Arthritis is a breakdown of the articular cartilage covering the ends of bones – a degenerative process over time, similar to the thinning of your tire treads with use. There are many causes of arthritis. There are an estimated 30-40 million Americans with arthritis; most of these tears are due to degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis). There are 2-3 million Americans with inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis. Trauma to the knee is one of the major reasons for arthritis in the younger individual. Arthritis most often increases as we age.

The word arthritis literally means “joint inflammation.” Arthritis refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that damages the lining surrounding our joints while also destroying our bones, tissue, and joints over time.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive condition that slowly damages the cartilage surrounding the ends of bones and is common in the hip, knee, and spine.

Treatment options include weight reduction and good (cushioned) shoe wear. Further conservative measures include taking over the counter Tylenol or anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Occasional steroid injections or hyaluronic acid injections can be given into the knee. Surgical options can include arthroscopic procedures to wash out the knee or debride the roughened areas about the tibia and femur of the knee. Arthroscopic debridement of the cartilage surfaces during arthroscopy does not guarantee long term pain relief. There are many surgical procedures to replace small areas of localized arthritis including transplanting cartilage tissue to this area. Ongoing arthritic problems in the knee lead to increasing pain, eventually possibly requiring a total knee arthroplasty.

A total knee replacement is really a cartilage replacement, replacing the damaged cartilage with an artificial surface. The knee itself is not replaced, as is commonly thought, but rather metal is inserted on the end of the bones, the femur and the tibia. A plastic spacer goes between the tibia and femur. A plastic lining is placed on the back of the kneecap. This creates a new smooth cushion and a functioning joint that does not hurt. A more accurate name for a total knee replacement is total knee resurfacing.