Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that affects cartilage. It is the most common form of arthritis, causing pain to 10% of people over 55, and 30% of people over 65. The pain caused by osteoarthritis is often felt in the knees, hips, and weight-bearing joints, and can be completely debilitating during arthritis flares. Fortunately, there are experienced orthotists in Sherbrooke and Montreal offering osteoarthritis care.

Diagnosing the Disorder

Some people are more prone to osteoarthritis. Factors that put someone at a higher risk of suffering from osteoarthritis include obesity, intra-articular injury, meniscectomy, certain infections, vascular necrosis and ligament instability or misalignment. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain in the knee, hip or affected joint even when resting, joint stiffnesst, difficulty negotiating stairs, and pain that varies with temperature.

The first stage of treatment for osteoarthritis is diagnosing it using radiographyn in an orthopedic clinic.a Misalignment of the joint, thinning of interosseous spaces, presence of osteophytes or subchondral sclerosis will be visible in X-ray imaging at the orthopedic laboratory.

The Different Conservative Treatment Options

Conservative treatments can sometimes be a solution for treating osteoarthritis. In orthopedic clinics, this type of treatment is used to preserve knee function, control the symptoms of osteoarthritis, slow the progression of osteoarthritis and maximally delay a knee replacement surgery. These osteoarthritis treatments include analgesics, anti-inflammatories, cortisone injections, viscosupplementation, physiotherapy, weight loss and decompression orthotics, and may be administered in various combinations.  The knee brace plays a key role in decompression of the affected area, as well as controls and stabilizes the kneecap. These orthopedic devices are crucial to orthopedic treatments offered in Sherbrooke and Montreal.

Case Study

A typical case of knee osteoarthritis seen in an orthopedic clinic would be that of a 60-year-old woman living in Sherbrooke, measuring 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds. She has no history of knee trauma and hast a job that requires her to be on her feet for long periods. The symptoms of her osteoarthritis are bilateral knee pain, early morning stiffness, difficulty using stairs, and progressive pain towards the end of her shift. Based on  dX-rays taken in an orthopedic laboratory, she is diagnosed  with osteoarthritis in the knee and requires a personalized treatment plan. The patient will be referred to a nutritionist to start a weight loss program. She will be taking painkillers,  treated with viscosupplementation to lubricate the joint and an orthotist will make her an orthosis in Sherbrooke, near her home.

To treat a patient with osteoarthritis, it is important to follow the treatment plan by making a complete diagnosis and by performing checkups on the patient after the diagnosis. Our experts at EVO lab are located in orthotic clinics in Montreal and Sherbrooke to diagnose each patient, prescribea detailed treatment plans to treat osteoarthritis and offer advice on choosing the best orthosis.