What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Know How It Affects Your Knees Joints

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory disorder that can affect more than just joints such as skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels. It occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body's tissues. According to a report in Healthline, more than 1.3 million Americans have Rheumatoid Arthritis.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid Arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling, resulting in bone erosion and joint deformity. The inflammation associated with it is what can damage other parts of the body as well. While new types of medications have improved treatment options dramatically, severe rheumatoid arthritis can still cause physical disabilities.

In the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, smaller joints such as those connecting fingers to hands and toes to feet are usually affected first. As the disease worsens, it may spread to larger joints such as wrists, knees, shoulders, elbows, and hips. However, in some cases, the knees may not show any signs until the disease has progressed significantly.

How Rheumatoid Arthritis affects knees

Immune cells attack the synovial membrane that envelops the knee joint and produces synovial fluid which lubricates the joint. Due to this joint becomes inflamed, causing pain and damage to joint tissue. It also limits knee movement as the membrane swells and takes up more space in the knee area.

Over time, the inflammation can damage the cartilage and ligaments of your knee joints, exposing the bone.

About 40% of people who have rheumatoid arthritis also experience signs and symptoms that don't involve the joints, according to Mayo Clinic.