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

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

Why does arthrosis of the knee joint occur?

Arthrosis is a deformation of the cartilage of the joints.Cartilage acts as a shock absorber 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 immobile and the person may become disabled.

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

• Vigorous sports and physical exertion 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 less oxygen and nutrients.
• Joint diseases accompanied by inflammation.
• Disruption 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 case, there are 3 stages depending on the degree of development of arthrosis.The sooner the disease is detected, the more successful and simple the treatment will be.Characteristics of different stages of arthrosis:

1. Bone deformation is not pronounced at this stage.Abnormalities are noticeable on X-rays, but few people pay attention to minor symptoms and come to the doctor.
2. Bone changes and thickening are visible to the naked eye on X-rays.Quality of life decreases due to constant anxiety.
3. The patient's movement is significantly limited.Ligaments and cartilage are completely destroyed.

Many elderly people endure pain and suffer from the disease until the last moment because they are used to age-related diseases and consider these symptoms to be normal.But in the initial stage, you can manage with conservative methods, and in the final stage, only surgery will help.

Main symptoms

The disease does not start suddenly, it develops over several years.A slight pain in the knee is felt at first 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 an unnatural shape and contour, the leg may bend to the right or left.

In the 1st stage

Long before arthrosis develops seriously, a person may begin to feel slight discomfort in the knee after walking.Sometimes there is stiffness and crunching in the movement.These symptoms should not be ignored, because with a timely examination, treatment can be started and serious consequences can be avoided.

In the 2nd stage

At this stage, the patient feels almost constant pain.It manifests itself most often in the morning, decreases after a short walk, but the condition worsens in the evening.The patient's gait is slow, accompanied by a constant wheezing sound.Redness and swelling of the skin in the knee area often appear, which indicates an inflammatory process.X-rays show drastic 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.It helps to assess the type of joint and determine the stage of the disease.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.It shows the condition of soft tissues, meniscus, and cartilage, which is not possible with X-ray.
• Ultrasound of joints.Like MRI, it shows the condition of the cartilage and surrounding tissues.This is a more subjective method, the result depends on the specialist's qualifications.Therefore, ultrasound should be performed in addition to magnetic resonance imaging.
• Personal inspection.Sometimes the doctor completely trusts the results of the X-ray or MRI and does not consider it necessary to double-check himself.At the same time, a manual examination can show missed details and identify concomitant diseases that require treatment.

If you suspect gonarthrosis, it is preferable to carry out all examinations and be observed by a doctor in a special orthopedic clinic.

How to treat arthrosis of the knee joint

All treatment methods are selected individually and used in combination.You cannot use the usual ointment for the joints as a self-medication, because its effect will be temporary and will not eliminate the cause of the disease.A combination of drug treatment, physical therapy, proper nutrition and physiotherapy is optimal.

Hormonal drugs

Steroid drugs have a wide range of effects on the body, including anti-inflammatory and pain relief.Such drugs are used as an injection into the joint during an exacerbation of the disease to quickly relieve pain and swelling.Among the disadvantages of the method are 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 together with other methods alleviate the symptoms and cannot be considered as a complete treatment.

Chondroprotectors

This is a group of drugs that affect the cartilage tissue, restore and nourish it, and improve the quality of the lubricating fluid.

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

The attitude to chondroprotectors among doctors and patients is ambiguous.Some patients expect unrealistically fast results from treatment thanks to advertising.When they do not find them, they are 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, not when the cartilage tissue is already seriously damaged.

Hyaluronic acid

Sodium hyaluronate is a natural moisturizing component produced in the human body.By intra-articular injection, hyaluronic acid deeply nourishes dry, thinned cartilage, restores joint mobility and acts as an effective natural lubricant.Disadvantages of the method include the undesirability of use during periods of exacerbation, inflammation and high cost.At the same time, a well-prepared course of hyaluronic acid can replace surgical intervention, which can be even more expensive.

Ointments

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory gels and ointments cannot affect the cause of the disease, but they can greatly alleviate the patient's condition.Warming preparations improve blood circulation, increase nutrition of the diseased area and contribute to general healing.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments are widely used to relieve pain, despite the relatively small amount of active substance that can penetrate the skin.

Diet therapy

For many years, scientists have investigated the relationship between the intake of certain foods and arthrosis of the joints.Consumption of meat, processed foods, and excess salt has been suggested to increase the risk of the disease, but these estimates have not been confirmed.The only thing that is related to food and arthritis is being overweight.Therefore, the principles of diet therapy for this diagnosis are based on general rules of healthy eating, as well as reducing and controlling body weight.

Recommendations for patients with knee arthrosis:

• Limit the consumption of ready meals, fast foods, give preference to homemade meals made from simple products.
• Keep your salt intake within a healthy limit - no more than 1 teaspoon per day.
• Limit sweets, fatty foods, carbonated drinks and flour products.
• The diet should be varied, mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, nuts, eggs (especially protein) and lean meats.
• With the recommendation of your doctor, you can take a complex of vitamins and dietary supplements.

If a patient with knee arthrosis is 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, infusions, decoctions, compresses from medicinal plants and other components are used to treat joints.With the doctor's permission, these drugs can complement the main treatment or can be used to prevent gonarthrosis at the first signs of discomfort and arthrosis of the knee joint.

A few folk recipes:

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

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

Massage

Manual and machine massage, manual therapy, 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 exercise.Contraindications for massage are acute inflammation.

Physiotherapy

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

Often the doctor prescribes:

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

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

Kinesitherapy

Popular methods include physical therapy and joint traction.The exercise therapy complex is prescribed individually by the rehabilitation doctor.This may include exercises using weights, medical devices, and gymnastics for independent performance.Some exercises should be done in the morning while still in bed, while others should be done 3-4 times a day.The effectiveness of therapeutic exercises mainly depends on the patient's responsibility and desire to recover.When done correctly, this type of physical training helps to stop deterioration and prevent surgery.

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

Surgical treatment

Surgery for arthrosis is a method that affects not only the symptoms, but the cause of the disease.It is used in the 2-3 stages of arthrosis, when other methods are ineffective.There are several intervention options:

1. Arthroscopy.Modern methods allow to perform the operation through small incisions with thin instruments under video camera control.Such operations are 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.This involves removing excess fluid from the joint with a syringe.It allows to eliminate swelling, inflammation and increase mobility.
3. Endoprostheses.If the joint is already seriously damaged in the last stage of arthrosis, it can be replaced with titanium that fits the body.This is the most extensive intervention after long-term rehabilitation.In the most difficult cases, when there is no other option, they resort to it.

To avoid surgery, you should monitor your health and start treatment at the onset of diseases.There is no need to endure for years and suppress pain in the knee joint and other arthrosis symptoms 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 should take.Athletes and overweight people should pay special attention to the musculoskeletal system.

To prevent arthrosis of the knee joint, you should:

• Choose the right sports and loads based on your capabilities.
• Use comfortable, good quality shoes with low heels.
• Swimming that stresses and relaxes all muscles and joints equally.
• Avoid joint injuries and complete their treatment.
• Avoid excessive weight gain and keep it normal.

In addition to lifestyle correction, it is important to timely treat congenital features of joint development, for example, various deformations and dislocations.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint can occur not only in the elderly, but also in young patients.The disease develops over a long period of time, and with the right approach, it is possible to recover and prevent serious health consequences.