Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a disease that leads to deformation of the cartilage of the knee joint.This disease is very common, especially among the older generation.The function of the knee deteriorates, which is why mobility problems and pain are the main signs of the disease.Nowadays, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is also common in people aged 25 to 30.This speaks of the versatility of the causes of the disease and, accordingly, its treatment.> There are two types of gonarthrosis: unilateral (affects only one knee) and bilateral (affects both knees).More often the disease occurs in its bilateral manifestation.
Reasons
Gonarthrosis, like coxarthrosis, most often manifests itself in old age.Although it is no longer an exception these days, young people also suffer from symptoms of this disease.This suggests that the causes of gonarthrosis are different and each can have its own influence on the occurrence, exacerbation and treatment of the disease.There is also the possibility of a genetic predisposition of the organism, i.e.h.Knee osteoarthritis may be more common in certain families than others.In addition, this disease may not be genetic.Therefore, several causes of gonarthrosis can be identified.
- Various physical injuries to the knee (bruise, dislocation, etc.).
- Severe stress that does not correspond to age (5-7% of all cases of gonarthrosis and coxarthrosis).
- Excessive body weight of the patient (10% of all cases of gonarthrosis).
- Concomitant diseases, for example arthritis (5-7% of all cases of gonarthrosis, polyarthrosis and coxarthrosis).
- Congenital weakness of the ligaments (3-5% of cases of gonarthrosis).
- Metabolic syndrome and problems with metabolism in the body.
- Muscle cramps of the thigh (up to 50% of cases of gonarthrosis and coxarthrosis).
Symptoms
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee joint are usually the same and occur in almost all patients.Patients also note that the pain worsens in spring and autumn and depends on weather changes.The main symptom of the disease is knee pain.Most of the time it does not appear immediately, but only becomes noticeable after a long walk and appears in the late afternoon.You may experience stiffness in your knee when moving in the morning.If minor symptoms are left unattended, the disease can progress and cause extremely undesirable consequences for the patient.Despite the main symptoms, there are several other signs of the disease:
- Pain at rest, which decreases qualitatively when walking;
- limited movement of the knee joint and difficulty in controlling its mobility;
- stiffness of knee movement;
- increased sensitivity in the knee area;
- Swelling in the area of the knee joint and swelling of the surrounding skin;
- Deformity of the knee joint.
The condition of the knee joint is assessed through a medical examination and x-rays.In addition, the stage of the disease of any arthrosis (including coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis, polyarthrosis and others) can only be determined with an X-ray and only a doctor can assess such conditions.Therefore, it is extremely important not to self-diagnose or jump to conclusions.
Degrees of gonarthrosis
1st degree
The knee joints have not succumbed to the deforming influence of the disease, but are only noticeable through external signs and a slight swelling of the periarticular skin, and color changes are also noticeable.At the physiological level, it is characterized by minor changes in the hyaline cartilage.The accumulation of a significant amount of synovial fluid in the synovium causes minor deformations of the joint, which are accompanied by pain when walking.Other signs such as reduced mobility are not observed.And that's why it's difficult to trace them on an X-ray.In this degree, the disease is difficult to diagnose, but if it is detected quickly, its treatment is more effective than in the other or third degree of gonarthrosis, as well as in other types of arthrosis (coxarthrosis, polyarthrosis).
II degree
The main symptom is unbearable or severe pain even with minor exertion, which increases when walking and lifting heavy objects.Over time, you may experience difficulty bending your knee.At the physiological level, this is manifested in the fact that the volume of the cartilage layer decreases sharply and is completely absent in some places.Based on the results of x-rays, this degree can be determined based on the marginal bone growths and the density of the joint space.When the joint works, especially during prolonged walking, a characteristic crunch occurs.Gradually, the patient may lose the ability to bend the knee or may find it very difficult to do so.The deforming effect is already evident at this stage of development of gonarthrosis, but also other forms of osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis, polyarthrosis).This becomes visually noticeable, the skin around it becomes rough and discolored.At this stage, it is better to start treatment comprehensively and intensively.Both medications and traditional treatment methods will be relevant here.
III.degree
It is characterized by severe pain, even when the knee joint is inactive or still.The deforming effect is clearly noticeable and one can visually notice significant changes in the structure of the joint and the adjacent tissue.At the physiological level, it is characterized by the absence of cartilage tissue, which is easily diagnosed on an x-ray.Treatment of stage III arthrosis of the knee joint and other types of arthrosis (polyarthrosis, coxarthrosis) is an almost irreversible process.Rather, the main goal of such treatment is to relieve pain and eliminate some symptoms of the disease.