The knee joint is formed by a moving "tandem" of the tibia and femur.Their lateral displacement is prevented by the patella, and easy sliding movement is ensured by the elastic layer of durable cartilage tissue.
The thickness of the "healthy" cartilage lining the articular surface of the knee joint is 5-6 mm.
This is enough to soften the mechanical friction of the bone and absorb the "shock" load.A disease that leads to the destruction of natural shock-absorbing tissue and deformation of the joint gonarthrosis, or arthrosis of the knee joint, has unpleasant symptoms, and its treatment is often made difficult by the launch of compensatory mechanisms from the bone structure.
What triggers this disease?
There is an opinion that knee gonarthrosis is the result of "salt deposition."However, calcification, or the deposition of calcium salts in the knee ligament apparatus, has no independent significance and is more a consequence than a cause.
What is gonarthrosis and how to treat it?
In fact, the "starting point" should be considered a violation of the blood supply to the small bone vessels and as a result - difficulties in the trophism of cartilage tissue and its deficiency.This is followed by deformation of the hyaline cartilage.The latter exfoliation, becoming covered with multidirectional cracks.Synovial fluid becomes more viscous and loses its properties as a natural "moisturizer" of cartilage tissue.
The complete loss of drying "shock absorbers" can be called the end of the pathological process.
However, the underlying bones that have lost their cartilaginous "caps" compensate for the loss by growing along the edges and becoming covered with "spikes" - bony growths.In this case, the knee joint is deformed, and the leg takes 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 is the cause of knee arthrosis?
- Aging of the body and the accompanying "wear and tear";
- Excess body weight;
- Excessive load on the knee joint (in athletes);
- Knee injury, broken one of his bones;
- Meniscus removal;
- Untreated arthritis, rheumatism;
- Abnormal location of bone components of the joint;
- "Failure" in the endocrine system and hormonal disharmony, metabolic imbalance.
Arthrosis is often confused with various arthritis.
However, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint is that the former is often caused by the invasion of the body by various pathogenic agents, which "results" in an inflammatory disease of the whole body.
Sometimes the signs of arthritis - inflammation and swelling of the joints, swelling, pain that gets worse at night - are the result of the immune system "mobilizing" an active defense against the body's own cells.
Arthrosis, as an exclusively local disease, is often a logical continuation of arthritis or a consequence of the gradual "wearing" of the joints.
Primary and secondary gonarthrosis
In orthopedics and traumatology, the types of arthrosis of the knee joint are usually distinguished depending on the causes that cause degenerative changes in the articular cartilage.
- Age-related or primary gonarthrosisThe knee joint is often a relatively painless old age nuisance due to the physical "wear and tear" of the cartilage tissue.A little 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 extra pounds;
- Secondary gonarthrosis- The logical continuation of a previous injury or as a result of the immediate treatment of an inflammatory disease, develops at any age.
Where is the disease hidden?
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 gonarthrosis often affects athletes and overweight people;
- People whose professional or sports activities involve excessive dynamic or static loads 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 reasons, uncontrolled destruction of both knee joints in most cases causes disability.
Aw, it hurts!
Signs of gonarthrosis of the knee joint are rather vague at the beginning of the disease, and not many people will rush to visit a rheumatologist or arthologist 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 sense of physical well-being.
In fact, the "vague" symptoms of the first stage of degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system make timely detection and treatment very difficult.Deforming Gonarthrosis is no exception.
- Stage 1 Gonarthrosis, which is manifested only by slight discomfort caused by fatigue of the limbs, is very difficult to recognize on your own.Timely impetus to visit the doctor is often given by dull pain in the knee and "crunching" rough cartilage that clings to each other;
- Gonarthrosis of the 2nd degree sets the stage for the deformation of the knee joint and prevents its movement in the morning, causing the need to "detour".Intense, prolonged pain occurs after standing for a long time or sitting for a long time.Relatively limited knee mobility accompanied by a crunching sound;
- The maximum signs of arthrosis of the knee joint appear in the third stage of the disease.Swollen knees, increased local temperature, often painful at rest.
Joint movement is restricted by acute pain caused by a "joint mouse" - fragments of broken bone growth.
Deformed joints lose stability and are difficult to move.Advanced disease at this stage requires prosthetics.
Can knee osteoarthritis be cured?
The famous statement "REST is not an end in itself, but a means to an end" is directly related to those who are dealing with the early manifestations of this disease.REST ensures maximum unloading of the knee joint during exacerbation.For the same purpose, the use of individual orthopedic insoles is recommended.
The use of individual orthopedic insoles will ensure maximum relief of the knee joint.
One type of insurance against this disease, or rather against its severity, will be special orthoses that support the stability of "loose" knee joints in athletes.
Canes will help older people "unload" their joints while walking.But the measures listed are more likely to prevent arthrosis of the knee joint.If such "vaccination" does not help, and the worsening gonarthrosis manifests itself with inflammation and pain, you should urgently see an orthopedist or arthrologist.
How to treat gonarthrosis?
- Stage 1.Curb the inflammation and accompanying pain.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used orally, intramuscularly or intravenously will overcome the "acute" problem.NSAIDs "sealed" in rectal suppositories will have a long-lasting effect.
The use of corticosteroids is also allowed - they are "delivered" directly to the diseased joint.
The use of topical ointments or gels with active anti-inflammatory components will help enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of internally used NSAIDs.The latter helps to quickly relieve swelling.
Drugs that reduce vascular muscle tone are often prescribed together with NSAIDs.This increases periarticular blood flow.
What to do with arthrosis of the knee joint, for example, for patients suffering from gastrointestinal diseases who take NSAIDs and dangerous painkillers?
Oxygen therapy would be a good alternative.
- Level 2."Nourish" dry cartilage with ingredients that stimulate collagen synthesis.Chondroprotectors intended for this purpose act slowly, but their long-term use promotes the synthesis of natural components of the cartilage matrix.The greatest effect is achieved by the administration of intra-articular drugs.
- Stage 3.We smooth out cartilage "roughness" and reduce cartilage friction by introducing hyaluronic acid.
- Stage 4.We improve blood supply and joint trophism using physiotherapy.For this purpose, it is recommended to combine business with pleasure and undergo sanatorium-resort treatment.
- Level 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 derived from the patient's blood proteins.
What is the right exercise to do?
Physical therapy will help slow the progressive destruction of the articular elements.Its main goals:
- improve blood supply to the joints and activate the trophism of all its components;
- increased knee mobility;
- Increases the tone of all the muscles of the human body.
Physical therapy sessions, at least initially, are recommended to be conducted under the supervision of a physical therapy instructor.An experienced trainer will choose exercises that are suitable for the level of joint mobility, excluding high-amplitude exercises and exercises with excessive axial loads - all that can damage the soft tissues of the joints and worsen the patient's condition.
Recipes from Green Pharmacy: There are options!
Providing 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 to the top with boiling water.After keeping the composition overnight in a warm place, wrapping the jar well, start taking it in the morning, consuming 70 grams of the drug every morning.Gradually increase intake up to 3 times;
- Option 2.Treat aching joints with a mixture of 1 tbsp.L. honey and 3 tbsp.L. Apple cider vinegar.Place fresh cabbage leaves on top (lightly beat them with a knife) or burdock (light side towards the joints).Wrap your feet in cellophane film 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 the effect is pain-free functioning of the "restored" limb for at least 20 years.After time, the "loose" prosthesis needs to be replaced.