Prevention and treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints

Of all joint diseases, osteoarthritis is the most common.This pathology is observed in almost 20% of the world's population.It is relevant for both developing and developed countries.More than 2 million patients suffering from various forms of osteoarthritis have been registered.A fatal outcome from osteoarthritis is extremely unlikely, but it can lead to early disability, loss of ability to work, and significant deterioration in quality of life.

Prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis should be carried out by a highly qualified specialist.

Traditional treatment

For the effective treatment of degenerative-dystrophic joint damage, the entire arsenal of medications, physiotherapeutic, orthopedic and surgical means is used.It should be noted that in the treatment and prevention of arthrosis, great importance is attached to the selection of the optimal motor mode and the normalization of body weight.Traditional therapy includes the following methods:

• Symptomatic treatment.
• Taking chondroprotectors.
• Local therapy.
• Physiotherapy.
• Surgical treatment.

Symptomatic therapy

In most cases, the cause of pain in osteoarthritis is reactive inflammation of the joint lining.Therefore, it makes sense to prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to suppress pain and inflammation.Standard drugs from the NSAID group are most often used.

When choosing a drug, he prefers drugs that are very effective, safe and accessible to the majority of the population.At the same time, long-term use of NSAIDs can provoke the development of serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the form of erosions and ulcers.To prevent such complications, special medications may be prescribed.

It is strongly not recommended to combine different types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as this does not enhance the therapeutic effect, but only significantly increases the risk of side effects.

Chondroprotectors

Currently, chondroprotectors are successfully used to restore cartilage tissue and prevent the development of pathological changes in the joints.In the early stages of the disease, these drugs effectively inhibit the progression of the degenerative process.However, in stages 3 and 4 of the disease, chondroprotectors prove to be of little use.

Most chondroprotectors are well tolerated by patients.Unfortunately, they must not be taken during pregnancy or breastfeeding.What is special is that the therapeutic effect occurs on average 3-4 weeks after the start of treatment.At the same time, they continue to be effective for 2-5 months after completion of chondroprotective therapy.

Synovial fluid prostheses

Any specialist will tell you that a joint cannot function normally without synovial fluid.Certain types of medications are used to replace synovial fluid.

All drugs improve the properties of the synovial fluid and at the same time suppress inflammatory and destructive processes in the articular cartilage.On average, a course of therapy can include up to 5 intra-articular injections.It is recommended to take up to two courses per year.The indication for repeated therapy with hyaluronic acid-based drugs is increased pain and severe limitation of the functionality of the affected joint.

Only the attending physician can decide on the advisability of prescribing a particular drug.

Local therapy

It is rare for osteoarthritis to be treated without local therapy.In case of chronic inflammation of the synovial membrane of the joint and the lack of a proper analgesic effect from taking NSAIDs, intra-articular administration of glucocorticosteroids is resorted to.During the year, 3-4 injections of glucocorticosteroids into the joint are allowed.The interval between injections is approximately 90 days.

If there are no contraindications, compresses with painkillers are used.To achieve the desired effect, 10-12 procedures are prescribed.The possibility of extending therapy or repeating courses is not excluded.In addition, various pain-relieving ointments, gels or creams are used to relieve pain and to dose prescribed NSAIDs.

Physiotherapy

Various physiotherapeutic procedures can be used in all stages of degenerative-dystrophic joint disease.Basic methods of physiotherapy help eliminate pain due to joint loads, reduce inflammation and improve the restoration of cartilage tissue.Which physical procedures are used for osteoarthritis:

• Electromagnetic field.
• Magnetic field therapy.
• Ultraviolet irradiation.
• Electrophoresis.
• Ultrasonic.
• Inductothermal energy.
• Infrared laser therapy.
• Balneotherapy.
• Mud applications.

Physiotherapy can also be used to prevent osteoarthritis.For example, ultrasound therapy, hydrogen sulfide and radon baths prevent pathological changes in the articular cartilage.

Therapeutic exercise

The main goal of therapeutic exercises is to restore the function of affected joints, strengthen the muscular-ligamentous system and prevent the progression of the disease.Let's consider an approximate set of exercises that can be used to prevent and treat the most common localization of arthrosis - the knee joint:

• Let's take a chair.We stand behind the back of the chair.Bend your left leg slightly at the knee joint.We take a step back with our right foot.Then the foot of that leg moves downward.This movement creates tension in the lower leg muscles.You should stay in this position for 15 seconds.Repeat several times and switch legs.
• We sit on a chair.We straighten our legs at the knees and hold them straight in front of us.It is enough to hold your legs for about 5-7 seconds.If it is difficult to perform, you can perform the exercise by straightening only one leg.Do 10-12 reps.If you feel comfortable and do not feel pain, you can increase the number of approaches.
• Our backs are against the wall.Let's take a small step forward.My back is pressed against the wall.We half squat.We try to hold this position for 5-7 seconds.Then we rise slowly.At the same time, your back does not come away from the wall.Gradually increase the static load (holding the position in a half squat).
• Regular squats are considered an ideal exercise for developing the knee joints.The optimal number of squats depends on the patient's condition and the severity of the disease.
• We lie down on the floor.Raise your legs and perform movements reminiscent of riding a bicycle.Do the exercise for 20-30 seconds.Then a short rest and another approach.If your physical fitness allows, increase the duration of the exercise and the number of approaches.

At any stage of osteoarthritis without exacerbation, therapeutic exercises are useful to restore the functionality of the joints.

Surgical treatment

As clinical practice shows, not all patients manage to cope with the disease using conservative methods.If standard therapy does not produce the desired result and severe joint damage occurs, leading to disability, surgical treatment is indicated.Many patients with severe deformities of large joints are recommended endoprosthetics.The effectiveness of replacing the affected joint with an artificial one is more than 70%.Most patients experience a significant improvement in their quality of life after endoprosthetics.

Traditional medicine

It is difficult not to notice that the popularity of the use of folk remedies in the treatment of various diseases, including osteoarthritis, has increased sharply in recent years.Today you can find many folk recipes for compresses, ointments and tinctures without much difficulty.Let's list the most common ones:

• Clay compress.Mix clay and water in such a ratio that a homogeneous mass is obtained.Next we place it on a small piece of fabric.We place a clay compress on the affected joint.The duration of the procedure can be about an hour and a half.You will notice the positive effects after 5-7 days.
• Cabbage and honey compress.It is particularly popular because it is quite easy to make and use.Take 3-4 cabbage leaves before bed.On the one hand, you need to lubricate them with honey and apply to the sore joint.To enhance the effect of the compress, you can wrap the joint with polyethylene and a warm cloth.It is best to apply a compress at night.
• Oatmeal compress.Take a glass of oatmeal and cook it for 8 minutes.To get a reasonably thick porridge, you need less water than with normal cooking.At the end of cooking, allow the porridge to cool.Next, place the oatmeal on a thick fabric.And the compress is ready for use.In addition, it is recommended to additionally wrap the affected joint with polyethylene and a woolen scarf.
• Horseradish compress.Horseradish roots must be chopped.Fill them with water and boil them for a few minutes.We then distribute the horseradish evenly on natural material and apply it to the painful joint.The compress is applied for approximately 2 hours.
• Oil rub from celandine.The leaves and stems of the medicinal plant should be finely chopped.Take 3 tablespoons of celandine and pour it into a small jar.Pour in 200 ml of vegetable oil.We insist for 14 days.Then we burden ourselves.This celandine oil rub can be used as an external remedy three times a day for a month.
• Rub dandelion.Find a bottle, jar, or other container made of opaque glass.Fill about half of the glass jar with dandelion flowers.Then add 400 ml of vodka to this container.You need to insist for at least a month.Before use you must strain the liquid.Dandelion tincture is used as a joint rub.Typically, rubbing is best done before bed.
• Medicinal bath with herbs.To prepare this bath you will need medicinal plants such as St. John's wort, oregano, calendula, nettle and burdock.Take 3 tablespoons of each component and leave them in hot water for 60 minutes.Then pour the infused liquid into the bath.Take an herbal bath for about 15-20 minutes.

Before using folk remedies for the prevention and treatment of arthrosis of the joints (elbow, knee, hip), you should definitely consult your doctor.

Prevention

If you do not want to undergo long and continuous treatment, tackle the prevention of osteoarthritis.Some useful tips that will significantly reduce the risk of degenerative diseases in your joints:

• Normalize your weight.
• Avoid injury and damage.
• Eat right.
• Stick to optimal movement patterns.
• The most useful sports for osteoarthritis are swimming, skiing and moderate walking.

Your musculoskeletal system will be in excellent condition if you do not ignore the recommendations of specialists and undergo regular medical examinations.