In the group of diseases of the musculoskeletal system of degenerative-dystrophic origin, gonarthrosis of the knee joint occupies a leading place.
Gonarthrosis or arthrosis of the knee joint is a disease accompanied by slow destruction of joint cartilage tissue, which involves 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 (colds, flu, typhoid, tuberculosis, syphilis, sore throat and some others), injuries, joint function congestion (for example, athletes, workers involved in heavy physical labor, ballet dancers), trophism (nutrition) of thin knee cartilage cartilage tissue, which results in thin cartilage, and becomes damaged.destroyed, sometimes to the point of disappearing completely.
Who is at risk?First of all, women over forty are at risk of developing knee joint arthrosis;it happens to them 2 times more often than the stronger human half.Additionally, the risk increases in women who are prone to being overweight or obese.
But in general, gonarthrosis is a disease of the elderly.And there is a simple explanation for this.As you know, cartilage tissue consists of about 70-80% water, which it absorbs well.In addition, at a young age, "regenerating" cells, chondrocytes, work actively.With age, the amount of moisture begins to decrease, and, as a result, the ability to protect the joints deteriorates, the cartilage becomes dry, brittle and cracks, and the existing chondrocytes do not have time to repair the damage.In many ways, this explains the occurrence of gonarthrosis of the knee joint.
Cause of disease
Predisposing factors include overweight, physical inactivity, chronic joint injury or systematic joint microtraumatization, alcohol abuse, chronic stress, previous or existing knee joint disease, 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 some other pathological conditions.
Often, it is not possible to establish a specific cause that causes gonarthrosis of the knee joint;in this case, they are talking about a combined cause, that is, gonarthrosis is the result of several diseases at once.
Also, the disease, according to the causes of its occurrence, is usually divided into two forms: primary and secondary.
The cause of primary arthrosis is age and the presence of related factors, such as:
- professional orientation,
- Excess body weight
- obesity,
- Varicose veins on the lower leg.
The cause of secondary gonarthrosis can be a previous injury to the knee (fracture, rupture of the ligament apparatus), which is called arthrosis after trauma of the knee joint.The cause may 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 this disease occurs gradually and often takes several months, or even years.The pain that comes forward is constant and aggravated by physical activity - walking, running, going up or down stairs, etc.Another characteristic symptom of this disease is the presence of crepitus in the joints, this can be a cracking or cracking sound in the knees.
Also very common manifestations of gonarthrosis are:
- increased local (joints hot to the touch) or general temperature,
- the presence of joint swelling,
- increase the amount,
- difficulty moving,
- deform the joint with the curvature of the next member.
As the disease progresses, when the cartilage tissue is completely destroyed, the body has no choice but to start defending itself.This is shown by the growth of bone tissue on the bones that form the joint in the form of "spikes" (osteophytes), and arthrosis of the knee joint changes in shape.Exudate appears in the joint cavity.
Depending on the size of the osteophyte and the degree of deformation, several degrees of gonarthrosis are distinguished:
- 1st degree gonarthrosis.The patient feels stiffness and mild pain in the joints in the morning or when sitting or standing for a long time.There is no joint deformation at this stage, mobility is fully preserved.X-ray revealed a small osteophyte.
- 2nd degree gonarthrosis.Painful sensations appear not only in the morning, but also after prolonged exercise;the joint is deformed, the articular surface is enlarged, as a result the number of joints also increases, bending is difficult, and a throbbing sensation is felt when performing movements.X-rays show clear osteophytes, the joint space is unchanged.
- Gonarthrosis 3 degrees.The manifestation is the same as in the second stage, only the symptoms become more obvious.The pain persists and does not subside even during rest and sleep.Joint function is almost completely lost;the patient cannot bend or straighten their legs.As a result, lameness occurs, and movement becomes possible only with crutches or assistance.There is a severe deformity of the knee joint.X-rays reveal slight narrowing of the joint space.
- There is also a fourth level, where there is complete immobilization of the affected joint with further deformation.X-ray revealed sclerosis of the subchondral bone and significant narrowing of the joint space.
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint
To achieve good results from treatment, you should seek help from a qualified rheumatologist, and if he is not available, then to a therapist, because they are the ones who know how to cure arthrosis of the knee joint.Under no circumstances should you try to treat it yourself, this can only worsen an already bad situation.Before starting treatment, it is very important to make a correct diagnosis, because the correct diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.
Treatment of gonarthrosis is a rather long process and depends on several factors (type of arthrosis, cause of arthrosis, level of the disease).Treatment is complex and includes drug and non-drug therapy, and in some cases surgical treatment is indicated.
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is mainly aimed at relieving the main manifestations of the disease, such as:
- sick;
- Inflammation of joint and periarticular tissue.
In addition to relieving the symptoms of the disease, drugs are used to:
- joint tissue recovery,
- increase its trophism and blood circulation,
- strengthen the body's defenses,
- eliminate allergic reactions.
To relieve pain symptoms, various non-narcotic analgesics are used;in rare cases, narcotic pain relievers are prescribed for a short time.The most commonly used drugs are from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They have a combination of anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects.
Chondroprotectors are used to restore cartilage tissue and improve joint mobility.Medicines stimulate the activity of cartilage cells - chondrocytes, and help them restore tissue.Intra-articular administration of chodroprotectors gives a good effect.In recent years, new effective products based on hyaluronic acid have appeared.Because of its effect, this drug is called "liquid prosthesis".After injection into the diseased joint, this drug forms a protective film on the damaged cartilage and gradually restores the joint's normal lubrication properties.
Muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle spasms;in addition to their relaxing effect, they have a positive effect on blood circulation in the affected joints.
Among non-drug methods to treat gonarthrosis, manual and physical therapy are widely used.Magnetic therapy, acupuncture, electrophoresis and massage, hardware traction (joint traction) etc. are the most important.Recently, the practice of treating arthrosis has included methods such as laser therapy and cryotherapy (exposure to liquid nitrogen).Along with physiotherapy, exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint also gives a good effect.Exercise therapy is the use of various physical exercises for therapeutic purposes.
Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint
At the onset of the disease, physical stress on the affected joints should be minimized.You should not run, jump, lift weights, walk briskly or squat.Exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint can be performed only after completing the course of treatment, under the supervision of the attending physician.
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, training should be with minimal dynamic activity.It is useful to do exercises to stretch the ligaments and joint capsules.The rules here are the same, do the exercises gently, without using any effort.
When doing any gymnastics exercise, it is important to follow some rules:
- Do not exercise during pain relief,
- If the exercise causes pain, then it should be replaced with another that is gentler.
Massage for arthrosis of the knee joint has a good effect on restoring the function of the knee joint.In the place of exposure, blood vessels expand, blood circulation improves and metabolism is accelerated.The massage procedure increases the flow of lymph, and this, in turn, helps to remove residual inflammation.Massage strengthens the muscular system, increases the flow of oxygen into it, improves gas exchange, normalizes their tone, and improves plasticity.
Diet for arthrosis of the knee joint
Recently, medical experts found that there is no direct relationship between the occurrence of gonarthrosis and nutrition.However, the indisputable fact is that the development of arthrosis is greatly influenced by the presence of excess weight in a person.If the cause of the disease is excess weight, then it is clear that the diet for arthrosis of the knee joint should be aimed at reducing weight gradually.This requires a change in diet and a change in diet.Food should be lower in calories, fried foods and high-fat foods 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 you should not get too carried away with this, so that this does not lead to a load on the joints.Swimming provides the best effect and minimal stress on the joints.If you are involved in professional sports, you must use joint protection.It is useful to replace physical activity with rest;you should not remain motionless for a long time.
Compliance with all these simple rules, along with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, will not allow arthrosis of the knee joint to spoil the life of any person.