Osteoarthritis Knee
Dignose:
The diagnosis can be established by clinical examination, and it can be confirmed by X-rays.
Knee OA can be sub-divided into 5 grades:
Grade 0:
This is the “normal” knee health.
Grade 1:
Very minor bone spur growth and is not experiencing any pain or discomfort.
Grade 2:
This is the stage where people will experience symptoms for the first time. They will have pain after a long day of walking and will sense a greater stiffness in the joint. It is a mild stage of the condition, but X-rays will already reveal greater bone spur growth. The cartilage will likely remain at a healthy size.
Grade 3:
Moderate OA. Frequent pain during movement, joint stiffness will also be more present, especially after sitting for long periods and in the morning. The cartilage between the bones shows obvious damage, and the space between the bones is getting smaller.
Grade 4:
This is the most severe stage of OA. The joint space between the bones will be dramatically reduced, the cartilage will almost be completely gone and the synovial fluid will be decreased. This stage is normally associated with high levels pain and discomfort during walking or moving the joint.