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

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

Why does arthropathy of the knee joint occur?

Arthritis is a deformation of the cartilage of the joints.Cartilage plays the role of shock absorbers and facilitates the movements of the human body.When they are damaged, mobility gradually decreases and any load brings pain.Over time, the knee becomes completely immobilized and the person may become disabled.

All cartilage thins and wears out with age, so the disease in various stages occurs in 70-85% of people over 60 years old.First of all, these are overweight women.Other common causes of arthritis:

• Intense sports and physical overload contribute to premature cartilage wear at a young age.
• Injuries, fractures, dislocations.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Congenital disorders, lack of intra-articular fluid.
• A circulatory disorder in which the cartilage receives little oxygen and nutrients.
• Diseases of the joints accompanied by inflammation.
• Violation of hormone production and metabolism.

A type of arthropathy that affects the knee joint is called gonarthrosis, from the ancient Greek "goni" - knee.

Classification of joints of the knee joint

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

1. At this stage, bone deformation is not pronounced.Abnormalities are noticeable on X-rays, but few people pay attention to minor symptoms and come to the doctor.
2. Bone changes and thickening are visible with naked eye X-rays.Quality of life is reduced due to constant discomfort.
3. The patient is significantly limited in movement.Ligaments and cartilage are completely destroyed.

Many elderly people endure pain until the last moment and suffer from diseases because they get used to age-related diseases and consider these symptoms to be normal.However, at the initial stage you can manage with conservative methods, and at the last stage only surgery will help you.

Main symptoms

The disease does not start suddenly, but develops over several years.A slight pain in the knee is initially felt only under heavy loads, when going up and down stairs.If arthropathy is not treated, over time the pain symptom becomes permanent, the knee joint takes on an abnormal shape and contour, and the leg may bend to the right or to the left.

In stage 1

Long before the arthritis develops seriously, a person may begin to feel slight discomfort in the knee after walking.Occasionally, stiffness of movement and tingling occurs.These symptoms should not be ignored, since with early examination treatment can be started and serious consequences can be prevented.

In stage 2

At this stage, the patient feels pain almost constantly.It is more intense in the morning, subsides after a short walk, but the condition worsens in the evening.The patient's gait slows, accompanied by a constant crunching sound.Often, redness and swelling of the skin appear in the knee area, which indicates an inflammatory process.X-ray shows marked changes.

Diagnostics

An orthopedist examines and diagnoses arthropathy of the knee joint.The diagnosis includes laboratory and instrumental research methods.These include:

• Blood and urine tests.Show the level of hormones in the body and the presence of inflammation.
• X-ray.It helps to assess the type of joint and determine the stage of the disease.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.It shows the condition of soft tissues, meniscus, cartilage, which is impossible with X-ray.
• Ultrasound of joints.Like an MRI, it shows the condition of the cartilage and surrounding tissues.It is a more subjective method, the result depends on the qualifications of the specialist.Therefore, ultrasound should be done as an adjunct to MRI.
• Personal inspection.Sometimes the doctor completely relies on the result of an X-ray or MRI and does not consider it necessary to check it himself.At the same time, manual examination can show missed details and identify comorbidities that also require treatment.

If there is a suspicion of gonoarthrosis, it is preferable to have all the tests done and to be monitored by a doctor in a specialized orthopedic clinic.

How to treat arthropathy of the knee joint

All treatment methods are selected individually and used in combination.You cannot use regular joint ointment as self-medication, as its effect will be temporary and will not eliminate the cause of the disease.It is optimal to combine medication, physical therapy, proper nutrition, and physical therapy.

Hormonal drugs

Steroid drugs have a wide range of effects on the body, including anti-inflammatory and pain relief.Such drugs are used as injections into the joint at the time of the flare-up 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 once every 2 weeks).In addition, hormonal injections do not eliminate the causes of the disease, but relieve the symptoms in combination with other methods and cannot be considered as a complete treatment.

Carboprotectors

This is a group of drugs that act on cartilage tissue, restoring and nourishing it, improving the quality of the lubricating fluid.

The most effective in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint are preparations with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.These substances are included in many medicines.

The attitude towards chondroprotectors among doctors and patients is ambiguous.Some patients, thanks to advertising, expect unrealistically fast results from treatment.Not finding them, they become disillusioned and begin to consider this group of drugs useless.

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

These drugs are much more effective in stages 1-2 of the disease and not when the cartilage tissue is already severely damaged.

Hyaluronic acid

Sodium Hyaluronate is a natural moisturizing ingredient 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.The disadvantages of the method include undesirable use in periods of exacerbation, inflammation and high price.At the same time, a well-planned course of hyaluronic acid can replace surgery, which can be even more expensive.

Ointments

Gels and ointments with an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect cannot affect the cause of the disease, but they can significantly relieve the patient's condition.Warming preparations improve blood circulation, strengthen the nutrition of the affected area and help the overall healing.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ointments are widely used to relieve pain, despite the relatively small amount of active substance that can penetrate the skin in the joint.

Diet therapy

Scientists have studied the relationship between the consumption of certain foods and osteoarthritis of the joints for many years.It has been suggested that the increased risk of morbidity is influenced by the consumption of meat, processed foods and excessive salt, but these speculations have not been confirmed.All that has to do with food and joints is excess weight.Therefore, the principles of diet therapy for this diagnosis are based on the general rules of healthy eating, as well as reducing and controlling body weight.

Recommendations for patients with knee arthropathy:

• Limit the consumption of ready-made food, fast food and prefer homemade dishes to simple products.
• Maintain a healthy salt intake norm - no more than 1 teaspoon per day.
• Limit sweets, fatty foods, carbonated drinks and flour products.
• The diet should be varied, most of them should be fruits, vegetables, cereals, dairy products, nuts, eggs (especially proteins) and lean meat.
• On the recommendation of your doctor, you can take a complex of vitamins and nutritional supplements.

If a patient with knee arthropathy is already overweight, they need to consult a nutritionist.The specialist will be able to give advice based on the patient's age, lifestyle and other indicators.

Folk remedies for the treatment of arthropathy

In folk medicine, decoctions, decoctions, compresses from medicinal herbs and other ingredients are used to treat joints.With the doctor's permission, these drugs can supplement the main treatment or be used for the prevention of gonoarthrosis, at the first signs of discomfort and arthropathy of the knee joint.

Many popular recipes:

• Rubbing with turpentine.Mix the yolk, a teaspoon of turpentine, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.Rub the mixture on the affected area overnight, wrapping it in a woolen cloth.Use 1-2 times a week.
• Honey and mummy.For 100 g of honey you need to add 3-4 g of mumiyo.Rub on knees before bed.
• Dandelion infusion.To prepare half a liter of alcohol or vodka, pour into a dark glass container.Fill it with yellow heads and leave it in a cool place for at least a month.Rub the drained product onto the sore area before going to bed.

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

Massage

Manual massage and hardware massage, manual therapy is ideal for overweight, sedentary people with joints.If there is excessive fluid accumulation in the joint, lymphatic drainage is indicated.All types of massage combine well with physical therapy and are used to relax muscles after training.Contraindications for massage are acute inflammation.

Physiotherapy

Numerous types of operations using heat, cold, electric current, ultrasound and laser rays slow the progression of arthritis, improve blood circulation in the affected area and have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

Most often, the doctor prescribes:

1. Shock wave therapy.The method involves the special direction of sound waves in the area of the affected joint.This effect relieves swelling, improves cartilage nutrition and destroys salt deposits.The most effective method of physical therapy for arthritis.
2. Muscle stimulation.Electrical impulses relieve muscle spasms and tension and maintain knee joint mobility.
3. Voicing.This treatment combines the local effects of ointments and gels with ultrasound.Due to this, the penetration of beneficial substances into the skin increases.

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

Physiotherapy

Popular techniques include physical therapy and joint traction.The exercise therapy complex is prescribed individually by a rehabilitation doctor.It may include weight training, medical devices and gymnastics for independent performance.Some exercises should be done in the morning, while you are still in bed, others - 3-4 times a day.The effectiveness of therapeutic exercises depends largely on the responsibility of the patient and his desire to recover.When performed correctly, such physical training helps to stop deterioration and prevent surgery.

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

Surgical treatment

Surgery for arthropathy is a method of affecting the cause of the disease and not just the symptoms.It is used in stages 2-3 of arthropathy, when other methods are ineffective.There are several intervention options:

1. Arthroscopy.Modern methods make it possible to perform the operation through small incisions with thin instruments under the supervision of a video camera.This type of surgery is more tolerable and recovery is faster.During the operation, the surgeon removes pieces of damaged cartilage and tissue fibers.
2. Puncture.Refers to low-injury interventions.It involves drawing excess fluid out of the joint with a syringe.It allows you to relieve swelling, inflammation and increase mobility.
3. Endoprosthetic.If in the last stage of arthropathy the joint has already suffered severe damage, it can be replaced with one made of titanium that is 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 are no other options.

To avoid surgery, you need to monitor your health and start treating diseases from the beginning.You don't have to endure years and suffocate knee joint pain and other signs of arthritis with painkillers.

Preventive measures for arthropathy of the knee joint

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

To prevent arthrosis of the knee joint, you must:

• Choose sports and load properly, based on your capabilities.
• Use comfortable, high-quality shoes with a low heel.
• Swimming, which strains and relaxes all muscles and joints equally.
• Avoid joint injuries and complete their treatment.
• Avoid excessive weight gain and keep it normal.

In addition to lifestyle adjustments, early treatment of congenital features of joint development, for example, various deformities and dislocations, is important.

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