Knee osteoarthritis: why knees hurt and how to deal with it

Osteoarthritis is the most common of all diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The knees are especially vulnerable to him, as it is they who bear most of the load. Let's take a closer look at what osteoarthritis of the knee joint is and how to deal with this disease.

Characteristics of the disease

Osteoarthritis of the knee joints is a pathology associated with the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the cartilage tissue of these joints. As the disease progresses, the disease affects not only the cartilage itself, but also other tissues, including the periarticular ligaments and muscles, and over time, processes can develop that contribute to bone destruction.

Risk groups

As we age, the body encounters difficulties that lead to tissue malnutrition and accelerated wear. Under the influence of mechanical, biochemical and other factors, cartilage tissue gradually begins to deteriorate, which further develops in arthrosis of the right knee joint or left joint.

With age, the frequency of diagnosis of this pathology increases. Women are especially prone to the development of gonarthrosis, which is due to the characteristics of their body and hormonal changes.

At risk are also athletes and people whose work is associated with weight lifting and constant load on the legs.

In general, the following risk groups can be distinguished:

• elderly;
• athletes;
• people with knee injuries;
• patients who have undergone knee joint surgery;
• sedentary;
• obese;
• associated with hard physical work or the need to constantly be on your feet;
• patients with endocrine diseases;
• people with hormonal imbalances;
• lead an unhealthy lifestyle;
• with congenital pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

When entering a risk group, it is necessary to regularly monitor the condition of the joints and take preventive measures.

Reasons for development

If we talk about the specific causes of dystrophic processes in cartilage tissue, they are largely associated with a person's daily life. Existing health problems also play a role.

The main causes of gonarthrosis are:

1. Lesions. Any damage to the knee and adjacent tissues, i. e. bruises, dislocations, tears and sprains, cracks, fractures, etc. The consequences can manifest themselves some time after the complete healing of the injured area.
2. Congenital disorders. This includes, for example, joint instability, curvature and other developmental and functional disorders associated with the structural features of the human skeleton.
3. Age changes. Gradually, the cartilage tissue wears out and calcium is washed out of the bones. The older a person is, the more pronounced these processes are.

4. Obesity. Excess weight slows down metabolic processes and contributes to excessive stress on the limbs. Obese people almost always have foot problems.
5. Endocrine diseases.An unhealthy state of the endocrine system leads to hormonal imbalances and metabolic disturbances.
6. Operational interventions. Surgical manipulations on the meniscus have a particularly strong effect. When removed, gonarthrosis develops in 90% of cases.
7. Stress. Strong emotional experiences negatively affect the state of the whole organism, including elements of the musculoskeletal system.
8. Tissue malnutrition. Most often, these processes are associated with impaired blood circulation, since it is through the vessels in the tissue that all the necessary nutrients are supplied.
9. Heavy loads.Improper lifting and carrying of weights, running and jumping, violation of the technique of performing physical exercises, prolonged position - all this is an excessive load on the legs of a person.

If you do not take measures to prevent the influence of these causes, the cost of such negligent treatment of your health will be represented by multiple problems with the musculoskeletal system and other body systems.

Symptoms of manifestation

At first, the disease is asymptomatic or anxiety occurs only occasionally. Mostly the knees start to hurt after a long stay in one position or a busy day at work. Since such signs are not bothersome and completely disappear after rest, a person does not immediately realize that they have serious health problems.

Gradually, the discomfort intensifies, severe pain appears. They are sore in nature, but when they move they can be sharp and abrupt. As the disease progresses, the discomfort increases.

Other symptoms of gonarthrosis are:

• impaired motor capacity of the knee;
• the appearance of a sound crunch during movement;
• swelling and hyperemia of the tissues;
• curvature of the limbs.

It is the desire to relieve pain most of the time the main stimulating factor for a person's referral to the clinic. The earlier you do this, the more chance you have of stopping the disease process. Otherwise, the changes will become irreversible and it will not be possible to fix the problem with conservative methods.

In some cases an increase in temperature is observed. This phenomenon is rarely observed, it indicates an intense inflammatory process. It could have been caused by an infection, for example, if you have recently suffered a leg injury.

Types of pathology

In medical practice, the disease has a special classification.

There are the following types of osteoarthritis of the knee joint:

1. Left or right. It is localized only on one side, that is, it affects the left or right knee. Most often, this situation occurs after an injury to a limb.
2. Double sided. At the same time, pathological processes develop in both legs. Symmetrical development of the disease is typical in most cases, since the internal processes in the human body have a huge influence.
3. Primary. It develops as an independent disease. The provoking factors are improper lifestyle, stress, age-related changes, etc.
4. Secondary. Gonarthrosis becomes a consequence of another disease of the musculoskeletal system and systems closely associated with it. Traumatic injuries of the limbs also fall into this category.

It is also worth distinguishing between periarthrosis. This disease involves muscles and ligaments, thanks to which the joint joint is set in motion.

Another important category is knee hyperarthrosis. This is the name for the progressive degenerative processes in the cartilage. In the last stages, there is a pronounced deforming gonarthrosis. It is worth talking about the stages of development of pathology in more detail.

Stages of progression

There are four main stages of knee osteoarthritis. Each of them is distinguished by a more pronounced manifestation of the disease and the emergence of new negative processes.

1. Phase 1. Occasionally discomfort occurs, but after rest and training the leg disappears. There are still no noticeable changes in the tissue structure for diagnostics, but the nutrition of the cartilage has already been disrupted, which gradually causes the pathology to progress.
2. Stage 2. The pain becomes uncomfortable, the cartilage becomes significantly thinner, which leads to a narrowing of the joint space. A characteristic crunch appears, movements are also accompanied by unpleasant sensations.
3. 3rd - 4th phase. The X-ray photo clearly shows the changes that have occurred in the joint. The cartilage tissue is worn out, the bone begins to deform at the rub points, some areas are covered with osteophytes and salt deposits are present. All this blocks the movement of the leg and causes the strongest incessant pain.

If the first degree of gonarthrosis is quite possible to eliminate with sparing methods and completely restore the health of the extremities, the third - fourth stage is irreversible and practically not amenable to conservative treatment. That is why it is important to seek help from a medical institution as soon as possible.

Consequences and possible complications

Regarding the consequences of gonarthrosis, initially there are no particular risks to human health if appropriate measures are taken in a timely manner. Of course, knee inflammation causes some discomfort, but the symptoms and the dystrophic process itself can still be eliminated.

The more the patient ignores the problem, the more he is neglected. In the second stage, the cartilage begins to deteriorate and can hardly be restored. Severe pain disrupts a person's usual way of life, exerts psychological pressure.

The main consequences of progressive gonarthrosis are:

• persistent pain;
• blocking the mobility of the legs;
• the formation of bone salt growths;
• complete destruction of hyaline cartilage;
• spread of the pathological process to other areas;
• involvement of the muscular system;
• disability.

The main question: is it possible to walk with osteoarthritis of the knee? Movement contributes to the healing of the whole organism, but this rule only works if the disease is detected early.

In the later stages, movement can only aggravate the destructive process, therefore the patient is advised to rest in bed and wear special orthoses. With deformation and blocking of the mobility of the legs, walking is impaired, that is, a person becomes disabled. This is the main risk in the development of gonarthrosis.

Diagnostic rules

In order to prevent such complications and not become disabled, it is necessary to seek help promptly. An orthopedic surgeon can advise on the treatment of gonarthrosis.

The success of further treatment largely depends on the degree of detail in the diagnosis, and therefore it is not necessary to ignore the specialist's prescriptions regarding the need to undergo certain examination procedures.

The complete diagnosis of osteoarthritis can include the following methods:

1. Laboratory blood test. Necessary to identify deviations from the norm for basic indicators. The presence of violations indicates an inflammatory process or other problems that can directly or indirectly indicate joint diseases. A rheumatic test can be performed separately, if such a need exists. It is also important to assess the level of glucose in the blood, since its increase may indicate problems with the endocrine system, which also affects the state of the musculoskeletal system and metabolic processes in the body.
2. Radiography. This is a mandatory procedure that allows you to consider the condition of the diseased area. The image shows the bony areas. The degree of cartilage wear is assessed by the size of the joint space, the position of the individual joint elements, the presence of foreign formations and other indicators.
3. ultrasound. Ultrasound waves allow for a more detailed examination of the state of the soft tissues themselves, including cartilage. Ultrasound detects inflammatory processes, detects solid inclusions and tumor formations.
4. MRI. MRI is the best method for examining the condition of the joints. The picture clearly shows all elements of the joint and adjacent soft tissues, as well as the vessels. The image contains a layer-by-layer structure, and the process itself happens dynamically, so the doctor can see everything he needs to make a diagnosis. If MRI is contraindicated, CT can be used as an alternative.
5. Arthroscopy. A more detailed study of the knee is possible by introducing an arthroscope into its cavity. The procedure is less traumatic, so it can be done without fear for your health. The camera clearly shows the condition of the cartilage and other tissues.

Treatment methods

To get rid of gonarthrosis and its consequences, it is necessary to correctly approach the solution of this problem. Only the attending physician will be able to choose the most effective remedy in each specific case.

Most often a variety of medicines and folk methods are used. Some of the techniques closely overlap each other, for example, various tablets.

If done correctly, it will be possible to significantly weaken the manifestations of the disease and restore the health of the legs to some extent. In no case should he hesitate with treatment, otherwise it will not be possible to do without drastic measures.

Drug therapy

The first thing to start treatment with is drug therapy. It can be divided into several areas, depending on the objectives to be achieved:

1. Pain relief. With osteoarthritis, it is the need for pain relief that causes most patients to seek help from a specialist for a list of medications. Analgesics are needed for severe discomfort, for example, injections are made in the third stage of gonarthrosis.
2. Removal of inflammation. Since it is possible to relieve pain in osteoarthritis of the knee joint by stopping the inflammatory process, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. If the situation is neglected, short courses of glucocorticoids may be prescribed to enhance the effect.
3. Restoration of cartilage. It is necessary to stimulate the regeneration of hyaline cartilage and improve its nutrition, as well as protect it from future destruction. For this, several groups of chondroprotectors are used. If we consider the question of whether the medicine helps with osteoarthritis of the knee joint, pay attention to the composition of the drug. The combination of important ingredients is one of the most effective products in this category.
4. Better tissue nutrition. To speed up the recovery processes and strengthen the joint joint, various drugs and additives are prescribed to improve metabolism, stimulate blood circulation and saturate the cells with vitamins and minerals.

Only the attending physician has the right to prescribe and correct drug therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee. Independent use of drugs is undesirable, only the use of vitamin supplements and the use of some chondroprotectors are allowed.

Diet and lifestyle

An important step in the treatment process is to change your lifestyle, especially your eating habits. Much depends on the severity of the disease, for example, cycling at the beginning of development can be useful and stimulate recovery processes.

At the same time, when problems with flexion-extension movements appear, such a load can only worsen the patient's condition and aggravate destructive processes.

In general, activity is encouraged, because movement contributes to the treatment of many diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In this case, it is extremely important to observe the rest regime, not to overload the legs and avoid sudden movements.

In particular, the question of whether it is possible to run with osteoarthritis of the knee joint is considered. It is best to replace this type of physical activity with brisk walking.

If we talk about nutrition, the contraindications for gonarthrosis concern the intake of alcohol and junk food. It is especially important to exclude fatty and salty foods.

Your diet should be as healthy as possible, including fruit and vegetables, whole grains, milk and cheese, lean meat and fish. Products that help restore hyaline cartilage are very useful: seafood, offal, jelly, apples, algae, etc.

Physiotherapy and other procedures

Physiotherapy is a mandatory component of treatment. In addition, modern medicine actively uses a variety of manual and non-traditional methods to influence the body. It is advisable to pay attention to such procedures.

1. Magnetotherapy. This is one of the physiotherapy techniques. The magnetic effect stimulates the recovery processes, enhances the effect of drugs. Alternatively, electrophonophoresis can also be used.

2. Massage. Various types of manual interventions must be performed by a qualified specialist based on the results of the diagnostics and prescriptions of the attending physician. Massage stimulates metabolic processes in the tissues, improves leg mobility, relieves discomfort.
3. Hirudotherapy. This is a treatment for leeches. Leeches are known for their safe blood purification. They bite the patient's skin, and substances that prevent blood clotting enter with saliva. A minor phlebotomy of this kind helps to eliminate the inflammatory process, improves tissue nutrition and has a general effect on the health of the body.
4. Acupuncture. This is one of the methods of reflexology, the essence of which is to affect the active points located not only in the diseased area, but also throughout the body. The doctor inserts special needles into the skin exactly in those points that must be used to solve the problem of gonarthrosis.

Corrective gymnastics

If we take a closer look at the treatment with the help of physical exercises, first of all, it should be noted that the norms of permissible loads are established by a specialist. It is best to attend group physical therapy classes. Sport for osteoarthritis of the knee is a mandatory program, even during rehabilitation after surgery.

We highlight the main directions used for gonarthrosis:

1. Swimming pool. Swimming relieves stress and tension from the legs and helps develop the problem area smoothly. In particular, water aerobics is useful for osteoarthritis of the knee joint, especially for overweight people and elderly patients.
2. Hiking. There is no question of whether walking is useful for gonarthrosis, but at the same time, walks should be short and regular. But running is not recommended as a treatment method.
3. Training courses with simulators. These can be special block trainers or, for example, an exercise bike, if you have no contraindications. They are useful for strengthening the muscular and ligament apparatus.
4. Corrective gymnastics. Professional orthopedic doctors and rehabilitation therapists develop special sets of exercises that help to gently train all groups of joints and restore their health.

Physical activity in osteoarthritis of the knee joint should be regular and strictly dosed. If you overload your legs or miss classes, there will be no beneficial effects. It is also important to choose the right exercises for your specific situation. Check this point beforehand with the curator, for example, if squatting with osteoarthritis is possible in your case.

Traditional medicine

In addition, the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint at home is closely related to the use of traditional medicine recipes. It is worth remembering that before using one or another remedy prepared on your own, you need to make sure that there are no allergies and other contraindications, and also consult with your doctor.

Otherwise, the effect may be reversed or the effect of home remedies may excessively increase the effect of pharmaceutical drugs. However, folk methods are still in demand, as their price is much lower than most purchased drugs.

For gonarthrosis, the following remedies are most often used:

1. Herbal teas. Infusions and decoctions of bay leaves, chamomile, St. John's wort, yarrow and other medicinal plants are actively used for both external and internal use. They are able to relieve inflammation, soothe pain, remove salts, and also feed the body with vitamins and other useful substances.
2. Products for beekeeping. Propolis, perga, bee plague, wax and honey have an omnidirectional healing effect. That is why the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with honey is such a popular direction. However, it should be borne in mind that bee products can cause severe allergies, so first make sure they are safe to use.
3. Alcohol tinctures. It is a great remedy for warming and stimulating blood flow, relieving inflammation and improving leg mobility. For the joints, white lilac is especially useful, which must be cleaned of vegetables and poured with vodka for two weeks. Also, the infusion is used to rub the affected area.
4. Fresh plants. You can also use natural gifts from nature. For example, a burdock or white cabbage leaf should be lightly kneaded and then tied at the knee for at least 10 hours. You can use pre-made compresses, for example, add medical bile, unrefined sunflower oil, honey, etc.
5. Animal fats. They are added to homemade creams. To create an optimal consistency, the fat must be mixed with beeswax, herbal decoctions and other components can be added.

Surgery and rehabilitation

Most patients are concerned about the question: is osteoarthritis of the knee joint treatable if it has already passed to the 2nd - 3rd stage? Unfortunately, it will not be possible to restore the health of the cartilage lining, but there is still a way out of the situation.

If you have advanced osteoarthritis of the knee joint, the treatment options are divided into surgery and conservative auxiliary techniques. If the cartilage is completely worn out, only by performing an operation can the functions of the damaged limb be restored.

The best option is to use endoprostheses. In this case, the damaged elements of the joint joint are partially or completely removed, and special prostheses are installed in their place using bolts and surgical cement. Over time, they will become covered with bone tissue and fully take on all the necessary load.

Since it is not always possible to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joints in this way, the arthrodesis method is used as an alternative to reduce pain and prevent further deformities of the limb.

If in the first case the motor capacity of the leg is restored to the maximum, with arthrodesis the opposite effect appears: the limb is fixed in a certain position and, after the bone is incised, the elements are fused. Therefore, movement will only be available in one direction.

Disease prevention

In order to prevent the development of the disease, it is supposed to prevent osteoarthritis of the knee joint.

To do this, follow these guidelines:

• avoid injury;
• do not overload your knees;
• be less nervous;
• lead an active lifestyle;
• renounce bad habits;
• eats well;
• check your weight;
• Treats other diseases in a timely manner.

At the first concern, consult your doctor to start fighting the disease in time.