Many of us face pain in the knee joint during life, which occurs when walking, intense exertion, and sports. Sometimes the pain syndrome is accompanied by a crunch, swelling, inability to move the limb. All these symptoms indicate that morphological changes occur in the knee. In our 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 figure out what contributes to the formation of the disease and how to diagnose it in the early stages.
What is a joint?
A joint is such a connection of bones, thanks to which the bone skeleton is endowed with flexibility, and a person has the ability to carry out various movements, such as:
- limb flexion / extension,
- abduction / adduction of limbs,
- rotational movements.
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 fluid. The joint also includes the joint bag, synovial membrane, menisci - cartilaginous structures that soften tremors during movement and act as 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 the connection of three bones - the femur, tibial and patella, which is often called the patella. In addition, the knee joint is also the most difficult in structure - in the process of bending, the patella lies in a special depression formed by the external and internal protrusions of the femur.
The structure of the knee
The surfaces of all three bones of the joint (patella, femur and tibia) are covered with cartilage, due to which the sliding process is ensured.
From the outside, the joint is limited by the capsule - the synovial membrane. The synovial fluid located in the synovial capsule nourishes and lubricates the cartilage, facilitates the sliding process, and keeps the knee joint healthy for a long time. Diseases, however, occur in this part of the knee. As a result of infections or injuries, synovial fluid can become inflamed, against which bursitis forms.
A strong position of the bones relative to each other is ensured 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 contribute to the easy gliding of muscles and tendons during movement. The main bursa are distinguished:
- popliteal muscle bag,
- bag of semi-membranous muscle ,
- own bag of the semi-membranous muscle,
- patella bag,
- the patella bag is deep,
- sub-patellar sac subcutaneous.
What diseases of the knee joint are most common in medical practice, we will consider further. It should be noted that in most cases the main symptom of all pathologies is pain.
Causes of pain
Pain in the knee joint arises for a number of reasons that can conditionally be combined into four groups. These include:
- Fracture of the patella, contusion of the knee, osteochondral fracture - i.e. injuries.
- Diseases of the knee joint, as well as pathologies of the structure of the knee joint, which include:
- gonarthrosis - arthrosis of the knee joint;
- meniscus pathology - meniscopathy, meniscus cyst, Baker cyst;
- dysplasia of the protrusions (condyles) of the bone;
- Koenig's disease;
- bursitis in the area of the knee joint;
- Osgood-Schlatter disease;
- popliteal tenopathy, etc.
- Pathologies and injuries of various body systems that cause radiating pain in the knee joint. Such pathologies can be spinal diseases, injuries of the hip joint, etc.
- Systemic diseases, such as lupus erythematosus, Charcot arthropathy, Paget's disease, fibromyalgia. In addition to systemic pathology, tuberculosis or Lyme disease, a disorder that is classified as an infectious disease of the knee joint, can lead to pain.
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 following factors contribute to the emergence of diseases of the knee joint:
- excess weight;
- excessive physical activity;
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system - congenital or acquired during life;
- professional sport;
- age (older people are more likely to suffer from joint diseases);
- gender attribute (female).
DOES NOT A MEDICINE
Let us consider in more detail the most common diseases of the knee joint.
What is arthritis?
In the first place in the number of cases of disability resulting from knee diseases, there is a well-known disease - arthritis of the knee joint. Pathology affects all elements of the knee - the synovial membrane, capsule, cartilage. In the absence of proper treatment, arthritis leads to a person losing the ability to move normally. There are several forms of arthritis:
- rheumatoid arthritis - a form of pathology, the causes of which are not fully understood;
- post-traumatic arthritis - a pathology that develops against the background of injuries;
- reactive arthritis - a disease that occurs as a result of infection of the tissues after the poisoning of the body;
- deforming arthritis - a pathology that forms against the background of disorders and malfunctions of the circulatory system;
- gouty arthritis is a disease that is caused by metabolic disorders in the body.
They also distinguish between primary arthritis, which occurs directly in the joint as a result of trauma, and secondary arthritis, in which the inflammatory process begins in some tissues of the body, and with the flow of lymph or blood enters the knee joint.
Symptoms of pathology. Arthritis Approaches
In addition to pain during the disease, edema and redness are observed, purulent processes sometimes occur, accompanied by increased body temperature.
Treatment for arthritis is primarily aimed at stopping pain, swelling and restoring the motor ability of the knee joint. These measures are achieved by the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, warming ointments, as well as general strengthening medicines.
Physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, exercise therapy give good results in therapy. I must say that these measures are prescribed only during the period of disease remission, when acute inflammatory processes are not observed in the body. In case of failure of conservative methods of treatment resort to surgical intervention.
In conjunction with traditional methods in the treatment of arthritis, recipes of alternative medicine are often used using herbal raw materials as the basis for compresses, tinctures and ointments.
Arthrosis of the knee
Consider another fairly common disease of the knee joint - gonarthrosis. This pathology leads to the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the body, as a result of which the destruction of the cartilage tissue of the knee occurs, accompanied by its deformation and impaired function. Mostly the disease develops in women, especially in the elderly.
Concomitant diseases - arthritis, joint fractures, tumor processes can become the trigger mechanism for the occurrence of pathology.
The course of the disease is usually leisurely. Pathology develops gradually, and at first, the main symptom of gonarthrosis can be only a mild pain that appears after a state of rest. When moving, the pain passes, but then, after rest, appears again. As a rule, with gonarthrosis, osteophytes arise in the muscles, about which cartilage tissue rub. Due to friction, an inflammatory process occurs in the knee, the skin turns red, swelling forms.
Distinguish between 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 be not only concomitant diseases, but also simply the elderly person. Secondary gonarthrosis is a consequence of a knee joint injury or a complication after an infectious disease.
The main method in the diagnosis of gonarthrosis is radiography. Conservative treatment involves the elimination of pain, for which analgesics are used. To remove the edema, special ointments are used.
In advanced cases of arthrosis, when their own cartilage tissue is destroyed, surgery is performed - endoprosthetics. In this case, the knee joint is replaced with an artificial structure, which allows you to almost completely restore 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 related diseases - gout, arthritis, diabetes. Often diseases contribute to overweight and weak knee ligaments.
The meniscus is a special structure that reduces the load on the joint during active movements. Distinguish between 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 acute pain following it. It must be said that the physiology of man is such that at a young age, his menisci are saturated with liquid, so the pain arising from meniscopathy is acute and severe. At a more advanced age, the pain is weaker. In addition to pain, there is swelling, difficulty in moving.
An effective diagnostic method for meniscopathy is MRI, during which the degree of damage to the meniscus is determined. With tearing or pinching, conservative medicine is sufficient. However, when a meniscus ruptures, surgical intervention is necessary.
Periarthritis
Periarthritis is a disease of the ligaments of the knee joint. However, the disease can also affect muscles and tendons. The cause of the pathology for the most part is concomitant diseases, an imbalance in the work of the endocrine system, repeated hypothermia of the body, problems with blood vessels.
Periarthritis is manifested by aching pain, swelling in the knee, the formation of seals that cause pain when pressed. Patients note discomfort when walking.
For women, a special form of pathology is characteristic - periarthritis of the goose foot bag, in which internal tendons become inflamed. In this case, neither edema nor deformation of the joint itself occurs. The disease makes itself felt only when wearing high-heeled shoes or when moving on an uneven surface.
Periarthritis is a disease of the knee joint, the treatment of which is effective only if it is detected at an early stage.
To achieve a positive result in therapy, it is recommended to minimize motor activity, relax more. Non-steroid drugs, such as, for example, Diclofenac, physiotherapeutic procedures, help relieve pain.
Knee tendinitis
Tendonitis of the knee joint is a disease that causes tendon tissue to become inflamed at the point of attachment to the bone. There is a disease in physically active people, in professional athletes, as well as in children and the elderly.
Favorable factors for the development of pathology can be:
- reduced protective functions of the body and various functional disorders of the body;
- imbalance in the muscle system;
- knee injuries or bruises;
- large physical exertion;
- fungal infections.
Tendonitis can occur on one leg or simultaneously on both. In this case, the affected joint often responds to a change in weather - pain, swelling, creaking during movement appear.
A whole complex of studies is used to diagnose pathology, it all depends on what caused tendonitis. For example, if the pathology was formed as a result of the deposition of salts, it will be easy to identify it through radiography. If tendonitis was the result of an infectious disease, laboratory tests would be an effective measure to detect the disease.
Methods of treatment of tendonitis depend on the stage of the disease. At first, conservative methods are effective - medication (non-steroidal drugs with anti-inflammatory effect), physiotherapeutic procedures - magnets, electrophoresis. A good effect in the treatment of the knee joint gives yoga. With the advanced course of the disease, 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 have not been established. It is known that people with poor heredity, as well as people with low immunity, are at risk. Frequent hypothermia, stress, psychoemotional stress increase the likelihood of the disease. The disease manifests itself in both men and women, while the age factor does not affect the incidence statistics.
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 starts with a feeling of stiffness in the knee after a long state of rest (for example, after a night's rest). When the weather changes, pain can appear that affect the knee joint. Diseases of this kind proceed in several stages. Each phase of the disease is characterized by its own symptoms, however, a common symptom of the disease at all stages of development is a pain symptom.
Stages of the development of the disease. Diagnostics
At first, puffiness, hardening appears in the area of the knee joint, a pain symptom occurs. Sometimes a person's body temperature rises.
Further development of rheumatoid arthritis affects the synovial membrane - it condenses due to the active division of inflamed cells.
With advanced cases of the disease, bone tissue and cartilage are affected. Severe pain occurs, deformation of the knee joint, 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 - the death of a person. Similar consequences arise due to severe complications that the disease gives to other organs and systems of the body - kidney failure develops, the spread of infectious processes.
Diagnosis of the disease is based on several methods:
- external examination, which helps to identify symptoms such as swelling in the knee, redness of the skin, obvious deformation of the joint;
- biochemical analysis of blood;
- radiography.
The pain symptom in rheumatoid arthritis is eliminated by the use of non-steroidal drugs with an anti-inflammatory effect. If the occurrence of the disease is associated with the spread of infection in the body, antibiotics are prescribed. Regular massage, as well as performing therapeutic exercises helps to get rid of pain.
Bursitis
Bursitis is an inflammatory disease of the synovial sac (bursa). Pathology occurs as a result of a knee injury, as well as with constant joint activity due to heavy physical exertion. Bursitis can be a consequence of an infectious disease.As a result of the inflammatory process, a fluid with dangerous microflora accumulates in the synovial bag. Gradually, pain occurs in the knee joint, when pressing on the knee area, the person also experiences discomfort, a feeling of stiffness when moving. A noticeable swelling forms around the joint, the dimensions of which can reach 10 cm.
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Gout is a disease that occurs as a result of a violation of urinary metabolism in the body and an increased 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 is predominantly found in men. The disease manifests itself with sharp pain, redness of the skin in the knee joint. Nodules are formed in the muscles, which are accumulations of uric acid.
Diagnose gout using a biochemical blood test, as well as by radiography. During therapy, in addition to medicines, the patient is prescribed a special diet (products with a high purine content are removed from the diet), physical and emotional peace are prescribed.
In case of Paget's disease, bone tissue is improperly formed, as a result of which the skeleton is deformed, the bones become very fragile.
Pathology often affects the tubular bones of the lower extremities, resulting in pain in the knees. The illness mostly worries men, especially the elderly.
Diagnosing the disease is not easy, since there are cases when the patient does not notice any manifestations of the 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 particular enzyme - phosphatase. Additionally, an x-ray study is performed.
Treatment involves minimizing the complications that Paget's disease causes. The goal of the therapy is to strengthen the bones as much as possible. This is achieved by taking calcium supplements. In case of Paget's disease, patients should follow a diet, perform physical therapy exercises, and avoid injuries that could 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 these many diseases are united by common signs - with pathologies a person experiences stiffness in movement and pain, swelling often occurs in the place of localization of the disease. In order to prevent the development of diseases, it is important to initially monitor your health, eat properly, prevent the formation of systemic pathologies in the body, and not bring the body to a state of obesity.
When the first signs of the disease appear, you should not postpone the trip to a specialist, because early diagnosis of the disease is the key to a successful recovery.