Arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a disease of the cartilage of the knee, in which it is gradually destroyed and replaced by connective tissue. Knee osteoarthritis can appear suddenly if there are no signs and causes of joint damage. In other cases, the onset of the disease is associated with trauma or other joint diseases.
particularities
In a healthy knee joint, cartilage is a type of lining that does not allow the bones to touch, eliminating the possibility of damage when walking. The diseased cartilage cannot cope with this function, so signs of stiffness appear in the joint with movement, accompanied by pain. This condition becomes permanent due to internal pathological changes, when the thinning of the cartilage tissue leads to thickening of the bone and creates conditions for the appearance of bone spurs - osteophytes, which provoke acute pain.
causes and symptoms
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint develops insidiously, but we do not notice the pronounced symptoms of cartilage damage because the knee joint is held in the correct position by the thigh muscles and four ligaments. It is this anatomical structure that smoothes the manifestation of the main symptoms at the stage of the onset of the disease.
Reliable causes of the disease have not yet been identified by medicine. However, there are factors that, under certain conditions, can play the role of causing this disease. These include injuries, strenuous exercise and obesity. As a separate reason, such a violation can be considered hormonal failure.
Patients with suspected arthrosis of the knee joint have the following symptoms:
- aching knee pain (possibly in the lower leg);
- pain syndrome associated with weather changes;
- Increased pain when climbing stairs, after long walks or standing;
- Pain relief at rest (at night and at rest);
- Start-up pain (after rest periods);
- stiffness of the knee joint;
- pain when bending/extending the leg;
- Crunching, swelling of the joint.
This condition of the knee joint requires urgent medical attention due to the risk of complications if an effusion is allowed to accumulate in the joint. The doctor conducts an external examination of the patient and prescribes an examination, on the basis of which the methods of treatment are selected.
opinion poll
The initial stages of the appearance of such a pathology as arthrosis of the knee joint are in no way visually manifested. However, after a period of time, the patient begins to notice signs of knee deformity, as well as a characteristic curvature along the axis of the lower leg (directed inwards). There is also a crunch when you have to bend the leg.
The presence of pain and limited movement in the knee prompts a person to see a doctor and undergo an examination. To do this, he must pass tests and take an X-ray of the diseased joint. If these measures are not sufficient to detect arthrosis of the knee joint, magnetic resonance imaging is performed. Based on the collected data, the doctor selects the best treatment methods.
treatment methods
Modern medicine has sufficient means to treat arthrosis of the knee joint. New treatment approaches using traditional methods are also being developed and actively applied in clinical practice.
The basic medical treatment of knee diseases are therapies in combination with adjuvants.
An example is kinesitherapy, which is part of the physical therapy of restorative medicine complemented by psychological work with patients.
Assist in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee through restorative methods such as massage, exercise, and water treatments. To alleviate the condition, the patient is recommended to wear knee pads or a bandage. It is impossible to treat osteoarthritis of the knee without observing proper nutrition, which should include white meat, not red, sardines, salmon, vegetables, fruits and enough water (up to 7 glasses).
Serious cases of illness are treated promptly with gentle full or partial prosthetics.
Medical treatment
In the treatment of gonarthrosis with drugs are actively used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The prescribed pills help treat conditions such as swelling and swelling of the knee joint.
- Chondoprotectors. The preparations contain substances that nourish the cartilage tissue, heal its structure and restore the cartilage coating of the joint. When the cartilage is almost completely destroyed, chondroprotectors are not used in the treatment of arthrosis of the knees (usually this is typical for stage 3);
- vasodilator tablets. With their help, you can treat night pain that occurs due to spasms of small vessels in the knee joint.
- To treat inflamed knee joints, intra-articular injections of corticosteroid hormones are prescribed. Injections relieve swelling and swelling much faster, thereby improving the patient's condition. However, such injections can be done 1 time in 2 weeks due to the high probability of their side effects. If a person has symptoms of anatomical changes in the joints, e. g. B. Bone deformity, injections into the joint are useless.
In the initial stages of gonarthrosis, not complicated by articular edema (synovitis), the patient can be given injections of chondroprotectors with enzymes. They help to partially restore cartilage tissue, and the disadvantage is the need to inject drugs with a series of 5-10 injections.
Good treatment results (in 80% of cases) can be achieved by traction (stretching the knee joint).
It is carried out using a special device or manual therapy. Such traction increases the distance between the bones, which reduces the load on the joint and restores its performance.
Anoint
In drug therapy for the treatment of joints, various types of ointments and gels, consisting mainly of natural substances, are actively used. In pharmacies, ointments can be bought without a prescription, but there is no harm in consulting the attending physician about their use. You also need to know that the ointment does not cure diseases of the knee, but only complements the main treatment.
Effectively relieve inflammation in the joints of the ointment based on NVPS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Warming ointments with capsacin are used to improve blood circulation.
Ointments containing salicylic acid are used to treat knee inflammation.
Ointments - chondroprotectors are successfully used in the initial stages of treatment of the disease to restore damaged cartilage. In order for the active ingredients of the ointment to better penetrate into the focus of inflammation, they must be used in combination with a physiotherapeutic procedure - phonophoresis.
supporting measures
massage
In the complex treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints, therapeutic massage is actively used, which contributes to the normalization of blood circulation in the damaged joint and restores its functions. The massage not only heals, but also awakens the body's defenses, which allows you to quickly restore the efficiency of the joint apparatus.
In the case of inflammation of the joints, massage in the knee area and general therapeutic massage are usually used. To achieve a greater effect, doctors recommend combining a general massage with a segmental massage in the knee area.
Since the massage has a positive effect on muscle tone, the patient's muscle strength is increased and the lost performance of the knee joints is restored. The therapeutic massage begins with caressing, then rubbing to improve joint mobility. Next comes the stretching. The massage ends with a soothing vibration for the muscles (not intense). All of these techniques are included in the massage to relieve pain and restore range of motion in the knees.
Knee pads and orthosis
To reduce the load on the knee joint, as well as muscles, ligaments and tendons, patients are recommended to apply a bandage. The knee bandage helps to evenly distribute the pressure on the joint apparatus and thereby stimulates the regeneration of damaged tissue.
Since the bandage is a product, the assortment of these products is characterized by a variety of colors and corporate styles. The dressing is also metal, ceramic, plastic, etc. All these properties are secondary. The main thing is that you need to buy knee pads or a bandage only after consulting a doctor.
Knee pads to wear are chosen according to their intended use. The dressing required in the postoperative period must be carefully dimensioned. Such knee pads are a rigid bandage.
Under the knee pads it is better to wear underwear made of cotton fabric or other natural material. Dog hair knee pads have a pronounced healing effect, warming the joint and reducing inflammation.
The most popular type is a neoprene bandage reinforced with spiral ribs that fixes joints and muscles. Orthopedic bandages are often used to protect against injuries during sports.
Depending on the type of pain, you need to choose open or closed knee pads. If the pain is severe, the knee pads should have stiffeners and completely cover the joint. If the pain is mild, open knee pads should be worn.
A popular novelty are knee pads made of elastane or polyester. This bandage is durable and easy to care for.
Conclusion
A distinctive feature of modern approaches to the treatment of knee arthrosis is a combination of traditional methods and techniques based on new generation drugs, as well as improved surgical methods. Of the new generation drugs, biostimulants, chondroprotectors and synovial fluid protectors are widely used. Forms of knee arthrosis that are difficult to treat conservatively can now be treated surgically with little invasiveness, i. e. with endoprosthetics, arthroscopy and endoprosthetics.