When walking or running, our knee joints suffer from constant stress and strain, which often causes pain. The most common topic of referral 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 pain and what to do to eliminate it?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to answer these questions that concern almost everyone completely unambiguously. Knee joint problems are so diverse, and the reasons for their occurrence are so many that one should not rush to hasty conclusions.
Today we will discuss the most common of these reasons, the consequence of which is such pathology as the initial stage of arthrosis. In addition, we will explain its symptoms, as well as methods of prevention and treatment.
The main cause of osteoarthritis of the knee joint
There is another medical term for such a joint lesion without an inflammatory process - this is gonarthrosis. It is gonarthrosis that can subsequently lead to deformation and destruction of the cartilage of the joints, which leads to the pain syndrome and limits its mobility.
The cause of osteoarthritis of the knee joint or gonarthrosis can be divided into 2 phases:
- initial, ie one that arose as a result of existing joint pathology;
- secondary, ie one that has arisen as a result of acquired injuries or infections.
Let’s stop at stage 1. This form of initial pathology is quite common and can manifest from a very early age. It is not caused by the natural formation of the superficial tissue of the joints or ligament apparatus of a person. It is quite natural that when walking, the degenerative joint is disproportionately loaded, which causes pain and destructive consequences.
Phase 2 includes all injuries and mechanical effects of varying severity of health damage. These can be bruises, fractures, sprains and sprains of the knee joint. The consequences of surgery are possible, which always leads to the destruction of the integrity of the knee. High level of sports loads, excessive obesity that does not correspond to the proportions of the body - all these are factors that provoke the initial stages of knee arthrosis.
Otherwise, being overweight not only provokes the disease, but also creates an unfavorable background that contributes to the creation of excessive pressure in the knees on the articular cartilage and completely disrupts the metabolism.
At the same time, fluid accumulates in the joint cavities of the knee, which leads to additional complications, which also turn into a phase of arthrosis. Here we add any previous leg surgery or illness accompanied by prolonged spasms of blood vessels or leg muscles - deformity is inevitable!
Usually unilateral gonarthrosis develops due to traumatic effects on the knee or hip joint. If this is the effect of being overweight, then it is mutual.
The main signs of osteoarthritis of the knee joint
This process does not happen immediately. It is common for a person to initially feel slight discomfort in the area of the knee joint for a long time, and only after years do these sensations turn into severe pain. People over the age of 40, who suffer from overweight and have an additional burden in the form of varicose veins, are prone much earlier to the initial stage of osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
Let's look at the traditional order of stages of this disease:
- Long or initial. The usual period is from one to several years. Occasionally you don’t notice too much pain in moments of stress on your knees.
- Second or critical phase. The characteristic crunchy accompaniment of any sharp movement of the knee joint is already noticeable here. The scope of his motor activity decreases and the increase of the knee is visually determined, which indicates its deformation and possible accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity.
- The last stage of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, therefore, will be characterized by an acute painful condition of the knee joint even at rest. At that time, the stage of arthrosis becomes chronic, the person reacts painfully to any weather phenomena and his gait acquires a specific "duck" move, "crumpling". In this case, the patient's legs are bent at this stage.
In the case of osteoarthritis of the knee due to injury, all these above stages begin to pass even faster.
Prevention and treatment of the initial stage of osteoarthritis of the knee
It must be borne in mind that absolutely all therapeutic measures will depend entirely on the degree of knee damage. At the same time, the effectiveness of treatment can be achieved only if the cause of arthrosis is eliminated. If this process is in the early stage of formation, then a complete cure is possible! With a chronically advanced process, it is initially possible to achieve only a more or less prolonged phase of rest of the diseased organ.
In order to restore deformed cartilage, strengthen ligaments and increase motor activity in the joint, it is necessary to undergo complex therapy. This includes not only medication, but also hand massage, physiotherapy procedures and, if absolutely necessary, surgery.
The choice of medication should never be independent, because self-treatment of such a complex disease has many serious consequences. The main focus of drug treatment is the removal of pain, localization of the inflammatory process and neutralization of the stage of arthrosis. For this purpose, special preparations can be prescribed for introduction into the cavity of the knee joint. The appointment of hormonal drugs is not excluded.
For active blood circulation in the affected area, means are used to relieve vascular cramps and relax muscles. In addition, preparations for vitamin replacement and cartilage tissue regeneration are prescribed.
The complex of preventive measures and for the treatment of the initial stage of osteoarthritis of the knee must include a relaxing hand massage. With its help, the range of motion is increased, cramps are eliminated and blood circulation is increased, the position of joints and bones, including hip bones, is corrected.
If the initial stage has long developed into irreversible damage to the knee joint, then in this case a radical correction of the deformed organ is performed, namely, implantation (prosthetics). Today, there is and is actively used only 1 way to replace a destroyed joint - to install a metal endoprosthesis. Such implantation is by no means permanent, and its price is so high that there is no need to talk about the mass application of this method.
Important!If you still opt for an operating table, keep in mind that knee replacement and rehabilitation are interrelated things. You will have to work hard to recover at a good level.
The treatment of the initial phase of arthrosis also includes a complex of rehabilitation therapy, which includes absolutely a whole range of spa treatments - from physiotherapy and physiotherapy exercises to kinesitherapy. The concept of kinesiotherapy includes specially designed exercises that use loads of varying severity and medical simulators.
If necessary, it is recommended to reduce the pressure on the knee with sticks, crutches or orthoses - so-called knee pads that soften 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.
These can be various compresses and ointments based on natural ingredients from animal hair and medicinal bile to herbal preparations. Prescribing prescriptions of traditional medicine is generally quite effective, as it is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of knee joint disease and at eliminating painful sensations.
Additional prevention methods
First of all, it is a complete and well-balanced diet. In addition to protein and carbohydrates, the diet should also contain the optimal content of vitamins and microelements. At the same time, it is warmly recommended that you avoid bad habits and try to return your weight to normal.
General dietary guidelines for the prevention of osteoarthritis are as follows:
- avoiding red meat;
- rejection of high-fat foods;
- use of meat jellies and similar dishes containing cartilage and gelatinous substance as part of their recipe;
- increase in consumption of pure spring water to 2, 5 liters or more;
- complete rejection of alcoholic beverages and regular intake of vitamins A, D and B.
It is recommended to go over the wardrobe to remove uncomfortable shoes, for example one-sided worn or high heels. Be careful of posture to avoid crossing or intertwining your legs in a sitting position. Protect your joints from prolonged cooling and, moreover, from hypothermia. Avoid stressful situations and don’t get upset over little things.
Try to lead a healthy lifestyle in which the body will be in good shape. In addition, such physical activity is extremely important, which would correspond to the condition of the knees and hips. For this reason, self-control and extra caution are required when playing sports, before lifting weights or performing certain exercises intensively.
The most important preventive condition after determining the initial phase of the disease is to prevent its further development, because if the process begins, it can lead to disability. In the case of timely detection of osteoarthritis and preventive measures to prevent it, the probability of complete cure is high.
Be sure to consult your doctor before treating the disease. This will help you consider individual tolerance, confirm the diagnosis, ensure the correctness of treatment, and rule out negative drug interactions. If you use prescriptions without consulting a doctor, it is entirely at your own risk. All information is provided for informational purposes only and is not medical assistance.