Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis, knee joint osteoarthritis, deforming arthrosis of the knee common) is a degenerative disease. It is characterized by the destruction of the cartilage of the knee joint articular surfaces, joint deformity, and impaired function.
The general belief is that the initial changes in arthrosis of the knee joint are formed in the cartilage tissue at the molecular level. Over time, these changes lead to a violation of the physicochemical properties of the cartilage. When examining cartilage preparations, it can be revealed that in some places, it begins to become cloudy, thinner, delaminate, and crack in various directions.
The pathological process ends with the complete disappearance of cartilage over a smaller or larger extent, which leads to the exposure of the underlying bone. Osteoarthritis of the knee is most common in people over 50 years of age.
Women are more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Arthrosis of the knee joint can be unilateral or bilateral—the most common forms of medial arthrosis.
Causes of the development of arthrosis of the knee joint
The exact cause of arthrosis is unknown to science, but several factors usually contribute to the onset of this disease:
- Postponed injuries to the knee joint – increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis;
- Heredity – in patients with arthrosis, a defect in the gene responsible for the development of cartilage tissue is detected. This defect leads to the fact that these people have an increased predisposition to the development of arthrosis due to the low resistance of cartilage tissue to damage;
- Increased body weight – according to observations, most often, arthrosis of large joints of the lower extremities (knee, arthrosis of the hip joint) develops in patients with increased body weight and occurs due to excessive stress on these joints. It can also lead to more rapid progression of the disease;
- Extreme pressure on the joint ;
- Intra-articular crystal deposits are found in some conditions associated with metabolic disorders, in particular uric acid, etc., which can lead to cartilage destruction.
How can osteoarthritis of the knee be diagnosed?
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee is based primarily on a description of the patient’s medical history, an accurate description of current symptoms, and an orthopedic examination. In a conversation with a doctor, you should pay attention to what leads to increased pain and what relieves it. You should also find out if anyone in the family has suffered from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid disease.
An orthopedic surgeon may recommend additional tests, including:
- X-ray shows the severity of bone lesions. It includes narrowing of the joint space, osteophytes (bone spurs), subchondral sclerosis, sharpening of the intercondylar eminence, and incorrect limb axis.
- Ultrasound.
- MPT – magnetic resonance imaging – is performed most often when x-rays and ultrasound do not show a clear cause of joint pain.
- Blood test – to eliminate other causes of diseases, such as rheumatoid diseases, Lyme disease (borreliosis), etc.
Methods of treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint
The development of orthopedics in recent years has opened up new possibilities for the highly effective treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Increasingly, we can delay or cancel the replacement surgery stage (knee arthroplasty) through modern methods, mainly Orthokine therapy and treatment with growth factors (GPS = PRP, Platelet Rich Plasma – Platelets Rich Plasma). These methods use the body’s natural ability to inhibit osteoarthritis and strengthen articular cartilage.
The most important goal of treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee is to relieve pain and restore the range of motion and mobility. The specialist tailors the treatment plan to the individual. In addition to Orthokine therapy and treatment with growth factors, treatment usually contains a combination of the steps described below.
Also Read: Can Knee Osteoarthritis Cause Ankle Pain.
