How to Detect Arthritis in the Knee

Sooner or later almost all of us will get arthritis in our joints. According to ucsfhealth.org, "Arthritis is a degenerative disease that destroys the cartilage in a joint." Your likelihood of developing arthritis prematurely is greater if you are overweight, participate in sports in which you overuse your knee joints, have inherited the genes for arthritis, have bad alignment or have sustained an injury. If the muscles surrounding your knee joints (such as the hamstrings and the quads) are not trained, premature arthritis is also more likely.

Instructions

Detection

• 1

  Notice whether your knee feels normal when you wake up in the morning. If it locks, catches or feels stiff in the morning, you may have arthritis. Make an appointment with your doctor to delve more deeply into the situation. Ask for a knee X-ray.

• 2

  Look at the knee. If it's swollen, chances are you have an inflammation, possibly even the early stages of arthritis. Avoid activities that cause knee inflammation, which increases your chance developing arthritis. According to mdjunction.com, an ultrasound is advisable if inflammation is present.

• 3

  Listen to how your knee sounds. If you hear clicking or cracking sounds when moving your knees, chances are you have arthritis.

• 4

  Notice whether your knee is painful after exercise. This is another sign of arthritis. The more severe the pain, the greater the likelihood.

• 5

  If you are over 50 years old and have these symptoms, especially if you are a woman, you are likely to have arthritis.