“Knee osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and impairment in older adults,” said Tae Kyun Kim, study author and director of the Division of Knee Surgery and Sports Medicine at Seoul National University, Bundang Hospital’s Joint Reconstruction Center. He added that, “Often, the level of arthritic symptoms reported by patients is much more severe than what is represented by X-rays, which can make it difficult for the doctor to treat.”
Furthermore, the study suggested that those suffering from depression felt more pain, even when the arthritic damage wasn’t so severe. It suggests that those suffering mentally were sensitive to the pain in their joints.
The subjects in the study were given interviews and questionnaires in order for researchers to evaluate their condition. Whilst it is a sensitive subject, the topic of depression shows that it is not merely the mind that is affected by such severe emotions, but that the body also is affected by the condition’s solemnity. It is likely that depression behaves as a conduit; worse still, the condition of arthritis is no balm for the individual.
“When evaluating the results of this study, the contribution of depression to knee osteoarthritis symptoms was almost as important as the damage indicated on X-rays,” said Kim. He pointed out the importance of depression, as it contributes to the effects yielded from those in pain, both emotionally and physically. He encourages doctors and physicians to consider this whilst treating those suffering from knee arthritis – the relationship may be closer than one might imagine.