Knee Osteoarthritis: Symptoms and Treatment, Preventing Knee Arthritis

Knee arthritis is a severe degenerative dystrophic pathology of the knee joint, which can lead to structural destruction of articular cartilage tissue, leading to joint deformation and loss of function.Pathologies often lead to human disabilities.

Deforming arthropathies of the knee dominate among all arthropathy, and if only a small part of the joint is affected initially, then without adequate treatment, when the disease progresses to an advanced stage, the entire joint becomes involved in the pathological process.

Most commonly, the disease occurs in people over the age of 40, but it can also occur in athletes at a younger age (after suffering severe joint damage).

Women are most susceptible to joint deformities, but the condition often occurs in men and even children.In order not to worsen the situation, you need to be able to recognize the first signs of this disease.

variety

Knee joint disease is classified depending on its cause and location.Each breed has its own developmental characteristics that doctors always take into account when prescribing treatments.But in terms of the nature of their manifestations, they are almost identical.

Therefore, depending on the cause of the disease, the types of acute arthropathy of the knee are as follows:

• Primary knee arthritis.There are no prerequisites for this disease to occur.Risk groups include the elderly, women and obese patients.Primary knee arthritis can develop for many years without manifesting itself.But the earlier it is detected, the more favorable the prognosis for treatment will be.
• secondary knee arthropathyKnee pain is caused by previous injuries, but it can also be the result of various infectious diseases.If damaged joints are treated promptly, patients have a chance of avoiding the disease.

Depending on the location, osteoarthritis can be divided into the following types:

• Right knee joint disease, develops in the tissue of the right knee joint.It often occurs in athletes and people whose jobs require frequent physical activity.
• left knee joint diseaseThe pathological process involves the left knee.It occurs in people who play sports professionally and in patients diagnosed with obesity.
• bilateral osteoarthritisIt has a destructive effect on the joint tissues of the legs and knees.This type of disease is considered the most serious, both in terms of symptoms and treatment.In most cases, this type of arthroarthritis of the knee occurs in older people, that is, it is idiopathic in nature.

Anatomical and pathological changes

The knee joint is formed by the articular surfaces of the tibia and femur.At its front is the patella, which slides smoothly along the depression between the condyles of the femoral joint during movement.

The femur, tibia, and patella are covered with elastic glial cartilage that is 5-6 mm thick.It helps reduce friction during physical activity and acts as a shock absorber in the event of a fall.

Pathological changes in joints: progressive diseases

In the first stages of the development of knee arthritis, blood circulation is mainly affected.The small blood vessels within the bone that supply blood to the hyaloid joint are destroyed, causing its surface to gradually dry out.Its elasticity decreases and cracks begin to appear on the surface.

As a result, instead of gently sliding around, these cartilages touch each other.Inflammation gradually begins to develop, and the diseased cartilage moves slightly, preventing each other from fully functioning.As the areas of tissue that make up cartilage develop a large number of microcracks, they gradually lose their shock-absorbing properties.

In the second stage of knee arthropathy progression, compensatory changes begin to occur in the bony area.Under the influence of increased load, the joint platform begins to gradually flatten, which results in compaction of the subchondral zone (the area of bone beneath the cartilage).

Along the edges, the joint surface becomes covered with bony protrusions that look like sharp spikes on an X-ray.

As the lubricating fluid in the joint thickens, it loses much of its function.This leads to accelerated cartilage degeneration.As a result, it appears as a thin line on X-rays or becomes completely invisible.

If this is noticed, it means that the disease smoothly (or quickly - it all depends on the situation) enters the third stage of development.

In the third stage of knee arthritis, the bones undergo significant deformation.They appear to push against each other, causing a decrease in joint mobility.Cartilage tissue is almost completely depleted.

Causes and Predisposing Factors

The cause of knee arthritis is not isolated—doctors often identify several factors that contribute to the development of the disease at the same time.

The most common and common reasons are:

• Previous joint injury (moderate or severe);
• Ankle fractures, especially intra-articular injuries;
• Destroying the structural integrity of the meniscus;
• Torn or completely ruptured ligaments;
• Excessive pressure on the knee joint.

Acute arthropathy of the knee joint is directly related to a person's age.Therefore, it has been established that people over the age of 40 are most susceptible to this effect, as during this period the flexibility of the cartilage begins to decrease and the lubricating joint fluid gradually "dries out".

In order to delay this moment, patients are advised to exercise, but the amount of exercise should be moderate and not cause general discomfort.

Being overweight is also one of the factors that can induce knee joint disease.In fact, being overweight puts extra stress on bones and joints, which is bound to affect their health.

In this case, the fact which leg bears more load plays an important role.For example, if your "support" is your left leg, you are more likely to have left-sided knee joint disease.

In obesity, continued stress on joints can lead to microtrauma and rupture of small blood vessels.Meniscal or ligament rupture is also possible and is considered a serious sign of joint damage.

This disease is extremely difficult for patients with significant symptoms of varicose veins.In this case, the patient is advised to consult a phlebologist.

A high risk of developing this disease is also found in the following people:

• Previous suffering from various types of arthritis;
• Have bad genetics;
• Problems with the ligamentous apparatus;
• Have a metabolic disorder;
• suffered a traumatic brain injury;
• Injuries due to traffic accidents;
• Spinal injuries.

Many of these factors are often closely related.Accurately determining the cause can help make an accurate diagnosis and provide the patient with a correct and effective treatment plan for knee arthritis.

clinical manifestations

The symptoms of knee joint disease do not appear immediately - they begin to appear gradually, depending on the stage of the disease.Therefore, the clinical situation must be considered in stages.

first stage

In the initial stages of disease development, patients complain of mild pain in the knee area, which worsens with physical activity.This feeling is especially strong when going down and up stairs.

In addition to pain, patients may experience some movement stiffness and "tightness" in the joint area.This feeling occurs in the popliteal area and disappears when the knee muscles relax.

Another characteristic symptom is the so-called "onset pain syndrome".It is formed when the patient takes their first steps.When the knee gets used to the load, this abnormality will disappear without a trace.

second stage

At this time, the symptoms of arthropathy in the knee joint become more intense and obvious.The pain worsens, causing significant difficulty and discomfort when walking.The pain syndrome will disappear after a long period of rest, but will reappear after strenuous exercise.

Joint inflammation can cause swelling in the knee that is even noticeable to the naked eye.There is a strong, unpleasant crunching sound when walking.Movement becomes more difficult and restricted.

The third stage

The pain becomes so severe that the patient cannot live without painkillers.A person has difficulty bending his knees, he feels stiffness in the movement of the joints.It will deform and increase in size.In severe cases, the patient cannot move without additional support.

Patients should not ignore all these signs of knee arthritis.The disease can leave people bedridden for long periods of time and sometimes lead to disability.

Which doctor treats knee osteoarthritis?

To diagnose and treat knee joint disease, you must consult an orthopedic traumatologist.If surgery is required, a surgeon's help may be needed.

diagnostic measures

In order to determine the cause of the disease, it is important to conduct a thorough examination of the patient.

The diagnostic protocol consists of several stages:

1. A visual examination and medical history are performed by an orthopedic surgeon.Doctors determine if a patient has symptoms of acute arthrosis of the knee, palpate the affected area of the leg, measure the bones and perform a vascular measurement - a test that can be used to assess joint mobility from different angles.
2. Clinical blood tests to assess ESR.
3. Biochemistry of blood.
4. Study the levels of fibrinogen, urea and other substances in urine and blood.
5. Radiographic examination is one of the most common examination methods for joint disease.However, in the initial stages, the images will not show any changes - they will only be noticeable in later stages of development.X-rays show narrowing of the joint space, hardening of the cartilage areas, damage to the bone tissue, and salt deposits.
6. Ultrasound is the most informative diagnostic procedure.However, if ultrasonography is performed along with radiography, comprehensive findings can be obtained.
7. MRI allows you to thoroughly study all layers of joints, cartilage and bone tissue and note the first dystrophic changes in the early stages of the development of arthrosis.However, MRI has one big drawback - the surgery is quite expensive.But its high accuracy helps make 99.9% accurate diagnoses.

treat

The treatment of acute knee arthropathy and its diagnosis require a comprehensive approach.However, medication is required first, as the diseased joint may become inflamed at any time.

drug treatment

How to treat knee osteoarthritis with the help of drugs, and which drugs to choose?Only a traumatologist will tell you this.Typically, treatment options include the following groups of medications:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs COX-1 or 2.The first group causes serious damage to the gastrointestinal tract and cannot be used for a long time.The same cannot be said for the milder COX-2 group of drugs.They are administered intramuscularly or intravenously.
• Treatment of knee arthritis also involves the use of hormonal medications.They help relieve inflammation and eliminate knee swelling.Their use is recommended in case of synovitis (inflammatory process in the synovial membrane area).
• Treat with chondroprotectants.
• Use ointments, gels, creams.They improve circulation, warm up, and relieve swelling and inflammation.

Method one

How is knee arthritis treated with this method?The main contents of the treatment plan are:

• use of medications (NSAIDs, chondroprotectants, analgesics, ointments, creams, gels);
• photophysiotherapy;
• manual therapy;
• physiotherapy;
• Apply a warm anti-inflammatory compress with a medicated solution.

Furthermore, according to renowned rheumatologists, diet plays an important role in joint disease.With a properly designed diet and the use of all the methods mentioned above, you can achieve amazing therapeutic results in the shortest possible time.

Method two

Typically, this method is used to treat arthrosis of the knee joint as well as other joint pathologies.

The development of famous doctors is based on the use of:

• drug;
• surgical intervention;
• Follow a diet that removes excess water from the body;
• exercise therapy;
• physiotherapy.

Doctors also recommend swimming in pools, saunas and massages.This will help improve patient health, especially where the disease has been ignored and untreated for too long.

Use the third method of treatment

The use of this method to treat knee arthritis completely eliminates dynamic loads, since they can significantly accelerate the deformation process.Physical exercise should be done slowly and in small increments.

For example: Sitting "astride" on a chair, that is, facing the back of the chair.Spread your legs apart but don't let them touch the floor.Gently swing each leg in turn.Perform the exercise until you feel slightly tired.The number of treatments depends on the patient's health.

surgical intervention

How is advanced knee arthritis treated?In this case, there is only one way out - surgery.There are several types of surgery to treat knee osteoarthritis:

• Removal of deformed cartilage tissue and diseased joints (arthrodesis).This happens rarely.
• Damaged cartilage tissue is removed without removing the joint.This intervention is called arthroscopic debridement.It is performed using a special device - an arthroscope.The surgical procedure is simple, but the effects last no more than 3 years.
• Affected joints are sawn at different angles and immobilized.This method is called a periarticular osteotomy.The technology is quite complex but allows people to forget about pathological conditions for 3-5 years.

Surgical intervention is rarely used and only if there is no cure for the disease, for at least 1-2 years.In the initial stages of the disease, surgery is almost never performed.

endoprosthesis

Endoprosthetic replacement is considered the most common method of treating knee joint disease.This surgery allows you to retain full mobility in your affected knee.However, although it is effective, this technique requires long-term recovery.Additionally, it can lead to quite serious consequences.

Instead of a “real” joint, the patient has an artificial joint implanted that lasts 20 years.Of course, it all depends on the material it's made of.The procedure is not cheap, but it is very effective, which is why it is particularly popular.

therapeutic exercise

The doctor formulates a course of exercise therapy based on the stage of the disease.However, the principles for performing the exercises are the same for all situations:

• Avoid excessive pressure on the knee joint;
• Sudden and forceful movements are prohibited;
• Avoid exercises that require full load on sore joints.

Allowed exercises:

• Legs shaking slightly as you kneel on a blanket spread out on the floor;
• Carefully move your knee in the same position;
• In the same position, straighten your legs one by one, trying not to let your heels leave the floor, and then bend them again to avoid sudden movements.

This exercise can produce great results when combined with medication and physical therapy.

physical therapy

All physical therapy procedures are suitable for knee osteoarthritis in remission.Among the most effective methods, it should be noted that:

• Chemical liquid electrophoresis;
• magnet therapy;
• Ultrasound therapy;
• Microwave treatment;
• paraffin therapy;
• Radon or hydrogen sulfide bath;
• Mud treatment.

To prevent recurrence of the disease, it is necessary to attend at least two physical therapy sessions per year.This will help prolong the remission period.

massage

Get a knee massage to improve blood circulation.It follows the direction of lymphatic flow from the peripheral area to the central area.The popliteal fossa is not involved in this process.

Often, manual therapy is performed along with the massage, with the goal of gradually stretching the sore joints.This type of surgery can stabilize a patient's condition, but can only be performed by a specialist.

Can knee arthritis be completely cured?

Is it possible to completely cure knee osteoarthritis?Perhaps no one, not even the most experienced traumatologists, can give a clear answer to this question.It all depends on the severity of the disease.If you treat it in the first stages of its development, you can prevent further deformation of the joint.

However, if pathology is detected in the final stages, then even surgical intervention does not guarantee the complete disappearance of unpleasant symptoms.Surgery only cures the disease for a few years before the disease returns.

prevention

To prevent knee arthrosis, it is necessary:

• Avoid knee injuries;
• Regular physical activity (squats, running, leg raises and lowers);
• Enrich your diet with more vitamin-rich foods;
• Limit the intake of salt, spicy spices, fried, smoked, and sweet foods;
• Maintain a normal body shape;
• If you suffer the slightest injury to your knee, seek medical attention immediately;
• Prophylactic use of chondroprotectants after age 35;
• Drink standard water (2 liters) daily.

By following these simple suggestions, you will reliably protect yourself from the effects of knee arthritis and other conditions that can reduce your quality of life in the long term.