Home > Blog > Physiotherapy > Conditions > Knee  Pain > Gout Knee Physiotherapy

Gout Knee Physiotherapy



Gout knee refers specificly to an inflammatory condition characterised by very intense pain and swelling of and within the knee joint. 

You know what, gout is a fairly common condition affecting approximately 1 to 2 percent of the general population, which means that gout affects at least one million Americans each year. The rate of gout occurrences is also increasing in Singapore too, due to the increase of consumption of meat and beer.

Statistically, men are around 2 - 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with gout as compared to women and the peak age of gout diagnosis and incidence is 75 years old. 

Unfortunately, gout flare ups are often extremely painful and recurrent episodes are common (that means that the flare ups can happen quite regularly).

As well as affecting the knee, gout can also affect the

  • foot
  • big toe
  • hands
  • toes
  • ankles and
  • wrists

Fortunately, gouty flare ups tends to only affect one joint at a time rather than being global or widespread. If patients experience their knee suddenly becoming

  • hot
  • painful
  • red and
  • swollen

- it is most likely due to gout knee.

first of all, What Causes Gout Knee?

Gout knee pain develops when there are high levels of uric acid (also known as "urate") in our blood and system. Uric acid refers to a waste product of many food sources. It typically exits our system via our urine, but sometimes there is a problem with how the body metabolises (breaks down) the uric acid, that can either lead to

  • the kidneys not passing uric acid quickly enough (90% of gout cases is due to this) or
  • your body produces too much uric acid (10% of gout cases is due to this)

If the level of uric acid is too high, uric acid crystals can form in your soft tissues, which can then travel around and can lodge or damage a joint.

That joint can be the knee, and that's called gouty knee. These uric acid crystals cause an inflammatory response in the tissues leading to

  • hot
  • swollen
  • red and
  • painful joints

One this research notes is that these uric acid crystals tend to form at cool temperatures, which explains why gout attacks and flare ups is more common in the extremities of hands and feet (which is typically cooler as it's further away from the central body and heart).

Uric acid levels are often raised for a number of years before gout knee symptoms develop.

question is, Who Is Most At Risk Of Gout?

Some people are more susceptible to gout than others and sometimes unfortunately there is little to no correlation between the levels of uric acid in the blood and knee gout symptoms.

In fact, approximately 50% of people with gout do NOT have

  • hyperuricemia or
  • high uric acid levels

There are a number of other factors that can predispose you to gout knee pain:

  • Genetics: about 20% of cases is linked to genetics and family history
  • Age: typically affects people over 40 years age with the peak incidence at 75
  • Obesity: especially with rapid weight gain. A BMI greater than 35 increases the risk three times (300%!)
  • Diet: accounts for approximately 12% of cases. Risk factors include excessive alcohol intake especially binge drinking, fructose-based drinks, red meat and seafood
  • Medical Conditions: Kidney disease and/or metabolism problems
  • Drug Treatments: most commonly diuretics (known as water tablets) used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and oedema
  • Trauma: gout knee may develop after an injury or surgery

In some cases, gout knee can also develop any time after puberty, although in women, it tends to be moreso after menopause (so moreso above 50+ years of age). Researchers think that this is due to the positive effect of oestrogen until then.

Gout Knee Symptoms

In most cases, the symptoms of gout in knee develop quickly and rapidly over a few hours. 

Gout knee symptoms usually start at night due to lower body temperatures. The affected knee joint will very quickly becomes

  • hot
  • swollen
  • red and
  • usually becomes extremely sore

With gout knee swelling, the skin around the joint can swell to the portion that it looks shiny and there may be small, firm lumps under the skin, known as trophi. Sometimes, gout can also cause a fever (increased body temperature).

Gout knee can make weight bearing activities such as walking and going up and down stairs incredibly painful.

Gout Knee Pain Diagnosis

Your doctor can normally diagnose gout knee by from what you tell him or her about your painful knee symptoms as well as your history such as any risk factors or previous episodes.

They can then confirm the diagnosis of gout by doing

  • blood tests (although these can be unreliable) or
  • by removing a small amount of fluid from the knee joint (known as aspiration)

The fluid is examined under a microscope, looking for the presence of excessive uric acid crystals. Kidney function tests may also be done to confirm the diagnosis of gout knee.

Knee Gout Treatment

Left untreated, gout in knee episodes usually settle in a couple of weeks but in some cases they may last longer. Fortunately, there are a couple of things you can do to help speed up the healing process and prevent further attacks of gout knee:

1) NSAIDS

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen / naproxen can work really well if taken as soon as gout symptoms develop. Please always check with your doctor before taking any new or even old medications.

2) Rest

If you are suffering from gout in your knee or knee pain, it is very important to rest. Elevate your leg to help reduce swelling, and avoid strenuous activity, e.g. limit weight bearing activities

3) Steroids

Steroids, either taken orally or via an injection, can help to reduce the inflammation and pain associated with gout knee.

4) Supplements

Some patients are prescribed gout supplements which may help to dramatically reduce both the frequency and intensity of flare-ups of gout.

5) Ice / Cold Therapy

Using cold therapy to cool down the joint can help reduce gout pain and swelling.

Gout Knee Recovery Time

A common question with gout in knee is how long does it last? ie when will the pain from gout knee flare up go away?

Good news is that most cases of gout knee are

  • acute
  • sudden and
  • short-lived

Even when left untreated "to heal naturally", most episodes of gout knee settle down after a couple of weeks.

But bad news is that repeat episodes are common and most people will suffer a recurrence of gout knee pain anywhere from 6 months to 2 years later. 60% of gout sufferers will have a recurrence within 1 year =(

Gout Knee Prevention

The incidence of gout has doubled over the last 20 years and will likely also continue the upwards trend. Scientists and researchers are agreeing that gout occurrence increase to be due to

  1. the increase in life expectancy
  2. dietary changes and
  3. an increase in gout-associated diseases

There are a number of things you can do to help with gout prevention:

  • Avoid Excessive Alcohol Intake: alcohol can increase uric acid levels especially beer, stout and fortified wines
  • Lose Excessive Weight: obese people are more likely to suffer from gout - discuss weight loss with your doctor, and also with us! We have weight management program that ties in with pilates, dietitian, personal trainers and physiotherapists to help you lose weight
  • Avoid Fructose-Sweetened Drinks: such as soda
  • Avoid Purine Rich Food: e.g. oily fish, offal, pulses and certain vegetables e.g. asparagus and spinach.
  • See your doctor regularly: See and consult your doctor regularly to review your regular medications in case any of them may be causing or aggravating you to get or worsen your gout. For example, Allopurinol inhibits the formation of urate, probenecid increases its excretion by the kidneys 
  • Supplements: There are a number of different supplements on the market that claim to lower uric acid levels and many gout sufferers swear by them. One study showed that an intake of 1,500mg per day of Vitamin C decreases the risk of gout by 45%. Of course, please always check with your doctor before starting any gout supplements 
  • Drink Plenty of Water: to prevent dehydration. Aim for at least 1.2L (litres) of water daily

gout knee physiotherapy

Patients may also receive the following physiotherapy treatment modalities:

Reference Sources



Back to Top

book an appointment today
(or check your pains / injuries)

Phoenix Rehab Physio Services

Phoenix Rehab Group works with specialist physiotherapists and rehab therapists who are highly trained, qualified, experienced and passionate to provide high level of expert care to our patients.



HAND THERAPY & CUSTOMIZED SPLINTING

Patients who sustained injuries to their elbows, forearms, hands, wrists (sprains and fractures) and fingers, usually will benefit / require Hand Therapy to

  1. manage and decrease hand pains
  2. improve range of motion, strength and dexterity
  3. increase the function of their hand following injuries or post-operations

Commonly treated hand pain injuries includes



REFORMER CLINICAL PILATES & WELLNESS PILATES

Clinical Pilates is a form of physical exercise that focuses on posture, core stability, balance, control, strength, flexibility and breathing.

It is a system of safe and effective exercises, which meet specific individual needs, to treat a wide range of injuries and conditions.

You may do Pilates as matwork or with the reformer or both, and every session will be customized 100% to your fitness, injury and tolerance.



TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM)

  • Cupping TCM
  • Auricular Therapy TCM
  • Herbal TCM Medicine & Supplementation



DEEP TISSUE RELEASE & SPORTS MASSAGE THERAPY

Sports and deep tissue release massage helps to increase nutrient-rich blood flow to tired, tight and tense muscles to accelerate recovery and  shorten downtime / recovery period required.

It also prevents muscles from scar tissue micro-tears (and potential ruptures), and increases muscle performance. Having regular deep tissue and sports massage will keep your muscles healthy and fit with body/movement-confidence.

Read the benefits of regular deep tissue release therapy here.



ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

All our allied health therapists and TCM physicians are fully insured and registered with Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Board (TCMB).

See our entire team here with introductions and their specializations.

At the first session, our specialist physiotherapists will carry out a thorough assessment, helping them to select the most appropriate treatment to help you recover as well as provide treatment in the same session.

Follow up sessions are inline to provide expert treatment for your pain as well as prescribing specific exercises to reduce your risk of re-injury and giving you a long term solution.

do Tell Your Family, Friends And Colleagues About Us =)

We appreciate you as our valued clients and want you to know that the # 1 way we grow as a clinic / brand is through word of mouth referrals from valued patients like yourself.

We prefer not to rely on advertising - instead, we prefer and appreciate the goodwill and positive reinforcement from patients. When you have the chance, please tell your family, friends and physicians about the positive results and experience you have had in our physio clinics.

book an appointment today
(or check your pains / injuries)

Recent Articles

RSS

  1. Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy at Tampines Singapore

    Jan 18, 23 03:01 AM

    Phoenix Rehab Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy at Tampines Singapore

    Read More

  2. Germaine Sim Hand Therapist

    Dec 11, 22 03:43 AM

    Germain Sim is a hand therapist practicing hand therapy, splinting, assessing and treating finger, hand and elbow pains in Phoenix Rehab

    Read More

  3. Adele Ang Principal Physiotherapist Singapore

    Jun 29, 22 08:32 AM

    Adele is a registered physiotherapist with over 25 years of experience including treating national athletes as well as recreational athletes having worked in Singapore Sports Council and Singapore Spo…

    Read More

  4. Achilles Tendon Pain Physiotherapy

    Feb 03, 22 04:05 AM

    Achilles tendon pain is very common among recreational and elite sportspeople. But it is also common among sedentary individuals

    Read More

  5. Tendonitis Physiotherapy & Hand Therapy

    Feb 03, 22 12:16 AM

    Tendonitis, tendinopathy and tendinosis are all tendon injuries and treated by physiotherapists and hand therapists

    Read More

  6. Cervical Spondylosis Physiotherapy

    Jan 11, 22 02:01 AM

    Cervical spondylosis is a general term to describe the degenerative condition in the neck which results in pain and other symptoms

    Read More

  7. Tendon Pain Tendinopathy Physiotherapy

    Jan 07, 22 12:28 AM

    Tendinopathy (tendon injuries) can develop in any tendon of the body and has many names such as tendinitis and it can be treated with good tendon physiotherapy

    Read More

  8. The importance of staging and compression in tendinopathy physio

    Dec 15, 21 01:47 AM

    Tendon problems are common in runners and can become a persistent issue if not properly treated.

    Read More

  9. Tendon Pain Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy

    Dec 14, 21 11:23 PM

    Pain and pathology in a tendon, known as tendinopathy, is a common injury in athletes that can be difficult to manage. Physio and hand therapy can help healing

    Read More

  10. Tendon Injuries Physiotherapy, Hand Therapy, TCM & Massage

    Dec 07, 21 01:31 AM

    We use the world’s best tendon recovery programs through cutting edge treatment techniques for all tendon injuries (and tendon injuries differ accordingly)

    Read More