Osteoarthritis of the knee: why do the knees hurt and how to deal with it

Osteoarthritis is the most common among all diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The knees are especially vulnerable for him, as they bear most of the load. Let's take a closer look at what is osteoarthritis of the knee joint and how to treat 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 ligaments and periarticular muscles, and processes that contribute to bone destruction may develop over time.

Risk groups

As we age, the body experiences difficulties that lead to tissue malnutrition and accelerated wear and tear. Under the influence of mechanical, biochemical and other factors, the cartilage tissue begins to gradually deteriorate, which turns into osteoarthritis of the right knee joint or the left joint.

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

Athletes and people whose work is associated with lifting weights and constant load on the legs are also at risk.

In general, the following risk groups can be distinguished:

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

When entering a risk group, you should regularly monitor the condition of your joints, as well as take preventive measures.

Development reasons

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

The main causes of knee osteoarthritis are:

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

4. Obesity. Excess weight slows down metabolic processes and contributes to overexertion in the extremities. Obese people almost always have foot problems.
5. Endocrine diseases.An unhealthy state of the endocrine system leads to hormonal imbalance and metabolic disorders.
6. Operative interventions. Surgical manipulations on the meniscus have a particularly strong effect. When it is removed, gonarthrosis develops in 90% of cases.
7. Stress. Strong emotional experiences negatively affect the state of the entire organism, including the 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.Improperly lifting and carrying weights, running and jumping, violation of the technique of performing physical exercises, standing for a long time - all this is an excessive load on a person's legs.

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.

Manifestation symptoms

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

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

Other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis are:

• impaired motor capacity of the knee;
• the appearance of a loud cracking noise when moving;
• swelling and hyperemia of the tissues;
• curvature of the limbs.

It is the desire to relieve pain that is usually the main stimulating factor in referring a person to the clinic. The sooner you do this, the more chance you have of stopping the disease process. Otherwise, the changes will be irreversible and it will not be possible to solve the problem with conservative methods.

In some cases an increase in temperature is observed. This phenomenon is rarely observed, indicates an intense inflammatory process. An infection may have been the cause, 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 located only on one side, that is, it affects the left or right knee. Most of the time, this situation occurs after an injury to a limb.
2. Double-sided. At the same time, pathological processes develop on both legs. Symmetrical development of the disease is typical in most cases, since internal processes in the human body have a great influence.
3. Primary. It develops as an independent disease. Factors that cause it are wrong lifestyle, stress, age-related changes, etc.
4. Child. Gonarthrosis becomes a consequence of another disease of the musculoskeletal system and the systems closely associated with it. Traumatic limb injuries are also included in this category.

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

Another important category is knee osteoarthritis. This is the name of the progressive degenerative processes in cartilage. In the later 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 appearance of new negative processes.

1. Stage 1. Discomfort occasionally occurs, but after resting and exercising the leg, it goes away. There are still no noticeable changes in the structure of the tissue for the diagnostician, but the nutrition of the cartilage has already been interrupted, gradually causing the progression of the pathology.
2. Stage 2. The pain becomes bothersome, 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 stage. The x-ray photo clearly shows the changes that have occurred in the joint. The cartilage tissue wears away, the bone begins to deform at the places of rubbing, some areas are covered with osteophytes, and there are salt deposits. All of this blocks the movement of the leg and causes intense and incessant pain.

If the first degree of knee osteoarthritis is quite possible to eliminate with conservation methods and to completely restore the health of the extremities, the third and fourth stages are irreversible and are 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 knee osteoarthritis, initially there are no special risks to human health, if appropriate measures are taken in a timely manner. Of course, the inflammation of the knee causes some discomfort, but the symptoms and the dystrophic process itself can be eliminated.

The more the patient ignores the problem, the more careless he becomes. In the second stage, the cartilage begins to deteriorate and can hardly be restored. Severe pains disrupt the usual way of life of a person, exert psychological pressure.

The main consequences of progressive knee osteoarthritis 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 apparatus;
• disability.

The main question: is it possible to walk with knee osteoarthritis? 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, so the patient is advised to stay in bed and wear special orthotics. With the deformation and blocking of the mobility of the legs, gait is impaired, that is, a person is disabled. This is the main risk in the development of knee osteoarthritis.

Diagnostic Rules

To prevent such complications and not be disabled, you should seek help immediately. An orthopedic surgeon can advise on the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

The success of further treatment is highly dependent on the degree of detail in the diagnosis, and therefore the prescriptions of a specialist regarding the need to undergo certain examination procedures should not be ignored.

The comprehensive diagnosis of osteoarthritis may include the following methods:

1. Laboratory blood test. Needed to identify deviations from the norm for the baseline indicators. The presence of violations indicates an inflammatory process or other problems that can speak directly or indirectly of joint diseases. A rheumatic test can be taken separately, if necessary. 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. X-ray. This is a mandatory procedure that allows you to consider the condition of the diseased area. The image shows 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 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 of examining the condition of the joints. The image clearly shows all the 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 takes place dynamically, so the doctor can see everything he or she needs to make a diagnosis. If MRI is contraindicated, computed tomography can be used as an alternative.
5. Arthroscopy. A more detailed study of the knee can be performed by inserting an arthroscope into its socket. 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

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

Most often, a variety of drugs are used, as well as folk methods. Some of the techniques closely overlap each other, for example, multiple pads.

If done correctly, it will be possible to significantly weaken the manifestations of the disease and restore the health of your legs to some extent. In no case should you hesitate with the 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 goals you plan to achieve:

1. Pain relief. With osteoarthritis, it is the need for pain relief that causes most patients to seek the help of a specialist for a list of medications. Pain relievers are required for severe discomfort, for example, injections are performed in the third stage of knee osteoarthritis.
2. Elimination 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 without fail.If the situation is neglected, short courses of glucocorticoids may be prescribed to enhance the effect.
3. Cartilage restoration. It is necessary to stimulate the regeneration of hyaline cartilage and improve its nutrition, as well as protect it from future destruction. For this, different groups of chondroprotectors are used. If we consider the question of whether the drug 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. Improves tissue nutrition. To accelerate the recovery processes and strengthen the joint joint, various drugs and additives are prescribed to improve metabolism, stimulate blood circulation, and saturate cells with vitamins and minerals.

Only the attending physician has the right to prescribe and correct drug therapy for knee osteoarthritis. 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 stage in the treatment process is changing your lifestyle, in particular your eating habits. Much depends on the severity of the disease, for example, cycling early in development can be beneficial 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 the 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 running with osteoarthritis of the knee joint is possible. It is better to replace this type of physical activity with a brisk walk.

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

The diet should be as healthy as possible, that is, include vegetables and fruits, whole grains, milk and cheeses, lean meats and fish. Products that help restore hyaline cartilage are very useful: shellfish, offal, gelatin, apples, seaweed, 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 recommended 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. Electrophoresis can also be used as an alternative.

2. Massage. A qualified specialist must perform various types of manual interventions depending on the results of the diagnoses and the prescriptions of the attending physician. The massage stimulates the metabolic processes in the tissues, improves the mobility of the legs, relieves discomfort.
3. Hirudotherapy. This is a leech treatment. Leeches are known for their safe blood purification. They bite into the patient's skin and substances that prevent blood clotting enter with the saliva. Minor bleeding of this type helps to eliminate the inflammatory process, improves the nutrition of tissues, and has a general health effect on the body.
4. Acupuncture. This is one of the methods of reflexology, the essence of which is to influence the active points located not only in the diseased area, but throughout the body. The doctor inserts special needles into the skin exactly at the points that should be used to solve the problem of knee osteoarthritis.

Recovery gymnastics

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

Let's highlight the main directions used for knee osteoarthritis:

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

Physical activity for osteoarthritis of the knee joint must be regular and strictly dosed. If you overload your legs or skip classes, there will be no beneficial effect. It is also important to choose the right exercises for your specific situation. Check this point in advance with the healer, for example, if it is possible to squat with osteoarthritis in your case.

Traditional medicine

In addition, the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint at home is closely related to the use of recipes of traditional medicine. It is worth remembering that before using one or another prepared remedy 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 pharmacy drugs. However, popular methods are still in demand, since their price is much lower than most purchased drugs.

For knee osteoarthritis, the following remedies are used most often:

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 can relieve inflammation, relieve pain, remove salts, and also nourish the body with vitamins and other useful substances.
2. Bee products. Propolis, perga, bees plague, wax, and honey have an omnidirectional healing effect. That is why treating osteoarthritis of the knee joint with honey is such a popular direction. However, it should be noted that bee products can cause serious allergies, so first make sure they are safe to use.
3. Alcohol tinctures. It is an excellent 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 from greens and filled with vodka for two weeks. Also, the infusion is used to rub the affected area.
4. Fresh plants. You can also use raw gifts of nature. For example, a burdock or white cabbage leaf should be slightly 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 should be mixed with beeswax, decoctions of herbs and other components can be added.

Surgical intervention and rehabilitation

Most patients are concerned by the question: is osteoarthritis of the knee joint curable if it has already passed to the second or third stage? Unfortunately, it will not be possible to restore the health of the cartilaginous 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 ancillary techniques. If the cartilage is completely worn down, only by performing an operation can the functions of the damaged limb be restored.

The best option is to use endoprosthesis. In this case, the damaged elements of the articular joint are partially or completely removed, and instead, special prostheses are installed with bolts and surgical cement. Over time, they will fill with bone tissue and fully assume 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 deformation 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 incision, the elements fuse. Therefore, the movement will only be available in one direction.

Disease prevention

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;
• don't overload your knees;
• be less nervous;
• lead an active lifestyle;
• give up bad habits;
• eat well;
• watch your weight;
• Treat other illnesses in a timely manner.

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