Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a disease of the knee cartilage in which it is gradually destroyed and replaced by connective tissue. Knee osteoarthritis 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 diseases.
peculiarities
In a healthy knee joint, cartilage is a kind of covering that does not allow the bones to touch each other, thus eliminating the possibility of damage when walking. Diseased cartilage cannot cope with this function, therefore, signs of stiffness appear in the joint during movement, accompanied by pain. This condition becomes permanent due to internal pathological changes, when the thinning of the cartilaginous tissue leads to bone thickening and creates conditions for the appearance of bone spurs - osteophytes, which cause acute pain.
Causes and symptoms
Knee joint osteoarthritis develops gradually, but we do not notice the pronounced symptoms of cartilage damage due to the knee joint being 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 in the early stage of the disease.
The reliable causes of the disease have not yet been identified by medicine. However, there are factors that, under certain conditions, can play a role in causing this disease. These include injuries, strenuous exercise and being overweight. As a separate reason, a violation can be considered as hormonal failure.
Patients with suspected osteoarthritis of the knee joint have symptoms:
- knee pain of a painful nature (possibly in the lower leg);
- pain syndrome associated with climate change;
- 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);
- knee joint stiffness;
- pain when bending/extending the leg;
- crushing, swelling of the joint.
This knee joint condition requires urgent medical attention due to the risk of complications when effusion can start to accumulate in the joint. The doctor performs an external examination of the patient and prescribes an examination, based on the results of which treatment methods will be selected.
Search
The initial stages of the occurrence of such a pathology as arthrosis of the knee joint do not manifest themselves visually at all. However, after a while, the patient notices signs of knee deformity, as well as a characteristic curvature along the axis of the leg (directed inward). There is also a crisis when you need to bend your leg.
The presence of pain, limited movement in the knee makes the person see a doctor and have an examination. To do this, he needs to undergo tests and take an x-ray of the diseased joint. If these measurements are not enough to confirm osteoarthritis of the knee joint, MRI is performed. Based on the data collected, the doctor chooses the best treatment methods.
treatment methods
Modern medicine has sufficient means to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Also in clinical practice, new treatment approaches by traditional methods are being actively developed and applied.
The basic medical treatment of knee disease consists of therapies in combination with adjuvants.
An example is kinesiotherapy, which is part of the physiotherapy of restorative medicine, which is complemented by psychological work with patients.
Help treat knee osteoarthritis such restorative methods as massage, exercise, water treatments. To alleviate the condition, the patient is recommended to wear knee pads or a bandage. It is impossible to treat gonarthrosis without observing the correct diet, which should contain white meat, not red meat, sardines, salmon, vegetables, fruits and plenty of water (up to 7 glasses).
Severe cases of the disease are treated promptly, with complete or partial dentures using sparing methods.
Medical treatment
In the treatment of gonarthrosis with drugs, the following are actively used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Prescription pills help treat a condition like swelling and swelling of the knee joint;
- Chondoprotectors. The preparations contain substances that nourish the cartilaginous tissue, which heals its structure and restores the cartilaginous lining of the joint. If the cartilage is almost completely destroyed, condoprotectants are not used to treat osteoarthritis of the knees (this is usually typical of 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 to treat inflamed knee joints. The injections relieve swelling and swelling much faster, thus improving the patient's condition. However, these injections can be done once in 2 weeks due to the high probability of their side effects. If a person has symptoms of anatomical changes in the joints, for example, bone deformity, it is useless to make injections into the joint.
In the early stages of gonarthrosis, uncomplicated by joint swelling (synovitis), the patient may receive injections of condoprotectants with enzymes. They help to partially restore cartilage tissue, and the disadvantage is the need to inject drugs with a course of 5-10 injections.
Good treatment results (in 80% of cases) can be achieved by traction (stretching the knee joint).
It is performed using a special device or manual therapy. Such traction provides an increase in the distance between the bones, due to 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 their use will not hurt. You also need to know that the ointment does not cure knee disease, but only complements the main treatment.
Effectively relieve inflammation in the joints of NVPS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) based ointment.
Warming ointments containing capsacin are used to improve blood circulation.
Ointments containing salicylic acid are used to treat inflammation in the knees.
Ointments - condoprotectants are successfully used in the early stages of treatment of the disease to restore damaged cartilage. In order for the active substances in 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 apparatus.
With joint inflammation, knee area massage and general healing massage are usually used. It is for a greater effect that doctors recommend combining a general massage with a segmental massage performed in the knee region.
As massage has a positive effect on muscle tone, the patient's muscle strength increases and the performance lost by the knee joints is restored. Massage therapy starts with stroking and then friction is performed to improve joint mobility. Next comes stretching. The massage ends with a vibration beneficial to the muscles (not intense). All of these techniques are included in the massage to reduce pain and restore freedom of movement to the knees.
knee pads and brace
To reduce the load on the knee joint, as well as the muscles, ligaments and tendons, patients are recommended to put on a bandage. The knee bandage helps to evenly distribute the pressure on the joint apparatus and thus encourages the regeneration of damaged tissues.
Since the bandage is a product, the range of these products is distinguished by a variety of colors and corporate styles. The bandage is also of metal, ceramic, plastic, etc. All these features are secondary. The main thing is that you need to buy knee pads or a bandage only after consulting a doctor.
Knee pads for use are chosen according to their purpose. The dressing needed in the postoperative period must be carefully dimensioned. These knee pads are a rigid bandage.
It is best to wear underwear made of cotton fabric or other natural material under your knee pads. Dog fur knee pads have a pronounced healing effect, warming the joint and relieving inflammation.
The most popular type is a neoprene dressing, reinforced with spiral ribs, which provides joint and muscle fixation. Orthopedic dressing is often used as protection against damage during sports.
You need to choose open or closed knee braces based on the nature of the pain. In case of severe pain, knee pads must have reinforcements and completely cover the joint. For mild pain, open knee braces should be used.
A novelty that is on the rise are knee pads made of elastane or polyester. This bandage will last a long time and is easy to care for.
Conclusion
A distinctive feature of modern approaches to treating osteoarthritis of the knee is the combination of traditional methods and techniques based on new generation drugs as well as improved surgical methods. Of the new generation drugs, biostimulants, condoprotectors, synovial fluid protectors are widely used. The forms of knee arthrosis that are difficult to treat conservatively can now be treated surgically with low invasiveness, that is, arthroplasty, arthroscopy and endoprostheses.