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

Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint often occur in older people.Athletes and obese patients are also at risk.

Why does arthrosis of the knee joint occur?

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

As age progresses, all cartilage thins and wears out, so the disease occurs in 70-85% of people over 60 in various stages.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.
• Circulation disorder in which the cartilage receives little oxygen and nutrients.
• Joint diseases accompanied by inflammation.
• Violation of hormone production and metabolism.

A type of arthrosis affecting the knee joint is called gonarthrosis, from the ancient Greek word "goni" - knee.

Classification of arthrosis of the knee joint

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

1. In this stage, the deformation of the bone is not pronounced.The differences are noticeable on an X-ray, but few people pay attention to minor symptoms and consult a doctor.
2. Changes and thickening of the bones can be seen with the naked eye on X-rays.The quality of life decreases due to constant discomfort.
3. The patient's movement is significantly limited.Ligaments and cartilage are completely destroyed.

Many elderly people endure pain and illness until the last moment because they have become accustomed to age-related diseases and consider these symptoms to be normal.However, in the initial stage, you can treat it with conservative methods, and in the last stage, only surgery will help.

Main symptoms

The disease does not start suddenly, but develops over several years.Slight knee pain is initially felt only in case of heavy load, going up and down stairs.If arthrosis is not treated, over time the symptom of pain becomes permanent, the knee joint takes on an unnatural shape and outline, and the leg may bend to the right or left.

In stage 1

Long before arthrosis develops seriously, a person may feel slight discomfort in the knee after walking.Stiffness of movement and crunching occurs occasionally.These symptoms should not be ignored, as treatment can be started with timely examination and serious consequences can be prevented.

In Section 2

At this stage, the patient feels almost constant pain.In the morning, it goes away after a short walk, but the condition worsens in the evening.The patient's gait slows down, accompanied by a constant screeching sound.Redness and swelling often appear in the knee area, which indicates an inflammatory process.The X-ray shows pronounced changes.

Diagnostics

The orthopedist examines and identifies arthrosis of the knee joint.Diagnostics includes laboratory and instrumental research methods.These are:

• Blood and urine tests.Show the level of hormones in the body and the presence of inflammation.
• Radiography.It helps to determine the type of joint and determine the stage of the disease.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.It shows the state of the soft tissues, meniscus, and cartilage, which is impossible with radiography.
• Ultrasound of joints.Similar to 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 as a supplement to magnetic resonance imaging.
• Personal inspection.Sometimes a doctor relies entirely on the results of an X-ray or MRI and doesn't think it's necessary to double-check it himself.At the same time, the manual examination can reveal details that have been missed, and accompanying diseases that also require treatment can be identified.

If gonarthrosis is suspected, it is advisable to carry out all the tests and be observed by a doctor at a specialized orthopedic clinic.

How to treat knee arthrosis

Each treatment method is selected individually and combined.The usual ointment for the joints cannot be used as self-medication, as its effect will be temporary and will not eliminate the cause of the disease.It is optimal to combine drug treatment, physical therapy, proper nutrition and physiotherapy.

Hormonal drugs

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

Chondroprotectors

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

In the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, preparations made with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are the most effective.These substances are found in many medicines.

The attitude to chondroprotectors among doctors and patients is ambiguous.Some patients expect unrealistic fast results from treatment thanks to advertisements.If they do not find them, they become disappointed and begin to see this group of drugs as useless.

In fact, chondroprotectors require long-term treatment in combination with other treatment methods.

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

Hyaluronic acid

Sodium hyaluronate is a natural moisturizing component produced in 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 undesirable use during periods of exacerbation, inflammation and high price.At the same time, a well-planned hyaluronic acid treatment can replace surgical intervention, which can be even more expensive.

Ointments

Pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory gels and ointments cannot affect the cause of the disease, but they can greatly alleviate the patient's condition.Warming preparations improve blood circulation, improve the nutrition of the diseased area and help the general treatment.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ointments are widely used to relieve pain, despite the fact that a relatively small amount of the active ingredient can penetrate the skin into the joint.

Diet therapy

For years, scientists have been investigating the connection between the consumption of certain foods and joint arthrosis.It has been assumed that the increased risk of the disease is influenced by the consumption of meat, processed foods and excessive salt consumption, but these assumptions have not been confirmed.The only thing that is related to food and arthrosis is being overweight.Therefore, the basic principles of diet therapy for this diagnosis are based on the general rules of healthy eating and weight reduction and control.

Recommendations for patients with knee arthrosis:

• Limit the consumption of ready meals and fast food and give preference to homemade meals made from simple products.
• Stick to a healthy salt intake norm - no more than 1 teaspoon per day.
• Limit the consumption of sweets, fatty foods, carbonated drinks and flour products.
• The diet should be varied, with most fruits, vegetables, cereals, dairy products, nuts, eggs (mainly protein) and lean meat.
• On the recommendation of your doctor, you can also take a complex of vitamins and dietary supplements.

If a patient with knee arthrosis is already overweight, they should consult a nutritionist.The specialist can give advice based on the patient's age, lifestyle and other indicators.

Folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis

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

Many folk recipes:

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

Such recipes help relieve pain and inflammation during complex treatment, but do not replace it.Illiterate self-medication can worsen your condition.

Massage

Manual and hardware massage and manual therapy are perfect for overweight, immobile people with arthrosis.If excess fluid accumulates in the joint, lymphatic drainage is recommended.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

A number of procedures with heat, cold, electric current, ultrasound and laser beam slow down the progression of arthrosis, improve blood circulation in the diseased area, and have an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect.

Most often, the doctor prescribes:

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

Less commonly used cryotherapy, paraffin therapy, laser therapy, magnet therapy and other techniques.

Kinesitherapy

Popular techniques include physical therapy and joint taping.The exercise therapy complex is prescribed individually by a rehabilitation doctor.May include weight training, medical equipment and gymnastics for independent performance.Some exercises should be done in the morning, while still in bed, and others 3-4 times a day.The effectiveness of therapeutic exercises largely depends on the patient's responsibility and desire to heal.If done correctly, such physical training can help stop deterioration and prevent surgery.

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

Surgical treatment

Surgery for arthrosis affects not only the symptoms, but also the cause of the disease.It is used in stages 2-3 of arthrosis, when other methods are ineffective.There are several intervention options:

1. Arthroscopy.Modern methods allow the operation to be performed through small incisions, with thin instruments, under the supervision of a video camera.This type of surgery is easier to tolerate and the recovery is faster.During the operation, the surgeon removes pieces of the dead cartilage and tissue fibers.
2. Thrust.It refers to low traumatic interventions.This involves pumping excess fluid out of the joint with a syringe.It makes it possible to reduce swelling and 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-term rehabilitation.They resort to it in the most difficult cases, when there is no other option.

In order to avoid surgery, you need to monitor your health and start treating diseases from the beginning.You don't have to endure it for years and use painkillers to suppress knee joint pain and other signs of arthrosis.

Preventive measures for arthrosis of the knee joint

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

In order to prevent arthrosis of the knee joint, you should do the following:

• Choose a suitable sport and load based on your abilities.
• Use comfortable, high-quality, low-heeled shoes.
• Swimming that evenly strains and relaxes all muscles and joints.
• Avoid joint injuries and complete their treatment.
• Avoid excessive weight gain and keep it normal.

In addition to lifestyle modification, it is important to treat innate characteristics of joint development, such as various deformities and dislocations, in a timely manner.

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