Knee Osteoarthritis Condition

Knee Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition where the protective cartilage between your thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) wears away. Your cartilage is not only important to absorb shock during impact activities ranging from walking to jumping, it also allows for smooth gliding of the joints. When this “cushion” thins, bones rub directly against each other, leading to inflammation, stiffness, and pain.

Primary symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) include persistent swelling, morning stiffness, crepitus and activity-related pain.

In Singapore, we see a mix of age-related and lifestyle-driven factors that contribute to knee degeneration.

Ageing Process

While cartilage naturally thins as we age, OA is not exclusive to the elderly. Previous sports injuries or long-term overloading of the joint can cause degeneration to set in much earlier. While these structural changes are irreversible, the symptoms are highly manageable with the right intervention.

Body Weight and Mechanical Loading

Weight plays a significant role in joint longevity. According to the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, for every 5kg (approx. 11 lbs) of extra weight you carry, an additional 15kg to 25kg of force is placed on your knees with every single step. Reducing even a small amount of weight can significantly decrease the load on your knees and hence reduce the chances of injury to the knees.

Knee and Foot Alignment

Because the knee sits between the hip and the foot, factors such as footwear, foot posture, and knee alignment all need to be considered when addressing knee pain.

Being “bow-legged” (genu varum) or “knock-kneed” (genu valgum) can create uneven weight distribution through the knee, leading to faster wear of specific areas of the joint cartilage, as it determines whether more load is placed on the inner (medial) or outer (lateral) portion of the knee.

Foot mechanics play an important role as well. Flat feet or overpronation can cause increased strain to the inner portion of the knee. Footwear choices can further influence this. For example, frequent use of high heels can cause increased stress to the front of the knee due to the shifting of the weight more towards the front of the knee.

The Role of Muscle Strength in Knee Health

Your muscles act as a secondary shock-absorption system. If your primary shock absorber ( cartilage) fails, you need to rely on this secondary stabilizer to prevent joint compression and hence pain. 

Your quadriceps , soleus and glute medius are your knee’s primary active shock absorbers. Hence it is important to train them to absorb the shock to prevent too much impact from going through the knee joint.

How Physiotherapy Can Help

The most effective management of knee arthritis involves a multi-disciplinary approach. Instead of simply masking the pain, physiotherapy aims to address the underlying contributors through several key strategies:

• Reducing inflammation: Using manual therapy and appropriate modalities to help manage swelling and irritation in the joint.
• Releasing tight but weak muscles: Improving muscle flexibility and activation to reduce excessive compression and stress around the knee.
• Functional strengthening: Progressively strengthening the muscles that support the knee so they can better absorb load and reduce the strain placed on the joint during daily activities.

At Core Concepts, we don’t just treat the symptoms; we identify the biomechanical root cause of your knee pain. Our specialist team creates customized rehabilitation plans designed to restore your health and get you back to the activities you love.