The healthy knee joint is a hinge joint formed by the top of the shin bone called the tibia and the bottom of the thigh bone, or femur. Your kneecap is called the patella. Cartilage provides padding between the bones and helps assure an effortless, smooth gliding movement of the joint. A special membrane called the synovial membrane produces a lubricant that contributes to the smooth movement of the knee. When it is healthy, the knee is a remarkable mechanism. For a knee to function normally, the quality of smoothness where each bone moves upon the other becomes important in the function of the knee joint. Since it is the most used joint in the body, it is not surprising that as we grow old, the joint lining (articular cartilage) wears away and people find it painful to move – Osteoarthritis of old age.When arthritis intrudes, however, the knee is unable to effectively cushion the body from impact and stress.

The result is erosion of the joint and pain that can gradually hamper your quality of life, reduce your independence and makes it hard -- or impossible -- to do the things you want to do!!! If you have Osteoarthritis (OA), the pain in your knee is being caused by cartilage wearing out.While you can treat the symptoms of knee OA (such as pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving) in a variety of ways from weight loss to medications to injection therapy, there is no cure for the condition and your pain and debilitation is likely to get worse over time.

Early diagnosis of knee OA with proper treatment is important for the future of your long-term mobility. If your doctor has recommended that you undergo a total knee replacement, don't delay your surgery. Delaying surgery can lower your quality of life even more than OA does on its own, both before and for up to two years after surgery! Remember, there is no cure for OA and it is degenerative, which means that your pain and limited mobility can get worse over time.