Why does osteoarthritis develop in the knee joint? What causes osteoarthritis of the knee? Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative osteoarthropathy and osteophytes, is a chronic inflammatory disease with degenerative changes in joint cartilage as the core, involving bone and including synovial membrane, joint capsule and other structures of the joint in various degrees; it is an aseptic, chronic, progressive disease that affects joints, especially weight-bearing joints. Without the protection of cartilage, direct contact between bone and bone, hard friction occurs, and over time, bone spurs are formed, synovitis occurs, and symptoms such as pain and swelling occur. Articular cartilage has no blood vessels or nerves and cannot regenerate. Articular cartilage usually does not feel anything when a small area of damage occurs; when pain occurs, there is usually already a large area of damage. If these three diseases are not treated, they will eventually develop into osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis of the knee joint also exists in the pre-existing lesions, these three diseases are not treated and will eventually develop into osteoarthritis, 1, meniscal tears 2, anterior cruciate ligament injury 3, articular cartilage damage Once these pre-existing lesions appear, they need to be actively treated, otherwise they will eventually develop into real osteoarthritis, and the condition is prone to be heavier than the arthritis caused by aging. Even have to do artificial joint replacement. Why does osteoarthritis occur after a meniscal injury? The meniscus is one of the important structures that make up the knee joint. The shape and location of the meniscus is like a cushion between the femoral condyle and the tibial plateau, which protects the joint surfaces of both and absorbs the downward shock. It is the stabilizing effect of the meniscus that keeps the knee joint from being damaged by years of weight-bearing exercise. What happens if a meniscus injury is not treated? In the early stages, when a meniscus tear occurs, it is just a crack. All that is needed is an arthroscopic meniscoplasty to cut out the damaged part of the meniscus and leave the normal part in place so that it can continue to function as a joint protector. If degeneration has already occurred, surgery to address the damage to the meniscus can slow down the process of degeneration and keep osteoarthritis from progressing rapidly to an advanced stage. However, many patients do not address early damage to the meniscus in a timely manner. After a period of time, the edges of the meniscus will gradually degenerate and the cartilage on the thigh bone becomes fibrotic. If this is still not treated, after a period of time, the meniscus will be displaced outward and the cartilage on the thigh bone will be “worn out” in some locations, i.e., localized exfoliation will occur. If not treated at this time, the cartilage on the calf bone will also be peeled. In the end, the meniscus can no longer play any protective role for the joint, the cartilage is completely peeled off, and the only way to go further is to have a joint replacement. What is meniscus attachment zone injury? Meniscal attachment injury is in fact a very typical meniscal tear, which is directly defined as a pre-osteoarthritic lesion. When meniscal attachment injury is detected early, if there is no damage to the articular cartilage or if the damage is very small, then meniscal suture surgery can be considered; if there is extensive damage to the articular cartilage, then partial meniscectomy is the only option depending on the damage. Why do I get osteoarthritis after an ACL injury? The anterior-posterior stability of the knee is controlled by the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments of the knee. The anterior cruciate ligament primarily limits the forward motion of the lower leg, while the posterior cruciate ligament limits the backward motion of the lower leg. In the event of a knee sprain, for example, when playing basketball, running or jumping, a “crunch” is often heard and the knee becomes swollen and unable to continue sports activities. At this point, the patient will need not only an x-ray to check the condition of the bone, but also an MRI to see if the ligaments are damaged. This is because the aforementioned activities can often lead to rupture of the ACL and cause joint instability. Prolonged joint instability can cause damage to joint cartilage and result in osteoarthritis. What should I do after an ACL injury? After an ACL injury, it should be treated aggressively, but the patient’s level of activity must be evaluated to determine whether surgery is necessary. The most common treatment for a torn ACL is ACL reconstruction surgery.