The degenerative changes to which the joints are exposed affect all of their constituent parts. Over time, such pathologies lead to deformation and almost complete loss of mobility. Osteoarthrosis of the knee joint affects more and more people, despite the progress in medicine. To date, this disease affects more than 40% of the world's population.
Osteoarthrosis of the knee joint - symptoms, causes and stages
The main factor affecting the change in the condition of the joints is the load on them. As a rule, people who are overweight are more likely to suffer from this illness. In addition, obesity is usually associated with endocrine disbalance, which provokes pathological processes in the joints.
Among other causes of the disease is worth noting:
- age changes in the form of wear of the cartilaginous layer;
- knee injury;
- birth defects;
- heredity;
- professional pathologies (for example, athletes);
- unsuccessfully performed operations on the joint.
Osteoarthrosis of the knee joint develops slowly and progresses for several months and even years, so the clinical manifestations of the disease are different and appear in accordance with the stage of injury. Common signs can be considered a crunch in the knees during squats, pain and difficulty of movement.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 1st degree has such symptoms:
- pain syndrome, which occurs solely when the load on the legs is increased;
- a feeling of discomfort in the knee, a sense of foreign body;
- fatigue after a long walk or exercise.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree is manifested as follows:
- pain is permanent, intensified early in the morning and in the evening, after loads;
- unpleasant sensations when palpation of the knee and muscles around it;
- hindered mobility up to the need for using a walking stick;
- edematous and visible deformation of the joint;
- change of gait.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the third degree is characterized by these signs:
- severe unremitting pain;
- restriction of motor activity or its complete absence;
- deformation of joints, increase in their size;
- curving legs;
- muscle atrophy around the knee, their spasm.
How to cure osteoarthritis of the knee?
Unfortunately, the described pathology is irreversible, and therapy consists only in reducing the intensity of clinical manifestations and slowing the destruction of the joint.
Before treating osteoarthritis of the knee joint, the cause of its development should be established. With excess weight and endocrine disorders it is important to restore the hormonal balance and lose weight in order to reduce the burden on the legs and prevent further abrasion of the bones.
Preparations for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis:
- anti-inflammatory;
- painkillers;
- decongestants;
- chondroprotectors .
These groups of drugs can eliminate the pain syndrome, stop the inflammatory process and reduce the amount of accumulating fluid near the joint. As for chondroprotectors, they help stop the pathological destruction of the cartilaginous tissue, as well as restore its production by the body.
Among non-pharmacological methods of therapy, a special place is occupied by a diet with osteoarthritis of the knee joint. It is recommended to enrich the diet with foods
- low-fat meat, especially turkey;
- salmonids of fish;
- crustaceans;
- sea kale;
- fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits.
Limit the consumption of meals with a large number of digestible carbohydrates and sugars.
Additional measures of treatment are physiotherapy, use of special orthopedic adaptations and sanatorium rest.