Arthritis in the Knee. Causes

How does arthritis of the knee develop?

The cushioning cartilage in the knee can disintegrate completely without any detectable cause. Arthritis of the knee can therefore develop without any particular triggers. Hereditary factors play a part here. Just as one person's hair remains dark into old age and another person has streaks of grey at 30, natural wear and tear of the joint with cartilage disintegration can begin in one person at 70 and be advanced in another at 30.

A little damage becomes major step by step.

A little damage to the cartilage in the joint in this case counts as the initial impact that sets the ball rolling. Like sand in a gearbox, a little cartilage damage leads to increased friction in the knee joint. Think about a grain of sand in your eye. It scratches. It hurts. You don't want to open your eye. And with every blink of the lid the eye becomes more irritated.

Damage to cartilage in the knee joint means: Increased friction with every step. The joint becomes more stressed. More injured. And the cartilage therefore wears out more quickly. Because of severe irritation the joint may also become inflamed – which can also damage the joint surface allowing arthritis to progress.

Main triggers: Injuries and overexertion.

A knee injury such as meniscus damage or cruciate ligament tear can be triggers for arthritis later.

A knee injury such as meniscus damage or cruciate ligament tear can be triggers for arthritis later.

Wherever a plane is used wood chips will fall – this saying can be applied in the truest sense of the word to the knee joint. Of course wear and tear to a joint also develops from external influences. And a joint such as the knee which is in heavy use also frequently suffers corresponding damage. Cruciate ligament tears, meniscus damage... Many injuries are possible. Arthritis of the knee can also be caused by knock knees or bandy legs – abnormal joint positions put extra stress on certain points in the joint. Like the soles of the shoes provide evidence of weight loading on the foot, incorrect weight bearing puts a great strain on the knee joint.

Overweight people in particular who have burdened their joints for years with too much body weight, show severe wear and tear in the joint. The joint is not designed for excessive weight bearing. It inevitably becomes damaged. Arthritis in the knee can be attributed to inflammation as found in rheumatic diseases or bacterial infections of the knee joint.

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Dufek

Prof. Dr. habil.

Pavel Dufek


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