Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a disease of the knee cartilage, in which it is gradually destroyed and replaced by connective tissue. Osteoarthritis of the knee can occur suddenly, when there are no signs and causes of joint damage. In other cases, the onset of the disease is associated with trauma or other joint disease.
Peculiarities
In a healthy knee joint, cartilage is a kind of lining that doesn't allow the bones to touch each other, thereby eliminating the possibility of damage while walking. Diseased cartilage cannot cope with this function, so during movement, signs of stiffness appear in the joint, accompanied by pain. This condition becomes permanent due to internal pathological changes, when the thinning of the cartilage tissue leads to the thickening of the bone and creates the conditions for the appearance of bone spurs - osteophytes, which cause acute pain.
Causes and symptoms
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint develops gradually, but we do not notice the pronounced symptoms of cartilage damage due to the fact that the knee joint is held in the correct position by the thigh muscles and the four ligaments. It is this anatomical structure that attenuates the manifestation of the main symptoms in the stage of 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 the cause of this disease. These include injuries, strenuous exercise, and being overweight. As a separate reason, such a violation can be considered a hormonal failure.
Patients with suspected osteoarthritis of the knee joint have symptoms:
- pain in the knees of a painful nature (possibly in the lower leg);
- pain syndrome associated with weather changes;
- increased pain when climbing stairs, after a long walk or standing;
- reduction of pain at rest (at night and at rest);
- initial pains (after rest breaks);
- stiffness of the knee joint;
- pain when bending / extending the leg;
- creaking, swelling of the joint.
This knee joint condition requires urgent medical attention due to the risk of complications, when effusion can begin to build up in the joint. The doctor conducts an external examination of the patient and prescribes an examination, based on the results of which treatment methods will be selected.
Poll
The initial stages of the occurrence of such a pathology as osteoarthritis of the knee joint do not manifest themselves visually in any way. However, after some time, the patient notices signs of knee deformity, as well as a characteristic curvature along the axis of the lower leg (directed inward). There is also a crunch when you have to bend your leg.
The presence of pain, limited movement of the knee causes 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 enough to confirm osteoarthritis of the knee joint, MRI is done. Based on the collected data, the doctor chooses the best methods of treatment.
Methods of treatment
Modern medicine has sufficient means of treating osteoarthritis of the knee joint. New approaches to treatment with traditional methods are also being actively developed and applied in clinical practice.
The basic medical treatment of knee disease consists of therapies in combination with adjuvants.
An example is kinesitherapy, which is part of the physical therapy of reparative medicine, which is complemented by psychological work with patients.
Helps treat osteoarthritis of the knee with restorative methods such as massage, exercises, water treatments. To alleviate the condition, the patient is advised to wear knee pads or a bandage. It is impossible to cure gonarthrosis without observing the correct diet, which should contain enough white, not red meat, sardines, salmon, vegetables, fruits and water (up to 7 glasses).
Severe cases of the disease are treated promptly, with full or partial dentures using sparing methods.
Medical treatment
In the treatment of gonarthrosis with drugs, they are actively used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Prescribed pills help treat a condition such as swelling and swelling of the knee joint;
- Co-protectors. The preparations contain substances that nourish the cartilage tissue, which heals its structure and restores the cartilage lining of the joint. If the cartilage is almost completely destroyed, then the chondoprotectors are not used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knees (usually this is typical for stage 3);
- Vasodilator tablets. With their help, you can treat night pain that occurs in the knee joint due to spasms of small vessels.
- Intra-articular injections with corticosteroid hormones are prescribed for the treatment of inflamed knee joints. 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 likelihood of their side effects. If a person has symptoms of anatomical changes in the joints, for example, bone deformity, giving injections into the joint is useless.
In the initial stages of gonarthrosis, not complicated by joint edema (synovitis), the patient may be given injections of enzyme chondoprotectors. They help to partially restore cartilage tissue, and the disadvantage is the need to inject drugs with a course of 5-10 injections.
Good results of treatment (in 80% of cases) can be achieved by traction (stretching of the knee joint).
It is performed using a special apparatus or manual therapy. Such traction provides an increase in the distance between the bones, as a result of which there is a decrease in the load on the joint and the restoration of its performance.
Ointments
In drug therapy for the treatment of joints, various types of ointments and gels are actively used, consisting mainly of natural substances. In pharmacies, ointments can be purchased without a prescription, but a consultation with the attending physician about its use will not hurt. You also need to know that the ointment does not cure knee disease, but only complements the main treatment.
Effectively relieves inflammation in the joints of the ointment based on NVPS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Warming ointments containing capsacin are used to improve blood circulation.
Salicylic acid-containing ointments are used to treat inflammation of the knees.
Ointments - chondoprotectors are successfully used in the initial stages of disease treatment to restore damaged cartilage. In order for the active ingredients of the ointment to better penetrate the focus of inflammation, it is necessary to use them in combination with a physiotherapeutic procedure - phonophoresis.
Support 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. Massage not only heals, but also awakens the body's defenses, which allows you to quickly restore the efficiency of the joint system.
With inflammation of the joints, massage on the knee area and general healing massage are usually used. It is for greater effect that doctors recommend combining a general massage with a segmental massage performed 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. Therapeutic massage begins with stroking, then rubbing is performed to improve joint mobility. Then comes the stretching. The massage ends with a vibration that is beneficial for the muscles (not intense). All of these techniques are included in the massage to reduce pain and restore freedom of movement in the knees.
Knee pads and brace
To reduce the load on the knee joint, as well as on the muscles, ligaments and tendons, patients are advised to put a bandage on them. The knee bandage helps to distribute the pressure evenly on the joint system and thus to stimulate the regeneration of damaged tissues.
Since the bandage is a product, the range of these products is distinguished by a variety of corporate colors and styles. The bandage is also made of metal, ceramic, plastic, etc. All these characteristics are secondary. The main thing is that you need to buy knee pads or a bandage only after consulting a doctor.
The knee pads to wear are chosen according to their purpose. The bandage required in the postoperative period must be carefully sized. Such knee pads are a rigid bandage.
It is best to wear underwear made of cotton or other natural material under the knee pads. Dog hair knee pads have a pronounced healing effect, warming the joint and relieving inflammation.
The most popular type is a neoprene bandage, reinforced with spiral ribs, which provides fixation of joints and muscles. The orthopedic bandage is often used as protection against damage during sports.
You need to choose open or closed knee pads based on the nature of the pain. In case of severe pain, the knee pads should have reinforcements and completely cover the joint. For mild pain, you need to wear open knee pads.
A requested novelty are the knee pads in elastane or polyester. This bandage will last a long time and is easy to care for.
Conclusion
A distinctive feature of modern approaches in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee is a combination of traditional methods and techniques based on new generation drugs, as well as improved surgical methods. Among the new generation drugs, biostimulants, chondoprotectors, protectors of the synovial fluid are widely used. Knee osteoarthritis forms that are difficult to treat conservatively can now be treated surgically with low invasiveness, namely arthroplasty, arthroscopy and endoprosthesis.