Knee pain is a common complaint with which doctors are approached.What causes pain and how to help yourself if it occurs?There is no definitive answer, as knee joints can suffer from different types of lesions that occur for many reasons.One of these reasons (and a very common one) is incipient arthrosis.Today we will tell you in detail about arthrosis of the knee joint: what are its causes, types, symptoms and signs, we will talk about methods of treatment and prevention.
Types and causes of the disease
Arthrosis of the knee joint or gonarthrosis is a lesion of a mostly non-inflammatory nature, which over time leads to destruction of the articular cartilage, deformation of the knee and limitation of mobility in it.The disease has two main forms:
- primary - occurs due to a congenital defect of the joint;
- secondary - occurs as a result of other diseases or injuries.
The primary form begins to develop in childhood or adolescence and is caused by malformation of the joint surfaces or ligamentous apparatus.When walking, such a joint is subjected to a load disproportionate to its capabilities, which provokes degenerative changes in it.
The development of a secondary form of pathology can lead to:
- Injuries: fractures of the bones of the legs, bruises and sprains of the knee, accompanied by damage to the bone-cartilage parts of the joint and its ligaments.In this case, post-traumatic arthrosis of the knee joint develops.
- Operations to remove the meniscus, as they lead to disruption of the overall structure of the knee and its rapid wear.
- The disproportionately high load on the legs that athletes are often subjected to.
- Excess fat also provokes osteoarthritis, as it leads to excessive pressure from the body weight on the articular cartilage of the knee.
- Arthritis is inflammation of the joints.Long-term arthritis is accompanied by the formation of fluid in the joint cavity and over time can be complicated by arthrosis.
- Metabolic disorders leading to the deposition of salts in the joint cavities.
- Other factors and diseases, long-term accompanied by spasm of the muscles of the legs or blood vessels.
- Deferred operations.
The pathological process can be unilateral or bilateral.As a result of an injury, one-sided arthrosis will most likely develop (for example, on the right knee), and from obesity - bilateral arthrosis.
Characteristic symptoms
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint develops gradually, sometimes preceded by months and years of an initial period when there are no obvious symptoms (such as severe pain and visible deformity), but from time to time there is a feeling of discomfort in the knees.
Women over 40 who are overweight are most often affected, and especially, as an aggravating factor, those suffering from varicose veins.
The development of gonarthrosis goes through several stages:
- The initial stage can last months and sometimes years.A person experiences intermittent pain in the knees, especially when taking the first steps after getting out of bed in the morning, as well as when going up and down the stairs.
- In the second stage, the pain becomes stronger and appears with any movements that are accompanied by a characteristic crunching sound.Fluid may accumulate in the joint cavity and initial deformity may be noted on examination.Range of motion in the affected knee begins to decrease.
- The third stage is characterized by pain that does not go away even at rest.Often the discomfort increases before the weather changes.By this time, the joints have largely lost their functions: the legs hardly bend at the knees or cannot fully extend.The gait changes: it becomes "wobbly" or on half-bent legs.Deformation of the knees is severe: the legs bend and assume an O- or X-shape.
Symptoms of post-traumatic arthrosis of the knee joint develop more quickly.As a result of the injury, there is pain and swelling in the knee area.Such pain constantly accompanies a person and intensifies after physical activity.It is gradually accompanied by a feeling of tightness and stiffness in the knee.Sometimes, with this form of the disease, only a few months pass from the initial symptoms to irreversible changes.
Treatment of gonarthrosis
The scope of treatment depends on the stage of the disease and the severity of the lesion.But since the disease is chronic, the only thing that can be achieved is a long-term remission (a resting phase when the manifestations of the pathology are minimal or absent).At the same time, if in the early stages it is possible to eliminate the cause of arthrosis of the knee joint (for example, by reducing body weight), then almost complete recovery is possible.
Goals of gonarthrosis treatment:
- eliminate pain
- if possible, restore the damaged cartilage and ligament apparatus,
- increasing the range of motion in the joint.
Treatment methods:
- drug therapy,
- massage and manual therapy,
- surgical intervention,
- restorative therapy (physiotherapy, physical therapy and other methods).
Only a doctor can choose the right drugs;under no circumstances should you prescribe them yourself.Their main action is aimed at:
- Eliminating the symptoms of arthrosis of the knee joint: relieving pain and inflammation.For this purpose, appropriate medications are prescribed, including hormones that are injected into the joint cavity.
- Improving blood supply to the affected area.It is provided by means that relieve vascular spasms and relax muscles.
- Restoration of cartilage tissue.For this purpose, drugs are prescribed that nourish and restore the cartilage.
Manual manipulation and massage reduce pain, relax spastic muscles near the affected knee, help increase range of motion, correct bone position, and improve circulation.
In case of advanced, irreversible damage, arthrosis of the knee is treated with a radical method - prosthetics, that is, implantation of a metal prosthesis to replace the destroyed joint.For now, this is the only method that gives a chance for full recovery, but endoprostheses have a limited service life, after which they must be replaced.Since the cost of such operations is very high, this method of treatment is not yet widespread.
Rehabilitation therapy includes physiotherapy, kinesitherapy (exercises with special loads and machines), physiotherapy and sanatorium-resort treatment.
Orthopedic methods are aimed at relieving the diseased knee - these are canes, orthoses, etc., which facilitate walking (used when necessary).
There are many folk recipes for various ointments and compresses based on herbs, medical bile and warming bandages made of natural wool.In general, the effect of such methods is aimed at relieving pain and eliminating the main symptoms.
Prevention measures
Preventing osteoarthritis of the knee involves many factors:
- Balanced diet: the diet should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, vitamins and trace elements.
- Struggle with an unhealthy lifestyle and giving up bad habits.
- Weight normalization.
- Adequate physical activity.
- Preventing injuries during sports and weightlifting.
The most important thing in identifying such a pathology as knee arthrosis is not to let the disease progress, as its advanced stages lead to disability.But if you focus all your efforts on treatment and prevention in time - before time is lost and the symptoms are insignificant - there is a chance of a complete cure from the disease.