Knee Osteoarthritis and Menopause: What You Need to Know

Knee osteoarthritis can cause debilitating symptoms such as pain, stiffness, swelling and limits on your range of motion. Now, this degenerative disease is a problem for men and women, affecting close to 365 million people worldwide. Often associated with aging, recent studies reveal that—for women—menopause is causing women to be disproportionately impacted by this degenerative condition. Here’s what you need to know.  

Knee Osteoarthritis in Post-Menopausal Women

In this study, researchers scoured the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study, looking for notable health trends. And here’s what they found. Between 1990 and 2021, the prevalence of osteoarthritis diagnoses among post-menopausal women increased 1.3-fold. And, while that was true of all types of osteoarthritis, diagnoses involving the knee joints were most prevalent. Now, factors such as obesity and socio-economic status also contributed to disease burden, but researchers concluded that the biggest contributing factor was menopause. As such, they suggest implementing better screening practices and risk factor reduction measures in post-menopausal women.

Knee Pain Relief After the Onset of Osteoarthritis

Women can reach menopause in their late 40s or early 50s, meaning their risk for knee osteoarthritis can increase at a relatively young age. Unfortunately, if you develop painful symptoms and wish to undergo knee replacement surgery for relief, that can put you in an awkward position—typical knee implants have a shelf life of about 20 years, at best. So, if you undergo surgery at a young age, you may need to seek a revisionary procedure by the time you hit your 70s.

Looking for an alternative that can help you delay or avoid knee replacement surgery? It’s time to explore genicular artery embolization (GAE), a minimally invasive procedure that provides non-surgical knee pain relief. A great option for younger post-menopausal women suffering from arthritis symptoms, or for anyone who’s not ready to undergo surgery, you can learn more about this treatment option by requesting a consultation requesting a consultation requesting a consultation at the Texas Knee Institute.