[Clinical picture and diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis]

The principal symptom of osteoarthritis of the knee is pain. As the disease progresses, attack-like symptoms with knee pain, effusion, activated osteoarthritis, increasing restriction in knee mobility and reduced walking range occur more frequently. Secondarily joint malalignments also develop. Activities such as climbing stairs or sitting for long periods with bent legs are named as sources of pain for patients with patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Medial and/or lateral osteoarthritis of the knee is very probable when the pain is described as being more lateral or medial. The standard x-ray should always be taken AP and from the side. Axial images of the patella and tangential images of the patellofemoral joint are also made for assessing the centring of the patella and for evaluating retropatellar osteoarthritis. For planning the therapy, x-rays of the knee joint AP while standing or of the entire leg while standing are essential.