• Home
• FAQ
• JoMo Joint Mobility Club
• JoMo Blog
• Testimonials
• My Account
• 
• My Cart

The Knee

On this page: The Knee Arthritis and Joint Pain of the Knee Arthritis of the Knee and Symptoms Sports and Arthritis of the Knee Treatment and Supplements for Arthritis of the Knee Rest and Arthritis of the Knee Weight Management, Obesity and Arthritis of the Knee Exercise and Caring for the Knee Supplementation with JoMo, a 100% Natural Glucosamine and Chondroitin based Joint Relief and Cartilage Support Formulation What the Studies Say Diet and Inflammation Management Physical Therapy for Knee Injury Knee Surgery

The knee is a joint, and is a place where bones come together in the body. Although some joints, like the ones in your skull, simply connect the bones like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and don't move, the knee is a hinge-like joint designed to facilitate movement and bear weight.

The knee joint connects the upper and lower portions of the leg and allows it to bend and straighten - and even rotate inward and outward a little bit. It is made up of four bones, the largest being the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (large shin bone), which go head-to-head within the knee joint and bear the brunt of the impact of movement. The smaller two are the fibula (smaller shin bone), which sits to the side of and slightly under the tibia, and the patella (knee cap), which acts like a shield to protect the knee joint from trauma. Several muscles, tendons and ligaments connect these four bones, make movement possible, and help keep the knee joint aligned and stable.

Although the leg bones join together at the knee, they don't actually touch each other: they're held slightly apart by cartilage, a rubbery, gel-like tissue that sits on the ends of bones like plush slippers on your feet. Cartilage, which is roughly three-quarters water, prevents the ends of these bones from grinding against each other as you move; instead the bone ends simply glide across each other with very little friction. Cartilage also absorbs the shock of movement. This is particularly important to the knee, a weight-bearing joint that is subject to constant pounding: as every time you step and your foot hits the ground, shock waves reverberate up your leg bones. When walking, the stress on your knee is roughly three times your body weight, a figure that increases to ten times your body weight when you run. Without cartilage, the impact of movement would cause stress fractures of the bones, erosion of bone ends, the formation of bone spurs (think calluses on the ends of the bones), and ultimately the destruction of both the bones and the weight-bearing joints.

Because the knee is subject to so much stress, a thick layer of cartilaginous tissue called the meniscus (plural menisci) cushions the ends of the femur and the tibia. The meniscus is an excellent shock absorber, soaking up the impact created by movement and helping provide stability to the knee joint. A damaged meniscus, which is common among athletes participating in contact sports, is often referred to as "torn cartilage." Another kind of cartilage found in the knee joint is articular cartilage, the "standard" kind that's found in most joints. This smooth, slick surface covers the underside of the patella and lines the femoral groove allowing these bones to glide smoothly within the joint as the knee bends and straightens.

When either kind of cartilage within the knee becomes cracked, torn, thin, dried out or worn through, its ability to absorb shock and cushion the bone ends is reduced. Knee bones begin to grind against each other, causing pain, stiffness, loss of movement and sometimes swelling - in other words, a condition called arthritis. And that can really put a damper on your life.

Arthritis and Joint Pain of the Knee

Arthritis is the name given to a group of diseases that cause joint pain or inflammation, limit movement or otherwise harm the joints. There are many types of arthritis, including:

• Osteoarthritis, a "localized" disease that may strike one joint or many
  
• Rheumatoid arthritis, a body-wide disease that can attack various organs as well as multiple joints
  
• Gout, which often targets the large toe, causing very painful swelling
  
• Infectious arthritis, in which bacteria, viruses or fungi settle into a joint and trigger pain, swelling and/or stiffness
  
• Psoriatic arthritis, which is linked to the skin disease psoriasis

Depending on the definition used, arthritis includes up to 100 diseases that attack the joints. Some types of the disease respond well to treatment, others do not; some are self-limiting while others become progressively worse; some strike youngsters while others target people in their middle or senior years.

All forms of arthritis, however, have something in common: they cause pain, swelling, movement limitation or other problems with one or more joints.

Click Here for Arthritis Types and Symptom Checklist

Types of Arthritis of the Knee

When arthritis attacks the knee, the results may range from annoying to crippling, depending on the type of arthritis and the severity. As for treatment, it can run the gamut from an occasional aspirin and a bit of physical therapy, supplements, to total knee replacement surgery.

The three major types of knee arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-injury arthritis.

1. Osteoarthritis of the Knee

The most common form of knee arthritis, osteoarthritis of the knee is typically a slowly progressing degenerative disease characterized by breakdown of the cartilage. Over the course of months or years, the cushioning cartilage dries out and becomes brittle, "flattens" and wears away. Without moist, healthy cartilage to absorb shock, the bones will be rattled and jarred each time you stomp, step or even tiptoe. The bone ends, which should not quite touch within the joint capsule, can make contact and grind away at each other. Tiny fractures may arise in the bones or the bone ends may literally wear away as they grind against each other over time.

In the early stages of the disease, you may notice nothing more than mild pain after you've walked a long way, exercised heavily or engaged in sports - especially racquetball, football and other sports that require you to start, stop and change direction suddenly. A little bit of rest often takes care of the pain, but over time, however, the problem may become more severe, striking more often and causing more pain.

In the advanced stages of osteoarthritis, you may suffer from knee pain after simply standing for a while: while waiting in a long line, chatting with friends at a party, or moving slowly through a museum, for example. That's because cartilage relies on movement for nourishment; it does not contain blood vessels. As you shift your weight onto and off of your leg, the changes in pressure in the knee joint cause the joint fluid to move into and out of the cartilage, carrying nourishing substances in and washing unwanted substances away. Your knees may also hurt if you've been sitting a lot and haven't used your legs much. Odd as it sounds, not using your knee joint can cause pain because without movement the cartilage doesn't receive enough fluid-borne nourishment.

At some point in the progression of the disease, pain may not be the only symptom: you may also suffer from joint stiffness, loss of movement, cracking in the joint when you move it, and swelling, tenderness and warmth around the joint.

It's not known exactly why the cartilage breaks down. Metabolic problems may be to blame: perhaps the body's normal processes of breaking down old tissues and rebuilding them goes haywire, causing destruction of healthy cartilage faster than it can be replaced. It could be the result of repetitive motion - that is, using the knee over and over again, in the same way, day after day and year after year. An example of this is the baseball catcher who has to crouch down and get up repeatedly, day after day for decade, repeatedly stressing his knees.

Excess weight is particularly harmful to the knees. For every ten extra pounds you pack on, the force exerted on your knee can increase by 30 - 60 pounds! Or arthritis may result from an injury.

 

It's impossible to say with certainly who will develop osteoarthritis of the knee, but we do know that the odds of developing osteoarthritis rise if you are over the age or 40, female, overweight, have had a knee injury, have subjected your knees to repetitive stress at work or play, or your parents had osteoarthritis.

Click here for more facts on Osteoarthritis

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a case of the immune system going wild and attacking the body: it mistakes healthy body tissue for a foreign invader and sets out to destroy it.

Among other tissues, the immune system attacks the joint lining (synovial membrane), which holds fluid in the joint capsule that moistens and nourishes the cartilage. The ongoing damage to the joint lining triggers pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth and redness in the area of the affected joint. Individual cells in the joint lining grow and divide abnormally, and soon begin to invade nearby cartilage and bone. As inflammation grows worse, inflamed cells from the joint lining disgorge enzymes that break down nearby cartilage and bone, causing the joint to become misaligned and misshapen. Eventually, the joint may become locked in a twisted, useless position.

Rheumatoid arthritis attacks "both sides" of the body at once; that is, both wrists, both elbows, both knees and so on. And, as a body-wide problem, it doesn't limit its destruction to the joints, assaulting the heart, lungs, blood vessels, eyes and other organs, with symptoms depending on the targeted tissues.

Joint pain and inflammation are typical early signs of rheumatoid arthritis. Others include joint swelling, loss of joint mobility, pea-shaped bumps under the skin (rheumatoid nodules), a general feeling of sickness, aching, stiffness, fatigue and weakness.

Although the disease may strike anyone at almost any age, the most likely victims are women, who are twice as likely as men to develop the disease, especially those between the ages of 20 and 50. Why this is so remains a mystery.

Click here for more facts on Rheumatoid Arthritis

3. Post-Injury Arthritis

Injuries can set the stage for arthritis of the knee in various ways. For example, a serious injury may directly damage cartilage or tear ligaments which do not heal properly and lead to joint misalignment and exacerbated wear and tear. The injury may even take the form of a tiny bone fracture, which doesn't cause significant pain at first but sets the stage for trouble down the road.

The problem could be a single injury to the knee, or a series of blows to the knees. For example, a football player may be tackled in such a way that causes him to fall hard on his knees several times over the course of many seasons. The injury may also arise from repetitive motion, say a fencer who must maintain a stance with bent knees that can "wear away" at the cartilage.

Arthritis of the Knee - Symptoms

The symptoms you experience may be influenced by the weather, time of day, what you're doing, and even the phase of a female monthly cycle.

Weather - Many people report that changes in the weather affect the degree of discomfort from osteoarthritis of the knee. Cold and damp weather in particular seems to bring on aches, pains and other symptoms of arthritis. On the other hand, warmer temperatures tend to have a therapeutic effect on joint pain.

Time of day - Not moving the knee for a period of time (say, while you're sleeping) may cause the knee to become stiff and swollen, which is why some people have difficulty bending or straightening the knee when they wake up in the morning.

Activity - Pain and swelling in the knee may grow worse after periods of increased activity, such as walking, stair climbing, or kneeling in the garden for extended periods.

Monthly cycle - New research from the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary in Canada has found a connection between the stability of a woman's knee joint and her monthly hormonal cycle. These investigators monitored 26 women throughout the course of their menstrual cycles, measuring knee laxity, or "looseness" or the joint, at each phase of the cycle as the women performed athletic movements. They found that greater knee laxity led to variations in the joint's movement that could lead to injury if the woman were doing intense athletic activities such as playing in a sporting event at that time. Female athletes are between two and eight times more likely to injure their ACL knee ligaments than men, and this injury increases a woman's chances of developing knee osteoarthritis later in life.

Depending on the type and severity of the arthritis of the knee, you may suffer from weakness of the knee, leading to instability, or a locking or "buckling" feeling.

Sports and Arthritis of the Knee**

Although exercise in general and sports in particular do not cause arthritis, either can increase the risk of suffering injuries that can trigger post-injury arthritis. However, you can participate in athletics and other forms of exercise for a lifetime without harmful effects if these activities to not put excessive stress on the knee, your knee joint is anatomically sound, properly aligned and stable, the supporting muscles are strong and properly utilized, and you have not had a knee injury or surgery. In other words, if your knees are in great shape and you treat them with respect, you should not have a problem.

Unfortunately, many of us do not have perfectly sound knees and participate in activities that put a lot of stress on them. Running in the ultimate high stress, high impact activity, exerting a force of up to ten times your body weight on your knees. Walking is a bit "safer," generating a force of about three times your body weight. Football, of course, is a well-known knee stressor, but other sports may not be as obvious. Tennis and racquetball requiring plenty of dashing back and forth, starting and stopping suddenly, and twisting and turning on a dime. Ballet and other forms of dance may set the stage for knee injuries: the unnatural body positions (particularly turning out the feet), coupled with leaping, locking the knees and deep knee bends can be rough on the knees. Even golf can set the stage for knee problems. It may seem like a gentle sport, but the constant twisting of the knees while swinging a golf club can cause microscopic injuries that, over time, lead to cartilage breakdown in the knees.

Does this mean you should avoid exercise? Definitely not! Regular exercise is beneficial to the entire body and can actually help prevent or ease arthritis by increasing the ebb and flow of fluid into the joints and strengthening joint-supporting structures. (See section on Exercise and Caring for the Knee below.) But before you step up to the plate or slip on a pair of ballet or tennis shoes, consult a health care practitioner to see if your activity of choice will cause harm to your knees.

For more information on specific sports and arthritis see JoMo for Athletes

Treatments and Supplements for Arthritis of the Knee

Depending on the type and severity of arthritis, treatments can range from the simple to the complex. Some treatments are designed just to relieve symptoms; others are designed to eliminate aggravating factors, stop the arthritis process, encourage the body to repair damage to the joint, or even replace the damaged joint entirely.

Rest and Arthritis of the Knee

For some forms of arthritis of the knee, especially those in the early stages, rest may temporarily relieve symptoms such as pain and swelling. In addition, you can also try the following:

• Apply ice to the knee every hour for up to 15 minutes. After the first day, apply it at least 4 times per day.
• Keep your knee elevated as much as possible to relieve swelling.
  
• Gently compress the knee by wearing an ace bandage or elastic sleeve to reduce swelling and stabilize the knee joint.
  
• Sleep with a pillow underneath or between the knees.

While rest will not cure the underlying arthritis process, it can help make the arthritis symptoms more manageable. Of course, you won't want stay off your feet forever. Soon you'll need to get back in the swim of things. Ask a physical therapist for specific exercises that can help strengthen your knee and keep it strong without damaging the joint.

Weight Management, Obesity and Arthritis of the Knee**

Can you imagine how difficult it would be to walk if you had to carry a 30-pound weight on your head? How tired you would be and how much you would hurt after walking or just standing, even for a few minutes?

When you're overweight or obese, it's as if you're forcing your knees to carry extra weight around all day long - and it's not just the actual weight that's the problem. Each time you take a step, the force of that extra weight is multiplied at least 3 times in your knees. That means if you're 30 pounds overweight, you've got 90-180 pounds of excess force slamming your knee joints with every step!

Obesity and being overweight is a known risk factor for the development and progression of osteoarthritis of the knee, and possibly other joints. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), obese adults are up to 4 times more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis than normal weight adults. And it is estimated that if you divide people into groups according to how much they weigh, those in the highest one-fifth have up to 10 times the risk of knee osteoarthritis compared those in the lowest one-fifth. That's why losing as little as 10 pounds can cut the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis by 50 percent.

Carrying too much weight can stress your knees even after you've had surgery to repair your knees. Overweight patients undergoing knee surgery are more likely to have reduced function and movement after the operation, compared to normal-weight people undergoing the same surgery.

For more information on weight management and arthritis of the knee see Arthritis and Weight Loss

Exercise and Caring for the Knee**

Some people shy away from exercise, fearing it will hurt their knees even more and cause more pain. But exercise is an important part of any knee strengthening and rehabilitation program.

Benefits of knee exercise:

1. Increase circulation to the knee joint, which will provide nourishment to the cartilage and aid in the control of inflammation
   
2. Maintain or increase knee joint flexibility
   
3. Strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the knee joint so these structures can absorb some of the shock and help keep the knee joint stable and properly aligned
   
   

Your exercise program may include activities such as bicycling or weight training to strengthen the muscles above and below the knee; yoga to improve flexibility: and tai chi to improve balance. You might also consider switching from one kind of aerobic exercise to another - for example, from running to swimming - in order to take pressure off your knee while you continue to get a good cardiovascular workout.

You might also work with a physical therapist or kinesiologist to make sure that you're walking properly. Yes, there is a "right way" to walk, and if you're doing it wrong you may be slamming your heels into the ground, letting your ankles roll in or doing other things that can stress the knee joint.

Click here for more information about Exercise and Arthritis.

Supplementation with JoMo, a 100% Natural Glucosamine and Chondroitin based Joint Relief and Cartilage Support Formulation

Individually or in tandem, the supplements glucosamine and/or chondroitin have been subjected to studies at major research centers in the U.S. and abroad. They have been shown to help relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis and even slow progression of the disease and help the body repair damaged cartilage. Normally found in healthy cartilage, glucosamine and chondroitin help keep the cartilage from drying and "flattening" out, and provide the building blocks for cartilage repair and growth.*

Recent international double-blind studies have shown that glucosamine and chondroitin provide pain relief in people with moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee. The Mayo Clinic gives glucosamine and chondroitin an "A" rating for osteoarthritis of the knee, while The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons states that glucosamine and chondroitin may be particularly helpful for pain relief in the early stages of osteoarthritis of the knee. - Learn More

 

JoMo was developed by one of the leading Orthopedic Surgeons for an NBA basketball team to help relieve the pain and suffering of joint and cartilage related conditions and specifically, osteoarthritis of the knee.

JoMo's active ingredients include:

• Glucosamine (HCL) (2000mg) for healthy joints and cartilage support*
  
• Chondroitin (1200mg) for cartilage lubrication and protection*
  
• Type II Collagen (50mg), which aids in the building and support of the body's natural collagen, the foundation of connective tissue and cartilage fibers*
• "Superfruit" Antioxidants to fight the inflammation and oxidative stress which often lie at the heart of joint pain and other serious diseases, including cancer and heart disease*
  
• MSM (500mg), a sulfur compound that helps stabilize the connective tissues found in cartilage, tendons and ligaments, and is also believed to have anti-inflammatory action that helps reduce pain and swelling in arthritis*
  
• Manganese , a mineral essential for normal bone structure and the manufacture of cartilage*
  
• Vitamin D for bone health and immunity protection*

JoMo is shellfish free, contains no GMO glucosamine, is 100% natural with no added sugar or artificial flavors. Also, because JoMo is shellfish free, there is no potential for lead and mercury contamination from the use of shellfish based glucosamine.

Click here for more information about JoMo's Ingredients.

It's important to take JoMo consistently for a few months to get the maximum benefit. As The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons points out...."you may need to take the supplements (referring to glucosamine and chondroitin) for a couple of months before you see any results"...so remember, consistency is the key. Learn More

What the Studies Say

"Glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate provided statistically significant pain relief compared to placebo". (Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT)).
"A statistically significant improvement in knee joint swelling". (Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT)).
"Rapid and long-lasting improvement of pain". (STOPP (STudy on Osteoarthritis Progression Prevention)).
"A significant advance in the management of knee osteoarthritis". (STOPP (STudy on Osteoarthritis Progression Prevention)).
"Glucosamine sulfate taken once a day may have more ability to control pain due to knee osteoarthritis than acetaminophen". (The European GUIDE (Glucosamine Unum In Die Efficacy)).
Patients taking glucosamine sulfate appeared to experience more relief than did those on acetaminophen. (The European GUIDE (Glucosamine Unum In Die Efficacy)).
"The consensus of expert and industry opinion supports the use of chondroitin and its common partner agent, glucosamine, for improving symptoms and stopping (or possibly reversing) the degenerative process of osteoarthritis." (The Mayo Clinic)
"Recent studies appear to support the idea that glucosamine and chondroitin relieve osteoarthritis pain". (The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons)
"Both glucosamine and chondroitin effectively reduce pain and improved mobility for osteoarthritis of the knee". (Archives of Internal Medicine)
The Mayo Clinic gives glucosamine an "A for Osteoarthritis of the Knee and a "B" for Osteoarthritis generally. (The Mayo Clinic)

Learn More

Diet and Inflammation Management**

Healers have long searched for foods that relieve pain and other symptoms of arthritis. While a food that can eliminate arthritis has not been found, there are a number of dietary strategies that can be helpful.

For more information on Diet and Arthritis Click Here

Physical Therapy for Knee Injury**

There are a number of therapies that involve the manipulation of the body through physical means that can be used to reduce the symptoms of arthritis and improve the body's ability to heal.

Acupuncture - A component of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture treats disease and its symptoms by balancing the body's flow of energy, which is believed to help the body heal itself.

Chiropractic - Chiropractors manipulate the spine in order to correct misalignment and relieve the pressure on spinal nerves that may be hampering the body's efforts to heal itself.

Electrical Stimulation (TENS) - TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, which is a non-invasive method of introducing a mild electrical current into the painful area to reduce one's perception of the pain. It can also be used to "push" painkilling medicine through the skin.

Infrared Sauna and Steam - Special heaters are used to create infrared radiation, which is believed to penetrate deeper into the body than the heat of a regular sauna, improve circulation and help the body release stored toxins that contribute to arthritis.

Magnetic Therapy - Based on the theory that the body's self-healing properties depend on the proper electromagnetic balance, magnetic therapy is used to increase circulation and support the healing process.

Massage Therapy - By manipulating the soft tissues with motion, pressure and/or vibration, massage therapy improves circulation, relieves stress, reduces symptoms and otherwise helps the body heal itself.

Osteopathy - A non-invasive form of treatment, osteopathy involves physical manipulation of the body to strengthen the musculoskeletal system and encourage the body's natural healing systems.

Physical Therapy - Also known as physiotherapy, this discipline employs a variety of exercises, massage and other techniques to improve a joint's range of motion and function.

Reiki - A Japanese therapy for reducing stress, Reiki is a form of energy healing that involves the "laying of the hands" by the practitioner on the patient to improve the patient's energy system.

Ultrasound - High-energy sound waves that exceed the limits of human hearing are directed into and around the knee to draw more blood, and hence more nutrients, into the joint tissues.

For more information about Alternative Therapies and Arthritis click here

Knee Surgery

Surgery is usually the last option, utilized only after all other options have been exhausted. The surgeries designed to relieve arthritis-related knee pain include:

Arthroscopy - Performed through small cuts in the skin and muscles, arthroscopy is used to "clean up" a damaged meniscus and repair other problems. Whether or not it has long-term benefits is a matter of controversy.

Osteotomy - This surgery is designed to repair a deformity of the knee caused by the uneven wearing-away of the cartilage on one side. The idea is to shift some of the weight-bearing forces to the healthier side of the joint to "unload" the worn out side.

Total or Partial Knee Replacement - When the disease has advanced to the point where symptoms can no longer be controlled with non-surgical treatments, your doctor may suggest removing the entire knee joint and replacing it with a metal/plastic implant. Total knee replacement is a major surgery, and deciding to have the surgery done is a big step.

NOTE: Research shows that one in four people with osteoarthritis of the knee may need surgery, but the effectiveness of different treatments varies from person to person. Surgery can be very helpful but is always risky, so you should discuss it very carefully with your physician before making a decision.

 

 

Page Top