Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint: causes, disease stages, how to treat

Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint are often found in the elderly.Athletes and obese patients are also at risk.

Why does arthrosis of the knee joint occur?

Arthrosis is a deformation of joint cartilage.Cartilage acts as a shock absorber and facilitates the movement of the human body.When they are destroyed, mobility gradually decreases and any load brings pain.Over time, the knee becomes completely immobilized and the person may become disabled.

All cartilage thins and wears out with age, so the disease occurs in various stages in 70-85% of people over 60 years of age.First of all, these are overweight women.Other common causes of arthrosis:

• Intense sports and physical overload contribute to premature wear of cartilage at a young age.
• Injuries, fractures, dislocations.
• genetic predisposition.
• Congenital disorders, lack of intra-articular fluid.
• Blood circulation disorder, during which the cartilage receives a small amount of oxygen and nutrients.
• Joint diseases accompanied by inflammation.
• Disruption of hormone production and metabolism.

The type of arthrosis that affects the knee joint is called gonarthrosis, from the ancient Greek "gon" - knee.

Classification of arthrosis of the knee joint

In this condition, 3 stages are distinguished, depending on the degree of development of arthrosis.The earlier the disease is detected, the more successful and easier the treatment will be.Features of different stages of arthrosis:

1. At this stage, bone deformation is not expressed.Deviations are noticeable on the X-ray, but few people pay attention to minor symptoms and go to the doctor.
2. Bone changes and thickening are visible to the naked eye on X-rays.Quality of life decreases due to constant discomfort.
3. The patient is significantly limited in movement.Ligaments and cartilages are completely destroyed.

Many older people endure pain and illness until the last moment because they get used to age-related diseases and consider these symptoms to be normal.However, in the initial stage, you can manage with conservative methods, and in the last stage, only surgery can help.

Main symptoms

The disease does not start suddenly, but develops over several years.Slight pain in the knee is initially felt only during heavy loads, climbing and descending stairs.If arthrosis is not treated, over time the pain symptom becomes permanent, the knee joint acquires an unnatural shape and outline, and the leg may bend to the right or left.

1 stage

Long before serious arthrosis develops, a person may begin to feel slight discomfort in the knee area after walking.Sometimes there is stiffness of movement and cramping.These symptoms should not be ignored, because with a timely examination, treatment can be started and serious consequences can be avoided.

in 2 stages

At this stage, the patient feels pain almost constantly.It is most pronounced in the morning, disappears after a short walk, but the condition worsens in the evening.The patient's gait slows down, accompanied by a constant crunching sound.Redness and swelling of the skin often appear in the knee area, which indicates an inflammatory process.X-ray shows sharp changes.

diagnosis

Orthopedic examines and diagnoses arthrosis of the knee joint.Diagnostics includes laboratory and instrumental research methods.This includes:

• Blood and urine tests.Show the level of hormones in the body and the presence of inflammation.
• Radiography.It helps to assess the type of joint and determine the stage of the disease.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.It shows the condition of soft tissues, meniscus, cartilage, which is impossible with radiography.
• Ultrasound of joints.Like MRI, it shows the condition of the cartilage and surrounding tissues.This is a more subjective method, the result depends on the specialist's qualifications.Therefore, ultrasound should be performed in addition to magnetic resonance imaging.
• personal check.Sometimes the doctor completely relies on the result of the X-ray or MRI and does not consider it necessary to verify it himself.At the same time, a manual examination can show details that are missed and identify co-morbidities that also require treatment.

In case of suspicion of gonarthrosis, it is recommended to carry out all examinations and be observed by a doctor in a specialized orthopedic clinic.

How to treat arthrosis of the knee joint

All treatment methods are selected individually and used in combination.You cannot use ordinary ointment for joints as self-treatment, because its effect will be temporary and will not eliminate the cause of the disease.A combination of medication, physical therapy, proper nutrition and physical therapy is optimal.

Hormonal drugs

Steroid drugs have a wide range of effects on the body, including anti-inflammatory and analgesic.Such drugs are used as injections into the joint to quickly relieve pain and swelling during exacerbation of the disease.Disadvantages of the method include side effects, limited frequency of use (preferably no more than once every 2 weeks).In addition, hormone injections do not eliminate the causes of the disease, but alleviate the symptoms along with other methods and cannot be considered a complete treatment.

Chondroprotectors

This is a group of drugs that act on the cartilage tissue, restore and nourish it, improve the quality of the lubricating fluid.

Drugs with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are the most effective in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint.These substances are included in several medicines.

The attitude towards chondroprotectors is ambiguous among doctors and patients.Some patients expect unrealistic fast results from treatment thanks to advertising.Unable to find them, they become frustrated and begin to consider this group of drugs useless.

In fact, chondroprotectors require a long-term course along with other treatment methods.

These drugs are much more effective at stage 1-2 of the disease, and not when the cartilage tissue is already severely damaged.

hyaluronic acid

Sodium hyaluronate is a natural moisturizing component produced by the human body.With intra-articular injections, hyaluronic acid deeply nourishes dry, thinned cartilage, restores joint mobility and acts as an effective natural lubricant.Disadvantages of the method include undesirability of use during exacerbation, inflammation and high price.At the same time, a well-designed course of hyaluronic acid can replace surgical intervention, which can be even more expensive.

Ointments

Gels and ointments with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects cannot affect the cause of the disease, but can significantly alleviate the patient's condition.Warming preparations improve blood circulation, strengthen the nutrition of the diseased area and help the general treatment.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments are widely used to relieve pain, despite the relatively small amount of active substance that can penetrate the skin in the joint.

Diet therapy

Scientists have been studying the connection between eating certain foods and osteoarthritis for many years.Consumption of meat, processed foods and excess salt have been suggested to contribute to the increased risk of the disease, but these assumptions have not been confirmed.The only thing that is related to food and arthritis is being overweight.Therefore, the principles of diet therapy for this diagnosis are based on general rules of healthy eating, as well as reducing and controlling body weight.

Recommendations for patients with knee arthrosis:

• Limit the consumption of ready-made food, fast food and give preference to homemade dishes made from simple products.
• Stick to a healthy salt intake of no more than 1 teaspoon per day.
• Limit sweets, fatty foods, carbonated drinks and flour products.
• The diet should be varied, mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, nuts, eggs (especially protein) and lean meats.
• With the doctor's recommendation, you can take a complex of vitamins and dietary supplements.

If a patient with knee arthrosis is already overweight, a nutritionist should be consulted.The specialist will be able to give advice based on the patient's age, lifestyle and other indicators.

Folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis

In folk medicine, infusions, decoctions, compresses from medicinal herbs and other components are used to treat joints.With the doctor's permission, these drugs can supplement the main treatment, or be used to prevent gonarthrosis, discomfort and the first signs of arthrosis of the knee joint.

Some folk recipes:

• Rubbing turpentine.Mix the yolk, one teaspoon of turpentine, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.Rub the mixture on the affected area at night, wrapping it in a woolen cloth.Use 1-2 times a week.
• Honey and mummy.3-4 g of mumio should be added to 100 g of honey.Rub into your knees before going to bed.
• Dandelion infusion.Pour half a liter of alcohol or vodka into a dark glass container.Fill with yellow heads and leave in a cool place for at least a month.Rub the crushed product on the painful area before going to bed.

Such prescriptions help relieve pain and inflammation in complex treatment, but do not replace it.Uneducated self-medication can worsen your condition.

Massage

Manual and technique massage, manual therapy is excellent for overweight people with arthrosis.If there is excess fluid accumulation in the joint, lymphatic drainage is indicated.All types of massage go well with physical therapy and are used to relax muscles after exercise.A contraindication to massage is acute inflammation.

Physiotherapy

Many types of procedures using heat, cold, electric current, ultrasound and laser rays slow down the progression of arthrosis, improve blood circulation in the diseased area, and have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.

Most often, the doctor prescribes:

1. Shock wave therapy.The method involves the special direction of sound waves in the area of the diseased joint.This effect removes swelling, improves cartilage nutrition and destroys salt deposits.The most effective method of physiotherapy for arthrosis.
2. Myostimulation.Electrical impulses relieve spasm and muscle tension and maintain knee joint mobility.
3. Phonophoresis.This therapy combines the local effects of ointments and gels with ultrasound.Due to this, the penetration of useful substances into the skin increases.

Cryotherapy, paraffin therapy, laser therapy, magnetotherapy and other techniques are used less often.

kinesitherapy

Popular techniques include physical therapy and joint traction.The exercise therapy complex is prescribed individually by the rehabilitation doctor.This can include exercises using weights, medical devices and gymnastics for independent performance.Some exercises should be done in the morning, still in bed, some - 3-4 times a day.The effectiveness of therapeutic exercises largely depends on the patient's responsibility and desire to recover.If done correctly, this kind of physical exercise helps to stop the deterioration and avoid surgery.

A special orthopedic device is used for traction.The method allows you to widen the gap between the joints, reduce their friction and load on the painful knee.

surgical treatment

Arthritis surgery is a method that affects the cause of the disease, not just the symptoms.It is used in 2-3 stages of arthrosis, when other methods are ineffective.There are several options for intervention:

1. Arthroscopy.Modern methods make it possible to perform surgery with small incisions with thin instruments under the supervision of a video camera.This type of surgery is easier to tolerate and recovery is faster.During the operation, the surgeon removes pieces of destroyed cartilage and tissue fibers.
2. Puncture.refers to low-traumatic interventions.It involves pumping out excess joint fluid with a syringe.Allows you to relieve swelling, inflammation and increase mobility.
3. Endoprosthesis.If the joint is already severely damaged in the last stage of arthrosis, it can be replaced with titanium compatible with the body.This is the most extensive intervention followed by long rehabilitation.It is used in the most difficult cases when there are no other options.

To avoid surgery, you need to monitor your health and start treating diseases from the beginning.There is no need to endure for years and suffocate pain in the knee joint and other signs of arthrosis with painkillers.

Preventive measures in case of arthrosis of the knee joint

You should start taking care of the health of your knee joints early.The older you are, the more preventive measures you need to take.Athletes and overweight people should pay special attention to the musculoskeletal system.

To prevent arthrosis of the knee joint, you need:

• Choose the right sports and loads based on your abilities.
• Use comfortable, high-quality shoes with low heels.
• Swimming that equally stresses and relaxes all muscles and joints.
• Avoid joint injuries and complete their treatment.
• Avoid excess weight and keep it normal.

In addition to lifestyle adjustments, timely treatment of congenital signs of joint development, for example, various deformations and dislocations, is important.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint can occur not only in the elderly, but also in young patients.The disease takes a long time to develop, but with the right approach it is possible to recover and avoid serious health consequences.