Dr. Henry Domke is a Family Physician who has practiced in central Missouri for over two decades. He has always had a strong interest in disease prevention, health maintenance, and patient education. 
In addition to his practice of medicine, Dr. Domke takes Knee pain in the middle part of life or later is most often osteoarthritis (FAQ), which is just wear-and-tear. That's the focus of this week's Living Healthy Podcast. Wear-and-tear can come from old sports injuries, obesity or accidents. Sometimes the joints just seem to wear out. Very annoying and very common: In 2004, the estimated direct and indirect medical costs associated with all forms of arthritis exceeded $86 billion.
For many people avoiding certain activities such as running or walking on irregular surfaces like plowed fields or broken pavement can help a lot.
Many people benefit from thigh-strengthening exercises. I often suggest doing weight training with leg-extension and leg-flexion (not leg presses or deep knee bends).
While sitting in a chair, straighten your leg and hold. Repeat 5 to 10 times with each knee. Do this three days a week up to 3 times a day. This gets the muscles in the front of the thigh. To strengthen the back of the thigh, do this exercise while standing and lift the heel up towards your bottom.
There are lots of pills used to treat osteoarthritis of the knees, but the results are questionable. Here are the three main kinds:
- Tylenol (acetaminophen) is the preferred drug.
- Aspirin-like drugs. There are dozens of different kinds from over-the counter Motrin to prescription drugs like Feldene.
- Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in combination. This is over-the counter.
Other treatments:
- Injections with Steroids or other medicine
- Surgery
- Knee replacement
In older children and young teens knee problems might be caused by Osgood-Schlatter Disease. While it sounds dangerous, it's not.
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