Arthrosis of the joints

Arthrosis of the joints is a chronic joint disease that develops due to metabolic disorders. As a result, degenerative, dystrophic changes and destruction of cartilage tissue occur.

It occurs imperceptibly, but often develops very quickly. A person begins to feel pain in the joints when moving, there is stiffness and decreased mobility, especially in the morning, while still "not at odds". If discomfort appears and periodic pain occurs during awkward movements or load, then it is very important to understand that this will not go away, and without intervention the situation will only worsen.

Symptoms of arthrosis

Arthrosis of large and medium joints seriously changes a person's lifestyle, worsens the quality, and imposes restrictions. The development of the disease is like an avalanche and treatment is most often associated with unbearable pain, and this is a clear sign of wear and tear on the joints.

Symptoms of arthrosis of the joints depend on how much the joint, cartilage tissue and nearby tissues are affected.

At the initial stages, arthrosis can be determined quite accurately, the treatment in this case is sparing and does not require serious intervention and expensive drugs for the treatment of arthrosis.

Types of arthrosis

Arthrosis of the joints is classified according to several criteria. Depending on the degree of arthrotic changes in the cartilage tissue, 4 stages of arthrosis are distinguished. Arthrosis is also divided into primary and secondary. The cause of the development of primary arthrosis is age-related changes. Secondary arthrosis occurs due to injuries and diseases of the joints (for example, traumatic arthrosis or rheumatoid arthrosis). The disease can also develop slowly over years or lead to destruction of the joint in just a few years (progressive arthrosis).

There is alsotypes of arthrosis depending on the affected area:

• – arthrosis of the knee joint – arthrosis of the hip joint
• Uncovertebral arthrosis - arthrosis of the cervical vertebrae
• Vertebral arthrosis - damage to the spine
• Patellofemoral arthrosis is a type of gonarthrosis in which the patella and part of the femur suffer.

The degree of disease is determined by the degree of cartilage tissue damage.

Arthrosis of the 1st degree - the cartilage tissue is slightly damaged, the person does not feel discomfort;

Arthrosis II degree - osteophytes appear, the space between the cartilages decreases, situational pain occurs with awkward movements;

Arthrosis of the III degree - the cartilage tissue is destroyed in places and exposes the bone tissue, the gap between the cartilages decreases, the pain is frequent and severe;

Arthrosis of the IV degree - a significant part of the cartilage tissue is destroyed up to 60%, there is no gap between the bones, patients experience constant, severe pain, hyperthermia of the area above the joint occurs.

• A characteristic crunch during movements and a slight background aching pain;
• Limitation of joint mobility, discomfort during full physical activity;
• "Jumping" blood pressure indicators;
• Headache and dizziness;
• Convulsive syndrome and often muscle spasms;
• Visually observed deformity of the joint;
• Puffiness, hyperthermia or redness of the skin area over the diseased joint;
• Violation of motor function.

Why does the disease appear

Arthrosis of the joints can manifest itself in any of the departments, but most often patients turn when arthrosis of the knee or hip joint makes itself felt. In the professional field, with a special, specific load on the hands, shoulder arthrosis can be observed.

The lesions differ in men and women.The strong half often suffers from temporomandibular, wrist, ankle and lumbar arthrosis. Women complain more about the thoracic and cervical regions, as well as the joints of the fingers and big toes.

The type of disease is determined by the location of the lesion. There are the following types:

• arthrosis of the hip joint - coxarthrosis;
• arthrosis of the knee joint - gonarthrosis;
• damage to the patella and part of the femur - patellofemoral arthrosis (a type of gonarthrosis);
• spinal disease - vertebral arthrosis;
• damage to the cervical spine - uncovertebral arthrosis.

The main reasons are:

• inflammatory process;
• professional sports;
• overweight;
• professional non-standard load, for example, squatting or kneeling;
• previous joint injuries (post-traumatic);
• hypothermia;
• heredity;
• age changes.

Arthrosis may appear as an independent disease, or may be the result of an already ongoing illness, so it is important to know a person's history.

Diagnosis of arthrosis of the joints

Arthrosis of the joints is detected by X-ray. The x-ray image shows how the joint is deformed and how much the joint space narrows. It may also be necessary to undergo an MRI or arthroscopy, but only in particularly complex and ambiguous cases. Usually x-rays of the joints are enough to diagnose the disease.

To understand the presence of the disease, its severity, as well as what disorders led to the disease, a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out.

First, with the helpx-ray in different projectionsreceive information about the degree of damage to the joint.

Tomography (magnetic resonance or computed) helpsexclude tumor processes.

Thirdly, you needtake teststo understand whether arthrosis is an independent disease or a complication, as well as to determine the general condition of a person.

The complex of studies is the most informative and gives a clear idea of degenerative-dystrophic changes and helps to choose the optimal treatment plan.

Treatment of arthrosis

As discussed above, arthrosis can develop due to many factors, and the treatment plan is developed based on an understanding of the underlying causes and drugs for the treatment of arthrosis are selected accordingly.

Treatment should be developed individually, based on the results of the diagnosis. Be sure to take into account the condition of the person, his existing diseases.

Restoration of the articular surface and cartilage tissue is not fast. Effective drugs are prescribed that have side effects. And taking drugs to get the desired result lasts up to 6 months. Therefore, it is important to protect your health as much as possible from side effects.

Medical treatment of arthrosis

The main goal of such therapy is to remove the manifestations of arthrosis. Drug treatment of arthrosis of the joints includes:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With arthrosis, a person experiences pain, the joint becomes inflamed. To eliminate unpleasant symptoms and stop inflammation, this group of drugs is prescribed.
• Hormonal injections into the joint. Corticosteroid drugs are most often administered in the acute stage of arthrosis.
• Chondroprotectors. The main task of these drugs is to stop the degenerative processes in the cartilage tissue in order to prevent its further destruction.
• Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid preparations are similar to synovial fluid, which provides gliding and smooth free movements in the joint. With arthrosis, synovial fluid is not secreted enough, so orthopedists often prescribe hyaluronic acid injections (injections into the joint with arthrosis).
• Biological therapy of arthrosis (PRP and cytokine therapy). A new innovative method of arthrosis therapy, which has recently entered practice, but is gaining popularity. This is the use of drugs based on the patient's blood plasma enriched with platelets. Thanks to biological therapy, the blood supply to the joint is activated, the production of intra-articular fluid is activated, and the cartilage tissue is supplied with nutrients.

Important!Drug treatment of arthrosis is effective in the early stages of the disease. Also, experts emphasize that drug therapy is not able to restore a damaged joint, but it will make it possible to eliminate symptoms and slow down the progression of arthrosis.

Physiotherapy and other conservative treatments for arthrosis

In the fight against arthrosis, physiotherapy is also used. Various procedures are prescribed (laser, phonophoresis, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, UVT) and exercise therapy to improve metabolic processes and blood circulation, strengthen muscles.

In addition, with arthrosis, you just need to make some adjustments to your lifestyle:

• Avoid overload - it is important to evenly distribute activity and take breaks so as not to overload the joint
• Take care of nutrition and monitor weight - since being overweight only exacerbates the problem with the joints, you need to review your diet and reduce body weight
• Remember to be careful and avoid injury as much as possible
• Use additional support for movement - in the later stages of arthrosis, independent movement becomes questionable, so you need to use a cane or crutches. For more comfortable walking, you can also use orthopedic insoles - they will reduce the load on the joint.

There are also many folk recipes that "will help defeat arthrosis. "However, the treatment of arthrosis at home also does not always bring results. Moreover, the use of all sorts of lotions and ointments of their own preparation most often only provoke allergic reactions and do not affect the health of the joint.

Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis

How to treat arthrosis if all of the above methods do not work? In this case, surgical treatment of osteoarthritis is prescribed. Depending on the degree of damage to the joint, the individual characteristics of each patient, a type of operation is selected.

Joint arthroscopy is a low-traumatic intervention, an intra-articular operation through several micro-punctures in the joint. With arthrosis, it is used as a temporary measure to "clean the joint": remove parts of cartilage, osteophyte growths that interfere with free movement. Such treatment reduces pain in the joint, but is not a solution to the problem of arthrosis.

Osteotomy is an operation to align the axis of the joint. The fact is that with arthrosis, as a rule, one part of the joint suffers more (it has a large load). As a result of osteotomy, the load on the joint is redistributed. It should be noted that arthrosis is a progressive disease of the joints. Therefore, osteotomy is a way to delay further treatment, but not to avoid it.

Joint arthroplasty is an effective, and in some cases the only method of treating arthrosis of the joints. The essence of the operation is the removal of a joint destroyed by the disease and the implantation of an artificial endoprosthesis in its place. The artificial joint is selected individually, ideally suited to each patient and fully replenishes the functions of the damaged joint after a period of rehabilitation.

Contraindications for arthrosis

What you need to pay attention to in arthrosis of the joints:

Joint loads- in case of arthrosis, it is necessary to refuse lifting weights, excessive static loads. A cane can be used to unload the joint. Shoes – Properly fitted shoes reduce the stress on the joint. It is advisable to avoid high-heeled shoes.

The weight- overweight is another factor in the progression of arthrosis. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy weight and eat a balanced diet.

Sportsalso needs to be reviewed. With arthrosis, it is necessary to exclude sharp jerky movements (contact sports, wrestling), running long distances, lifting weights. But this does not mean that physical activity should be stopped altogether. Moderate activity will only benefit the joint.

In addition to medical treatment, physiotherapy is actively used. These are magnetotherapy, electrotherapy, thermotherapy. Additionally, physiotherapy exercises are recommended to strengthen the muscles around the affected joint and improve blood supply.

A radical method for deforming arthrosis, which led to a deterioration in the quality of life, is often surgical intervention. In this case, either arthroscopy or arthroplasty is performed.

Arthroscopy is a procedure in which the worn, top layer of a joint is removed and a partial prosthesis is placed in its place. This allows you to get rid of pain and restore mobility.

Endoprosthetics is the replacement of a joint with a prosthesis. It is appropriate for severe destruction, when the joint itself does not make sense to save. The prosthesis has artificial cartilage, which anatomically fully correspond to human ones.

Treatment of the disease at the initial stage is the provision of high-quality nutrition for cartilage tissue. For this purpose, the use of chondroprotectors, preferably of natural origin, flavonoids is recommended. Motor load is also necessary to improve the blood supply to the bones and perichondrium.

Deforming arthrosis of the knee

Deforming arthrosis of the knee joint(gonarthrosis, DAK) is a chronic progressive disease of the articular cartilage. It is characterized by the destruction of articular structures, which is accompanied by pain, inflammation and a characteristic curvature of the limb ("legs with a wheel" or X-shaped deformation).

Causes of deforming arthrosis of the knee

Without proper lubrication, the joint "dries out", cracks and loses height, exposing the heads of the bones. In this case, the closing plate of the articular surface of the bone remains defenseless; re-irritation of the numerous nerve endings that are in it causes pain and discomfort.

The following factors or their combination can become the cause of deforming arthrosis of the knee:

• the presence of diseases of the joints (and knee - in particular) in relatives;
• genetic disorders associated with the formation of abnormal, unstable cartilage cells or their accelerated death;
• congenital and acquired malformations of the musculoskeletal system (flat feet, joint hypermobility, dysplasia, scoliosis, kyphosis, and others);
• excessive professional, household or sports loads;
• microtraumas and injuries of the knee joint and meniscus, operations on it, fractures of the legs;
• circulatory disorders (varicose veins, atherosclerosis, thrombosis and other vascular diseases), their consequences (dissecting osteochondritis), as well as other causes of prolonged spasms in the legs;
• inflammatory diseases of the joints and periarticular tissues (synovitis, bursitis, tendinitis, arthritis), incl. autoimmune nature (rheumatoid, psoriatic arthritis);
• metabolic disorders (gout, diabetes mellitus);
• age-related processes of aging of the joints and leaching of calcium from the bones;
• hormonal disruptions and changes in the hormonal background (for example, associated with a lack of estrogen in women);
• hypovitaminosis;
• excess weight (observed in ⅔ of patients);
• physical inactivity.

But the main reason that deforming arthrosis of the knee is so common lies in its structure. The knee joint has only one axis (plane) of motion. Therefore, the scope of permissible movements is very limited. One awkward turn can injure the periarticular tissues and trigger arthrotic changes - after all, the sore knee will be subjected to daily stress.

The causes of the development of deforming arthrosis of the knee can be a large number of factors.

Symptoms of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint

Gradually increasing pain in the area of the knee joint. At first, the pain is noticeable only when moving - for example, with a sharp straightening or bending of the leg, there is a feeling that "unfortunately stepped on the foot. "In the early stages, pain may be episodic or so mild that it is perceived as discomfort. Then the pain intensifies after physical exertion or a long stay in the same position. The skin also becomes painful - it reacts sensitively to any touch, incl. and clothes.

There are 3 types of specific pain in deforming arthrosis of the knee joint:

• starting (lasts 15-30 minutes after the joint exits from a long state of rest);
• mechanical (perceptible during physical activity and disappears after rest);
• blockade (feeling of a sharp pinching in the knee).

Symptoms of deforming arthrosis of the knee, as a rule, grow slowly due to the fact that the disease is not characterized by rapid progress. This is the insidiousness of arthrosis - gradually getting used to the discomfort of the disease, the patient "gets used" to the pain, does not notice the deterioration and postpones the visit to the doctor.

Knowing the main symptoms of deforming arthrosis of the knee will help to recognize the disease in time

Treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint

Treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint consists in the complex use of medications, a dosed load on the joint, physiotherapy procedures and the use of orthopedic devices.

In the process of treatment, it is extremely important to alternate loading and unloading, to prevent static loading of the knee. Orthopedic insoles, specialized shoes, canes, crutches, walkers, ergonomic chairs for work and rest also help to slow down the disease. Particularly effective are orthoses with a variable stiffener, which make it possible to model the physiological axis of the leg and compensate for the deformity.

In the early stages of deforming arthrosis of the knee, the goal of treatment is to restore the destroyed joint and ligamentous apparatus, relieve pain and increase the range of voluntary movements. In the later - in alleviating the patient's condition. For this, sanation arthroscopy (washing with antiseptics) is performed when a piece of osteophyte is broken off, corrective osteotomy (correction of a curved bone), endoprosthetics (replacement) of the joint.

In addition to the orthopedist, physiotherapists and chiropractors, specialists in exercise therapy and therapeutic massage, and surgeons will tell you how to treat deforming arthrosis of the knee joint.

Treatment of deforming arthrosis of the joints is a complex and lengthy process that requires an integrated approach.

Physiotherapy

Among other physiotherapeutic methods for the treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, the following are used:

• laser and magnetotherapy;
• microwave therapy;
• shock wave therapy;
• amplipulse;
• ultrasound therapy;
• electrophoresis with analgin, novocaine, chymotrypsin, etc. ;
• phonophoresis with glucocorticoids;
• paraffin and ozocerite applications;
• cryotherapy;
• acupuncture;
• joint traction and kinesitherapy;
• balneotherapy.

Massage for deforming arthrosis of the knee joint

Therapeutic and lymphatic drainage massage for deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, as well as manual therapy, are carried out by a specialist after the inflammation in the joint has been relieved. For self-massage at home, stroking and rubbing are recommended, as well as movements aimed at stretching muscles and ligaments, a deep warm-up (performed last, after a warming effect). Self-massage goes well with local irritants and essential oils. Remember that with deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, massage is performed on both joints, even if only one of them is affected.

Exercises for deforming arthrosis of the knee joints

Therapeutic gymnastics (exercise therapy) for deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint is carried out in a sitting or lying position, water aerobics is also effective. An individual set of exercises for deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint is compiled by an instructor. Below we offer a short warm-up aimed at strengthening the leg muscles.

1. Sit on the floor, legs straight, emphasis on hands behind your back. Bend and unbend your toes.
2. The starting position is the same, slowly bend your leg, at the end of the movement resting your toe on the floor. Repeat with the foot behind the other foot.
3. Continue in the same starting position, raise the outstretched leg in front of you, toe towards you.
4. Without changing the starting position, we pull our hands to the toes of straight legs.
5. Sitting on the floor, hug your bent knee, and try to raise the other leg above the floor.
6. Sitting on the floor, spread your legs shoulder-width apart. Turn your legs in turn so that the toe moves 180 degrees.
7. Sitting on the floor, legs bent. Roll your foot from heel to toe, feeling the work in the back of your thighs.

Excellent! Perform exercises for deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint at least 3-6 times a day.

Drugs for deforming arthrosis of the knee

Drug treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint allows you to quickly stop acute pain, reduce inflammation and swelling, and improve the nutrition of the joint. Therefore, drugs are used at all stages of the disease and help restore mobility to the knee.

Chondroprotectors

Chondroprotectors in the form of tablets, capsules, sachets and injections are used to regenerate and maintain synovial cartilage.

Anti-inflammatory

Steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat deforming arthrosis of the knee joint. They are prescribed in the form of tablets, injections, sachets, creams, ointments and other products for external and internal use.

Anti-inflammatory drugs can be used in conjunction with anesthetics, which are injected into the joint cavity as a blockade.

Antispasmodics

Removal of spasm is necessary to return the patient to normal activities and the normal supply of nutrients to the tissues.

Angioprotectors

For deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, preparations based on horse chestnut and others are used.

Warming agents

Among the warming agents, it is worth highlighting preparations based on natural ingredients: snake and bee venom, hot pepper, mustard.

All these drugs improve the blood supply to tissues and distract from pain.

Nutrition for deforming arthrosis of the knee

A healthy diet for deforming arthrosis of the knee joint includes dishes with a reduced content of trans fats and "fast" carbohydrates. Preference should be given to lean meat and fish, seafood and vegetables, steamed, in foil or stewed under a lid. Also useful are fruits, berries and drinks rich in antioxidants - wild plants, blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, high-quality green tea and coffee. You can also eat whole grain cereals, legumes.
But potatoes, white bread, sweets, convenience foods, fast food and alcohol should be excluded.

If you are overweight with deforming arthrosis of the knee, consider low-carbohydrate diet options.