In the group of diseases of the musculoskeletal system of degenerative-dystrophic origin, gonarthrosis of the knee joint takes a leading place.
Gonarthrosis or arthrosis of the knee joint is a disease accompanied by slow destruction of the cartilage tissue of the joint, involving the entire joint in the pathological process, including ligaments, synovial membrane, subchondral bone and other elements of the joint.
Under the influence of various factors, such as infectious diseases (cold, flu, typhoid, tuberculosis, syphilis, sore throat and a number of others), injuries, functional congestion of the joint (e.g. athletes, workers engaged in heavy physical work, ballet dancers), trophism (nutrition) of the cartilaginous joint, which is a consequence of disturbed cartilage tissue, cartilaginous.becomes thinner and destroyed, sometimes to the point of complete disappearance.
Who is at risk?First of all, women older than forty are at risk of developing arthrosis of the knee joint;in them it occurs 2 times more often than in the stronger half of humanity.Moreover, the risk increases in women who tend to be overweight or obese.
But mostly, gonarthrosis is a disease of the elderly.And there is a simple explanation for that.As you know, cartilage tissue consists of approximately 70-80% water, thanks to which it is well absorbed.In addition, "regenerating" cells, chondrocytes, are actively working at a young age.With age, the amount of moisture begins to decrease, and therefore the joint's cushioning ability deteriorates, the cartilage becomes dry, brittle and cracks, and the existing chondrocytes do not have time to repair the damage.This in many ways explains the occurrence of gonarthrosis of the knee joint.
Causes of disease
Predisposing factors are overweight, physical inactivity, chronic joint injury or systematic microtraumatization of the joint, alcohol abuse, chronic stress, previous or existing diseases of the knee joint, such as:
- knee arthritis,
- sprain, partial or complete rupture of ligaments,
- intra-articular fracture of the femur or tibia,
- metabolic disorders, for example, gout and a number of other pathological conditions.
Very often it is not possible to determine any specific cause that caused gonarthrosis of the knee joint;in this case, they are talking about a combined cause, that is, gonarthrosis was the result of several diseases at once.
Also, according to the reasons for its occurrence, the disease is usually divided into two forms: primary and secondary.
The cause of primary arthrosis is age and the presence of accompanying factors, such as:
- professional predisposition,
- Excess weight
- obesity,
- Dilated veins of the lower extremities.
The cause of secondary gonarthrosis can be a previous injury to the knee (fracture, rupture of the ligament apparatus), called post-traumatic arthrosis of the knee joint.The cause can also be a previous infectious disease or inflammation of the knee joint.
Symptoms
Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint do not appear overnight;the development of the disease takes place gradually and often lasts several months or even years.The pain that comes to the fore is constant and intensifies with physical activity - walking, running, climbing or going down stairs, etc.Another characteristic symptom of this disease is the presence of crepitus in the joint, it can be a cracking or cracking sound in the knee.
Also very common manifestations of gonarthrosis are:
- an increase in local temperature (the joint is hot to the touch) or in general,
- the presence of joint swelling,
- increasing its volume,
- difficulty moving,
- deformation of the joint with subsequent curvature of the limb.
As the disease progresses, when the cartilage tissue is completely destroyed, the body has no choice but to start defending itself.This is manifested by the growth of bone tissue on the bones that form the joint in the form of "spikes" (osteophytes), resulting in deforming arthrosis of the knee joint.Exudate appears in joint cavities.
Depending on the size of the osteophyte and the degree of deformation, there are several degrees of gonarthrosis:
- Gonarthrosis of the 1st degree.Patients feel stiffness and slight pain in the joint in the morning or during prolonged sitting or standing.In this phase, there is no deformation of the joint, mobility is fully preserved.X-ray reveals a small osteophyte.
- Gonarthrosis of the 2nd degree.Painful sensations appear not only in the morning, but also after prolonged exercise;the joint is deformed, the joint surfaces are enlarged, as a result of which the volume of the joint is increased, bending is difficult, and when performing the movement, a creaking is felt.The X-ray shows a marked osteophyte, the joint space has not changed.
- Gonarthrosis 3 degrees.Manifestations are the same as in the second degree, only the symptoms become clearer.The pain is constant and does not subside even during rest and sleep.Joint function is almost completely lost;patients cannot bend or straighten their leg.As a result, lameness occurs, and movement is possible only with the help of crutches or assistance.There is severe deformation of the knee joint.An X-ray reveals a slight narrowing of the joint space.
- There is also a fourth stage, during which there is complete immobilization in the affected joint with further deformation.X-rays reveal sclerosis of the subchondral bone and significant narrowing of the joint space.
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint
In order to achieve good treatment results, you should seek the help of a qualified rheumatologist, and if there is none, then a therapist, because they know how to cure arthrosis of the knee joint.Do not under any circumstances try to treat it yourself, it can only make an already bad situation worse.Before starting treatment, it is extremely important to make a correct diagnosis, because an accurate diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.
Treatment of gonarthrosis is a rather long-term process and depends on a number of factors (type of arthrosis, cause of arthrosis, degree of the disease).Treatment is complex and includes drug and non-drug therapy, and in some cases, surgical treatment is also indicated.
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with drugs is primarily aimed at alleviating the main manifestations of the disease, such as:
- pain;
- Inflammation of joint and periarticular tissue.
In addition to relieving the symptoms of the disease, medicines are used for:
- restoration of joint tissue,
- improvement of trophism and blood circulation,
- strengthening the body's defenses,
- elimination of allergic reactions.
Various non-narcotic analgesics are used to relieve pain symptoms;in rare cases, narcotic painkillers are prescribed for a short period of time.The most commonly used drugs are from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They have a combined anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effect.
Chondroprotectors are used to restore cartilage tissue and improve joint mobility.Medicines stimulate the activity of cartilage cells - chondrocytes and help them restore tissue.A good effect is given by intra-articular application of hodroprotector.In recent years, a new, effective product based on hyaluronic acid has appeared.Due to its effect, this medicine is called "liquid prosthesis".After injection into the painful joint, this drug creates a protective film on the damaged cartilage and gradually restores the joint's normal lubrication characteristics.
Muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle spasms;in addition to the relaxing effect, they have a positive effect on blood circulation in the affected joint.
Among the non-medical methods of treating gonarthrosis, manual and physical therapy are widely used.Magnetotherapy, acupuncture, electrophoresis and massage, hardware traction (joint traction) and others are of utmost importance.Recently, the practice of treating arthrosis includes methods such as laser therapy and cryotherapy (exposure to liquid nitrogen).In addition to physiotherapy, exercise also has a good effect in knee arthrosis.Exercise therapy is the use of various physical exercises for therapeutic purposes.
Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint
At the beginning of the disease, physical stress on the affected joint should be minimized.You should not run, jump, lift weights, walk fast, or squat.Exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint can only be performed after completing the course of treatment, under the supervision of your doctor.
It is necessary to choose exercises that help strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the affected knee joint, but do not lead to excessive mobility of the joint.That is, exercises should be with minimal dynamic activity.It is useful to perform exercises for stretching ligaments and joint capsules.Here the rules are the same, perform the exercises gently, without effort.
When performing any gymnastic exercise, it is important to follow some rules:
- Do not perform exercises while overcoming pain,
- If the exercise causes pain, then it should be replaced by another, gentler one.
Massage for arthrosis of the knee joint has a beneficial effect on restoring the functions of the knee joint.At the point of exposure, blood vessels expand, circulation improves and metabolism accelerates.Massage procedures improve lymph flow, which, in turn, helps to eliminate residual inflammation.Massage strengthens the muscle system, increases the flow of oxygen to them, improves gas exchange, normalizes their tone and increases plasticity.
Diet for arthrosis of the knee joint
Recently, medical experts have discovered that there is no direct relationship between the incidence of gonarthrosis and diet.However, it is an undeniable fact that the development of arthrosis is greatly influenced by the presence of excess weight in a person.If the cause of the disease was excess weight, then it is obvious that the diet for arthrosis of the knee joint should be aimed at gradually reducing body weight.This will require a change in diet and a change in diet.Food should be less caloric, fried food and food rich in fat should be excluded from the diet.Eat more vegetables, fruits and fluids.
Prevention of arthrosis of the knee joint
In order for the joints to remain healthy as long as possible, it is necessary to regularly engage in physical education and gymnastics, but one should not get too carried away with it, so that it does not lead to an overload of the joints.Swimming provides the best performance and minimal stress on the joints.If you play professional sports, you must use joint protection.It is useful to alternate physical activity with rest;you shouldn't stay still for long.
Observance of all these simple rules, together with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, will not allow arthrosis of the knee joint to destroy the life of any person.