Personal Injury Lawyer
Knee pain can be many things when a person is young. Most often, it happens when a young person has been especially active or does not give themselves a break. However, healthy, young people can be surprised to find out that their knee pain diagnosis is actually osteoarthritis. To most, this sounds like something that only an elderly person can get, so it can be quite a blow when younger people find out their diagnosis. However, while it is true that older people are much more likely to get osteoarthritis (typically those who are 40 years and older), there are many young children and adults who leave their doctor’s office with this diagnosis as well. In fact, if you have been in some type of a personal injury accident, like a slip and fall or a car accident, you may be quite surprised to leave the doctor’s accident with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the knee joints begins to wear down. This is seen in older people because their cartilage has worn down over decades of use. As a result of the cartilage wearing down between the bones in your knee, bones begin rubbing against each other. This can lead to serious pain, inflammation, and swelling. While it can affect different joints in your body, it is very common in the knee joint.
How do young people become afflicted with this?
As a doctor, like a best knee doctor from a practice like Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania understands, there are a variety of factors that can leave a person of any age with this condition:
- Working in an especially physically demanding job
- Regularly playing in or performing in impact sports (hockey, football)
- Injuries to your joints
- Being especially sedentary
- Being overweight or obese
If you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis and your doctor believes that it is a result of an accident you were in, it is imperative that you speak with your doctor about getting medical documentation for your injury and the cause. This can be extremely helpful if you are hoping to file a personal injury claim. Osteoarthritis is not something that can be cured, so filing a claim can help you get compensation for things like treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
If you are struggling with early-onset osteoarthritis, you may quickly find that you are no longer able to perform well at your job are no longer able to enjoy your favorite sports or activities. This can be deeply frustrating to young people and if you suspect that you are dealing with early-onset osteoarthritis, it is important to reach out to a local knee doctor to get a definitive diagnosis and begin learning about the different treatment options that are out there.
There are many treatment options, such as lifestyle changes, medications, injections, and even surgery. It is paramount that you speak with your doctor openly to learn about each avenue of treatment and find out which one will be best for you. Your doctor may also help you identify the cause of your osteoarthritis which may be linked to an accident. Interested in learning more? Reach out to a local knee doctor’s office today.
