Knee joint arthrosis

Knee joint arthrosis is a disease in which all joint elements suffer, but the most affected is a cartilage. This type of arthrosis is the most common disease. Another name for this is gonarthrosis.

Cartilage is a type of connective tissue that covers the bone edges and minimizes friction. With arthrosis the cartilage surface becomes inflamed, stiff and rough. Friction intensifies, causing the cartilage to thin out.

If the problem is neglected, the tissue disappears completely, and the bones begin to rub against each other. It is impossible to renew the damaged tissue. Therefore it is important to stop the disease in its early stages. As a result of cartilage thinning the bone near the joint hardens and grows – the joint is deformed. That is why this type of arthrosis is called “deforming”.

Knee joint arthrosis is often confused with arthritis. A distinctive feature of arthritis is that the joint becomes inflamed, but the tissue does not thin out.

Knee joint arthrosis may be primary and secondary.

• Primary arthrosis occurs as a result of the influence of natural forces. Most often elder people suffer from it. The disease occurs as a result of an increased pressure on the cartilage, which increases friction.
• The main cause of secondary arthrosis is trauma. Physical impact disrupts the normal cartilage functioning and starts the process of its thinning. Also the cause of secondary arthrosis can be past diseases associated with autoimmune cartilaginous tissue damage.

In both cases the disease development can be stopped. The main thing is to start treatment on time.

Risk factors and causes

Let’s talk in details why the knee joint arthrosis arises, and who runs the risk of getting sick most.

Risk factors:

• age (most often suffer over-40 population);
• overweight;
• females;
• genetics (risk group are people whose family members have suffered or suffer from knee joint arthrosis);
• inherited features, joint dysplasia, which create conditions for the gradual abrasion of cartilage;
• work associated with increased load on the joints (constant weight lifting);
• sports, involving lifting and carrying havy weight.
• inflammatory joint diseases: gout, rheumatic disease;
• meniscal injuries;
• joint dislocation ;
• fractures;
• metabolic disorders;
• circulatory disorders;
• joints hypermobility.

It is believed that the disease can occur in any person. For example, at some point age-related changes may appear that will trigger the arthrosis development. At the same time, there can be no other prerequisites except age.

Knee joint arthritis is harmless disease if detected at an early stage, but is an extremely severe one if leave the situation to luck.

Stages of gonarthrosis development

The first stage. Its beginning is the appearance of the first disease symptoms. Most often it is pain and discomfort in the knee area that occur on the move. At rest the patient usually feel comfortable. During acute conditions synovitis may appear. This is a fluid collection in the knee joint. Therefore, the disease can be determined visually even on the first stage.

• The second stage. The intensity of pain increases, the patient feels severe pain at the slightest movement. The mobility of the joint is reduced; the knee looks unnatural and deformed. The patient can no longer fully use the limb due to serious discomfort.
• The third stage. Cartilaginous tissue is thinning. The bones rub against each other and sometimes begin to grow together, limiting active and passive movements in the joint. The patient almost always feels pain. The sleep problems arise; the quality of life is reduced. Moving without a cane or crutches becomes impossible.

There are situations when the patient experiences severe pain at the first stage and vice versa – he/she feels minimal discomfort with almost completely destroyed cartilage. It is not possible to specify disease stage based on complaints only. This is done by the doctor after the x-ray studying and examining the patient’s lower limb.

Symptoms

• Pain of varying intensity: from mild discomfort to severe pain is to be removed with medication. Starting pains may appear, that is, unpleasant sensations when moving after a long rest;
• Constrained movements;
• Bony crepitus during physical activity;
• Joint deformity;
• Fluid collection in the knee joint;
• Feeling of heaviness in the knee;
• Lameness;
• In neglected cases amiatrophy of the affected limb may develop;
• Inability to bend or straighten the leg completely.

Symptoms most often have a groving nature: pain bothers more and more, other signs are joining.

Knee joint arthrosis detection

Detection begins with a conversation with patient: the patient tells about his/her symptoms and complaints. Next, a clinical examination of the patient is carried out. The doctor determines the joint mobility by palpation.

An informative diagnostic method is sufficient for diagnosis. In this case, the symmetry and the joint space width, the bones condition that form the joint are evaluated.

To detect the inflammation area and condition of the ligamentous apparatus ultrasound is used.

The cartilage and tendons condition shows an MRI. If this method is not enough, the doctor makes an injection into the joint area and conducts a fluid intake. This method is called a knee puncture with subsequent lab test of the resulting fluid.

Treatment of knee goint arthrosis

Treatment depends on the cause of disease occurence. If it’s overweight the patient is aimed to lose weight. A diet is made and physical exercises are prescribed. The main goal is to change the way of life. If the cause is an injury, its consequences are eliminated.

In parallel,  medicinal treatment is applied. With severe pain the patient is prescribed pain-relieving medicine. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed if necessary. Acute inflammation is removed by steroids. The condition of cartilaginous tissue is improved by vasodepressors and  cartilage protectors.

Surgery is practiced in severe cases only.

The metameric treatment methods used by the doctors of the Bersenev’s Medical Center have proven their effectiveness. Injections are introduced into the affected area, which trigger regenerative processes in the nerve structures that provide knee joint innervation. As a result, it is possible to accelerate recovery and remove pain quickly.

There is no therapy template effective in every patient treatment. The doctor develops a scheme taking into account the joint and cartilage condition, stage and severity of disease. In addition, individual peculiarities of patient and certain drugs tolerance are taken into account.

Applying to the doctor as early as possible you significantly increase the chances of positive outcome. Modern medicine allows you to effectively treat the knee joint arthrosis. The choice is yours: if you find the above symptoms do not hesitate to contact the Bersenev’s Medical Center.