|
Osteoarthritis of
the Knee
Treatment Options
Osteoarthritis (OA), or degenerative joint disease, is
the most common form of arthritis. It affects up to
2.7 million Canadians. It is characterized by a breakdown
of the joint’s cartilage, which leads to pain
and lack of movement. The pain is caused from the mechanical
friction caused by bone-to-bone contact. The disease
most commonly affects middle-aged to older people. It
ranges from mild to severe, and affects hands and weight-bearing
joints such as knees, hips and back. There are two
forms of this disease. The primary form appears spontaneously
without cause but is usually associated with aging.
The secondary form is a result of trauma such as fractures
or injuries to ligaments, or trauma to the meniscus. It
can also occur as a result of another form of arthritis.
OA is thought to affect 20% of the population from ages
45 – 55 and up to 50% of people over 65.
It affects virtually everyone over the age of
75. There are many factors that can cause OA. While
age is a factor, it is not totally predictive. Obesity
may lead to OA simply from the strain that it places
on weight-bearing joints. Sports, trauma and work-related
activities all can lead to an increased incidence.
ORTHOVISC® and MONOVISC™ (sodium hyaluronate) reduce joint pain and improve joint mobility, safely and effectively
providing significant relief from the pain of osteoarthritis
(OA) of the knee. ORTHOVISC® and MONOVISC™
supplement the synovial fluid to naturally augment
lubrication, cushioning and offer superior protection
to the arthritic knee joint.
ORTHOVISC® provides long-term relief with just 3 weekly treatments. MONOVISC™ was approved in 2009 and offers significant pain reduction from OA of the knee in a single injection.
|
