PROF. DR. SAMMY HANNAMD · FACS · FRCS (TR&ORTH) · CCT (TR&ORTH)
KNEE ARTHRITIS · ABU DHABI
Knee osteoarthritis can affect pain, movement and everyday function very differently from one person to another. Prof. Dr. Sammy Hanna connects the symptom pattern, physical examination, day-to-day function and imaging where it adds useful information before discussing a proportionate treatment plan. For knee arthritis treatment in Abu Dhabi, assessment is available at Healthpoint Hospital.
CHAPTER 01 · THE PATTERN
Choose the closest description. Each answer explains what may be useful to assess; it does not diagnose the cause of your symptoms.
This pattern can be seen with knee arthritis, but also with kneecap, meniscus or other load-related problems. Assessment should establish where the pain comes from, what load provokes it and how much function has changed.
See what the examination checks →CHAPTER 02 · EXAMINATION
The consultation connects symptoms to a physical examination and the life they are interrupting. Arthritis on an X-ray may be relevant—but it should not end the clinical reasoning.
Meniscus, kneecap, tendon, hip or referred pain may create a different pattern.
Inside, outside and kneecap compartments can influence the options discussed.
Alignment, gait, range, stability, tenderness and swelling add clinical context.
Walking, stairs, sleep, work, exercise and independence carry more meaning than a pain score alone.
Inflammatory, infective, traumatic and referred causes must be considered when the story does not fit.
“A useful examination asks why this knee hurts—and what that means for the person using it.”
CHAPTER 03 · IMAGING
When imaging is needed to clarify the diagnosis or plan treatment, standing or weight-bearing X-rays can help assess joint-space loss, bone change and alignment. MRI may answer selected questions, but is not routinely required for a typical osteoarthritis presentation.
SELECTED OBSERVATION 01 / 03
CHAPTER 05 · DECISION
Not because an X-ray looks worn. Replacement may become relevant when persistent symptoms and meaningful functional limitation remain despite proportionate non-operative care, and the diagnosis and imaging support that route.
The pattern, examination and imaging point to arthritis as the main problem.
Walking, stairs, sleep, work or independence are affected enough to justify the trade-offs.
Relevant non-operative options have been considered, tried or are no longer suitable.
Benefits, limitations, risks, rehabilitation and expectations are discussed before deciding.
IF REPLACEMENT BECOMES PART OF THE DISCUSSION
These pages explain replacement options that may be considered after an individual assessment.
THE FUNCTION THAT MATTERS
For one person, success may mean walking through the working day. For another, it may be using stairs, exercising, travelling or preserving independence. Those goals belong in the decision from the start.
RELATED CLINICAL ROUTES
Symptoms can overlap. These pages help compare arthritis with other common knee pathways without turning a symptom into a diagnosis.
KNEE ARTHRITIS FAQ
General information only. A diagnosis and personal recommendation require an individual clinical assessment.
Request an appointmentKnee osteoarthritis is a whole-joint condition involving cartilage and other joint tissues. Symptoms and functional effects vary, so treatment is based on the person rather than an X-ray label alone.
No. X-rays show structural changes, but pain and disability do not always match their appearance. The clinical history, examination and day-to-day function remain essential.
No. Typical knee osteoarthritis can often be diagnosed clinically. X-rays are used when imaging is needed to clarify the diagnosis or plan treatment; MRI is generally reserved for selected questions where additional bone, cartilage or soft-tissue detail may change management.
Therapeutic exercise is a core treatment for osteoarthritis and can improve pain and physical function. Some temporary discomfort can occur when activity starts or progresses, so the programme should be tailored and built up according to the individual response.
No. Injections do not reverse established osteoarthritis. A corticosteroid injection may be considered for short-term symptom relief in selected circumstances, with the expected benefit, limitations and individual suitability discussed beforehand.
Replacement may enter the discussion when symptoms and functional limitation remain substantial despite proportionate non-operative care, and the clinical and imaging findings support that route. The procedure options are introduced in the replacement section below.
Seek urgent medical care for a hot, markedly swollen knee with fever; severe pain after an injury with an obvious deformity or inability to bear weight; or new calf swelling or pain, chest pain, or sudden breathlessness.
YOUR CLINICAL STORY
Bring the symptoms, the timeline, any previous imaging and the activities arthritis is changing. The consultation connects those pieces before the treatment conversation begins.
YOUR SPECIALIST
Prof. Hanna is a UK board-certified consultant orthopaedic hip and knee surgeon at Healthpoint Hospital, Abu Dhabi. His clinical interests include primary and revision joint replacement, partial knee replacement, minimally invasive techniques, robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement, and arthroscopic treatment of sports and soft-tissue knee injuries.