Knee Pains and Arthritis

There are three different types of arthritis that can occur in your knees. The most common type is osteoarthritis, a progressive disease that slowly wears away joint cartilage. This type of arthritis is most likely to strike after middle age. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that can strike at any age. When arthritis develops following an injury to the knee, it is called post-traumatic arthritis. It can occur years after a torn meniscus, injury to ligament, or fracture of the knee. Some types of arthritis can cause fatigue. Read about more symptoms of arthritis in the knee.

Arthritis pain can begin suddenly, but it is more likely to develop slowly. At first, you may notice pain in the morning or after you’ve been particularly inactive. Your knees may hurt when you climb stairs, stand up from a sitting position, or kneel. It may hurt just to go for a walk. In some cases, you may feel pain when you’re doing nothing more than sitting down. Some people with arthritis say that damp weather or other changes in weather can bring on pain. Knee pain that wakes you up from sleep can be a symptom of osteoarthritis.

Arthritis of the knee may cause periodic inflammation. This can be due to the formation of bone spurs (osteophytes) or extra fluids in the knee. Swelling may be more pronounced after a long period of inactivity, such as when you first wake up in the morning. The skin on your knee may look red or feel warm when you touch it. In time, you may experience chronic inflammation of the knee that doesn’t get better with over-the-counter medications or anti-inflammatory drugs.