Knee Pain During Daily Tasks, Knee Osteoarthritis Severity, and Widespread Pain

It is well known that radiographic signs of arthritic disease are not well-defined indicators of the symptoms presented by the patient. Neither are radiographic signs of osteoarthritis (OA) and pain. The purpose of this study was to determine whether widespread pain was more common in people with high knee pain and minimal or no OA, than people with a high level of pain and a high level of OA. The study also looked at people with a low pain level and high knee OA and low level of pain and low level of OA.

The study showed the following relationship: middle-aged or older people with high levels of knee pain, but with no or little OA are at a higher risk for widespread pain than people with high levels of OA and low knee pain, especially if there is bilateral knee pain. Therefore the treatment approach to people with widespread pain and with knee pain (especially in both knees), should be pain coping treatment approaches. > From: Riddle & Stratford, Phys Ther 94 (2014) 490-498. All rights reserved to the American Physical Therapy Association.

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