Arthritis of the knee is very common, there are more knee replacements done than any other type of joint replacement. The knee joint consists of three bones that are covered with cartilage and slide over one another: the end of the femur, the top of the tibia and the underside of the patella. Normally the cartilage is a smooth, glistening, white surface which allows bones to move in an almost frictionless fashion. In arthritis the cartilage becomes worn and degenerates. It attains a roughened uneven appearance and patches of cartilage flakes off revealing the bony surface underneath. Early symptoms of knee arthritis include swelling, pressure, and pain after activities such as walking or playing sports. Eventually the disease becomes more severe and pain is brought on by any movement. The cartilage wears off the ends of the bone allowing the bones to grind together with every step. Patients are unable to get up from a chair or walk around the house without pain. When medical management and injection therapy fail, total knee replacement is the recommended treatment to cure arthritis of the knee.