Knee joint arthrosis (gonarthrosis)

Knee joint osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system and unfortunately the most common cause of loss of mobility, damage and sometimes damage.With arthrosis, the cartilage that outlines the joint surface is irreversibly affected, which leads to proper work on the joint and causes pain.

Officially, the disease is called "deformation of osteoarthritis";Another name is gonarthrosis (from the ancient Greek "chase" - knee).The knee joints are the largest joints on the human body and are most often affected by osteoarthritis.Much less, the disease affects the joints of the hip joint and the ankle.

How does gonarthrosis occur?

Usually healthy cartilage is elastic and smooth, it completely covers the moving areas of the bone and allows them to slide.Cartilage also softens the stress that bones receive when walking or exercising.

When the cartilage is destroyed (this is how arthrosis manifests), the upper layer of this elastic tissue becomes smaller.Sometimes cartilage is delaminated, tears appear - so the joint loses its main "shock absorber" and "camp".The bones begin to rub against each other, the joint swells, gradually losing its normal appearance and pain occurs.

Causes of gonarthrosis and risk factors

Osteoarthritis deforms are more common in older overweight women, but that does not mean that young and physically active people do not suffer from this pathology.Sometimes the development of the disease is provoked by intense physical labor or excessive stress in fitness.

Here is a away from the full list of causes of knee arthrosis:

• Sports injuries - meniscal injuries, fractures and dislocations;
• inflammatory processes in the joints and concomitant diseases;
• Metabolic disorders - some diseases lead to the formation of intra -deposits;
• excessive stress on the joint, including prolonged position or physical work associated with heavy lifting;
• Uneven joint load due to the curvature of the legs - arthrosis manifests more quickly in overloaded areas.

Much depends on genes - a person can have a hereditary predisposition to arthrosis of the knee joints.In such people, the gene responsible for the development and stability of cartilage tissue is disturbed.

There are several factors that increase the risk of gonarthrosis:

• increased body weight.Due to the increasing load of the joint, cartilage tissue wears out faster;
• Age over 40 years.Most people of this age have reduced physical activity.Due to the physical inaction, the muscles atrophy, the weak muscle tissue does not properly deliver the joints and the risk of cartilage damage increases.

Symptoms of arthrosis

Knee joint osteoarthritis is not a disease that can occur suddenly.It is brought out in advance: it all starts with a slight knee pain when walking.The pain can be increased if you need to climb up or down the stairs.As a rule, the knee hurts at the beginning of the movement, then the pain disappears and returns again with a long load on the joint.

If you ignore these symptoms and do not consult a doctor about them, the disease will begin to progress.Then the pain will change from switching to continuous, the knee will start to hurt more even at rest and will swell.As the cartilage deteriorates, the mobility of the whole joint will be limited.

Some people notice that the knee "responds" to changes in time.This really happens - the nerve endings in the joint capsule are sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure.

The following symptoms are characteristic of gonarthrosis:

• Knee pain when moving and walking;
• Morning stiffness in the knee joint when the range of movement is minimal;
• knee swelling;
• Dry and coarse crunching sound when moving - this sound occurs due to the friction of the joint surfaces.

As the disease progresses, the symptoms will change:

• The pain will bother you even at rest;
• The joint becomes deformed and loses its functions;
• Due to the deformation of the knee, the gait will change.

Gonarthrosis

There are 3 stages of development of arthrosis of the knee joint.

1st degreeDisease - almost asymptomatic.It begins with the first manifestations of the disease - almost painless, for example, fatigue in the legs - and continues until the first deformities of the bones appear.If the knee has changed its shape due to synovitis - that is, due to the accumulation of fluid in the joint, but the intra -cartilage is not damaged, the disease is still at stage 1.

2nd degreeIt is characterized by progressive changes in bone tissue.Externally, the knee may look the same as in stage 1 - deformed and enlarged in size.The pain increases: In addition to the inbound pain that occurs during movement, a wrapping (crunch) is added to the affected knee.The joint becomes less mobile, it becomes difficult to squat and walk on uneven surfaces.

3rd degreeThe degree of gonarthrosis is the most painful.At this stage, there is almost no cartilage tissue and if the disease is severe, the bones can grow together.Then the joint becomes completely immobilized and the person should only move with the help of a crutch or a stick.Usually, at this point, doctors are sentenced to the endoprothetics of the damaged joint.

Important: Only a doctor can determine the exact degree of development of the disease.Sometimes with mild symptoms, the disease seriously affects the cartilage membrane - therefore, additional studies are usually performed for accurate diagnosis:

• Radiography - to see if cartilage surfaces are deformed and in what condition the joint space is;
• CT or MRI - for more detailed studies.

How is gonarthrosis diagnosed and treated?

The first thing to remember is that timely diagnosis and early treatment will help to stop the disease at the beginning.Therefore, the appearance of the first discomfort in the knee joint is a good reason to visit a doctor and undergo a checkup.

Doctors diagnose osteoarthritis, based not only on medical history, complaints and the current condition of the knee joint.The results of additional studies also play an important role - they are often prescribed to clarify the stage of gonarthrosis and the severity of the disease.

To diagnose the arthrosis of the knee joint, doctors usually prescribe:

• Radiography.If pathological processes have begun in the knee - for example, the deposits of calcium crystals or bone tumors have appeared in the joint capsule - these changes will be visible in the photos.Doctors most often prescribe X-ray examinations, but without a thorough examination of the knee joint, its mobility and the condition of the muscles that support it, the picture is incomplete;
• Ultrasound - can be used to evaluate the condition of the soft tissues that surround and arrange the joint.The ultrasound complements the results of radiography so that the doctor can see changes not only in bone structures but also in tissues;
• MRI - Magnetic resonance.MRI is prescribed for knee pain complaints if the doctor suspects damage to the meniscus, ligaments or tendons;
• Arthroscopy is an invasive examination in which the joint cavity is examined on the inside with the help of a camera.The cameras are placed through small skin cuts;Through the same cuts, doctors can perform minor manipulations - for example, to remove a piece of destroyed cartilage, partially smoothing out irregularities in the cartilage tissue, etc.

Treatment for arthrosis is usually done with medicines, trying first to relieve pain, improve joint mobility and restore the ability to move.Arthrosis causes irreversible changes in cartilage tissue - therefore it is impossible to speak of complete treatment.But it is possible to stop the progression of the disease - and thus slow down the more incurring tissue destruction.

Here's what standard treatment for gonarthrosis looks like:

• local medicines - patches, creams, ointments and gels;
• painkillers;
• Anti -inflammatory drugs, especially non -steroidal drugs.Their use is considered to be the "gold standard" of medicine, but such drugs destroy the gastric mucosa;
• blockages and chondroprotectors - medicines whose effect occurs only after a long course of use;
• Rarely - physiotherapy and treatment with sanatorium.

There are recommendations for wearing orthopedic knee pads to maintain the joint and reduce the pain.But all the above methods are methods for passive influence on the functioning of the joint.

This treatment relieves only some symptoms - it neutralizes pain, inhibits inflammatory processes, etc.The disease itself continues to progress, gradually destroying the joint.In the final stages of osteoarthritis, one loses not only the ability to work, but also the ability to move.In such cases, the joint should be prosthetic - that is, an artificial structure must be inserted into the knee.Such surgery does not pass without leaving a trace and imposes its own restrictions - and therefore reduces the quality of life.

The methods of actively affecting the joint have a completely different effect when, using the body's own resources, the tone of the muscles that supply the joint with blood and nutrients is restored.Such treatment is most effective if performed under the supervision of qualified and experienced doctors.

Treatment of gonarthrosis with kineotherapy

Kineshitheapy, that is, therapy of movement, activates the body's own forces.Properly selected load allows you to effectively work with the necessary muscles and by strengthening the muscle corset, improving the condition of the joints and cartilage.

Treatment with kineshitheapi begins with a thorough examination and, mandatory, myofascial testing.Kineshitheapist examines the condition of a sore knee, analyzes the condition of muscle tissue, tendons and ligaments.Considering the data from ultrasound, CT, MRI and radiography, the degree of gonarthrosis is determined and a program of therapeutic exercises is prepared.

The classes are held on a multifunctional simulator - a patented special design simulator.Exercises are performed in such a way as to avoid excessive stress on the joint and to work only on those muscles that need to be strengthened and developed.In the initial stages of patients, gymnastics on the ground are prescribed - it consists of exercises on a bed without weight.

The therapeutic effect of kineotherapy is ensured by restoring blood microcirculation and improved lymphatic drainage.Cartilage receives more nutrition, the development of arthrosis slows until complete stopping, and the biomechanics of the joint is completely restored.

Such a serious disease as knee arthrosis cannot be ignored.The best way to prevent it is to lead a healthy lifestyle: a balanced diet, physical activity.But if the joint problems have already begun, you should not wait for serious warning signs - at the first symptoms you should seek help from qualified doctors.