When walking or running, the knee joints experience constant stress and tension, which often causes pain. The most common topic of reference to healthcare professionals is knee pain. The standard diagnosis after a physical examination is the initial stage of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. How to determine the cause of the pain and what should be done to eliminate it?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to answer completely unambiguously these questions that worry almost everyone. Knee joint problems are so varied and the reasons for their occurrence are so many that one should not rush to conclusions.
Today we will talk about the most common of these reasons, the consequence of which is such a pathology as the initial stage of arthrosis. In addition to this, we will explain its symptoms as well as the methods of prevention and treatment.
The main cause of osteoarthritis of the knee joint
There is another medical term for such a joint injury without an inflammatory process - this is gonarthrosis. It is gonarthrosis that can subsequently lead to the deformation and destruction of the cartilage of the joints, which leads to a pain syndrome and limits their mobility.
The cause of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, or gonarthrosis, can be divided into 2 phases:
initial- , that is, one that arose as a result of an existing joint pathology;
- secondary, that is, which arose as a result of injuries or acquired infections.
Let's stop at phase 1. This form of initial pathology is quite common and can manifest itself from an early age. It is not caused by the natural formation of the surface tissue of the joints or a person's ligament apparatus. It is quite natural that when walking, the degenerative joint is disproportionately loaded, this causes pain and destructive consequences.
Phase 2 includes all injuries and mechanical effects of varying severity of damage to health. These can be bruises, fractures, sprains and dislocations of the knee joint. The consequences of surgery are possible, which invariably leads to the destruction of the integrity of the knee. A high degree of sports loads, excessive obesity, not corresponding to the proportions of the body - all these are factors that provoke the initial stages of osteoarthritis of the knee.
By the way, excessive weight not only causes the disease, but also creates an unfavorable background that contributes to the formation of excessive pressure in the knees on the joint cartilage and completely disrupts the metabolism.
At the same time, fluid accumulates in the joint cavities of the knee, which leads to further complications, which also turn into the stage of arthrosis. We add here any previous leg operations or diseases accompanied by prolonged spasms of the blood vessels or muscles of the legs - deformation is inevitable!
Usually, unilateral gonarthrosis develops due to traumatic effects on the knee or hip joint. If this is the effect of excess weight, then it is bilateral.
The main signs of osteoarthritis of the knee joint
This process doesn't happen instantly. Usually, for a long time, at first, a person feels a slight discomfort in the knee joint area, and only after years these sensations turn into severe pain. People over the age of 40, who suffer from overweight and have additional burdens in the form of varicose veins, are prone to the initial stage of osteoarthritis of the knee joint much earlier.
Let's look at the traditional sequence of the stages of this disease:
- Long or leading. A period of one to several years is common. From time to time, not too acute pains are observed in moments of stress in the knees.
- Second or critical phase. Here there is already a characteristic noticeable crunch accompanying any sharp movement of the knee joint. The volume of its motor activity decreases, and an increase in the knee is visually determined, which indicates its deformation and the possible accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity.
- The last phase of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, as a result, will be characterized by an acute painful condition of the knee joint even at rest. At this point, the stage of arthrosis becomes chronic, a person painfully reacts to any weather phenomena, and his gait acquires a specific "duck", "swaying" move. In this case, the patient's legs at this stage are bent.
In case of osteoarthritis of the knee joint as a result of an injury, all these stages listed above begin to pass even faster.
Prevention and treatment of the initial phase of knee osteoarthritis
It should be borne in mind that absolutely all therapeutic measures will completely depend on the degree of damage to the knee. At the same time, the effectiveness of treatment can only be achieved if the cause of arthrosis is eliminated. If this process is at an early stage of training, then a complete cure is possible! With a chronically advanced process, initially it is possible to obtain only a more or less prolonged resting phase of the diseased organ.
To restore deformed cartilage, strengthen ligaments and increase the motor activity of the joint, it is necessary to undergo complex therapy. This includes not only medication, but also manual massage, physiotherapy procedures and, if absolutely necessary, surgery.
The selection of medicines should in no case be independent, since self-medication for such a complex disease is fraught with serious consequences. The main goal of drug treatment is to eliminate pain, localize the inflammatory process and neutralize the stage of arthrosis. For this purpose, special preparations for introduction into the cavity of the knee joint may be prescribed. The appointment of hormonal drugs is not excluded.
For active blood circulation in the affected area, means are used to relieve vascular spasms and relax the muscles. In addition, preparations are prescribed for vitamin replenishment and restoration of cartilage tissue.
The complex of preventive measures and for the treatment of the initial phase of osteoarthritis of the knee must include a relaxing manual massage. With its help, an increase in the volume of movement, the removal of spasm and an increase in blood circulation are achieved, the position of the joints and bones is corrected, including the hip bones.
If the initial stage has developed for a long time into irreversible damage to the knee joint, in this case a radical correction of the deformed organ is performed, namely the implant (prosthesis). Today there is and is actively used only 1 way to replace a destroyed joint - to install a metal endoprosthesis. Such an implant is by no means durable, and its cost is so high that it is not necessary to talk about the mass application of this method.
Important!If you still decide to go to the operating table, keep in mind that knee replacement and rehabilitation are related things. You will have to work hard to recover to a good level.
The treatment of the initial stage of osteoarthritis also includes a rehabilitation therapy complex, which includes absolutely the entire spectrum of spa treatments - from physiotherapy and physiotherapy exercises to kinesitherapy. The concept of kinesitherapy includes specially designed exercises using loads of varying degrees of severity and medical simulators.
If necessary, it is recommended to reduce the pressure on the knee with sticks, crutches or orthoses, the so-called knee pads that relieve the load during movement. A large number of simple and complex recipes of traditional medicine are successfully used in the treatment of any stage of arthrosis.
It can be various tablets and ointments based on natural ingredients from animal hair and medical bile to herbal preparations. Mostly, the prescription of recipes of traditional medicine is quite effective, as it is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of the disease of the knee joint and eliminating painful sensations.
Additional prevention methods
First of all, it is a complete and balanced diet. The diet, in addition to proteins and carbohydrates, should include the optimal content of vitamins and microelements. At the same time, it is highly recommended to avoid bad habits and try to bring the weight back to normal.
The general nutritional guidelines for preventing osteoarthritis are as follows:
- avoid red meat; rejection of
- from high-fat foods;
- the use of jellied meat and similar dishes containing cartilage and a gelatinous substance as part of their recipe;
- increased consumption of pure spring water up to 2. 5 liters or more;
- complete refusal of alcoholic beverages and regular intake of vitamins A, D and B.
It is highly recommended to examine the wardrobe to exclude uncomfortable shoes, for example, a worn side or high heels. Watch your postures to avoid crossing or entangling your legs in a sitting position. Protect your joints from prolonged cooling and, in addition, from hypothermia. Avoid stressful situations and don't get nervous about nonsense.
Try to lead a healthy lifestyle where the body will be in good shape. Also, such physical activity is extremely important, which would correspond to the condition of the knees and hip joint. It is for this reason that self-control and increased caution are required when playing sports, before lifting weights or intensively performing certain exercises.
The most important preventive condition after establishing the initial stage of the disease is to prevent its further development, since if the process is started, it can lead to disability. In case of timely detection of osteoarthritis and preventive measures to prevent it, the likelihood of a complete cure is high.
Be sure to consult your doctor before treating any diseases. This will help take into account individual tolerance, confirm the diagnosis, make sure treatment is correct, and rule out negative drug interactions. If you use prescriptions without consulting a doctor, it is entirely at your own risk. All information is presented for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical aid.