The knee joint is formed by a movable “tandem” of the tibia and femur.Their lateral displacement is prevented by the patella, and easy sliding movement is ensured by an elastic layer of durable cartilage tissue.
The thickness of the “healthy” cartilage lining the articular surfaces of the bones of the knee joint is 5-6 mm.
This is enough to soften the mechanical friction of the bones and absorb the “shock” load.A disease that leads to the destruction of the natural shock-absorbing tissue and deformation of the joint - gonarthrosis or arthrosis of the knee joint - has unpleasant symptoms and its treatment is often complicated by the triggering of a compensatory mechanism from the bone structures.
What causes the disease?
There is an opinion that gonarthrosis of the knee is a consequence of “salt deposits”.However, calcification or deposition of calcium salts in the ligaments of the knee has no independent significance and is more of a consequence than a cause.
What is gonarthrosis and how is it treated?
In reality, the “starting point” should be considered a violation of the blood supply to small bone vessels and its consequence – difficulties in the trophism of cartilage tissue and its depletion.This is followed by deformation of the hyaline cartilage.The latter flakes off and becomes covered with multidirectional cracks.The synovial fluid becomes more viscous and loses its properties as a natural “moisturizer” of the cartilage tissue.
The complete disappearance of the drying out “shock absorber” could be described as the end of the pathological process.
However, the underlying bones, having lost their cartilaginous "cover", compensate for the loss by growing along the periphery and becoming covered with "spikes" - bone growths.In this case, deformation of the knee joint occurs and the legs acquire an X or O shape, which is why this pathology is also called deforming arthrosis of the knee joint (hereinafter DOA).
What are the causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint?
- Aging of the body and the associated “wear and tear” of the joints;
- obesity;
- Extreme stress on the knee joint (in athletes);
- knee injury, fracture of one of his bones;
- removal of the meniscus;
- Untreated arthritis, rheumatism;
- Abnormal location of the bone components of the joint;
- “Failure” of the endocrine system and disharmony of hormones, metabolic imbalance.
Osteoarthritis is often confused with various arthritis.
However, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint is that the former is often the result of the penetration of various pathogens into the body, which leads to inflammatory diseases of the entire body.
Sometimes signs of arthritis - inflammation and swelling of the joint, swelling, pain that worsens at night - are the result of the immune system's active defense against the body's own cells.
Since osteoarthritis is an exclusively local disease, it is often a logical continuation of arthritis or a consequence of gradual “wear and tear” of the joint.
Primary and secondary gonarthrosis
In orthopedics and traumatology, the types of knee arthrosis are usually differentiated according to the causes that led to degenerative changes in the articular cartilage.
- Age-related or primary gonarthrosisKnee joint injuries often disrupt the progression of a relatively pain-free old age due to physical “wear and tear” of the cartilage tissue.Women over the age of 40 are slightly more likely than men to face this form of the disease.An earlier development of primary gonarthrosis puts athletes and people with extra pounds at risk;
- Secondary gonarthrosis– a logical continuation of a previous injury or a consequence of untimely treatment of inflammatory diseases, develops at any age.
Where is the disease hiding?
Gonarthrosis develops gradually and is localized in the inner part of the knee joint.However, the disease can “lurk” between the patella and the surface of the femur.
- Athletes and overweight people are often affected by left-sided gonarthrosis;
- People whose professional or sporting activities involve excessive dynamic or static loads on the right leg are more susceptible to degenerative changes in the cartilage layer of the right knee joint;
- Bilateral gonarthrosis is often age-related.Regardless of the reasons, uncontrolled destruction of both knee joints leads to disability in most cases.
Oh, it hurts!
The signs of gonarthrosis of the knee joint are quite vague at the beginning of the disease and not many people will rush to see a rheumatologist or arthrologist if they feel pain in the knee after a long hike.
Because a short rest and relaxation alleviates unpleasant symptoms of a slightly “crunchy” knee and ensures questionable physical well-being.
In fact, the “unclear” symptoms of the first stages of degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system make their timely detection and treatment extremely difficult.Deforming gonarthrosis is no exception.
- Stage 1 gonarthrosis, which manifests itself only as mild discomfort due to limb fatigue, is extremely difficult to detect on your own.A dull pain in the knee and the “crunching” of rough cartilage sticking together often provide a timely reason for a visit to the doctor;
- Gonarthrosis of the 2nd degree sets the stage for deformation of the knee joint and hinders its movements in the morning, so a “divergence” is required.Severe, persistent pain occurs after standing or sitting for a long time.Moderately limited knee mobility is accompanied by a crunching sound;
- The maximum signs of arthrosis of the knee joint appear in the third stage of the disease.A swollen knee whose local temperature is elevated often hurts at rest.
The movement of the joint is blocked by acute pain caused by “joint mouse” - fragments of broken bone growths.
A deformed joint loses stability and becomes difficult to move.Advanced disease at this stage requires prosthetics.
Can knee osteoarthritis be cured?
The well-known statement “Rest is not an end in itself, but a means to an end” relates directly to those who are faced with the first manifestations of the disease.Rest ensures maximum relief of the knee joint during an exacerbation.For the same purpose, the use of individual orthopedic insoles is recommended.
The use of individual orthopedic insoles ensures maximum relief of the knee joint.
A kind of insurance against the disease or its worsening will be special orthoses that support the stability of the “loose” knee joint in athletes.
A walking stick helps older people “relieve” their joints while walking.However, with the measures listed, osteoarthritis of the knee joints can be prevented.If such a “vaccination” did not help and aggravated gonarthrosis manifests itself with inflammation and pain, you should quickly consult an orthopedist or arthrologist.
How to treat gonarthrosis?
- Stage 1.Reduce inflammation and accompanying pain.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs administered orally, intramuscularly or intravenously can best manage the “acute” problem.NSAIDs “sealed” in rectal suppositories have a prolonged effect.
The use of corticosteroids is also justified - they are “delivered” directly into the diseased joint.
Local application of ointments or gels with an active anti-inflammatory component helps to enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of internally applied NSAIDs.The latter help to quickly relieve swelling.
Drugs that reduce vascular muscle tone are often prescribed together with NSAIDs.This improves periarticular blood flow.
What to do if you have osteoarthritis of the knee joint, for example in patients with gastrointestinal diseases for whom taking NSAIDs and painkillers is dangerous?
Oxygen therapy would be a good alternative.
- Stage 2.“Nourish” dried cartilage with substances 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 intra-articular administration of drugs.
- Stage 3.We smooth the “roughness” of the cartilage and reduce cartilage friction by introducing hyaluronic acid.
- Stage 4.With the help of physiotherapy we improve blood circulation and trophism of the joint.For this purpose, it is recommended to combine business with pleasure and undergo sanatorium-resort treatment.
- Level 5.We turn to unconventional 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 obtained from the patient's blood proteins.
Which exercises are the right ones?
Physiotherapy will help slow down the progressive destruction of the articular elements.His main goals:
- Improving the blood supply to the joint and activating the trophism of all its components;
- increased knee mobility;
- Increasing the tone of all muscles of the human body.
It is recommended that physical therapy sessions be conducted under the supervision of a physical therapy instructor, at least initially.An experienced trainer selects exercises that correspond to the degree of mobility of the joint and excludes high-amplitude exercises and exercises with excessive axial load - all of which can damage the soft tissues of the joint and worsen the patient's condition.
Recipes from the green pharmacy: There are options!
Provides 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.Pour the mixture into a 3 liter jar and fill to the top with boiling water.After keeping the composition in a warm place overnight and packing the jar well, start taking it in the morning, consuming 70 grams of the drug every morning.Gradually increase the intake to three times;
- Option 2.Treat the painful joint with a mixture of 1 tbsp.l.honey and 3 tbsp.l.Apple cider vinegar.Place a fresh cabbage leaf (lightly beat off with a knife) or burdock (light side for frying) on top.Wrap your leg in cellophane wrap and a soft scarf.Do it at night, up to 30 procedures.
Inevitable decision
Severe pain and joint disorders often threaten to cause disability.
Then middle-aged patients and young people with a diagnosis of arthrosis of the knee joint need to undergo surgery.
The most common procedure is endoprosthetics.The duration of such an operation is no more than an hour, and its effect is painless functioning of the “restored” limb for at least 20 years.After some time, the “loose” prosthesis must be replaced.