Causes of exacerbation of knee arthritis. First symptoms of knee arthritis, treatment and prevention rules

Arthritis knee joint– one of the most common types of joint pathology of the legs. With it, inflammation develops in the articular and periarticular tissues of the knee. The reason for the leading position of the disease is that the knee is more often injured; it bears the greatest load during movement and many types of physical labor. Due to the greater degree of wear and tear, this joint is more easily exposed to various pathogenic factors. Another name for the disease – gonarthrosis or gonarthrosis – comes from Greek word"gony", translated meaning "knee". According to statistics, the disease affects people aged 30 years and older. Men and women suffer from it equally. Timely initiation of complex drug treatment for arthritis of the knee joint allows achieving stable remission in most cases.

Causes and types of knee arthritis

Thanks to the articular joints of the bone apparatus, humans, like many other living beings, have the ability to move. A healthy joint is designed in such a way that it can withstand significant loads, but as it wears out, the dynamic ability gradually decreases, and development begins various pathologies leading to joint deformation. One such disease is arthritis, which most often affects the knee. What is knee arthritis? serious illness, the consequence of which is the development of the inflammatory process in the articular and periarticular tissues. Such damage to the joint can lead to its deformation and even complete destruction, as a result of which a person may become disabled.

Among the causes of arthritis of the knee joint, rheumatologists put genetic predisposition in first place. If one of the person’s close relatives suffers or has suffered from the disease - parents, siblings, the likelihood of its occurrence in of this patient increases significantly. This can be explained by the reduced immune status, congenital weakness of articular tissues, their tendency to rapid wear. But even if there is bad heredity it all depends on the conditions and lifestyle.

Other common causes of knee arthritis include:

Mechanical injuries - fractures, bruises, dislocations, sprains, and even just stable overload of the knee joint (as a result of heavy physical work or significantly exceeding body weight) cause destruction of cartilage and joint tissue, leading to the development of an inflammatory process and contributing to the occurrence of swelling and crunching and pain when moving;
Acute arthritis occurs due to the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the bone tissue of the joint from external environment or from a nearby focus of chronic inflammatory process in the body. Characterized by cutting pain when trying to move. Without treatment, arthritis of the knee joint of this form turns into a purulent type of pathology;
The purulent type of arthritis is characterized by significant swelling and redness of the skin in the joint area, increased temperature, as well as severe aching and stabbing pain in the knee, aggravated by moving the leg, and the presence of pus in the synovial (periarticular) fluid;
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs as a result of a malfunction immune system, due to which the body begins to perceive the cells of its own body as foreign, seeking to destroy them. This form belongs to the group autoimmune diseases, the cause of which is the transferred infection or acute allergic reaction, which caused an overly powerful response of the immune system, leading to its overstrain;
Another autoimmune form of knee arthritis is. It occurs only in patients with psoriasis, combining simultaneous damage to skin and joint tissues;
The cause of deforming arthritis is the development of a dystrophic process, which leads to disruption of the normal supply of bone and cartilage tissue nutrients. Pathology can lead to absolute thinning and abrasion of the cartilage layer, up to complete exposure of the bony part of the head of the knee joint.

The ICD 10 (tenth version of the International Classification of Diseases) code for arthritis of the knee joint varies depending on the type - from M00 to M25.

On a note!
Determine the form and establish the causes of the development of arthritis of the knee joint, and also prescribe correct therapy only a specialist can do it after careful differential diagnosis. Therefore, at the first signs of illness, patients should consult a doctor to prevent progression of the disease.

Symptoms and diagnosis of knee arthritis

Symptoms of arthritis of the knee joint have common features: pain and limited mobility in the knee area, swelling and redness of the skin of the joint. But they are not always noticeable from the first days of the disease. Symptoms depend on the degree of development of the disease:

During the first stage, rapid fatigue occurs in the legs, which appears as a result of physical effort and goes away after a couple of hours of rest. After sleep, slight swelling and limited joint mobility are possible, but after 30-40 minutes, motor functions are completely restored. From time to time there is a feeling of weakness in the knee and a twisting of the leg - it suddenly bends with a crunch and pain. At this stage, fluoroscopy shows bone growths along the edges of the joint, the initial stage of cartilage degeneration caused by a violation of its blood supply;
The second stage is characterized by a clearly defined pain syndrome– both after activity and at rest. The pain intensifies with palpation (feeling) of the joint. The swelling increases and becomes constant, regardless of the time of day. Redness of the skin appears and its temperature rises. X-ray examination reveals obvious wear of the cartilaginous layer, the edges of the bony part of the joint become uneven;
The third stage of the disease leads to deformation and gradual destruction of the cartilage layer and the bone head. The joints take on a deformed and hypertrophied (enlarged) appearance, which is clearly visible in the photo knee arthritis. To this extent, the X-ray shows a narrowing or complete disappearance of the interarticular space, which indicates a sharp limitation motor function knee

Diagnosis of knee arthritis can be divided into four stages:

The first consists of an external examination and questioning of the patient;
The second is the collection and laboratory test blood tests (there is an increase in the level of leukocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP marker - C-reactive protein: all this indicates the development of an inflammatory process);
At the third stage, an x-ray examination is carried out;
The fourth stage includes ultrasonography(ultrasound), computed tomography(CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Specified diagnostic methods allow the doctor to get an idea of the changes occurring in the joint tissues. At the same stage, samples are taken (puncture or biopsy) synovial fluid and research of its composition, as well as bacteriological culture, allowing us to identify the reaction of pathogenic microorganisms contained in it to the effects of various pharmaceuticals.

Another type of test used for knee arthritis is diagnostic arthroscopy. When performing it, the doctor under local anesthesia makes a small incision in the joint area through which an arthroscope is inserted - a miniature probe with a video camera at the end, allowing the doctor to examine the joint in great detail. Through another incision, a hollow tube is inserted through which saline– filling the joint cavity, it improves visibility and allows manipulations to be carried out more carefully and accurately. Arthrography makes it possible to detect pathological process at the very beginning of development, when even x-ray examination, which has always played a leading role in the diagnosis of all types of joint pathologies, is not yet able to detect it.

Sometimes, to establish a final diagnosis, consultation with doctors from several specialties is required, which depends on the form of the disease. For the rheumatoid type of arthritis, this is a rheumatologist; for gout, a nutritionist and nephrologist; for the psoriatic variety, a dermatologist. But the last word always belongs to an arthrologist - a specialist in the treatment of this pathology in any of its forms.

The disease in question is a very complex phenomenon that has various reasons and developing differently. Therefore, the symptoms and treatment of knee arthritis are closely related. The final decision on how and how to treat arthritis of the knee joint is made by doctors only after the patient has undergone all the necessary examinations and reviewed their results.

Treatment of knee arthritis

Therapeutic modalities used to treat knee arthritis include complex application a number of events:

Drug therapy;
Physiotherapy;
Physical therapy and massage;
Spa treatment;
Folk ways to combat articular pathologies.

At the first stage of treatment, when it is necessary to relieve the severity of the inflammatory process and pain, the leading role in treatment belongs to drugs for the treatment of arthritis of the knee joint, denoted by the abbreviation NSAIDs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These include Paracetamol, Olfen, Ortofen, Revmoxicam, Almiral. Some of them are available only in tablet form, others in the form of ointment, cream, gel or injection solution for injections. Simultaneously with them drug treatment chondroprotectors are used that restore and strengthen joint tissues (Rumalon), warming ointments that improve blood supply to the affected area (Finalgon), hormonal drugs(Hydrocortisone) and restoratives – Methyluracil, vitamins B and C.

As the acute inflammatory process subsides, the emphasis in treatment shifts from the medication component to physiotherapeutic procedures:

Ultraviolet irradiation (UVR);
Ultra-high frequency currents (UHF);
Shock wave therapy (SWT);
Balneology (therapeutic mud applications);
Paraffin treatment;
Magnetotherapy;
Exercise therapy and massage.

It is more convenient to carry out the listed procedures in the conditions of sanatorium-resort treatment. Patients with articular pathologies are recommended to stay in a dry and hot climate - such areas include the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, Mineral water, Krasnodar, Crimea. Balneological resorts recommended for such patients are also available in central Russia (Lipetsk) and Altai (Belokurikha).

Many patients, along with pharmacological methods, use non-traditional methods in the treatment of arthritis of the knee joint. traditional medicine. Herbal healers recommend the following recipes in the fight against illness:

Wrapping sore knees with fresh leaves of burdock, coltsfoot or cabbage softens joint pain and reduces inflammation;
Liquid ointment, which can be prepared from raw yolk, has the same properties. chicken egg(preferably homemade), adding to it a teaspoon of turpentine and apple cider vinegar and mix thoroughly. Lubricate your joints with it better evening before going to bed;
Another recipe for a healing balm includes two glasses of freshly squeezed black radish juice, half a glass of vodka and half a glass of honey (add the ingredients one at a time, mixing thoroughly). Add a tablespoon to the resulting mixture table salt and also stir until completely dissolved. The product must be stored in the refrigerator, poured in small portions as needed and heated in a water bath. After rubbing the balm into the joints, they must be covered warmly.

On a note!
Folk remedies are used as a complement to traditional drug therapy, but cannot completely replace it. Before using them, you should definitely consult with your doctor.

It is impossible to completely cure arthritis of the knee joint; the goal of treatment is to achieve maximum long period remission. Modern medicine can allow the patient to lead a normal lifestyle.

Article publication date: 02/13/2013

Article updated date: 12/01/2018

Arthritis is a pathology of the joints, which is based on an inflammatory process. Often the disease is chronic and can bother a person for years. Arthritis of the knee joint (gonarthritis, gonitis) is a widespread problem in the world, especially many cases are registered in civilized countries: in Europe, in the USA and here in Russia. The disease often leads to disability, so if you have already been diagnosed with this, treatment should be comprehensive, and you need to start acting as soon as possible.

Types and forms of gonarthritis

The reasons why gonarthritis occurs are not fully understood. Gonarthritis can develop as an independent pathology or be a symptom of other diseases, for example, rheumatism. There are primary and secondary forms of the disease. Primary arthritis is a pathology that occurs independently, “on its own,” while secondary arthritis occurs as a manifestation or complication of other diseases.

The primary form includes the following types illness:

septic – inflammation caused by pus-forming microbes;

rheumatoid – lesion different groups joints, including knees;

post-traumatic;

idiopathic - of unknown origin.

As a manifestation or complication of other pathologies, knee arthritis is possible:

For osteoarthritis. Inflammation of the joint cavity occurs against the background of its deforming lesion and destruction of cartilage.
For rheumatism. Rheumatism – general disease organism that suffers the most large joints and heart.
For psoriasis (disease of the skin and connective tissue).
For lupus erythematosus (damage to the immune system).

When the disease is arthritis of the knee joint, the symptoms can be violent, bright and sluggish. Since gonarthritis can be acute (begins suddenly and often proceeds violently) and chronic (the first signs of the initial stage of the disease are invisible, the disease lasts a long time with periodic exacerbations).

Also, inflammation can be unilateral or bilateral (symmetrical), for example, with rheumatism, the process will always be bilateral.

Characteristic symptoms

How to distinguish inflammation of the knee joint from another lesion? Diagnosis is the task of the doctor.

Regardless of the reasons for the development in manifestations different forms Arthritis has common symptoms:

pain that gets worse with movement;
swelling and swelling of the affected knee;
local increase in temperature and redness of the skin in the area of inflammation;
decreased range of motion in the joint.

Symptoms of knee arthritis can vary depending on the severity of the disease.

Grade 1 is characterized by minor pain, in morning hours There may be a limitation in the mobility of the knee, which goes away after some time.

Stage 2 is characterized by more serious symptoms: the pain becomes more intense, obvious swelling of the knee area, redness and swelling are visible. Difficulties in movement become more pronounced.

3rd degree gonarthyritis - deforming arthritis, in which severe pain cause persistent muscle spasm, resulting in knee deformation.

With gonarthritis, the knees may be swollen

Treatment methods

Quite a lot has been said about the dangers of self-medication, and for a problem such as arthritis, this is especially true. Therefore, in order to successfully treat the disease, be sure to consult an experienced doctor: after the examination, you will be given an individual treatment plan depending on the type of disease, its stage and all the characteristics of your body. Traditional medicine uses pills, injections, and physical therapy to treat knee arthritis. Each type of pathology requires its own approach, since the mechanism of development, the causes of occurrence, and the symptoms of the disease will be different in each case.

Traditional therapy

Anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs containing hormones and acetylsalicylic acid help treat arthritis.

If the cause of inflammation is an infectious process, then antibiotics are prescribed. If the reason is some general pathology body - appropriate therapy is prescribed depending on the disease.

Local medications include ointments, creams and compresses, the purpose of which is to eliminate pain, relieve swelling, improve blood circulation in the knee and warm it.

In severe cases (grade 2–3 of the disease or its acute period), treatment of arthritis of the knee joint with medications that are injected directly into the joint cavity using an injection is indicated. These may be hormonal drugs with an anti-inflammatory effect, chondroprotectors that help restore the normal structure of joint structures, and some other drugs.

During the period of exacerbation of the pathology, it is important to provide rest and warmth to the affected joints; sometimes bed rest is prescribed.

You should follow a diet. Use:

Fresh vegetables and fruits.
Fatty fish. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for articular cartilage.
Seafood containing chondroitin is a natural component that nourishes cartilage. These are squid, shrimp, mussels.

Consumption of salty and spicy food needs to be limited.

Massage and manual therapy are also useful for treating knee arthritis.

It is important to understand that the disease can be completely cured only with an integrated approach.

The photo shows a manual therapy procedure

Gymnastics

You can easily perform therapeutic exercises at home. It's important to do without sudden movements and excessive stress (both directly during classes and in life in general). Gentle stretching exercises help treat the disease very well - they are very useful.

Let's look at a few simple and effective exercises, which will help stop arthritis of the knee joint, and can also serve as a measure of its prevention.

Warm up. Stand up straight, place your feet together and place your hands on your knees. Perform several circular rotation movements with your knees in one direction and the other. When performing rotations, a slight pain may occur - this is normal, but if the pain is sharp or gradually intensifies, it is not advisable to do gymnastics.

Sit on a chair with your feet a short distance apart. Lift one leg, move it to the side and hold in this position for about 10 seconds. Return to the starting position. Do the exercise with the other leg.

Lie on the floor, on your back. Pull the knee of one leg towards your chest, hold for a few seconds, then straighten the same leg vertically up and lower it to the floor. Do the exercise with the other leg.

The number of repetitions of each exercise at the beginning of training should be no more than five; if a smaller number of approaches causes discomfort, do less. In the future, the number of approaches can be increased to ten.

Self-treatment at home

A good addition to traditional methods treatments are traditional medicine that can be successfully used at home. To treat arthritis of the knee joint at home, use anti-inflammatory decoctions from medicinal herbs, tinctures, compresses and homemade ointments that effectively relieve pain, help reduce acute inflammation and prevent complications. A large number of effective recipes collected in the article "".

Prevention

Here are the main measures to prevent and prevent complications of the disease, which are aimed at eliminating the main causes of the disease:

avoid hypothermia of the feet, especially prolonged stay in cold water;
if your work involves long periods of standing or sitting, take breaks for a short warm-up or walking;
follow a diet, fight overweight(if he is);
increase immunity and body resistance ( healthy image life, hardening, vitamins);
give up bad habits.

Deciding how to treat knee arthritis in each specific case, of course, a doctor should. But the recovery process largely depends on the patient. If you strictly follow all the doctor’s recommendations and be attentive to your health, the chances of a favorable outcome are high, and it is quite possible to even completely cure the disease. Take care of yourself and be healthy!

– inflammatory disease knee joint of various etiologies, occurring in the form of monoarthritis or being a manifestation of polyarthritis. Clinical signs arthritis of the knee joint include pain at rest and during movement, limitation of function, swelling, hyperemia of the skin over the joint, pain on palpation, and local increase in temperature. In the diagnosis of knee arthritis important role data from radiography, ultrasound, MRI, thermography, joint puncture with examination of synovial fluid, arthroscopy, biopsy of the synovial membrane are used. Depending on the etiology and nature of the disease, treatment for knee arthritis may include drug therapy, intra-articular injections, immobilization, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, and in severe cases - surgical treatment.

General information

Arthritis of the knee joint (gonarthritis, gonitis, osteoarthritis) – acute or chronic inflammation in the knee joint, affecting its osteochondral ends or capsule. Complexity anatomical structure and a large magnitude of the tested load predetermine high frequency lesions of the knee joint, as well as a variety of clinical forms gonarthritis. According to rheumatology and arthrology, arthritis of the knee joint accounts for 35%-52% of inflammation of the joints of various locations. The disease can develop in people of different age groups, but is more common in people 40-60 years old. Prolonged or recurrent arthritis of the knee joint can lead to limited or complete loss of movement in the joint and permanent disability of the patient.

The knee joint is formed by three bone structures - the patella, femur and tibia. The articular surfaces of the bones are covered with cartilage, which helps reduce friction between the articular surfaces articulated with each other. The function of stabilizing the joint is performed by intra-articular and extra-articular ligaments, and the function of shock absorption of the knee is performed by cartilage layers (menisci). All elements of the joint are enclosed in a joint capsule, externally covered with dense fibrous tissue, and internally lined with a synovial membrane that produces a small amount of synovial fluid. The knee joint is the largest supporting joint, allowing flexion, extension, and rotational movements. lower limb.

Classification

An independent classification of knee arthritis has not been developed. Like arthritis of other localizations, due to its occurrence, gonarthritis is divided into primary (which is an independent nosological form) and secondary (associated with other diseases). Taking into account clinical picture Arthritis of the knee joint can be acute or chronic.

According to etiology, arthritis is divided into infectious (specific, nonspecific, infectious-allergic), rheumatoid, reactive, post-traumatic, aseptic. Depending on the nature of the resulting inflammatory exudate, arthritis of the knee joint can be serous, serous-purulent and purulent; by the number of joints involved - unilateral or symmetrical.

Causes of knee arthritis

Primary arthritis of the knee joint is usually a consequence of injuries (bruises, open wounds, rupture of the knee capsule, damage to the meniscus), allowing infection to penetrate directly into the joint cavity. It is possible to develop gonarthritis after performing a diagnostic puncture of the knee joint or surgery. Secondary arthritis of the knee joint may occur due to systemic diseases(rheumatism, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, SLE, Reiter's disease, etc.), infections (tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea, brucellosis, dysentery, chlamydia, etc.), purulent processes of other localization (osteomyelitis, boils, phlegmon, erysipelas). Reactive arthritis develops as a result of previous genitourinary or intestinal infection. Knee arthritis is often found in patients with hemophilia, sarcoidosis, gout, malignant tumors internal organs.

Injuries to the articular ligaments, bursitis, tendinitis, excess weight and obesity, heavy physical (including sports) loads, joint hypermobility, and flat feet can predispose to the development of arthritis of the knee joint. Often the manifestation of acute arthritis of the knee joint is provoked by infection, vaccination, allergic reaction, surgical interventions, abortion or childbirth, or hypothermia.

Symptoms of knee arthritis

Although various shapes arthritis of the knee joint have their own clinical features, all of them are characterized by some general symptoms. The main local (articular) signs of gonarthritis include pain, swelling and joint deformation.

Prognosis and prevention

In general, the outcome and consequences of gonarthritis largely depend on its form, timeliness of diagnosis, completeness of treatment, and adherence to the recommendations of the attending physician. The chronic progressive course of arthritis of the knee joint sooner or later leads to persistent dysfunction of the lower limb and disability of the patient. The most dangerous in its consequences is empyema of the joint. In many cases, knee arthritis can be prevented by avoiding overuse injuries. physical activity, hypothermia, preventing the set excess weight etc. Prevention of secondary arthritis requires adequate treatment infectious and rheumatic diseases.

Arthritis of the knee joint (gonitis) is a disease characterized by inflammation inside the joint or in the periarticular area. It occurs as a result of complications after colds, infections in the body, bad heredity, etc. Development leads to dysfunction of the knee. The inflammatory process is associated with pain, stiffness, swelling of the joint and nearby tissues. Depending on the degree of development, knee arthritis leads to discomfort that occurs during movement, and in later stages to severe painful sensations and immobility of the patient.

Lack of treatment becomes a reason leading to a deterioration in the quality of life, and the appearance of severe forms leads to disability of patients. Failure to take timely measures to stabilize and normalize natural processes leads to rapid and complete destruction of bone tissue. This occurs due to the heavy load to which the joint is exposed every day. Due to this, proper organization treatment and formation necessary conditions– an important task for the doctor and relatives of a patient with knee arthritis .

Types of disease

When diagnosing, several of the most common varieties are distinguished, differing in the nature of their occurrence:

. A common form of knee disease. The cause is a hereditary predisposition, hormonal disorders, bad habits, infections, injuries, hypothermia, etc.;
post-traumatic. Development begins as a result closed damage knee joints, which are accompanied by hemarthrosis (bleeding into the joint);
deforming – degenerative disease joints, which is characterized by pain and swelling resulting from increased destruction of cartilage;
. Among the causes are often cited infections that affect the urinary or digestive system;
purulent. The appearance of symptoms is provoked by staphylococci and other infectious pathogens. The disease can be diagnosed in both children and adults. At the same time, identifying the root cause is quite difficult;
. The disease occurs due to salt deposition uric acid and disorders in metabolic processes. The disease occurs more often in men than in women. With this type, the articular cartilage crumbles, and the resulting cavities are filled with crystals of sodium urate (uric acid salt). Symptoms include the appearance of acute pain, often at night;
According to the area of localization, arthritis of the knee joint can be unilateral or bilateral.

The concept of arthrosis-arthritis of the knee joint is not included in medical classifiers, but doctors often use the name when diagnosing a patient. In this case, there are malfunctions in the functioning of the ligamentous-cartilaginous unit, combined with inflammation of the joint.

Chief orthopedist: “If your knees, elbows or shoulders start to hurt, immediately remove raw food from your diet...

An obvious sign of this condition is aching pain that increases with physical activity. The appearance of such symptoms should force the patient to seek the help of a doctor, receive his consultation and appropriate prescriptions in a timely manner. If you do not do this at all or postpone a visit to a specialist for a long time, then subsequent treatment may not have a positive effect, which will further increase the chances of developing a severe form of joint disease.

Degrees and forms of knee arthritis

As knee arthritis progresses, the cartilage that is needed to protect the base of adjacent bones thins. The disease affects the joint, which bears a large weight load. Bone becomes fragile and vulnerable, breaks down, forming bone spurs that damage muscles and nerve endings. This leads to joint deformation and stiffness.

The mechanism of arthritis development is not fully understood. What is known is that change can occur at any age, and overweight accelerates the flow destructive processes in the joints.

The manifestation of knee arthritis can be either a consequence of various diseases or independently. developing disease. For this reason, primary and secondary forms of the disease are distinguished. With primary arthritis, deformation and thinning of the cartilage cavity occurs. Lupus erythematosus, rheumatism and psoriasis provoke the development of secondary arthritis.

Often the onset of the disease is unnoticed, there are no serious complications, and the shape and size of the bone does not change. In such cases, preventive studies are of particular importance, as they can, based on an analysis prescribed by a doctor, identify the disease at an initial or early stage.

This is especially true for the risk group - patients whose relatives suffer from a similar illness.

Causes of knee arthritis

Bone deformities of the knee joint may be accompanied by inflammatory processes in the muscles. This significantly affects posture and gait. It is a mistaken belief that arthritis is caused by elderly age patient and age-related changes occurring in the body. Some types of knee arthritis can occur between the ages of 25 and 55. It is worth noting that women are three times more likely to suffer from the disease than men.

Although knee arthritis cannot be completely cured, treatment is early stages softens the manifestation of symptoms. Thanks to timely treatment, the likelihood of developing loss of joint mobility is low. The exception is a small percentage of patients with severe forms and unknown reasons diseases (5%-10%).

The disease is often associated with those who frequently and a lot of stress on the joint due to too intense or professional sports. It is this category of patients who suffer from the disease, since the integrity of cartilage and bone, damaged as a result of injuries and heavy loads, are not able to naturally recover on their own.

Medical research suggests that the disease can develop against the background of immunodeficiency. This is associated with malfunctions of the immune system, which contribute to the self-destruction of bone tissue. Knee arthritis does not have infectious nature and cannot be transmitted from sick to healthy. Only some people have a high chance of developing the disease, and this is explained by genetic or hereditary predisposition. Often, arthritis of the knee joint in children occurs against the background of allergies or dysfunction of the thyroid gland.

Symptoms

Arthritis of the knee joint - dangerous disease which leads to many complications. There are over 100 various types diseases. That is why it is necessary to know the symptoms, preventive measures and treatment methods that help eliminate or stop the course of dangerous illness. From total number cases – in 80% the disease affects the knee joint. Given its prevalence, it is necessary to better understand the problem in order to protect yourself and take the necessary measures in time.

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There are common symptoms characteristic of any type of arthritis of the knees:

stiffness in the affected joint in the morning;
aching or sharp pain at night;
inflammation, swelling, redness of the skin;
at severe forms– partial loss of motor function of the joint, deformation and visible increase in the size of the knee.

In most cases, arthritis affects both knee joints. The patient is worried about fever and fast fatiguability. In an advanced form, a Baker's cyst may appear, a decrease in tendon mobility and muscle tissue atrophy may occur.

There are systemic manifestations of the disease:

eye damage;
heart muscle;
vascular atherosclerosis;
lung diseases, etc.

With infectious arthritis of the knee joint, body temperature rises significantly (up to 39 degrees), periodic pain appears in all joints, swelling of the knee, and the development of dermatitis. Distinctive feature gouty arthritis is deterioration general condition patient after drinking alcohol. Some types appear as purple or bluish spots on the skin.

The pain syndrome intensifies with incomplete flexion (since the greatest tension of the tendon occurs) or extension of the knee. Walking up stairs, getting up from sitting position, and squatting is almost impossible. With left-sided arthritis, driving a car is usually difficult, since the discomfort intensifies when pressing the car pedals. Most often, pain due to arthritis develops gradually, but sudden onset of pain is also possible.

Diagnosis

In addition to the visual method of detecting signs of arthritis, it is possible to determine by palpation. This will require a visit to the doctor, where a mandatory medical examination will be performed. The doctor will perform an examination examining the patient's gait and joint condition. The specialist will thoroughly examine the range of motion, the presence of lameness, and the degree of swelling and tenderness of the joint.

If necessary, an x-ray is prescribed to show the presence of narrowing of the joint space in the knee joint. If the disease is not treated, in most cases it becomes chronic.

Experts distinguish 3 main stages of development:

I (initial). Pain and discomfort are short-lived and occur in the morning, at night or when the weather changes. On x-ray the first signs of bone thinning and increased density are visible muscle tissue, as well as the resulting narrowing of the joint space.
II. Abnormal changes become more noticeable, swelling and pain are pronounced, and limited mobility of the knee appears. The image shows erosion, drying out of the cartilage with simultaneous thickening of the capsule, and narrowing of the lumen of the cartilage.
III. The image shows a vast muscular dystrophy, signs of bone deformation, increased growth of connective tissue, salt deposition in the joint. Articular cartilage tissue is almost completely destroyed.

Blood tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to diagnose arthritis.

Treatment of knee arthritis

Treatment of knee arthritis depends on the form and symptoms of the disease. It usually begins with pain therapy to help relieve pain and increase mobility of the knee joint. If a diagnosis is established, the patient is recommended to change some habits and lifestyle, take care to reduce the load on the knee, which will lead to a decrease in pain. If the patient is overweight, then a proper and professionally developed weight loss program is necessary. It must combine effective dietary food and exercise.

The choice of a set of exercises should be entrusted to a professional trainer, since it should not cause harm or contribute to the further development of the disease. Swimming is good, but it is better to avoid running or long walking. Flexibility exercises will lead to improved functioning and effective treatment of the knee joint.

Medicines and medical devices

Arthritis of the knee joint is in most cases characterized by inflammation and pain. Acute inflammation Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can relieve this. These are Ibuprofen and Naproxen. Prednisone can not only remove inflammation, but can also support rehabilitation treatment arthritis of the knee joints . Drugs must be selected with special care, because many may be accompanied by side effects, especially if long-term use is required. Treatment of knee arthritis is almost never performed without special support or supporting devices. Ordinary cane, knee pad, orthopedic shoes They will help facilitate movement and allow painless bending and straightening of the knee joint.

Prevention

In most cases, adults and elderly people suffer from arthritis of the knee joint globe. Many people believe that disease is an integral part of the aging process and do not look for it at all. effective ways treatment. But, achievements traditional medicine and modern alternative therapies, as well as timely diagnosis and treatment, can significantly improve the quality of life of people suffering from this disease.