The Knee a New Organ

Several organs which make up the human body which are comprised of tissues that allows them to perform a certain function, such as the heart which circulates the blood. If any of these tissue organs should fail it can produce serious health issues and even lead to death.

When the elements of the organ are repaired, normally the organ performs much better.

Dr. Fred Nelson, researcher with Henry Ford Hospital, advocates that viewing the knee as an organ just like a practitioner would assess the heart for heart disease could result in better therapies in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is one of the five leading causes of disability among elderly men and women. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons maintains that the risk of disability from osteoarthritis of the knee is equal to that of cardiovascular disease.

At the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons which is to be held February 15th to the 18th in San Diego, California, will exhibit in part examines the knee as an organ in failure.

Dr. Nelson, director of Henry Ford's Osteoarthritis Center, states for years the knee has been viewed from a mechanical aspect acknowledging the vital role of articular cartilage. The under working of research should also take into regard the bone, cartilage, ligaments, nerves and circulating chemicals along with how the compounds in combination work to influence the function of the knee.

Knee Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability and loss of freedom. It usually is a slow progressing degenerative disease in where the joint cartilage wears away due to trauma, aging or infection. As the cartilage wears down the surround bone can become thick. Most of the time bone rubs against bone and is possibly the persons source of pain. Usually, everyday activity becomes painful and hard to accomplish.

Currently, treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee consist of anti-inflammatory medications, pain killers, support devices, physical therapy, health and behavior adjustments such as weight loss and joint replacement surgery.

Dr. Nelson notes their treatments are aimed at anti-inflammatory and pain killing medications. To date where the pain stems from has not been observed, which can be a result of dysfunction of joint tissue, bone and nerves.

The feedback from nerve signaling can have an exact outcome on the cartilage cell itself. Having knowledge of the messaging system between the tissue components could lead to better interventions for pain. That will remain unknown until the knee is viewed in a broader range.

There are alternative treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee which include:

Chiropractic

Reviews of scientific literature advocates chiropractic care along with the supplement glucosamine and chiropractor recommended exercises is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Numerous studies on chiropractic manipulations have displayed results such as improvement in range of motion, restoring normal spinal movement, muscles become relaxed, joint coordination and pain relief.

Chiropractors may also use other therapies in conjunction which can include ice therapy, TENS units.

Acupuncture

There have been a few controlled clinical trails on acupuncture treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee noting that it is effective to decrease pain levels and could improve joint functioning. It has been mentioned many patients have more relief from pain and improved joint functioning from acupuncture in comparison to NSAID's like that of aspiroxicam.

Yoga

Yoga is often used and recommended to decrease musculoskeletal symptoms and a few studies have indicated it does provide pain relief from osteoarthritis of the knee. People with arthritis should look for a yoga instructor familiar with arthritis.
Sources:

Medical News Today

University of Maryland Medical Center