The knee joint is formed by the moving "tandem" of the tibia and femur.Their lateral movement prevents the patella, and easy, sliding movement is ensured by an elastic layer of durable cartilage tissue.
The thickness of "healthy" cartilage covering the articular surfaces of the bones of the knee joint is 5-6 mm.
This is enough to relieve the mechanical friction of the bones and absorb the "impact" load.A disease that leads to the destruction of the natural tissue of the shock absorber and deformation of the joint - gonarthrosis, i.e. arthrosis of the knee joint, has unpleasant symptoms, and its treatment is often complicated by the initiation of a compensatory mechanism from bone structures.
What causes the disease?
There is an opinion that knee gonarthrosis is the result of "salt deposition".However, calcification, i.e. the deposition of calcium salts in the ligamentous apparatus of the knee, has no independent significance and is more a consequence than a cause.
What is gonarthrosis and how to treat it?
In reality, the "starting point" should be considered a violation of the blood supply of small bone vessels and its consequence - difficulties in the trophism of cartilage tissue and its exhaustion.This is followed by deformation of the hyaline cartilage.The latter exfoliates, covering itself with multidirectional cracks.The synovial fluid becomes more viscous and loses the properties of the natural "moisturizing" cartilage tissue.
The complete disappearance of the drying "shock absorber" could be called the end of the pathological process.
However, the lower bones that have lost their cartilaginous "cover" compensate for the loss by growing along the periphery and covering themselves with "spikes" - bony outgrowths.In this case, the knee joint is deformed, and the legs take on an X- or O-shape, which is why this pathology is also called deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint (hereinafter referred to as DOA).
What are the causes of arthrosis of the knee joint?
- Aging of the body and accompanying "wear and tear" of the joints;
- Excess body weight;
- Extreme loads on the knee joint (in athletes);
- Knee injury, fracture of one bone;
- Meniscus removal;
- Untreated arthritis, rheumatism;
- Abnormal location of bone components of the joint;
- "Failure" in the endocrine system and hormone disharmony, metabolic imbalance.
Arthritis is often confused with various arthritis.
However, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint is that the former is often the result of the invasion of the organism by various pathogenic agents, which "results" in inflammatory diseases of the whole body.
Sometimes the signs of arthritis - joint inflammation and swelling, swelling, pain that worsens at night - are the result of the immune system "deploying" an active defense against the body's own cells.
Arthrosis, as an exclusively local disease, often becomes a logical continuation of arthritis or a consequence of gradual "wear and tear" of the joint.
Primary and secondary gonarthrosis
In orthopedics and traumatology, the types of arthrosis of the knee joint are most often distinguished depending on the reasons that led to degenerative changes in the joint cartilage.
- Age-related or primary gonarthrosisthe knee joint often disrupts the flow of a relatively painless old age due to the physical "wear and tear" of cartilage tissue.Somewhat more often, compared to men, women who have crossed the 40-year mark face this form of the disease.Early development of primary gonarthrosis threatens athletes and those with excess weight;
- Secondary gonarthrosis- a logical continuation of a previous injury or a consequence of untimely treatment of inflammatory diseases, occurs at any age.
Where is the disease hiding?
Gradually developing, gonarthrosis is localized in the inner part of the knee joint.However, the disease can "lurk" between the patella and the surface of the femur.
- Gonarthrosis of the left side often affects athletes and overweight people;
- People whose professional or sports activities include excessive dynamic or static loads on the right leg are more susceptible to degenerative changes in the cartilage layer of the right knee joint;
- Bilateral gonarthrosis is often associated with age.Regardless of the reasons, uncontrolled destruction of both knee joints leads to disability in most cases.
Oh, it hurts!
The signs of gonarthrosis of the knee joint are quite vague at the beginning of the disease, and few people will rush to see a rheumatologist or an arthrologist if they feel pain in the knee after a long walk.
After all, a short rest and relaxation relieves the unpleasant symptoms of a slightly "crunchy" knee, giving a dubious feeling of physical well-being.
In fact, the "vague" symptoms of the first stages of degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system make their timely detection and treatment extremely difficult.Deforming gonarthrosis is no exception.
- Stage 1 gonarthrosis, which is manifested only by mild discomfort caused by fatigue of the extremities, is extremely difficult to recognize independently.A timely stimulus for a visit to the doctor is often given by a dull pain in the knee and the "crunching" of rough cartilage that adheres to each other;
- Gonarthrosis of the 2nd degree sets the stage for the deformation of the knee joint and makes its movements difficult in the morning, causing the need to "diverge".Intense, long-lasting pain occurs after standing or sitting for a long time.Moderately limited mobility of the knee is accompanied by a cracking sound;
- The maximum signs of arthrosis of the knee joint appear in the third stage of the disease.A swollen knee, whose local temperature is elevated, often hurts at rest.
Joint movement is blocked by acute pain caused by "joint mice" - fragments of broken bone growths.
A deformed joint loses stability and is difficult to move.Advanced disease at this stage requires prosthetics.
Can knee osteoarthritis be cured?
The well-known statement "Rest is not an end in itself, but a means to an end" directly applies to those who are faced with the initial manifestations of the disease.Rest ensures maximum relief of the knee joint during an exacerbation.For the same purpose, it is recommended to use individual orthopedic insoles.
The use of individual orthopedic insoles will ensure maximum relief of the knee joint.
Special orthoses that support the stability of the "loose" knee joint in athletes will be a kind of insurance against the disease, that is, against its worsening.
A cane will help older people "unload" their joints while walking.But the mentioned measures are more likely to prevent arthrosis of the knee joints.If such "vaccination" did not help, and aggravated gonarthrosis is manifested by inflammation and pain, hurry to see an orthopedist or arthrologist.
How to treat gonarthrosis?
- Phase 1.Control inflammation and associated pain.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously will best deal with an "acute" problem.NSAIDs "sealed" in rectal suppositories will have a prolonged effect.
The use of corticosteroids is also justified - they are "delivered" directly to the affected joint.
Local use of ointments or gels with an active anti-inflammatory component will help to enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used internally.The latter help to quickly remove swelling.
Drugs that reduce vascular muscle tone are often prescribed together with NSAIDs.This improves periarticular blood flow.
What to do with arthrosis of the knee joint, for example, for patients suffering from gastrointestinal diseases for which it is dangerous to take NSAIDs and painkillers?
Oxygen therapy would be a good alternative.
- Phase 2.It "feeds" dried cartilage with substances that stimulate collagen synthesis.Chondroprotectors intended for this purpose act slowly, but their long-term use stimulates the synthesis of natural components of the cartilage matrix.The greatest effect is achieved by intra-articular administration of drugs.
- Phase 3.We smooth out the "roughness" of cartilage and reduce cartilage friction by introducing hyaluronic acid.
- Phase 4.Physiotherapy improves blood circulation and joint trophism.For this purpose, it is recommended to combine work with pleasure and a sanatorium-resort.
- Phase 5.We turn to non-traditional methods of treatment: acupuncture and hirudotherapy, apitherapy.An innovation in the treatment of DOA of the knee joint is the intra-articular application of Orthokine, a serum derived from the patient's blood proteins.
What exercises should be done?
Physical therapy will help slow the progressive destruction of joint elements.Its primary objectives:
- improvement of blood supply to the joint and activation of trophism of all its components;
- increased knee mobility;
- raising the tone of all the muscles of the human body.
Physical therapy sessions, at least initially, are recommended to be done under the supervision of a physical therapy instructor.An experienced trainer will select exercises that match the level of mobility of the joint, excluding high-amplitude exercises and exercises with excessive axial load - anything that can damage the soft tissues of the joint and worsen the patient's condition.
Prescriptions from the green pharmacy: there are options!
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.Put the mixture in a 3-liter jar and fill it to the top with boiling water.After keeping the mixture overnight in a warm place, wrap the jar well, start taking it in the morning, taking 70 grams of the medicine every morning.Gradually increase the intake to 3 times;
- Option 2.Treat a painful joint with a mixture of 1 tbsp.l.honey and 3 tbsp.l.apple cider vinegar.Place a fresh cabbage leaf on top (lightly tap it with a knife) or thistle (light side towards the joint).Wrap the leg in cellophane foil and a soft scarf.Do it at night, up to 30 procedures.
An inevitable decision
Often severe pain and joint dysfunction threaten disability.
Then middle-aged patients, as well as young people diagnosed with arthrosis of the knee joint, need surgery.
The most common procedure is endoprosthetics.The duration of such an operation is no more than an hour, and its effect is the painless functioning of the "restored" limb for at least 20 years.After some time, the "loose" prosthesis will have to be replaced.