more commonly affected joints.

Achieve and maintain a healthy weight

Obesity is one of the top contributing factors to the development of osteoarthritis. Carrying excess weight puts undue stress on your knees, which causes further joint inflammation and speeds up the degeneration process. In fact, every pound you gain adds four pounds of stress to your knees.

Studies show that losing even 5%-10% of your body weight can lead to a dramatic decrease in symptoms and slow down the progression of your condition.

Control blood sugar levels

More than half of Americans with diabetes also have arthritis because having high blood sugar levels makes your cartilage much stiffer and triggers body-wide inflammation, leading to increased cartilage loss. 

Effective management of your diabetes can help slow down your osteoarthritis progression. 

Follow an arthritis-friendly diet

A diet that’s often associated with a healthy lifestyle is the Mediterranean diet. In fact, studies have shown that people with arthritis who eat this way have lower inflammation and increased quality of life. 

The Mediterranean diet is high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, and other seafood. It also includes moderate amounts of poultry, eggs, olive oil, and dairy. You should also include omega-3 fatty acids and avoid foods high in sugar since following these guidelines tends to decrease systemic inflammation. 

Move your body

Even though it may seem counterintuitive, physical activity is the top recommended treatment for osteoarthritis. Exercising keeps your joints healthy, strong, and balanced. Doing various exercises such as aerobics, muscle strengthening, and flexibility training for about 150 minutes throughout the week helps keep your joints in tip-top shape.

However, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t overdo it. If you’re in a lot of pain, scale back and don’t do the same exercise routine two days in a row. Also, remember that even housework can count toward your physical activity for the day or week. 

Effectively manage your pain

Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory condition, so it makes sense that doing things to reduce inflammation will help slow down degeneration. You can take anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen, or we offer corticosteroid injections at Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine. 

Getting advanced treatments at Genesis Pain & Regenerative Medicine, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, can help your body’s natural healing abilities and decrease arthritis’s ability to wear down cartilage. 

For more information on managing your arthritis, schedule an appointment by calling our office or booking online today.