Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint: causes, stages of the disease, how to treat

Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint are often found in older people.Athletes and obese patients are also at risk.

Why does arthrosis of the knee joint occur?

Osteoarthritis is the deformation of the cartilage of the joints.Cartilage plays the role of shock absorbers and facilitates the movements of the human body.When they are destroyed, mobility gradually decreases, and any load brings pain.Over time, the knee becomes completely immobilized and the person may become disabled.

All cartilage thins and wears out with age, so the disease at various stages manifests itself in 70-85% of people over 60 years of age.First of all, these are overweight women.Other common causes of osteoarthritis:

• Intense sports and physical overload contribute to premature wear of cartilage at a young age.
• Injuries, fractures, dislocations.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Congenital disorders, lack of intra-articular fluid.
• A circulatory disorder in which the cartilage receives little oxygen and nutrients.
• Joint diseases accompanied by inflammation.
• Violation of the production and metabolism of hormones.

A type of osteoarthritis that affects the knee joint is called gonarthrosis, from the Ancient Greek “goni” - knee.

Classification of arthrosis of the knee joint

In this condition, 3 stages are distinguished, depending on the degree of development of arthrosis.The earlier the disease is detected, the more effective and simple the treatment will be.Characteristics of the different stages of arthrosis:

1. At this stage, bone deformation is not pronounced.Deviations are noticeable on x-rays, but few people pay attention to minor symptoms and turn to the doctor.
2. Bone changes and thickening are visible on X-rays with the naked eye.Quality of life decreases due to constant discomfort.
3. The patient is significantly limited in movement.Ligaments and cartilage are completely destroyed.

Many older people endure pain until the last moment and suffer from illnesses because they get used to age-related illnesses and consider these symptoms normal.However, in the initial stage it is possible to cope with conservative methods, and in the last stage only surgery will help.

Main symptoms

The disease does not begin suddenly, but develops over several years.A slight pain in the knee is initially felt only under heavy loads, when going up and down stairs.If arthrosis is not treated, over time the painful symptom becomes permanent, the knee joint takes on an unnatural shape and profile, and the leg may bend to the right or left.

At phase 1

Long before osteoarthritis develops seriously, a person may begin to feel mild discomfort in the knee after walking.Stiffness of movement and creaking occasionally occur.These symptoms should not be ignored, since with a timely examination it is possible to start treatment and prevent serious consequences.

At phase 2

At this stage, the patient feels pain almost constantly.It is more pronounced in the morning, disappears after a short walk, but the condition worsens in the evening.The patient's gait slows down, accompanied by a constant crunching sound.Redness and swelling of the skin often appear in the knee area, which indicates an inflammatory process.The x-ray shows pronounced changes.

Diagnostics

An orthopedist examines and identifies arthrosis of the knee joint.Diagnostics includes laboratory and instrumental research methods.These include:

• Blood and urine tests.It shows the level of hormones in the body and the presence of inflammation.
• X-ray.It helps evaluate the type of joint and establish the stage of the disease.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.It shows the condition of the soft tissues, meniscus, cartilage, which is impossible with x-ray.
• Ultrasound of the joints.Like MRI, it shows the condition of the cartilage and surrounding tissues.It is a more subjective method, the result depends on the qualifications of the specialist.Therefore, ultrasound should be performed in addition to MRI.
• Personal inspection.Sometimes the doctor completely relies on the result of an X-ray or MRI and does not consider it necessary to double-check it himself.At the same time, manual examination can reveal missed details and identify concomitant diseases that also require treatment.

If gonarthrosis is suspected, it is preferable to carry out all the tests and be observed by a doctor in a specialized orthopedic clinic.

How to treat arthrosis of the knee joint

All treatment methods are selected individually and used in combination.You cannot use ordinary joint ointment as self-medication, since its effect will be temporary and will not eliminate the cause of the disease.It is optimal to combine medications, physical therapy, proper nutrition and physiotherapy.

Hormonal drugs

Steroid drugs have a wide range of effects on the body, including anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving.Such drugs are used as injections into the joint at the time of exacerbation of the disease to quickly relieve pain and swelling.The disadvantages of the method include side effects, limited frequency of use (preferably no more than once every 2 weeks).In addition, hormone injections do not eliminate the causes of the disease, but relieve the symptoms in combination with other methods and cannot be considered a complete treatment.

Chondroprotectors

This is a group of drugs that act on the cartilaginous tissue, restoring and nourishing it, improving the quality of the lubricating fluid.

The most effective in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint are preparations with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.These substances are included in several drugs.

The attitude towards chondroprotectors on the part of doctors and patients is ambiguous.Some patients, thanks to advertising, expect quick and unrealistic results from treatment.Not finding them, they become disappointed and begin to consider this group of drugs useless.

Indeed, chondroprotectors require long-term use in combination with other treatment methods.

These drugs are much more effective in stages 1-2 of the disease, and not when the cartilage tissue is already severely damaged.

Hyaluronic acid

Sodium hyaluronate is a natural moisturizing component produced in the human body.With intra-articular injections, hyaluronic acid deeply nourishes dry and thinned cartilage, restores joint mobility and works as an effective natural lubricant.The disadvantages of the method include the undesirability of use during periods of exacerbation, inflammation and high price.At the same time, a well-studied course of hyaluronic acid can replace surgery, which can be even more expensive.

Ointments

Gels and ointments with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect are not able to influence the cause of the disease, but can significantly alleviate the patient's condition.Warming preparations improve blood circulation, improve nutrition of the diseased area and help overall treatment.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ointments are widely used to relieve pain, despite the relatively small amount of active substance that can penetrate through the skin into the joint.

Diet therapy

For many years, scientists have been studying the connection between the consumption of certain foods and joint osteoarthritis.It has been suggested that the increased risk of morbidity is influenced by the consumption of meat, processed foods and excess salt, but these hypotheses have not been confirmed.The only thing that has to do with food and osteoarthritis is excess weight.Therefore, the principles of diet therapy for this diagnosis are based on the general rules of healthy eating, as well as reducing and controlling body weight.

Recommendations for patients with knee osteoarthritis:

• Limit the consumption of ready-made foods, fast food and favor homemade dishes based on simple products.
• Maintain healthy salt intake: no more than 1 teaspoon per day.
• Limit sweets, fatty foods, carbonated drinks and flour products.
• The diet should be varied, most of it should contain fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, nuts, eggs (especially proteins) and lean meat.
• On the advice of the doctor, you can take a complex of vitamins and dietary supplements.

If a patient with knee osteoarthritis is already overweight, he should consult a nutritionist.The specialist will be able to give advice based on the patient's age, lifestyle and other indicators.

Folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis

In folk medicine to treat joints, infusions, decoctions, compresses of medicinal herbs and other components are used.With the permission of the doctor, these drugs can complement the main treatment or be used to prevent gonarthrosis, at the first signs of discomfort and arthrosis of the knee joint.

Several popular recipes:

• Rubbing with turpentine.Mix the egg yolk, a teaspoon of turpentine, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.Rub the mixture onto the affected area overnight, wrapping it in a woolen cloth.Use 1-2 times a week.
• Darling and Mommy.For 100 g of honey you need to add 3-4 g of mumiyo.Massage it on your knees before going to bed.
• Dandelion infusion.To prepare half a liter of alcohol or vodka, pour it into a dark glass container.Fill it with the yellow heads and let it rest in a cool place for at least a month.Rub the filtered product on the painful area before going to bed.

Such recipes help relieve pain and inflammation in complex treatment, but do not replace it.Illiterate self-medication can worsen your condition.

Massage

Manual and hardware massage, manual therapy are perfect for overweight, sedentary people with osteoarthritis.If there is excessive fluid accumulation in the joint, lymphatic drainage is indicated.All types of massage go well with physiotherapy and are used to relax muscles after training.Contraindications for massage are acute inflammation.

Physiotherapy

Numerous types of procedures using heat, cold, electric current, ultrasound and laser beams slow down the progression of arthrosis, improve blood circulation in the diseased area and have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.

Most often, the doctor prescribes:

1. Shock wave therapy.The method involves the specific direction of sound waves in the area of the diseased joint.This effect relieves swelling, improves cartilage nutrition and destroys salt deposits.The most effective method of physiotherapy for arthrosis.
2. Myostimulation.The electrical impulses relieve spasms and muscle tension and maintain mobility in the knee joint.
3. Phonophoresis.This therapy combines the local effects of ointments and gels with ultrasound.Due to this, the penetration of beneficial substances into the skin increases.

Less commonly used are cryotherapy, paraffin therapy, laser therapy, magnetic therapy and other techniques.

Kinesitherapy

Popular techniques include physical therapy and joint traction.The physical therapy complex is prescribed individually by a rehabilitation doctor.It can include exercises with weights, medical devices and gymnastics for independent performance.Some exercises need to be performed in the morning, while still in bed, others - 3-4 times a day.The effectiveness of therapeutic exercises largely depends on the patient's responsibility and his desire to recover.When done correctly, this physical training helps stop deterioration and prevent surgery.

A special orthopedic device is used for traction.The method allows you to widen the space between the joints, reduce their friction and the load on the painful knee.

Surgical treatment

Surgery for osteoarthritis is a method of influencing the cause of the disease, and not just the symptoms.It is used in stages 2-3 of arthrosis, when other methods are ineffective.There are several intervention options:

1. Arthroscopy.Modern methods allow the operation to be performed through small incisions with thin instruments under the supervision of a video camera.This type of surgery is easier to tolerate and recovery is quicker.During the operation, the surgeon removes pieces of cartilage and destroyed tissue fibers.
2. Drilling.It refers to low trauma interventions.It involves pumping excess fluid out of the joint with a syringe.It allows you to relieve swelling, inflammation and increase mobility.
3. Endoprosthesis.If in the last stage of arthrosis the joint is already seriously damaged, it can be replaced with a titanium one compatible with the organism.This is the most extensive intervention, followed by long-term rehabilitation.They resort to it in the most difficult cases, when there are no other options.

To avoid surgery, you need to monitor your health and start treating diseases from the very beginning.It is not necessary to endure for years and drown out pain in the knee joint and other signs of arthrosis with painkillers.

Preventive measures for arthrosis of the knee joint

It is necessary to start taking care of the health of the knee joints early.The older you get, the more preventative measures you need to take.Athletes and overweight people should pay special attention to the musculoskeletal system.

To prevent arthrosis of the knee joint, you need:

• Choose sports and load correctly, based on your capabilities.
• Use high-quality, comfortable shoes with low heels.
• Swimming, which uniformly strains and relaxes all muscles and joints.
• Avoid joint injuries and complete treatment.
• Avoid excessive weight gain and keep it normal.

In addition to lifestyle adjustments, timely treatment of congenital features of joint development, for example, various deformities and dislocations, is important.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint can occur not only in older people, but also in young patients.The disease takes a long time to develop, and with the right approach it is possible to heal and avoid serious health consequences.