What Are the Treatments for Early Arthritis of the Knee Joint?

Early knee joint arthritis typically causes mild to moderate knee pain as well as limitations in range of motion. Fortunately, there are a number of effective treatment options that exist for dealing with early arthritis of the knee.

Pain Medication

• Pain medication, including but not limited to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDS, can be very helpful for reducing and controlling arthritic knee pain. These medications work by reducing swelling and inflammation within the joint.

Activity Modification

• Avoiding participation in activities that stress or irritate the knee joint can be an effective strategy for managing early arthritis of the knee joint. Avoid high-impact activities, such as running and jogging. Instead, try low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling and light walking.

Rest

• Simply allowing the knee joint to rest and protecting it from any unnecessary movement or activity is an effective way to manage the pain and swelling associated with early arthritis of the knee joint.

Heat Therapy

• Applying heat to the knee joint can reduce arthritis pain and improve range of motion in the knee joint. Apply an electric heating pad or warm towels several times a day according to your symptoms.

Joint Injections

• Joint injections are sometimes used to treat early knee arthritis pain that is chronic or that fails to adequately respond to pain medication. Anti-inflammatory medication is typically injected directly into the knee joint.

Weight Loss

• If you are overweight, losing excess body weight can help reduce the symptoms of early arthritic knee pain and even help slow its progression.