Osteoarthritis of the knee joint

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is a disease of the musculoskeletal system in the form of deformation and damage to the joint cartilage tissue, which results in disruption of the structure and function of the cartilage.This disease has several names - gonarthrosis, deforming osteoarthritis.Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint does not have a clear scheme or a single drug that could help everyone suffering from this problem.Because arthrosis is a progressive disease, it is more common in overweight women, venous disease, and the elderly.Treatment is carried out and prescribed individually for each patient.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint can be unilateral or bilateral (depending on whether the disease develops in one or both legs).At the first symptoms, it is necessary to carry out adequate treatment, because ignoring this problem can lead to final destruction of cartilage and exposure of bones and, as a result, to disability of a person.

There are three stages of this disease:

1. The initial stage of knee arthrosis is characterized by the loss of shock-absorbing properties and, as a result, the cartilage rubs against each other when moving, causing severe discomfort in the patient.The cartilage becomes rough, deformed, dries out, and in advanced stages of the disease even cracks.
2. Due to reduced shrinkage, bone deformation begins, which leads to the formation of osteophytes (growths on the surface of the bone) - this is the second stage of the disease.The new joint membrane and capsule also undergo deformation, the knee joint gradually atrophies due to stiffness of movement.There is also a change in the density of the joint fluid (it becomes thicker, thicker), poor circulation, and a decrease in the supply of nutrients to the knee joint.Thinning of the layers between cartilaginous joints reduces the distance between the articulating bones.
3. The disease progresses rapidly and quickly moves to the third stage, when the patient is practically immobilized due to constant knee pain.Global and irreversible changes occur in cartilage tissue, leading to disability in humans.

Most often, arthrosis or gonarthrosis develops after an injury or bruise, while a person constantly feels severe pain in the knee, which significantly impedes its movement.

Reasons for the development of arthrosis

Arthrosis of the knee joint, the treatment of which takes quite a long time, can occur due to the following factors:

1. Genetic predisposition.
2. Injuries: dislocations, bruises, fractures.When treating an injured knee, the joint is fixed and the person is unable to bend or straighten the leg for a certain time.This leads to a decrease in blood circulation, which most often provokes the development of post-traumatic gonarthrosis.
3. Meniscus removal.
4. Excessive physical activity that is inappropriate for a person's age, leads to injury or microtrauma, as well as hypothermia of the joints.For example, running on asphalt or squatting is not recommended for elderly people, because during these exercises there is significant stress on the knee joints, which wear out with age and are unable to withstand such loads.
5. Overweight and obesity.This factor causes damage to the meniscus, an injury that triggers the development of knee arthrosis.
6. Loose ligaments or weak ligaments.
7. Arthritis or other acquired joint disease.The inflammatory process can cause accumulation of synovial fluid in the joint cavity or swelling.This triggers the destruction of knee cartilage tissue, leading to arthrosis of the knee joint.
8. Metabolic disorders in the human body.An insufficient amount of calcium significantly worsens the condition of the bones and cartilage tissue of the human body.
9. Flat feet.Improper foot structure shifts the center of gravity, and the load on the joints becomes greater.
10. Stress and nervous tension.

Symptoms of knee arthrosis

The clinical picture of this disease has the following symptoms:

1. Painful sensation.The pain occurs suddenly, depending on physical pressure on the knee joint.Pain sensations can be of different nature.In the initial stages, it is mild back pain, which a person usually does not pay much attention to.Periodic mild pain may occur for months, and sometimes years, until the disease progresses to a more aggressive stage.
2. Visible knee deformity.These symptoms appear at an advanced stage.At first, the knee appears swollen or puffy.
3. Accumulation of joint fluid in the joint cavity or Baker's cyst.This is a dense formation on the back of the knee joint.
4. Wrinkles in joints.A sharp crunching sound, accompanied by pain, is observed in patients in the second and third stages of the disease.
5. Inflammatory reaction in the articular synovium, as a result of which the cartilage swells and increases in volume.
6. Decreased joint mobility.Observed at a later stage.Bending the knee becomes almost impossible and is accompanied by severe pain.In the final stages, the knee may not be able to move fully.A person's movements become difficult or completely impossible (some patients move with bent legs).

Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint

Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint should be comprehensive.Until now, there is no medical drug that can relieve this disorder.One of the most important conditions for successful treatment is timely diagnosis.The earlier treatment of knee arthrosis is started, the more likely it is to prolong the period of remission and prevent damage and deformation of cartilage and bone tissue.

During treatment, the doctor and patient face several tasks:

1. Eliminate or reduce pain;
2. Establishes a supply of nutrients to the knee joint and thereby improves its recovery function;
3. Activates blood circulation in the knee joint;
4. Strengthens the muscles around the joint;
5. Increases joint mobility;
6. Strive to increase the distance between the articulating bones.

Treatment of the disease, depending on the stage of development, can be conservative and surgical.

Conservative treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint

Pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs

To relieve or reduce pain, patients are usually prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).These can be tablets, ointments and injections.Among the most common painkillers are the following.These medications can be used in two ways – orally or topically.

Typically, patients prefer local treatment in the form of gels, ointments and warming patches.The effect of this pain reliever does not occur immediately, but after several days (approximately 3-4 days).The maximum effect is achieved after a week of regular use of the drug.Such drugs do not treat the disease itself, but only relieve pain, since it is impossible to start treating pain.

Pain relievers should be taken strictly according to the doctor's recommendations;This drug should be used only for severe pain, as prolonged and frequent use can cause side effects and even accelerate the destruction of joint cartilage.In addition, with long-term use of this drug, the risk of adverse reactions increases, including stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, disruption of the normal function of the liver and kidneys, and allergic manifestations in the form of dermatitis are also possible.

Hormone

Sometimes, in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, hormonal drugs are prescribed.They are prescribed if NSAIDs are no longer effective and the disease itself begins to progress.Most often, hormonal drugs for the treatment of this disease are used in the form of injections.

The course of treatment with hormonal drugs is usually short and is prescribed during periods of severe exacerbation, when inflammatory fluid accumulates in the joints.This hormone is injected into the joint approximately once every ten days.

Chondroprotector

To restore and nourish cartilage tissue in the early stages of the disease, administration of glucosamine and chondroitite sulfate, called chondroprotectors, is prescribed.So far, this is the most effective treatment for arthrosis.They have almost no contraindications, and side effects occur in rare cases.

Vasodilators

To relieve spasm of small vessels, improve blood circulation and deliver nutrients to the knee joint, as well as eliminate vascular pain, vasodilators are prescribed.They are destroyed together with chondroprotectors.If knee arthrosis is not accompanied by fluid accumulation, it is also recommended to use ointments, gels and warming fluids.

Therapeutic exercise

An exercise therapy course can be very useful and bring good results only if prescribed by a doctor and carried out under the supervision, on the recommendation of a specialist or trainer.Self-medication is dangerous to health.Exercise therapy is used to further prevent damage to cartilage tissue, slow the development of stiffness, and relax muscle spasms that cause pain.During periods of exacerbation, exercise therapy is contraindicated.A special individual course of exercises, which takes into account not only the stage of the disease and the condition in which the cartilage is located, but also the patient's age, should be developed by a specialist competent in this field.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is used as one of the methods of conservative therapy - electrophoresis, laser therapy, acupuncture, diadynamic currents, UHF.Local massage courses also give positive results.Physiotherapy methods work in several directions - eliminating pain, reducing inflammation, normalizing metabolism within the joint, and restoring its normal function.The method and duration of physiotherapeutic treatment is determined by the patient's medical history and is determined only after a thorough diagnosis and examination of the condition of the joints.

Pain relief physiotherapy includes:

1. Medium wave ultraviolet irradiation (SUV irradiation).Contact of ultraviolet light with the knee skin continues until a slight redness appears.Substances are formed in the tissues that dull the sensitivity of nerve fibers, thereby achieving an analgesic effect.The duration of treatment is determined by the doctor depending on the symptoms, frequency and severity of pain.On average, treatment takes about 7-8 sessions.
2. Local magnetic therapy is aimed at restoring the patient's body as a whole.This procedure relieves inflammation, eliminates pain, and neutralizes muscle spasms.Effectively used for arthrosis of the knee joint in the early stages.The treatment course is usually limited to 20-25 procedures, each of which lasts about half an hour.
3. Infrared laser therapy, low intensity UHF therapy, centimeter therapy (SMV therapy).
4. Ultrasound, darsonvalization, therapeutic baths, interference therapy, which are prescribed to improve blood circulation in the joints.

Sanitary resort maintenance is not essential.This treatment is prescribed for deforming and dystrophic osteoarthritis.This treatment, as mentioned earlier, has contraindications, so the attending physician carefully examines the patient's medical history before recommending sanitary resort methods.

Surgical treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint

This is a radical method of treating arthrosis of the knee joint, which restores part or all of the function of the joint.The method and form of surgical intervention depend on the degree of joint damage, as well as the patient's medical history.

Advanced arthrosis of the knee joint can only be treated surgically - the knee joint is replaced in whole or in part with an endoprosthesis.Surgical treatment can not only improve well-being, but also restore the patient's ability to work in the last stages of knee arthrosis.Many consider the long recovery period with the use of exercise therapy, mechanotherapy and other means to be a significant disadvantage of this operation.

There are several types of surgical intervention for arthrosis of the knee joint:

Prevention of knee arthritis

To avoid this disease, people at risk (athletes, elderly people, overweight people, workers in companies) should follow certain instructions:

1. Proper nutrition and the fight against excess weight.It is important to exclude unhealthy foods from your diet - fatty foods, fried foods, alcohol, and it is better to consult a nutritionist who will individually help you choose a suitable diet.
2. When exercising, monitor the load on your joints and reduce it if necessary.
3. Monitor your health and treat infectious diseases in time, preventing them from becoming chronic.
4. Timely and adequate treatment of spinal diseases, if any, development of correct posture.
5. Sports activities (cycling, swimming, walking, special joint exercises).
6. No self-medication!At the first symptoms of knee arthritis, go to the clinic.
7. Avoid stress, sleep well.
8. Systematically increase your immunity (strengthen yourself or at least take vitamins 2-3 times a year).
9. Avoid hypothermia of the body, especially the lower extremities.

A healthy lifestyle and timely treatment are the best ways to prevent knee arthritis.