Knee Arthritis Diagnosis
Knee pain initially brings a patient with knee arthritis to a physician, and this pain is one of the major ways arthritis is diagnosed.
When making a diagnosis, your WellStar physician will usually begin with a medical history and ask questions about your symptoms. Your medical history will cover knee pain, medication you may be taking, prior injury, infections, bleeding disorders and other bone or joint problems you may have.
Your WellStar physician will then perform a physical examination to determine the causes of pain and how the pain is affecting your ability to function. Your physical exam includes assessing any stiffness or instability that affects your knee’s range of motion. Any deformity in your leg, such as being bowlegged or knock-kneed, will also be assessed, as well as stability and how you walk and sit.
Blood tests may be performed occasionally to assess the condition of the bone and soft tissues around the knee. You might undergo X-rays or other imaging procedures such as a computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to see how much joint damage has been done.
Diagnostic Procedures