Osteoarthritis or gonarthrosis of the knee joint.

causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint

In the group of diseases of the musculoskeletal system of degenerative-dystrophic origin, gonarthrosis of the knee joint occupies the main place.

Gonarthrosis or osteoarthritis of the knee joint is a disease accompanied by a slow destruction of the cartilage tissue of the joint with the participation of the entire joint in the pathological process, including the ligaments, the synovial membrane, the subchondral boneand other elements of the joint.

Under the influence of various factors, such as infectious diseases (colds, flu, typhus, tuberculosis, syphilis, tonsillitis and others), injuries, functional joint congestion (for example, in athletes, workers doing strenuous physical work, ballet dancers) there is a violation of the trophism (nutrition) of the cartilage tissue of the knee joint, as a result, the cartilage becomes thinner and destroyed, sometimes to complete disappearance.

Who is at risk? First of all, osteoarthritis of the knee joint has the risk of "winning" over women over forty, they have it 2 times more often than in the strong half of humanity. Also, the risk increases in those women who tend to be overweight or obese.

But, in general, knee osteoarthritis is a disease of the elderly. And there is a simple explanation for this. As you know, cartilage tissue is about 70-80% water, so it absorbs well. Also, at a young age, the "restorer" cells of the chondrocytes are actively working. With age, the amount of moisture begins to decrease, and therefore the ability to cushion the joint worsens, the cartilage dries, becomes brittle and cracks, and the existing chondrocytes do not have time to repair the damage. In many ways, this explains the appearance of gonarthrosis of the knee joint.

Causes of the disease

how osteoarthritis of the knee joint manifests

Predisposing factors are excess weight, physical inactivity, chronic joint injury or systematic joint microtrauma, alcohol abuse, chronic stress, previous or existing knee joint diseases, like:

  • knee arthritis,
  • sprain, partial or complete tear of the ligaments
  • intra-articular fracture of the femur or tibia,
  • metabolic disorders, such as gout, and other pathological conditions.

Very often, it is not possible to establish a specific cause of knee joint gonarthrosis, in this case, we speak of a combined cause, that is, gonarthrosis was the result of several diseases at once.

Furthermore, the disease, for reasons of appearance, is usually divided into two forms: primary and secondary.

Primary osteoarthritis is caused by age and associated factors, such as:

  • professional predisposition,
  • Overweight,
  • Obesity,
  • Varicose veins of the lower extremities.

The cause of secondary knee osteoarthritis may be a previous injury to the knee (fracture, tear of the ligamentous apparatus), called post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the knee joint. The same reason can be a previous infectious disease or an inflammation of the knee joint.

Symptoms

The signs of osteoarthritis of the knee joint do not appear overnight, the development of the disease occurs gradually and often takes several months or even years. Pain that is permanent and increases with physical activity (walking, running, going down or climbing stairs, etc. ) come to the fore. Another characteristic symptom of this disease is the presence of crepitus in the joint, it can be a crack or crack in the knee.

They are also very frequent manifestations of knee osteoarthritis:

  • an increase in local temperature (the joint is warm to the touch) or general,
  • presence of joint inflammation
  • increasing its volume,
  • movement difficulty,
  • deformity of the joint followed by curvature of the limb.
stages of development of knee osteoarthritis

As the disease progresses, when the cartilage tissue is completely destroyed, the body has no choice but to start defending itself. This is manifested by the proliferation of bone tissue on the bones that form the joint in the form of "spines" (osteophytes), there is a deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Exudate appears in the joint cavities.

Depending on the size of the osteophytes and the degree of deformity, various degrees of knee osteoarthritis are distinguished:

  • Gonarthrosis Grade 1.Patients experience stiffness and mild pain in the joint in the morning or when sitting or standing for a long time. There is no deformity of the joint at this stage, mobility is fully preserved. An X-ray reveals a small osteophyte.
  • Gonarthrosis grade 2.Painful sensations appear, not only in the morning, but also after prolonged effort, the joint is deformed, the joint surfaces are enlarged, as a result of which alsoincreases the volume of the joint, flexion is difficult, a crunch is felt when performing movements. The radiograph shows a pronounced osteophyte, the joint space does not change.
  • Gonarthrosis grade 3.The manifestations are the same as in the second degree, only the symptoms become more pronounced. The pain is permanent, it does not give way either at rest or in sleep. The function of the joint is almost completely lost, patients are unable to bend the leg or straighten it. As a result, lameness occurs, movement is possible only with crutches or outside help. There is a pronounced deformation of the knee joint. On radiography, a slight narrowing of the joint space is determined.
  • There is also a fourth stage, in which there is complete immobility in the most deformed affected joint. On radiography, the phenomena of sclerosis of the subchondral bone and a significant narrowing of the joint space are determined.

Treatment of knee osteoarthritis

To achieve good results with treatment, you should seek the help of a qualified rheumatologist, and if not, a therapist, as they know how to cure osteoarthritis of the knee joint. In no case should you try to treat it yourself, this can only aggravate a situation that is no longer better. Before starting treatment, it is extremely important to make the correct diagnosis, as the correct diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.

The treatment of knee osteoarthritis is a rather long process and depends on several factors (type of osteoarthritis, cause of osteoarthritis, degree of the disease). Treatment is complex and includes pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy, and in some cases, surgical treatment is indicated.

The pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint is mainly aimed at alleviating the main manifestations of the disease, such as:

  • Pain;
  • Inflammation of the articular and periarticular tissues.

In addition to alleviating the symptoms of the disease, medications are used to:

  • joint tissue repair
  • improving your trophism and blood circulation,
  • strengthen the body's defenses,
  • elimination of allergic reactions.

Various non-narcotic analgesics are used to relieve pain symptoms; in rare cases, narcotic pain relievers are prescribed for a short time. Most often, the drugs are used from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They have a combined anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effect.

methods of treating knee osteoarthritis

Chondroprotectors are used to restore cartilage tissue and improve joint mobility. The drugs stimulate the activity of cartilage cells, chondrocytes, and help them repair tissue. The intra-articular insertion of the head protectors gives a good effect. In recent years a new and effective product based on hyaluronic acid has appeared. Because of its action, this drug is called a "liquid prosthesis. "Once injected into a diseased joint, this drug forms a protective film over the damaged cartilage and gradually restores the normal lubricating characteristics of the joint.

Muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle spasms, in addition to having a relaxing effect, they have a positive effect on blood circulation in the affected joint.

Physiotherapy and physiotherapy are widely used from non-drug treatment methods of knee osteoarthritis. The most important are magnetotherapy, acupuncture, electrophoresis and massage, traction devices (joint extension) and others. Recently, methods such as laser therapy, cryotherapy (exposure to liquid nitrogen) have entered the practice of treating osteoarthritis. Along with physical therapy, exercise therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee joint also has a good effect. Lfk is the use of various physical exercises for therapeutic purposes.

Gymnastics for osteoarthritis of the knee joint

At the beginning of the disease, physical activity in the diseased joint should be minimized. You should not go jogging, jumping, lifting weights, walking fast, squatting. Exercises for osteoarthritis of the knee joint can be performed only after undergoing treatment, under the supervision of your doctor.

gymnastics for knee osteoarthritis

It is necessary to choose exercises that help to strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the affected knee joint, but at the same time do not lead to excessive mobility of the joint. That is, the exercises should be performed with minimal dynamic activity. Exercises to stretch the ligaments and joint capsules are helpful. The rules are the same, the exercises are performed smoothly, without the use of any effort.

When performing any gymnastic exercise, it is important to follow some rules:

  • Don't exercise on pain
  • If the exercise causes pain, then it should be replaced by a more gentle one.

Massage for osteoarthritis of the knee has a beneficial effect on restoring the functions of the knee joint. At the site of exposure, blood vessels expand, blood circulation improves, and metabolism speeds up. Massage procedures improve lymphatic flow and this, in turn, helps eliminate residual inflammation. Massage strengthens the muscular system, increases the flow of oxygen in them, improves gas exchange, normalizes their tone and increases plasticity.

Diet for knee osteoarthritis

Recently, medical specialists have discovered that there is no direct relationship between the incidence of knee OA and nutrition. However, an indisputable fact is that the development of osteoarthritis is greatly influenced by the presence of excess weight in a person. If the cause of the disease was precisely excess weight, then it is obvious that nutrition for osteoarthritis of the knee joint should be aimed at a gradual decrease in body weight. This will require a change in diet and a change in diet. Food should be less high in calories, fried foods and high-fat foods should be excluded from the diet. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and fluids.

Prevention of osteoarthritis of the knee joint

In order for the joints to remain healthy as long as possible, it is necessary to regularly participate in physical culture and gymnastics, but do not get carried away, so that this does not lead to an overload of the joints. Swimming provides the best spin and the least stress on the joints. If it is professional sports, joint protection should be used. It is useful to alternate physical activity with rest, you should not stay still for a long time.

Following all these simple rules, along with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, will not allow osteoarthritis of the knee joint to ruin anyone's life.