Osteoarthritis means degenerative pathological processes in the articular cartilage tissue, followed by their thinning and destruction.Osteoarthritis is characterized by limited motor skills and severe pain.The treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, or gonarthrosis, is very diverse, as there are many effective treatment methods for arthrosis: medication, surgery, diet, massage, etc.
How and why pathology develops
Gonarthrosis occurs for the following reasons:
- Damage to the meniscus, which can lead to knee locking.Statistics show that patients with meniscectomy develop knee arthrosis in 90% of cases;
- Other injuries such as sprains, fractures, tears, bruises, etc. This factor is more common in young patients;
- Obesity leads to increased stress on joint structures, especially the knees, as all excess weight puts pressure on the lower limbs.And if, in addition to obesity, the patient also has varicose veins, there is a high probability that he will develop a severe form of gonarthrosis, which is difficult to treat;
- Increased load on the knees, typical for athletes, athletes, etc.;
- Joint pathological processes such as arthritis etc.;
- metabolic disorders;
- Stress, hypothermia.
Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis has the following symptomatic manifestations:
- Accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity, leading to the development of a Baker's cyst;
- The pain is initially weak and intermittent, but as pathological processes develop, it becomes intense and constant.In addition, the process of such a transition may drag on for several years until a factor appears that triggers an exacerbation;
- Crunching in the knee causing pain.A similar symptom occurs already in the 2nd or 3rd stage of development of gonarthrosis;
- Limited joint mobility is manifested by the inability to bend the limb and the patient experiences severe pain.At the same time, joint deformation develops, which is visible without any special aids.
Degree of development of pathology
Gonarthrosis is characterized by three degrees of development.The first degree is characterized by mild pain during physical activity.At this stage, synovitis may develop with further cyst formation.Articular cartilage damage is not visible from the outside, but it is already active and is gradually increasing in intensity.
During the bending movement, the pain symptoms can be supplemented by targeted crunching.This sign is considered specific for knee osteoarthritis.
In second-degree gonarthrosis, the joint space narrows, which is clearly visible on an X-ray.Bone tissue begins to grow.Every movement of the knee, no matter how small, causes acute pain.Such symptoms subside quickly after a short rest, but they reappear after the next activity.
A typical sign of third-degree gonarthrosis is a noticeable deformity of the knee.In addition, it is no longer possible to eliminate pain by stopping movement, as the pain is present even when you are at rest.
Approach to the treatment of knee osteoarthritis
Complex therapeutic tactics can solve the following problems:
- Strengthen the muscles that support the joints, increase the elasticity and flexibility of tendon and ligament tissue;
- get rid of pain symptoms;
- Accelerate recovery processes and improve nutrition of the cartilage structures of the knee;
- Normalization of blood flow in the affected area;
- Increase joint mobility;
- Reduce compression in the affected area;
- Increase the distance between bones.
Treatment processes are based on the prescription of medications, operations, a special diet, physiotherapeutic procedures, therapeutic exercises, etc.
Drugs used
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is based on the use of drugs that provide symptomatic treatment and stop further progression of gonarthrosis.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal drugs and chondroprotectors cope well with such tasks.These drugs effectively relieve pain, but are contraindicated for long-term use to avoid the development of undesirable side effects.Therefore, the duration of NSAID therapy should not exceed 2 weeks.
Among the hormonal drugs often prescribed for gonarthrosis, the following deserve attention:
Hormonal drugs are prescribed in cases where NSAIDs cannot cope with the pathological process.However, hormone therapy is characterized by a host of side effects and therefore does not last long.
Chondroprotective drugs very effectively restore joint functions.These drugs have a complex effect: they reduce pain symptoms, stabilize pathological processes and provide the articular cartilage with nutrients better.There are the latest chondroprotectors, which, in addition to the joint tissue-restoring effect, also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Operation
Sometimes surgical treatment is necessary.Treatment of knee osteoarthritis is possible using several surgical methods:
- arthroscopy;
- endoprosthetics;
- Osteotomy.
The simplest option for surgical intervention is arthroscopy, in which the affected joint areas are removed through small punctures.
The main goal of the arthroscopy procedure is to prolong the functionality and performance of the knee affected by osteoarthritis.
However, the most definitive surgical method is endoprosthetics, in which the knee joint portion is replaced with an artificial implant.The effectiveness of this operation is around 90%.An osteotomy involves performing an artificial fracture after which the bone is fixed in the anatomically correct position.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapeutic procedures also play a leading role in complex anti-arthrosis therapy.They alleviate the course of gonarthrosis, eliminate pain, relieve spasms of muscle tissue and shorten the period of regeneration.And when electrophoresis is used with the drug, the dosage of this drug for the patient decreases when taken orally.
The goals of physiotherapy procedures for gonarthrosis are to eliminate pain, reduce the severity of symptoms, accelerate joint regeneration and improve nutrition of the damaged joint.
UV radiation and magnetic field therapy are used to relieve pain.To eliminate inflammatory processes, infrared laser therapy or UHF treatment procedures are prescribed.In addition, ultrasound therapy, darsonvalization and therapeutic baths are indicated.
Diet therapy
The success of therapeutic anti-arthrosis measures is largely determined by a properly balanced diet.Why?Osteoarthritis processes are sometimes caused by metabolic disorders, in the development of which poor nutrition plays an important role.
An unbalanced diet leads to obesity, which further increases the strain on the knee joints.For this reason, it is recommended to follow a diet during and after treatment of gonarthrosis to prevent joint diseases.
Diet therapy for knee osteoarthritis is based on the consumption of foods enriched with fortified compounds and essential microelements.At the same time, you need to monitor the calorie content of the foods you eat to avoid gaining extra pounds.If you are overweight, it is advisable to consume more calories than you burn, then your body weight will return to normal.
Movement therapy
Therapeutic and gymnastic treatment is rightfully considered one of the main elements of the complex treatment of gonarthrosis.By performing exercises, joint activity is strengthened and restored.The main thing is to perform the elements gently and slowly.Popular exercises:
- Lie on your stomach.Raise your legs one at a time;
- Raise the limb from a position on your side with a delay of several seconds;
- From a prone position, raise your legs and perform abduction and spreading movements.
Attention!This exercise is contraindicated for hypertensive patients and other heart patients as it leads to an increase in blood pressure.
It is useful to perform a friction massage in the direction from the knee joint to the hip joint.The massage ends with stroking the skin.
Methodology of a rheumatologist
The method of treating gonarthrosis according to a rheumatologist's program is based on the use of physiotherapy in conjunction with drug therapy:
- taking NSAIDs;
- chondroprotective drugs;
- Pain-relieving topical medications such as ointments and creams;
- Injection infusions into the joint;
- Manual therapeutic procedures;
- physiotherapy;
- Light physical activities.
By using this technique, the previous mobility is restored, the blood supply to the affected knee is normalized, pain is relieved, and the joint cells are better supplied with nutrients.
Author's technique
This proprietary technique has unique therapeutic properties.This program can save a patient from osteoarthritis without the need for surgery or medication.This technique is a mixture of physiotherapy and kinesitherapy treatment methods.Each patient receives an individual treatment plan and training plan.
The patient is advised not to take painkillers, as this problem can be easily controlled by applying ice to the knee and a contrast shower.As a result of regular training using the method:
- The patient becomes pain-free;
- Bone joints, joints and cartilage are increasingly supplied with nutrients;
- The knee's previous functionality is restored.
Such courses are conducted under the supervision of an experienced instructor in specialized clinics.Massage treatments, swimming and sauna are indicated as additional therapy.