Deforming osteoarthritis- a disease associated with degenerative changes (wear) of the cartilage tissue, which covers the articular surfaces of the bones and provides free movement of the limbs.
This is one of the most common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (the incidence of the adult population in the different regions of the Earth varies from 13 to 29%). Deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) ranks second in frequency of development, after deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
Causes of osteoarthritis of the knee
The mechanism of development of knee osteoarthritis is not yet fully understood. However, the factors contributing to the development of pathology have been known for a long time. Some of them are inevitable - this is old age, female sex, hereditary predisposition.
The reasons for the development of deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint, which causes accelerated wear of the cartilage, include:
- obesity (more than 66% of patients with gonarthrosis are overweight);
- pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, increasing the load on the joint (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, flat foot, systemic diseases of the joints, etc. );
- increased physical activity, including sport.
In addition, the progression of gonarthrosis is facilitated by pathologies that disrupt the metabolism of cartilage tissue (endocrine diseases, gout), as well as by circulatory diseases (varicose veins of the lower limbs, atherosclerosis of the arteries of the legs, diabetic angiopathy). Timely and adequate therapy of these diseases will help preserve the function of the limb for a long time.
Another common cause of gonarthrosis is a knee injury. In such cases, the pathology progresses at an unusually fast pace. Therefore, we recommend that all patients who have sustained a knee injury be examined promptly and, if necessary, undergo knee joint arthroscopy to eliminate intra-articular injuries.
When to see a traumatologist
An orthopedic-traumatologist should be consulted immediately after the following symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee joint appear:
- knee pain is the most persistent symptom;
- creaking when moving;
- morning stiffness - as a rule, it is combined with a kind of "initial pain" and disappears after 30 minutes of movement;
- dysfunction of the joint - a feeling of looseness or, conversely, pathological stiffness, lameness, etc.
At the MC they receive expert orthopedic traumatologist appointments who, after an accurate diagnosis, will select the optimal method for treating the knee joint: surgery or conservative therapy, depending on the specific situation.