Orthopedic traumatologists perform professional diagnostics (radiation, laboratory), conservative therapy (drugs, intra-articular injections, PRP therapy, cellular technologies of regenerative medicine, etc.) and high-tech surgical treatment of gonarthrosis (arthrosis of the knee joint) - arthroscopy, endotomoprosthetics, corrective
Gonarthrosis occurs in every tenth person over the age of 55, and in every fourth of these patients it leads to disability.
Up to 80% of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joints report a decrease in their quality of life.
The duration of functioning of a modern knee joint endoprosthesis 10 years after surgery is 99%, after 15 years - 95%, after 20 years - 90%.
Why does arthrosis of the knee joint occur?
- The cause of the development of the disease is most often knee injuries, especially repeated ones (damage to the meniscus, dislocations, fractures, hematomas, etc.).
- Frequent repetitive microtraumas of the joint during sports training, along with constant work "on your feet", have a similar effect.
- Excess body weight creates increased axial load and destroys the joint.
- The degenerative-dystrophic process in the joint can also occur after chronic inflammatory diseases (arthritis due to gout, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis).
- Endocrine diseases, hormonal changes (for example, menopause), metabolic disorders aggravate pathological changes in the joint.
Main symptoms of pain in the knee joint
- In 1st degree gonarthrosis - in the initial stage of the disease, there is periodic pain in the knee joint after exercise (walking, running, standing for a long time), which disappears after rest.In this phase, there is practically no deformation of the joint or limitation of mobility;
- Gradually, the pain becomes more frequent and intensified, especially when going up and down stairs, as well as when starting to walk after sitting for a long time (initial pain);
- In gonarthrosis of the 2nd degree, pain in the knee during exercise becomes constant, disappears only after a long rest, the patient limps when walking;
- When moving, there is a grinding sensation in the joint.The range of motion in the knee joint is limited (sharp pain appears when bending "to the end");
- When examining the joint area, you may notice swelling and deformation;
- With DOA of the knee joint of the 3rd degree, which corresponds to severe gonarthrosis, the pain in the joint is unpleasant even at rest, does not allow to fall asleep, the range of motion is significantly reduced, patients walk on bent legs, and there is a pronounced deformation of the knee joint (O or X-shaped legs).
Diagnostics
- Examination and examination by an orthopedic traumatologist reveal typical signs of degenerative-dystrophic joint disease (pain on palpation, limited mobility, crepitus, deformation, effusion in the joint).
- An X-ray examination of the knee joint is performed (narrowing of the X-ray joint space, the presence of osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis is determined), and, if necessary, a computer tomography of the joint.
- An ultrasound examination of the joint can reveal thinning of the cartilage in the joint, changes in the ligaments, muscles, soft tissues around the joint, inflammatory effusion in the joint cavity and changes in the menisci.
- The most accurate information is provided by magnetic resonance imaging of the knee joint, which reveals changes in the cartilage and bone tissue, ligaments, menisci, synovial membrane, which makes it possible to distinguish between post-traumatic arthrosis of the knee joint and arthritis, a tumor process.
- Diagnostic puncture and arthroscopy of the knee joint, as well as laboratory testing of synovial fluid obtained during the procedure, are widely used in the diagnosis of joint diseases.
Treatment of gonarthrosis
Treatment of knee arthrosis depends on the stage of the disease.
Conservative
In the early stages of DOA, a successful complex conservative treatment is possible, which aims to relieve inflammation, restore cartilage, relieve pain and restore full joint function:
- Therapeutic and protective regime - it is necessary to limit the load on the joint and ensure rest.
- Conservative treatment of gonarthrosis with drugs:
- use of analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors;
- local use of drugs in the form of ointments, gels;
- intra-articular injection - intra-articular application of an individually selected combination of drugs, which may include hormonal agents for rapid relief of inflammation, hyaluronic acid-based drugs for replenishing synovial fluid, etc.;
- PRP therapy - intra-articular injections of PRP (own plasma rich in platelets).
- Methods of regenerative medicine - intra-articular injections of autologous cells of the stromal-vascular fraction, cells - precursors of cartilage tissue, obtained from one's own fat tissue.
- Massage, physiotherapy, manual therapy.
- Mandatory use of therapeutic physical training with a set of exercises aimed at improving blood circulation in the joint and increasing the range of motion.
Surgical
Arthroscopy of the knee
In case of pronounced changes in the joint (advanced osteoarthritis, traumatic defects), orthopedic traumatologists carry out surgical treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint by arthroscopy (meniscus, cartilage operations, removal of the "joint mouse", synovectomy, etc.).
Knee arthroplasty
If other treatment methods are ineffective, we replace the knee with modern prostheses from the best manufacturers in the world.This is a reliable way to relieve the patient of pain and restore mobility and a decent quality of life.
Today, there is no point in suffering the pain and discomfort of joint pain.Modern medical technologies make it possible to help with arthrosis of the knee joint at almost any stage.Contact your doctor and take advantage of the existing options.