As our bodies age we unfortunately experience more health problems, and one of these is arthritis. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and the third-leading cause of disability.
By age 65, half the population has OA and this number expected to rise. Up to 90% of people over 40 with knee pain have OA, and this may not show up in regular X-rays.
The Baby Boom generation (born after 1945), are the largest candidates for knee replacement surgery. Knee OA continues to be diagnosed in patients earlier, and the prevalence of OA causing serious knee pain is increasing.
Total Knee Replacement surgery (TKR) is expected to increase by 673% in the next 2 decades. TKR procedures in patients 45 to 65 years old have tripled. Currently about 40% of all knee replacements are done in people under the age of 65, and there is increased use of TKR in younger patients.
You can protect your knees from further damage by eating a healthy diet and avoiding exercise that puts stress on your knees, such as running on pavement.
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