Knee joint: diseases and treatment

Many of us experience lifelong pain in the knee joint, which occurs when walking, intense stress, sports. Sometimes the pain syndrome is accompanied by a crunch, puffiness, impossibility to move a limb. All these symptoms indicate that morphological changes occur in the knee. In this article, we will examine in more detail the most common inflammatory diseases of the knee joint, the symptoms and treatment of the disease in each case. We will try to understand what helps to form the disease and how to diagnose it in the early stages.

What is the joint?

The joint is such a connection of bones, thanks to which the skeleton of the skeleton is endowed with flexibility, and the person has the opportunity to carry out various movements, such as:

• Flexion / extension of limbs,
• Withdrawal / reduction of limbs,
• Rotary motion.

Joints are classified into:

• Simple;
• Joints formed by two bones;
• Joints formed by three or more bones (complex joints).

The surface of each bone entering the joint is covered with cartilage and is characterized by an articular cavity containing a liquid. The joint also includes an articular bag, synovial membrane, menisci - cartilaginous structures, softening tremors during movement and performing the function of shock absorbers.

The largest joint of the human body is the knee joint. Diseases can affect any of its components. The knee joint is formed by a combination of three bones - the femoral, tibial and patella, which is often called the kneecap. In addition, the knee joint is also the most difficult in the structure - during the bending process the patella lies in a special groove formed by the external and internal projection of the femur.

The structure of the knee joint

The surfaces of all three bones of the joint (patella, femoral and tibia) are covered with cartilage, which ensures the sliding process.

On the outside, the joint is bounded by a capsule - the synovial membrane. The synovial fluid in the synovial capsule nourishes and lubricates the cartilage, facilitates the sliding process, preserves the knee joint for a long time in a healthy state. Diseases, however, occur in this part of the knee. Due to infections or injuries, the synovial fluid can become inflamed, against which bursitis forms.

A strong position of bones relative to each other is provided by ligaments of the knee joint, among which:

• Anterior cruciate ligament,
• Posterior cruciate ligament,
• Inner lateral ligament,
• External lateral ligament.

Synovial bags, often called bursa, also promote the easy slip of muscles and tendons during movement. Allocate the main bursa:

• A popliteal muscle bag,
• A bag of semimembranous muscle,
• Own semi-membranous muscle bag,
• Nadnakolennikovaya bag,
• Podkadolennikovaya bag deep,
• Prednadkolennikovaya bag subcutaneous.

What diseases of the knee joint are most often encountered in medical practice, we will consider further. It should be noted that in most cases the main symptom of all pathologies is pain syndrome.

Causes of pain

Pain in the knee joint arises for a number of reasons, which can be conditionally combined into four groups. These include:

• Fracture of the kneecap, bruise of the knee joint, osteochondral fracture - i.e. Injury.
• Diseases of the knee joint, as well as pathology of the knee joint structure, which include:
  • Gonarthrosis - arthrosis of the knee joint;
  • Pathology of the meniscus - meniscopathy, meniscus cyst, Baker's cyst;
  • Dysplasia of the protuberances (condyles) of the bone;
  • König's disease;
  • Bursitis in the knee;
  • Osgood-Schlätter disease;
  • Popliteal tenopathy, etc.

• Pathologies and injuries of various body systems that cause irradiating pain in the knee joint. Such pathologies can be spinal diseases, hip joint trauma, etc.
• Systemic diseases, such as lupus erythematosus, Charcot arthropathy, Paget's disease, fibromyalgia. In addition to systemic pathology, pain can be caused by tuberculosis or Lyme disease - a disorder that is classified as an infectious disease of the knee joint.

Treatment of almost all diseases of the knee is based on several principles - to relieve pain, swelling; Strengthen bones; Increase the physical activity of a person. However, we must remember that it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, because the occurrence of diseases of the knee joint is facilitated by the following factors:

• excess weight;
• Excessive physical activity;
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system - congenital or acquired during life;
• Professional sports;
• Age (older people are more likely to suffer from joint diseases);
• Gender trait (female gender).

Let us consider in more detail the most common diseases of the knee joint.

What is arthritis?

In the first place in terms of the number of cases of disability that has arisen from knee diseases, there is a well-known disease-arthritis of the knee joint. Pathology affects all elements of the knee - synovial membrane, capsule, cartilage. In the absence of proper treatment, arthritis leads to the loss of a person's ability to move normally. There are several forms of arthritis:

• Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of pathology, the causes of which are not fully understood;
• Post-traumatic arthritis - a pathology that develops against the background of the injuries;
• Reactive arthritis - a disease that occurs due to infection of tissues, after the transferred poisoning of the organism;
• Deforming arthritis - pathology, which is formed against the background of violations and malfunctions of the circulatory system;
• Gouty arthritis is a disease that is caused by disorders in the metabolism in the body.

Also distinguish primary arthritis, which occurs directly in the joint as a result of trauma, and secondary arthritis, in which the inflammatory process begins in any tissues of the body, and with the current of lymph or blood enters the knee joint.

Symptoms of pathology. Approaches to the treatment of arthritis

In addition to pain during the disease, swelling and redness are observed, sometimes there are purulent processes, accompanied by high body temperature.

Treatment for arthritis is primarily aimed at stopping pain, swelling and restoring the motor capacity of the knee joint. These measures are achieved using anti-inflammatory drugs, warming ointments, as well as restorative medications.

Good results in therapy are given by physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, exercise therapy. I must say that these measures are prescribed only during the remission of the disease, when the body does not have acute inflammatory processes. In case of unsound conservative treatment methods resort to surgical intervention.

Together with traditional methods in the treatment of arthritis, traditional recipes of folk medicine with the use of plant raw materials as a basis for compresses, tinctures and ointments are often used.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint

Consider another fairly common disease of the knee joint - gonarthrosis. This pathology leads to the emergence of an inflammatory process in the body, as a result of which the cartilage tissue of the knee is destroyed, accompanied by its deformation and disruption of functions. Mostly, the disease develops in women, especially in the elderly.

The trigger mechanism for the emergence of pathology can be concomitant diseases - arthritis, fractures of the joint bones, tumor processes.

The course of the disease is usually slow. The pathology develops gradually, and at first the main symptom of gonarthrosis can be only mild pain that appears after a state of rest. During the movement, the pain passes, but then, after rest, appears again. As a rule, with gonarthrosis, osteophytes appear in the muscles, which are rubbed through cartilage tissues during movement. Due to friction, an inflammatory process occurs in the knee area, the skin turns red, swelling forms.

There are primary and secondary gonarthrosis. The causes of the disease of the knee joints in the first case are not fully understood, the background for the development of the disease can become not only concomitant diseases, but also simply the elderly age of a person. Secondary gonarthrosis is a consequence of a knee injury or complication after an infectious disease.

The main method in the diagnosis of gonarthrosis is radiography. Conservative treatment involves the removal of pain, for which use of analgesics. To remove the swelling apply special ointments. In advanced cases of arthrosis, when the own cartilaginous tissue is destroyed, surgical intervention is performed - endoprosthetics. In this case, the knee joint is replaced with an artificial structure that allows almost completely restore the motor function.

Meniscopathy

Meniscopathy is a disease that develops in physically active people, athletes, and does not depend on age. Favorable conditions for the formation of the pathological process are associated diseases - gout, arthritis, diabetes mellitus. Often, diseases contribute to excess weight and weak knee ligaments.

Meniscus is a special structure that reduces the load on the joint during active movements. There are internal and external menisci. According to statistics, the first is damaged less often than the second.

The main symptom in the manifestation of pathology patients call a click in the knee joint and the following acute pain. I must say, the physiology of man is such that at a young age his menisci are saturated with liquid, so the pain that arises with meniscopathy is acute and strong. In more advanced age, the pain is weaker. In addition to pain, there is swelling, difficulty in moving.

An effective method of diagnosis in meniscopathy is MRI, during which the degree of damage to the meniscus is determined . With a tear or pinch, conservative medicine is a sufficient measure. However, when the meniscus is broken, surgical intervention is necessary.

Periarthritis

Periarthritis is a disease of the ligaments of the knee joint. However, the disease can also affect the muscles and tendons. The cause of the emergence of pathology in most cases are associated diseases, imbalance in the endocrine system, repeated supercooling of the body, problems with blood vessels.

There is periarthritis of aching pain, edema in the knee region, the formation of seals that cause pain when pressed. Patients note discomfort when walking.

For women, a special form of pathology is characteristic - the periarthritis of the goose paw bag, in which internal tendons become inflamed. At the same time, there is no swelling or deformation of the joint itself. Disease makes itself felt only when wearing shoes with high heels or when driving on an uneven surface.

Periarthritis is a disease of the knee joint, whose treatment is effective only if it is detected at an early stage.

To achieve positive results in therapy, it is recommended to minimize motor activity, rest more. The non-steroid drugs, such as "Diclofenac", physiotherapy, help to stop the pain.

Tendonitis of the knee joint

Tendonitis of the knee joint is a disease that inflames the tendon tissues at the site of their attachment to the bone. There is a disease in physically active people, with professional athletes, as well as in children and people of advanced age.

Favorable factors for the development of pathology may include:

• Reduced protective functions of the body and various functional disorders of the body;
• Imbalance of the muscular system;
• Injuries or bruises of the knee;
• Large physical exertion;
• fungal infections.

Tendonitis can occur on one leg or simultaneously on both. In this case, the affected joint often responds to weather changes - there is pain, swelling, creaking when moving.

For the diagnosis of pathology, a whole range of studies is used, it all depends on what caused tendonitis. For example, in case the pathology was formed as a result of the deposition of salts, it would be easy to identify it by means of roentgenography. If the tendonitis is a consequence of the transferred infectious diseases, laboratory research will be an effective measure for revealing the disease.

The treatment of tendonitis depends on the stage of the disease. At first, conservative methods are effective - medication (nonsteroidal drugs with anti-inflammatory effect), physiotherapy procedures - magnets, electrophoresis. A good effect in the treatment of the knee joint is yoga. When the disease is neglected, they resort to surgical intervention.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease in which inflammation of the connective tissue occurs. The exact causes of the pathology are not established. It is known that people with poor heredity, as well as people with low immunity, fall into the risk group. Increase the likelihood of the disease frequent body hypothermia, stress, psycho-emotional stress. The disease manifests itself in both men and women, while the age factor does not affect the incidence statistics in any way.

The course of the disease can be called unhurried. Rheumatoid arthritis does not occur spontaneously, in a few days or weeks, but develops gradually. It all begins with a feeling of stiffness in the knee after a long period of rest (for example, after an overnight rest). When the weather changes, pain can occur that affects the knee joint. Diseases of this kind occur in several stages. Each phase of the disease has its own characteristics, but the common manifestation of the disease at all stages of development is a pain symptom.

Stages of the development of the disease. Diagnostics

At first, in the area of the knee joint, there is swelling, condensation, a pain symptom arises. Sometimes a person's body temperature rises.

The further development of rheumatoid arthritis affects the synovial membrane - it is condensed due to the active division of the inflamed cells.

With advanced cases of the disease, bone tissue is damaged, as well as cartilage. There are severe pains, there is a deformation of the knee joint, a violation of its motor function.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a rather dangerous disease, in the absence of treatment of which disability occurs, and in some cases - death of a person. Similar consequences arise because of severe complications that the disease gives to other organs and body systems - kidney failure develops, the spread of infectious processes occurs.

Diagnosis of the disease is based on several methods:

• An external examination that helps to identify symptoms such as swelling in the knee area, redness of the skin, obvious joint deformity;
• Biochemical analysis of blood;
• Radiography.

Pain symptom in rheumatoid arthritis is eliminated by the use of non-steroidal drugs with anti-inflammatory effect. If the occurrence of the disease is associated with the spread of infection in the body, prescribe antibiotics. To get rid of the pain helps regular massage, as well as doing exercises of therapeutic gymnastics.

Bursitis

Bursitis is an inflammatory disease of the synovial bag (bursa). Pathology occurs as a result of knee injury, as well as with the constant activity of the joint due to heavy physical exertion. Bursitis can be the result of an infectious disease. As a result of the inflammatory process, a fluid with a dangerous microflora accumulates in the synovial bag. Gradually, a pain arises in the knee joint, when you apply pressure to the knee area, the person also experiences discomfort, a feeling of stiffness appears when moving. A noticeable swelling is formed around the joint, the dimensions of which can reach 10 cm. Patients with bursitis note loss of appetite, malaise, in some cases, body temperature may increase. Symptoms of bursitis are very similar to manifestations of other diseases of the knee joint, in particular arthritis. However, there is one important difference between these two pathologies. With bursitis, the motor activity and the ability to perform flexion and extension movements remain.

In addition to an external examination, for the precise diagnosis and the appointment of a competent treatment regimen, a puncture is performed - sampling fluid from the bursa for research.

The initial stages of the disease course are well treatable. Therapy includes compresses, various wraps, the patient is shown bed rest. If the disease has passed to the chronic stage, it is important to remove the accumulated fluid from the knee and rinse the cavity.

Gout and Paget's disease

Gout is a disease that occurs as a result of a violation of urinary metabolism in the body and a high content of uric acid in the blood. Factors that increase the risk of pathology include excessive consumption of fish and meat, as well as alcohol.

Gout predominantly occurs in men. The disease manifests a sharp pain, redness of the skin in the region of the knee joint. In the muscles, nodules are formed, which are accumulations of uric acid.

Diagnose gout with a biochemical blood test, and also through radiography. During therapy, in addition to medicines, the patient is prescribed a special diet (from the diet, foods with high purine content are removed), physical and emotional rest is prescribed.

With Paget's disease there is an incorrect formation of bone tissue, resulting in a deformed skeleton, the bones become very fragile.

Pathology often affects the tubular bones of the lower limbs, resulting in pain in the knees. The disease mostly bothers men, especially the elderly.

Diagnosis of the disease is not easy, because it is not uncommon for a patient not to notice any manifestations of pathology.

In the diagnosis, a key role is played by a biochemical blood test, which in the presence of this disease in the body shows an increased content of a special enzyme - phosphatase. In addition, an X-ray examination is performed.

Treatment involves minimizing the complications that cause Paget's disease. The task of the therapy is to strengthen the bones as much as possible. This is achieved by taking drugs with calcium content. With Paget's disease, patients should follow a diet, perform exercises of physical therapy, avoid injuries that can lead to fractures.

Thus, in the article we examined the main pathological conditions affecting the knee joint. Knee diseases, however, are even more diverse in practice. All this set of diseases is united by common signs - in pathologies a person experiences stiffness in movement and pain, in the place of localization of the disease often there is puffiness. To prevent the development of diseases, it is important to initially monitor your health, eat right, do not allow the formation of system pathologies in the body, do not bring the body to the state of obesity.

When the first signs of illness appear, one should not postpone the trip to a specialist, because early diagnosis of the disease is the key to successful recovery.