Today, quite a lot of citizens of our country turn to a specialist for help because of various bone pains. The most interesting thing that worries this ailment is not only people of age, but also young people. Very often, people experience unpleasant aching pain in their knees. However, this phenomenon may not be regular, so the solution to the problem is constantly delayed. But why still twists his knees? What to do to avoid the appearance of this unpleasant symptom? This will be discussed in this review.
How is the knee joint?
Let's dwell on this in more detail. The knee has a rather complex structure. This joint is formed immediately from several bones: the patella, femur and tibia. The menisci located between them perform a cushioning function. They do not allow friction of bones against each other, and also provide protection during physical exertion. The composition of the knee joint includes tendons and muscles, which are located on the shin and thigh. If any of the above items is damaged, severe discomfort may occur. Determining a clear localization of pain in this state is almost impossible. Why twists knees? The reasons can be completely different. For an accurate diagnosis, be sure to contact a qualified specialist.
Joint dystrophy: causes
If your knee hurts for a long time, twists at night, then perhaps the wrong diet is to blame. The lifestyle of a modern person does not allow to pay sufficient attention to a full meal. Due to the constant lack of time, we are forced to snack on the go. This negatively affects the general condition of the body, including the metabolism in the joints. Nutrient deficiencies can cause cartilage deformation. But it is she who protects the joint from friction and possible destruction.
What is cartilage dystrophy? The amount of synovial fluid entering the joints is significantly reduced. But it is she who is a natural lubricant that protects the articular surfaces of the bone from friction. As a result, they are injured from touching each other.
How to eat, so as not to feel the signs of joint degeneration? The optimal number of meals per day is 4-5 times. It is with such a diet that the blood will be continuously saturated with useful substances. All systems and organs will in time receive the components necessary for proper functioning.
Aching pain: causes
So why does she appear and how to deal with her. Sometimes he twists his knees not only with serious physical exertion, but also at rest. Many face such an unpleasant problem as aching pain at night. When a similar symptom occurs, you should immediately consult a specialist. Only a doctor will be able to diagnose the exact reason why the knees ache.
What can knee joint pain signal? This symptom can be caused by many serious illnesses. Therefore, it is extremely undesirable to be limited to a simple intake of analgesics. It is necessary to accurately determine the cause of the pain and immediately begin treatment.
Inflammatory processes
Why twists knees? One of the most common causes is inflammation in the joints.
Here are just some of the diseases that can cause them:
- Arthritis: this pathology may indicate the beginning of the first stage of development of polyarthritis. The disease affects several groups of joints at once. The first symptoms of the disease are swelling, redness, severe pain, especially at night and when weather conditions change.
- Bursitis: This disease is associated with inflammation of the joint bag. It is this element that protects the joint from infections and mechanical damage. The first signs of inflammation are swelling and redness, and the knees are also very twisted.
- Tendonitis. With this disease, the inflammatory process affects the ligaments and tendons. As a result, the legs swell strongly, there are discomfort while running or walking. Pain can also be observed in the lower leg and thigh.
- Cyst Becker. The localization of the inflammatory process is the back surface of the lower leg, slightly below the popliteal notch. The disease causes severe pain, aggravated by bending the legs.
Other causes of inflammation
This process can develop not only as a result of diseases.
The causes of the inflammatory condition can also be:
- insect bites and allergies to them;
- hypothermia;
- prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position;
- severe physical exertion.
Degenerative joint disease
What is their feature? A distinctive feature of degenerative diseases is constant continuous deterioration in the structure of affected organs and tissues. Typically, such processes occur in tissues that are involved in the formation of joints. These include articular cartilage, areas of the bone layer in constant contact with the fibers of the ligaments, and the ligaments themselves.
As a rule, symptoms of degenerative diseases appear gradually. First, a person feels that he twists his legs and knees slightly, then the pains become constant and do not go away even at night. This is due to the fact that over time, the disease affects a fairly large area of connective tissue.
Arthrosis
What is this ailment? One of the possible reasons for twisting the legs from the knees to the feet is arthrosis. This disease is characterized by severe pain. This is due to the destruction of articular cartilage and the destruction of the synovial membrane.
The following symptoms are characteristic of arthrosis:
- Cracking in the knees and severe aching pain.
- Fast fatiguability.
- In the later stages of the disease, numbness and swelling of the knees are observed. In severe cases, complete immobilization can be observed.
If you do not start treatment of this disease in a timely manner, the patella may gradually shift and deform.
Osteoarthrosis
This joint disease is characterized by a change in the structure of tissues and the formation of growths on the bones. Until now, the causes of this disease have not been fully studied.
Only a few factors have been established under the influence of which deforming osteoarthrosis can develop:
- genetic predisposition;
- metabolic and circulatory disorders;
- hormonal changes;
- ingestion of proteoglycans into the joint.
The first stage of the disease proceeds without any symptoms. First, it affects cartilage that does not have nerve endings and closely spaced blood vessels.
Osgood-Schlatter pathology
The disease is a type of osteochondrosis. It is quite dangerous and can lead to a complete loss of joint mobility. The disease affects not only the knees, but also the tibia. The first symptom is the occurrence of pain during flexion. During and after physical exertion, discomfort may increase.
Injuries
One of the most common reasons knees twist is damage. Injury can be obtained not only when hitting or falling, but also if the leg bend is unsuccessful. If the cause of the pain is a blow to the leg, then the pain will intensify with physical activity. However, often the knee hurts at night, at rest. In severe cases, the discomfort is so strong that a person can not even fall asleep.
Dislocation of the patella
Is it dangerous? If after hitting a hard surface or injury during sports, he twists his knees strongly, then the cause may be the detachment of bone or cartilage. If the pain is accompanied by swelling, unnatural twisting or bending of the leg, then most likely it is a dislocation of the patella. In this case, blood vessels and nerve endings may also be damaged. Therefore, together with aching pain, the patient may also feel numbness and tingling in the joint area. At first, the injured area may simply turn red. Cyanosis appears much later.
Aching at night
How to deal with them? Why twist your knees at night? Possible causes are serious diseases such as osteoporosis, arthrosis, or arthritis. It is rather difficult to stop the development of these pathologies. The appearance of pain in the knee joint may indicate that the disease has already gone quite far. It is worth considering that arthrosis can develop not only in people aged. Very often even at the age of 25 they suffer from this unpleasant disease. It can develop due to the constant load on the knee joints, associated, for example, with professional activity. Often this ailment affects young mothers, professional athletes and movers. The cartilage gradually begins to collapse, which causes unpleasant aching sensations that do not go away even at night.
Treatment
If constant aching pain in the knee joints interferes with sleep at night, then painkillers can be taken to relieve unpleasant sensations. However, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed. Do not attempt to self-medicate. The cause of the pain can only be determined by a qualified specialist. The doctor will prescribe appropriate therapy for you depending on the nature of the disease.
If knee pain is associated with a minor injury, then you can try the following methods:
- bed rest, limitation of joint mobility with gradual activation;
- the use of canes and crutches while walking;
- the use of orthopedic insoles;
- wearing comfortable soft shoes;
- hot compresses.
As a treatment, the attending physician may prescribe:
- Reception of anti-inflammatory and painkillers.
- Applying special ointments and creams that relieve pain and inflammation.
- Injection
If for a long time the patient twists his legs below the knee or in another area, the doctor may prescribe a course of physiotherapy.
It may include:
- mud packs and baths;
- mineral water treatment;
- magnetotherapy;
- laser technology.
Surgical intervention
If the destructive processes in the joints have gone far enough and are not amenable to standard therapy, surgical intervention may be required. This measure is considered radical and is appointed only as a last resort. Today, there are several ways to perform joint surgery.
Here are some of them:
- Complete joint replacement: performed if the joint and adjacent bones are completely destroyed. During the operation, the patient receives a prosthesis.
- Partial joint replacement: only damaged joint elements undergo a change.
- Arthroscopy: during surgery, after 2-3 small incisions, the destroyed elements of the joint are removed.
After any surgical intervention, doctors recommend that patients wear a tight tight bandage for a long time.
Conclusion
Quite often, people suffer from twisting their knees. The causes of this condition can be quite serious. If the problem is not related to injury or damage, then most likely this symptom is a result of joint destruction. However, the exact cause can only be determined by a doctor. At the first appearance of pain, you should consult a specialist. The doctor will prescribe appropriate therapy. You may need physiotherapy exercises or physiotherapy. Your doctor may also advise you to change your diet. Indeed, often degeneration of the joints occurs due to metabolic disorders and lack of minerals.