From this article, you will learn everything about arthrosis of the knee joint: what it is, for what reasons it occurs, what are the manifestations at different stages.How to treat it, how to prevent disease.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a degenerative joint pathology in which cartilage is destroyed, muscles and ligaments are damaged, and bones are deformed.
This disease occurs mainly after 40 years (12-16% of people at this age are affected).Women get sick 2 times more often than men.Athletes and people involved in heavy physical work are prone to this disease.
Gonarthrosis develops gradually and is accompanied by pain in the joints:
- joint mobility decreases;
- bone and cartilage tissue grows, which interferes with the normal function of the joint.
Over time, this leads to complete immobility of the joint.Without treatment, the disease leads to disability.
Conservative therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint is possible only in the early stages of the development of the process (1 and 2), it allows you to slow down and stop the development of pathology.
When the disease progresses, the only treatment is through surgery.You can completely (100%) get rid of pathology only with endoprosthetics - knee replacement.
Diagnosis and treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is carried out by orthopedic traumatologists and other doctors.According to the indications, a consultation with a rheumatologist is scheduled.A sports doctor can also identify the symptoms of the disease.
Disease causes and types
Depending on the factors that trigger the disease, there are 2 types of knee arthrosis:
Primary (idiopathic)
This type of arthrosis affects middle-aged and elderly people.The initial stage is diagnosed after 40 years, and over 70 years old, gonarthrosis is detected in 60% of people.Often 2 joints are affected at the same time.
Primary arthrosis occurs due to changes that occur in the body with age, deterioration of blood circulation and slow metabolism.The risk of development increases with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Secondary form
Secondary - can appear in a person of any age and affect both 2 joints at the same time and 1.
The reasons are:
- Heavy pressure on the legs.
- Ligament injuries, knee meniscus, intra-articular fractures.
- Diseases in which metabolic processes are disturbed (parathyroid gland disorders, diabetes, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, gout, mucopolysaccharidosis and other diseases).
- Connective tissue disease.
- Inflammatory pathology (infectious and non-infectious synovitis and arthritis), hemophilia (a rare hereditary disease associated with blood clotting disorders).
Next, we will look in more detail at what it is - arthrosis of the knee joint, its degree, what changes begin in the tissue during pathology.
Symptoms and three stages of the disease
As the disease progresses, the cartilage begins to become thinner due to heavy loads or lack of nutrients.This creates friction between the bones that articulate into the knee joint.
Erosion of bone tissue is formed as a protective reaction of the body - the formation of growth on it begins.All these factors lead to deformation of the knee joint and its limited mobility.
Symptoms of arthrosis of the knee joint in 3 stages:
| stage | Clinical signs | Processes that occur in the joints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
May be asymptomatic Possible knee pain in the morning, when squatting, when climbing stairs, after long exercise and hypothermia Stiffness in the knees in the morning Synovitis may develop - accumulation of fluid in the joint, which must be removed using a puncture (puncture of the cavity with fluid and its accumulation) |
The cartilage surface becomes rough and dry Cracks and ulcers form on it |
| 2 |
Pain appears even with little effort and becomes more noticeable with active walking. The legs are not fully bent, the joint periodically crunches Knees expand visually The risk of synovitis is increasing |
In response to the increased load on the joint, it seems to become flat Osteophyte formation - bone growth begins Synovial fluid becomes thicker and less nutritious Destructive processes in cartilage accelerate |
| 3 |
The pain becomes chronic and haunts the patient even at rest. Both full flexion and full extension of the knee are impossible Joint volume increases Even walking is difficult, many people start using canes or crutches Valgus deformity of the foot (X-shaped foot position) or varus deformity (O-shaped foot position) may appear. |
Almost no cartilage tissue The bones are deformed and "pressed" against each other, which leads to limited mobility in the joint |
Acute form
Acute arthrosis of the knee joint is a time when the disease develops faster and is more clinically noticeable.
Severity may be caused by:
- too much pressure on the joints;
- hypothermia;
- not complying with the prescribed diet;
- injury.
Sometimes gonarthrosis begins acutely, as if bypassing the first stage.This may be due to a knee injury.
Diagnostics
If you notice stiffness in your joints that appears in the morning or after sitting for a long time, as well as pain when going down stairs or squatting, this may be a sign of stage 1 gonarthrosis.
To make an accurate diagnosis, come to an appointment with a general practitioner, who will refer you to an orthopedist or other doctor.
Before treating osteoarthritis or gonarthrosis, the doctor will conduct an initial examination and palpation of the joint, and also refer to:
- radiography - will help assess the condition of the joint;
- Ultrasound will allow you to determine whether there is a concomitant inflammatory process.
Treatment methods
With arthrosis of the knee joint, the symptoms and the treatment are interrelated, because many therapeutic measures are aimed specifically at eliminating disturbing signs and improving a person's quality of life.
Taking medication, diet and exercise therapy:
- slows down the process of further destruction in the cartilage;
- prevent the disease from progressing to a more advanced stage.
It is impossible to completely cure this disease, but it is possible to stop and slow down the development of pathology.
Diet
The goal of following a diet is to delay the further development of the disease.
What to add to the menu and what to exclude:
| Healthy Products | Prohibited Products |
|---|---|
| Rabbit, turkey, chicken, dairy products, eggs (no more than 3 pieces per day and preferably without yolk) - serve as a source of protein |
Fatty meat, sausages, sausages - lead to weight gain, which puts additional pressure on the joints and also disrupts the normal formation of synovial fluid |
| Fish, especially the red kind, is rich in Omega-3 |
Flour, sweets, mayonnaise, fast food - foods that contribute to excess weight gain |
| Jelly meat made from bone broth, gelatin - contains chondroitin and collagen, which contribute to the formation of new cartilage tissue |
White cabbage, tomatoes, bell pepper, eggplant, according to some versions, contain substances that destroy collagen and chondroitin - "building blocks" for cartilage tissue However, some studies deny their harm in arthrosis |
| Rice, millet, and buckwheat contain complex carbohydrates that promote the formation of synovial fluid |
Egg yolk, cod liver - increase the risk of getting gout |
| Cottage cheese, cheese - a source of calcium |
Coffee – dissolves calcium from the body, which is beneficial for bones and joints. |
| Apples, broccoli, beans, pumpkin, zucchini, parsley, dill, cucumber, carrots, celery, spinach, grains, currants, grapefruit, pomegranate, papaya, almonds - the healthiest plant foods Rich in ingredients that are beneficial together |
Alcohol interferes with normal nutrition and metabolic processes in the joints |
| Water (1.5-2 liters per day) – helps to normalize metabolism in the body and in the joints in particular Juices (fruits and vegetables listed above) |
Salt - can cause aggravation |
Physical education
If you suffer from knee arthrosis, therapeutic exercises should be done every day.Special exercises help stimulate blood circulation in the joints, which will prevent further damaging processes in the cartilage.Exercise therapy will also improve the mobility of the affected knee and prevent pain.However, any gymnastics is contraindicated in acute cases of this disease.
Therapeutic gymnastics for knee joints by Dr. Evdokimenko
The goal of this complex of therapeutic exercises is to make the muscles surrounding the joints work without loading them.Gymnastics using the Evdokimenko method shows excellent results for arthrosis of the knee joint.
Training:
- Lie on your stomach, straighten your legs, arms at your sides.Raise your straight leg on the floor to a height of 15 cm, tighten your back and thigh muscles.Hold this leg position for 30-40 seconds.Put it down.Repeat the movement with each leg 1 time.
- Lift your straight leg off the floor by 15 cm and hold for 1-3 seconds.Return to original position (IP).Do 10-12 repetitions for each leg.
- Bend your knees 90 degrees.Raise your bent leg to a height of 10 cm from the floor and hold for 30-40 seconds.Do this movement with each leg 1 time.Then repeat the same exercise, but hold each leg for 1-3 seconds.Do 10-12 repetitions on each leg.
- Lift both legs straight off the floor by 10–15 cm.Spread them aside and bring them back.Without lowering your feet to the floor, do the movement 8 times.In this case, the thigh muscles should work as much as possible.
- Lie on your side.Bend your lower leg at the knee.Keep the upper part straight and raise it above the floor by 45 degrees.Hold this way for 30–40 seconds.Do the exercise 1 time on each leg.
- Sit on a chair.Raise your legs as straight as possible at the knees.Hold for 30 seconds.Lift each leg 2-4 times.
- Stand up.Lean back on the chair.Stand on your toes.Hold for 30–60 seconds.Return to IP.
- Stand on your toes and hold this position for 1-3 seconds.Return to IP.Repeat the movement 10-12 times.
- Place your right foot completely on the floor.Stand on your left tip.Smoothly rise onto your toes with your right foot and lower your left heel to the floor.Roll like this 10-12 times.
The physical education of this writer is more intense than the previous one.It is possible only at the initial signs of gonarthrosis.Before you start practicing on your own, be sure to consult your doctor.
If you feel severe pain during the movement, stop immediately.
Surgical method
Since it is impossible to cure arthrosis of the knee joint using completely conservative methods, in severe cases doctors use surgical techniques.
One of the most effective is knee replacement, which replaces the surface that rubs the joint with an artificial one.
The recovery period after endoprosthetics is from 3 to 6 months.
The following surgical interventions are also performed:
- arthroplasty - plastic surgery to restore the normal structure of the joint;
- corrective osteotomy – correction of valgus or varus deformities in the foot that can occur with advanced forms of arthrosis.
People's recovery
Homemade remedies can serve as wonderful complements to traditional therapies.
However, before treating knee arthrosis using folk remedies, consult your doctor, as some natural ingredients may have contraindications or may not be combined with prescribed medications.
Here are some effective and time-tested recipes:
- Beef hooves and knees - helps restore cartilage tissue.Boil them for several hours.Drink 100 ml of soup before each meal.
- Honey, apple cider vinegar - relieve swelling and pain.Mix the components in a ratio of 3 to 1. In the evening, make a compress and apply for 30 minutes.
- Jerusalem artichoke - helps relieve pain.Pour 350 g of crushed leaves and stems of Jerusalem artichoke into 2 liters of boiling water.Cool to room temperature.Soak a gauze bandage in the infusion and apply it to the painful joint.
Prevention
The preventive measures are very simple:
- Exercise, but don't put too much pressure on your knees.Never walk on asphalt.Special tracks or dirt roads are ideal for running.
- Avoid knee injuries or treat them immediately.In case of bruises and sprains, immediately contact a traumatologist and follow all his recommendations.
- Eat properly.
- Leave bad habits.
Forecast
Arthritis is a disease that cannot be completely cured by conservative methods.
However, do not despair.Provided you strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations, you can avoid complications, relieve pain and increase the range of motion in the joint.
Do not delay a visit to a specialist, because in the final stages of this disease can cause deformities and deformities of the legs.Modern medicine treats them surgically.