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?

Arthrosis is 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 occurs in 70-85% of people over 60 years of age.First of all, these are overweight women.Other common causes of arthrosis:

• 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 hormone production and metabolism.

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

Classification of arthrosis of the knee joint

In this condition, there are 3 stages, depending on the degree of development of arthrosis.The earlier the disease is detected, the more successful and simpler the treatment will be.Features of 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 come to the doctor.
2. Changes and thickening of bones are visible on x-rays to the naked eye.The 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 illness because they get used to age-related diseases and consider these symptoms to be normal.However, at the initial stage you can manage with conservative methods, and at 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 pain symptom becomes permanent, the knee joint takes on an unnatural shape and outline, and the leg may bend to the right or left.

At stage 1

Long before arthrosis develops seriously, a person may begin to feel slight discomfort in the knee after walking.Occasionally, stiffness of movement and crunching occur.These symptoms should not be ignored, since with timely examination, treatment can be started and serious consequences can be prevented.

At stage 2

At this stage, the patient feels pain almost constantly.It is most pronounced in the morning, subsides after a short walk, but the condition worsens in the evening.The patient's gait slows down, accompanied by a constant crunching sound.Often, redness and swelling of the skin 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.Show the level of hormones in the body and the presence of inflammation.
• Radiography.Helps evaluate the type of joint and establish the stage of the disease.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.Shows the condition of soft tissues, meniscus, cartilage, which is impossible with radiography.
• Ultrasound of 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 as an addition to magnetic resonance imaging.
• 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 show details that were missed and identify concomitant diseases that also require treatment.

If gonarthrosis is suspected, it is preferable to carry out all examinations 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 regular ointment for joints as self-medication, since its effect will be temporary and will not eliminate the cause of the disease.It is optimal to combine medication, physical therapy, proper nutrition and physiotherapy.

Hormonal drugs

Steroid medications have a wide range of effects on the body, including anti-inflammatory and pain relief.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 alleviate symptoms in combination with other methods and cannot be considered as a complete treatment.

Chondroprotectors

This is a group of drugs that act on cartilage 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 among doctors and patients is ambiguous.Some patients, thanks to advertising, expect unrealistic quick results from treatment.Not finding them, they become disappointed and begin to consider this group of drugs useless.

In fact, chondroprotectors require long-term course 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 that is produced in the human body.With intra-articular injections, hyaluronic acid deeply nourishes dry, 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-designed course of hyaluronic acid can replace surgical intervention, which can be even more expensive.

Ointments

Gels and ointments with an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect are not able to affect the cause of the disease, but can greatly alleviate the patient’s condition.Warming preparations improve blood circulation, enhance 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 the skin into the joint.

Diet therapy

Scientists have studied the connection between eating certain foods and joint arthrosis for many years.It has been suggested that the increased risk of morbidity is influenced by the consumption of meat, processed foods, and excess salt, but these guesses have not been confirmed.The only thing that has to do with food and arthrosis 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 arthrosis:

• Limit the consumption of ready-made food, fast food, and give preference to homemade dishes made from simple products.
• Keep within the healthy salt intake norm - 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 be fruits, vegetables, cereals, dairy products, nuts, eggs (especially protein) and lean meat.
• On the recommendation of your doctor, you can take a complex of vitamins and dietary supplements.

If a patient with knee arthrosis is already overweight, he needs to 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, infusions, decoctions, compresses from medicinal herbs and other components are used to treat joints.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 folk recipes:

• Turpentine rubbing.Mix the yolk, one teaspoon of turpentine, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.Rub the mixture into the affected area overnight, wrapping it in a woolen cloth.Use 1-2 times a week.
• Honey and mumiyo.For 100 g of honey you need to add 3-4 g of mumiyo.Rub into knees before bed.
• Dandelion infusion.To prepare half a liter of alcohol or vodka, pour into a dark glass container.Fill it with yellow heads and leave in a cool place for at least a month.Rub the strained product into the sore 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 arthrosis.If there is excess fluid accumulation in the joint, lymphatic drainage is indicated.All types of massage go well with physical therapy 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 specially directing sound waves to the area of the diseased joint.This effect relieves swelling, improves nutrition of cartilage and destroys salt deposits.The most effective method of physiotherapy for arthrosis.
2. Myostimulation.Electrical impulses relieve spasms and muscle tension and maintain mobility of 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 exercise therapy complex is individually prescribed by a rehabilitation physician.It may include exercises using weights, medical devices and gymnastics for independent performance.Some exercises need to be done 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 carried out correctly, such physical training helps stop the deterioration and prevent surgery.

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

Surgical treatment

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

1. Arthroscopy.Modern methods make it possible to perform the operation through small incisions with thin instruments under the supervision of a video camera.This type of surgery is easier to tolerate and recovery is faster.During the operation, the surgeon removes pieces of destroyed cartilage and tissue fibers.
2. Puncture.Refers to low-traumatic interventions.It involves pumping out excess fluid from the joint with a syringe.Allows you to relieve swelling, inflammation and increase mobility.
3. Endoprosthetics.If at the last stage of arthrosis the joint is already severely damaged, it can be replaced with a titanium one that is compatible with the body.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 begin treating diseases at their very beginning.There is no need 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

You need to start taking care of the health of your knee joints early.The older you are, the more preventive 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 must:

• Choose sports and loads correctly, based on your capabilities.
• Use comfortable, high-quality shoes with low heels.
• Swimming, which evenly strains and relaxes all muscles and joints.
• Avoid joint injuries and complete their 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 elderly, but also in young patients.The disease takes a long time to develop, and with the right approach it is possible to recover and avoid serious health consequences.