The knee joint is formed by the movable "tandem" of the tibia and femur.Their lateral movement is prevented by the patella, and easy, sliding movement is ensured by the elastic layer of durable cartilage tissue.
The "healthy" cartilage covering the articular surfaces of the bones of the knee joint is 5-6 mm thick.
This is sufficient to relieve the mechanical friction of the bones and absorb the "shock" load.The disease leading to the destruction of the natural shock-absorbing tissue and the deformation of the joint - gonarthrosis, i.e. arthrosis of the knee joint - is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, and its treatment is often complicated by the fact that a compensatory mechanism is initiated from the bone structures.
What causes the disease?
There is an opinion that gonarthrosis of the knee is the result of "salt deposits".However, calcification or the deposition of calcium salts in the ligaments of the knee has no independent significance and is more a consequence than a cause.
What is gonarthrosis and how is it treated?
In reality, the "starting point" should be considered a violation of the blood supply of small bone vessels and its consequences - the difficulty of cartilage tissue trophism and its depletion.This is followed by deformation of the hyaline cartilage.The latter peels off and is covered with multidirectional cracks.Synovial fluid becomes more viscous and loses its properties as a natural "moisturizer" for cartilage tissue.
The complete disappearance of the drying "shock absorber" can be called the end of the pathological process.
However, underlying bones that have lost their cartilaginous 'covering' compensate for the loss by growing at the periphery and covering them with 'spikes' - bone growth.In this case, the knee joint is deformed, the legs take on an X or O shape, which is why this pathology is also called deforming arthrosis of the knee joint (hereinafter DOA).
What are the causes of arthrosis of the knee joint?
- Aging of the body and the associated "wear and tear" of the joints;
- Excess body weight;
- Extreme loads on the knee joint (in athletes);
- Knee injury, breaking one of his bones;
- Removal of the meniscus;
- Untreated arthritis, rheumatism;
- Abnormal location of the bone components of the joint;
- "Failure" of the endocrine system and disharmony of hormones, metabolic imbalance.
Arthrosis is often confused with various types of arthritis.
However, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint is that the former is often the penetration of various pathogens into the body, which "results" in the inflammatory disease of the entire body.
Sometimes the signs of arthritis—inflammation and swelling of the joint, swelling, pain that worsens at night—are the result of the immune system "mounting" an active defense against the body's own cells.
Since arthrosis is an exclusively local disease, it is often a logical continuation of arthritis or a consequence of gradual "wear and tear" of the joint.
Primary and secondary gonarthrosis
In the fields of orthopedics and traumatology, the types of arthrosis of the knee joint are usually distinguished depending on the causes of degenerative changes in the articular cartilage.
- Age-related or primary gonarthrosisknee joint often disrupts the course of relatively painless old age due to the physical "wear and tear" of the cartilage tissue.Women over the age of 40 face this disease slightly more often than men.The early development of primary gonarthrosis threatens athletes and those who have extra pounds;
- Secondary gonarthrosis– logical continuation of a previous injury or consequence of premature treatment of inflammatory diseases, develops at any age.
Where is the disease hiding?
The gradually developing gonarthrosis is localized in the inner part of the knee joint.However, the disease can "hide" between the patella and the surface of the femur.
- Left-sided gonarthrosis often affects athletes and overweight people;
- People whose professional or sports activities involve excessive dynamic or static load on the right leg are more susceptible to degenerative changes in the cartilaginous layer of the right knee joint;
- Bilateral gonarthrosis is often age-related.Regardless of the causes, uncontrolled destruction of both knee joints leads to disability in most cases.
Oh, but it hurts!
The signs of gonarthrosis of the knee joint are rather vague at the beginning of the disease, and not many people rush to a rheumatologist or arthrologist if they feel pain in the knee after a long hike.
After all, a short rest and relaxation relieves unpleasant symptoms in slightly "crunchy" knees, giving a dubious feeling of physical well-being.
In fact, the "vague" symptoms of the first stage of degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system make their timely recognition and treatment extremely difficult.Deforming gonarthrosis is no exception.
- Stage 1 gonarthrosis, which manifests itself only in mild discomfort caused by fatigue of the limb, is extremely difficult to recognize on its own.A timely visit to the doctor is often caused by dull knee pain and the "crunching" of rough cartilage sticking together;
- 2nd degree gonarthrosis prepares the deformation of the knee joint and hinders its movement in the morning, which is necessary to "diverge".Intense, long-lasting pain occurs after standing or sitting for a long time.Moderately limited mobility of the knee is associated with a creaking sound;
- The maximum signs of arthrosis of the knee joint appear in the third stage of the disease.A swollen knee with an elevated local temperature often hurts at rest.
The movement of the joint is inhibited by the acute pain caused by the "joint mouse" - fragments of broken bone growths.
The deformed joint loses its stability and is difficult to move.An advanced disease at this stage requires prostheses.
Can knee arthritis be cured?
The well-known statement: "Rest is not an end in itself, but a means to an end" is directly related to those who are faced with the initial manifestations of the disease.Rest ensures maximum relief of the knee joint during exacerbation.For the same purpose, the use of individual orthopedic insoles is recommended.
The use of unique orthopedic insoles ensures maximum relief of the knee joint.
A kind of insurance against the disease, or rather against its aggravation, will be special orthoses that support the stability of the "loose" knee joint of athletes.
The cane helps the elderly "extend" their joints while walking.But the listed measures are more likely to prevent arthrosis of the knee joints.If such a "vaccination" did not help, and worsening gonarthrosis appears with inflammation and pain, hurry to see an orthopedist or arthrologist.
How to treat gonarthrosis?
- Section 1.Reduce inflammation and accompanying pain.The "acute" problem is best treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs administered orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously.NSAIDs "sealed" in rectal suppositories have a long-lasting effect.
The use of corticosteroids is also justified - they are injected directly into the diseased joint.
The local application of ointments or gels containing an active anti-inflammatory component helps to increase the anti-inflammatory effect of internally used NSAIDs.The latter helps to quickly relieve swelling.
Together with NSAIDs, drugs that reduce vascular muscle tone are often prescribed.This improves periarticular blood flow.
What should be done in patients with arthrosis of the knee joint, for example, gastrointestinal diseases, for whom it is dangerous to take NSAIDs and pain relievers?
Oxygen therapy would be a good alternative.
- Section 2.It "nourishes" the dried cartilage with substances that stimulate collagen synthesis.The chondroprotectors intended for this purpose act slowly, but their long-term use promotes the synthesis of the natural components of the cartilage matrix.The greatest effect is achieved by intra-articular administration of drugs.
- Section 3.By introducing hyaluronic acid, we smooth out the "roughness" of the cartilage and reduce the friction of the cartilage.
- Section 4.We improve the blood supply and trophism of the joint with therapeutic gymnastics.For this purpose, it is recommended to combine business with pleasure and take part in a sanatorium-resort treatment.
- Section 5.We turn to non-traditional treatment methods: acupuncture and hirudotherapy, apitherapy.An innovation in the treatment of DOA of the knee joint is the intra-articular administration of Orthokine, a serum obtained from the patient's blood proteins.
What are good practices?
Physiotherapy helps to slow down the gradual destruction of joint elements.Primary goals:
- improves the blood supply of the joint and activates the trophism of all its components;
- increased knee mobility;
- increasing the tone of all the muscles of the human body.
It is recommended that the physical therapy sessions - at least initially - be conducted under the supervision of a physical therapy instructor.An experienced trainer selects exercises appropriate to the level of joint mobility, excluding high-amplitude exercises and exercises with excessive axial load - all of which can damage the soft tissues of the joint and worsen the patient's condition.
Recipes from the green pharmacy: there is a possibility!
Provides gonarthrosis and treatment with traditional methods:
- Option 1.Grind 120 g of garlic, 250 g of celery root and 3 lemons in a meat grinder.Place the mixture in a 3 liter jar and fill with boiling water.After keeping the preparation overnight in a warm place, wrapping the container well, start taking it in the morning, consuming 70 grams of medicine every morning.Gradually increase the intake to 3 times;
- Option 2.Treat a sore joint with a mixture of 1 tbsp.l.honey and 3 tbsp.l.apple cider vinegar.Place a fresh cabbage leaf on it (lightly beat it with a knife) or burdock (the light side towards the joint).Wrap your feet in cellophane wrap and a soft scarf.Do it at night, up to 30 procedures.
An inevitable decision
Often, severe pain and joint dysfunction threaten disability.
After that, middle-aged patients and young people diagnosed with arthrosis of the knee joint require surgery.
The most common procedure is endoprosthesis.The duration of such an operation does not exceed one hour, and the effect is pain-free functioning of the "restored" limb for at least 20 years.Over time, the "loose" prosthesis must be replaced.