Arthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is often referred to as “wear and tear”. Patient symptoms, examination findings, and imaging (X-Rays and MRI) may range in severity. Findings on imaging may range from mild cartilage loss with meniscus tears (knee) or labral tears (hip) to severe loss of cartilage with development of bone spurs and loss of joint space on X-Rays.
Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) occurs after an injury to the joint such as a dislocation, fracture, or soft tissue injury (for example meniscus or ligament tear).
Inflammatory arthritis is usually treated medically by a primary care provider or rheumatologist.
Treatment options: As outlined in the following patient education links and in multiple studies, arthroscopic treatment is usually considered unreliable for treatment of various forms of arthritis. Medical management and physical therapy are the most common forms of treatment that have demonstrated success. Surgical treatment may include joint replacement in patients with severe arthritis and this can be discussed with a joint replacement surgeon.
Hip Arthritis: AAOS OrthoInfo, Patient Handout
Knee Arthritis: AAOS OrthoInfo, Patient Handout
Shoulder Arthritis: AAOS OrthoInfo, Patient Handout