Joint cartilage prevents the destruction of bone tissue under the influence of mechanical stress. Under the influence of a number of adverse factors, they can be destroyed. Because of this, pain, inflammatory and degenerative processes occur. Often, pathology develops in the knee joint. To prevent the destruction of bone tissue, timely and comprehensive restoration of the cartilage of the knee joint is required. Treatment is carried out strictly under the supervision of a doctor. Next, the methodology of this process will be reviewed.
Reasons for the development of pathology
How to restore cartilage of the knee joint? This question is often faced by people of middle and old age. Modern life has significantly reduced the age limit for the development of this disease. Knee joint diseases associated with impaired cartilage function are diagnosed even in children. If this pathology is ignored, bone tissue will gradually begin to break down. It will be impossible to restore them.
But the health of the hyaline cartilage of the knee joints can be restored with the help of complex treatment. They perform the function of a shock absorber when moving. Cartilage does not allow bones to hit each other, to collapse under the influence of friction. They significantly reduce the load on the joint. Various diseases, as well as injuries, negatively affect the health of cartilage. As a result, the knee cannot function properly. The reasons for the development of this condition are:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- too active sports (the load should be moderate);
- injuries
- unbalanced diet (the presence in the diet of a large amount of fatty foods, lack of nutrients for the regeneration of body tissues);
- smoking, drinking alcohol;
- harmful working conditions;
- adverse environmental conditions;
- lack of minerals, vitamins;
- infectious diseases;
- violation of metabolic processes.
Disruption of blood circulation in the joint, as well as hypothermia negatively affects the health of tissues. Often, the development of pathology provokes not one, but several negative factors at once. Because of this, the cartilage tissue is thinning, stratified. Gliding bones is difficult. Because of this, they flatten, growths appear. The joint gap due to this decreases and disappears altogether. The process is accompanied by pain. Mobility is gradually reduced. Without proper treatment, this situation leads to disability. In this case, only surgical treatment and prosthetics will help. To avoid such consequences, a comprehensive restoration of cartilage tissue is required.
Recovery Techniques
During the treatment of pathologies of the knee, the doctor conducts a comprehensive diagnosis. Only after finding out the causes of the development of the disease can an effective treatment be started. Otherwise, the pathology is exacerbated by various complications. Depending on the type and course of the disease, the doctor prescribes different medications to restore the cartilage of the knee joint. Many drugs have side effects and contraindications. Self-medication can be dangerous to human health and life.
If the pathology is in the initial or middle stage, a conservative treatment regimen is being developed. It includes medication, physiotherapy and a number of other techniques. Painkillers are prescribed. They can improve the quality of life of the patient. Soreness is reduced.
Chondroprotectors are often prescribed to restore cartilage. These are drugs that contain:
- Chondroitin. It is necessary to maintain the required level of tensile and compression strength.
- Glucosamine. Increases cartilage resistance to mechanical damage.
Such drugs are also used for preventive purposes. The doctor is developing a treatment regimen. It must be strictly adhered to. It should also be noted that chondroprotectors for the knee are prescribed for a long time. The process of restoring cartilage is long.
Some people, when characteristic signs of the disease occur, resort to traditional medicine methods. It is worth noting that such approaches to treatment are not effective. They can be used only in combination with medicines, physiotherapy, diet, etc. It is worth consulting with your doctor before using this or that prescription.
Recovery mechanism
Conservative therapy necessarily includes drugs to restore the cartilage of the knee joint. This is necessary in order to increase the intake of nutrients. Under the influence of loads, the cartilage tissue is constantly destroyed. Therefore, it has special cells - chondrocytes. They are responsible for the regeneration of cartilage tissue in the joints. Such cells are quite few (only 2-3% of the total mass). Therefore, the recovery processes proceed at a certain speed.
If negative factors destroy cartilage faster than it is able to regenerate itself, the tissue quickly becomes thinner. Therefore, for rapid recovery, it is necessary to reduce the influence of negative factors, as well as increase the activity of chondrocytes. To do this, you need to provide cells with good nutrition. It is administered through synovial fluid.
It is worth noting that in the human body there may be a sufficient amount of nutrients that chondrocytes need. But they do not get into the cells. This is due to insufficient joint mobility.
Associated Actions
Restoration of the cartilage of the knee joint is possible only under the influence of a special hormone - insulin-like growth factor (IGF). He is responsible for the process of division of chondrocytes. IGF is produced in the liver during the breakdown of growth hormone. To speed up this process, you need to review your diet. It must be balanced, rich in natural products. Also increases the number of meals per day up to 6-7 times (portions should be small).
We need the right workouts. Exercises are prescribed by an experienced physiotherapist. If you perform the actions incorrectly, do not calculate the load level, you can only aggravate the pathology. The use of special drugs in combination with the above methods prevents premature aging of cartilage. They affect metabolic processes, making the system function smoothly.
Chondroprotectors
Injections and pills to restore cartilage of the knee joint are prescribed by the doctor. In almost all cases, chondroprotectors are required. They will be effective at an early stage, as well as with moderate disease. If the degenerative process is started, chondroprotectors are prescribed in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The presented variety of the drug is taken by the course. It lasts at least six months. Chondroprotectors are prescribed both for inflammatory ailments (arthritis) and degenerative pathologies (arthrosis). Also, this type of drug is included in the treatment regimen for osteochondrosis and traumatic destruction of cartilage (for example, athletes).
The most studied representatives of chondroprotectors are glucosamines and chondroitin sulfate. These are simple substances that the body does not distinguish from its own. Therefore, they are involved in metabolic processes. In addition, the drugs presented also have anti-inflammatory effects (these are similar to non-steroidal drugs). At the same time, chondroprotectors are well tolerated by the body.
During the administration of chondroprotectors, degenerative processes in the joint are slowed down. Previously, glucosamine and chondroitin were only given as injections. Now drugs can be purchased in the form of tablets.
To restore cartilage of the knee joint based on chondroitin, the following drugs are released:
- Mucosat;
- "Artradol";
- "Arthrin";
- Chondrolone
- Chondroitin-Akos;
- Chondrograd.
The following medications are based on glucosamine:
- "Don";
- "Sustilak";
- "Elbona";
- Chondroxide.
This group also includes a drug in the form of a cream for the restoration of cartilage of the knee joint. It is called Chondroxide Maximum. The choice of the drug is made by the doctor.
Animal preparations
There is a whole range of drugs made on the basis of bones and cartilage of animal origin. Most often, biological material taken from sea fish or young calves is used to create them. They stimulate the restoration of cartilage tissue of the joints due to the presence of a range of substances in the composition. They take part in metabolic processes. Such drugs slow down the aging process and the destruction of cartilage. They protect cells from negative factors.
One of the most popular drugs in this group is Alflutop. The price of this drug varies from 1600 to 1900 rubles. Available as an injection. The drug is made from small sea fish. Since there is a high probability of developing an allergy (like any other drug of this type), the composition is administered intramuscularly. The drug is not prescribed for children under 18 years of age, as well as for women during pregnancy and lactation.
Rumalon is an analogue of Alflutop. Its price is from 1200 to 1500 rubles. This drug is made from bone tissue of calves. The drug has exactly the same contraindications. It is released in the form of intramuscular injections. The drug is prohibited in the presence of autoimmune diseases. An alien protein that is injected into the body can trigger an immune response. As a result, the leukocytes of their own body begin to attack protein cells. This can lead to the development of rheumatoid arthritis or some other autoimmune pathology.
Combination drugs
A frequent companion of knee disease is pain. To reduce the negative manifestations, complex preparations are prescribed. They contain not only chondroprotectors, but also non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Such drugs include Arthrodar, as well as Teraflex. In this case, treatment of the knee joint improves the quality of life of the patient. The pain recedes, allowing daily things to be done. In this case, it is required to reduce the load on the joint, performing only special exercises.
The disadvantage of combined drugs is side effects. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory components included in the composition affect the digestive tract. Heartburn and stomach pain, gastritis may occur. If a person has a stomach ulcer, it worsens when taking such drugs. Bleeding in the digestive tract may occur. Therefore, combination drugs are prescribed only with significant pain. Their reception is possible only for people who do not have diseases of the digestive system.
Also, such drugs are not prescribed to people aged 60 years. Combined types of drugs are taken for a short period of time.
To restore the cartilage of the knee, the doctor can prescribe the following drugs in this group:
- Teraflex. The cost varies depending on the amount of the drug in the package from 360 to 3000 rubles.
- "Dimexide." Concentrated solution. May also be in gel form. The cost is 100-120 rubles. Suitable for external use.
- Menovazin. Liquid solution with a strong odor. It can also be produced in the form of an odorless white cream. The cost is from 20 rubles. It is applied externally in combination with other drugs.
Injection Reviews
One of the effective methods is the use of injections of hyaluronic acid in the knee joint. Reviews about this technique are mixed. The cost of such therapy is high. Moreover, it is performed exclusively by a highly qualified orthopedic traumatologist. If such procedures are performed by a layman, you can not only aggravate the course of the disease, but also make it impossible to restore cartilage by conservative methods.
If the procedure is carried out by a highly qualified medical specialist, treatment lasts faster than with other methods of administering chondroprotectors. The active substance immediately reaches the articular cartilage. Hyaluronic acid is one of the important components of intraarticular fluid. This is a joint lubricant. With insufficient production of this substance, cartilage suffers. In this case, the use of chondroprotectors will not be effective. If the patient has a decrease in the production of the presented substance, it is injected into the knee joint.
The course of therapy is repeated after 6 or 12 months. The use of hyaluronic acid-based drugs is prohibited in the inflammatory process or skin diseases in the joint. Also, drugs of this group are not prescribed for children, pregnant and lactating mothers. The most famous drugs based on hyaluronic acid are:
- "Ostenil." The cost is from 3000 rubles. for 10 ampoules.
- "Fermatron." Relieves pain. In this case, joint mobility is quickly restored. The cost is from 4500 rubles. for packing.
Reviews on plasmotherapy of the knee
According to reviews, injections of plasma into the knee joint have proven effective. This is a relatively new and one of the safest ways to restore cartilage. It was developed by a Moscow doctor R. Akhmetov. Now this technique is used in the most famous domestic and foreign clinics.
Plasma obtained from the patient’s own blood is injected into the patient’s joint. This allows you to accurately affect damaged areas of tissue. They begin to regenerate quickly. The technique has practically no contraindications, as rejection or negative reactions of the drug are impossible.
According to reviews, plasma injections into the knee joint are painless. Anesthesia is not required. First, 10-50 g of blood from a vein is taken from the patient (this is quite a bit). Then it is placed in a centrifuge. This allows you to separate the plasma. Her doctor introduces the patient into the knee joint. Improvement occurs after the first dose. The course includes 5-7 procedures. The price of one procedure varies from 4000 to 6000 rubles. Therefore, the disadvantages of the presented procedure should include high cost.
ethnoscience
As an addition to the main therapy, one of the methods for restoring the cartilaginous tissue of the knee joint with folk remedies can be used. One of these recipes is the use of radish and horseradish. They are rubbed on a fine grater, mixing in equal proportions. For each procedure, 50-80 g of radish and horseradish will be required.
You can make compresses for the night from elecampane and burdock. Each of the ingredients (200 g each) is crushed, pour 1 liter of alcohol (or vodka). The composition is infused for 3 weeks in a dark place. Compress is done 3 times a week.
Having considered the features and methods of restoration of cartilage of the knee joint, we can understand the mechanism of such a process. Only a doctor can prescribe the right, effective treatment. This will allow, before it is too late, to restore healthy joints.